I have a question for you all.

First some background:

1. Matthew Rothschild's article in The Progressive.
2.Text of Bush administration ukaz.
3.Sourcewatch.
4.Federation of American Scientists' summary of Clinton-era equivalent ("PDD-67").
5.1999 FEMA "Federal Preparedness Circular".

Does this directive mean what everyone is clearly worried it means?

Is the worrying part an innovation over and beyond PDD-67 (#4, the Clinton version of #2)?

My thoughts: Second question first: Although the fas.org summary of PDD-67 doesn't address the issue, the text of the "Preparedness Circular" (#5) implies that the problem addressed in the PDD, solutions to which the FPS is intended to implement, was considered only as it applied to the Executive Branch. Agree/disagree?

Moving on to the first question: Bush's ukaz (#2) applies explicitly to all three branches of government, including the Legislative and Judicial branches over which he Constitutionally has only limited powers that don't look like they ought to even apply in a catastrophe. What kind of power does he imagine that he can therefore hijack with his decree? Given the candymouthed attitude of this administration toward the Constitution, is the appearance of "Constitutional" in this decree more windowdressing, just grandfathered in from earlier presidents' similar statements? Does he actually imagine that he can arrogate to himself the power to direct the other two branches of government, that is, to make new laws and abridge old ones? No, don't answer that. The real question: Does this look enforceable to you?

I would also like to point out that the range of circumstances in which earlier presidents' directives of this nature were intended to apply were: nuclear war with the Soviets. The current directive is intended to come into force for "any incident, regardless of location, that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the U.S. population, infrastructure, environment, economy, or government functions," not defining "extraordinary levels" or "severely". Translation: Nearly anything, anywhere, as long as it's scary enough. This is quite a step down in magnitude from Global Thermonuclear War.