Liberty Quotes

"Since March 9, 1933, the United States has been in a state of declared national emergency.... Under the powers delegated by these statutes, the President may: seize property; organize and control the means of production; seize commodities; assign military forces abroad; institute martial law; seize and control all transportation and communication; regulate the operation of private enterprise; restrict travel; and, in a plethora of particular ways, control the lives of all American citizens. ... A majority of the people of the United States have lived all of their lives under emergency rule. For 40 years, freedoms and governmental procedures guaranteed by the Constitution have, in varying degrees, been abridged by laws brought into force by states of national emergency....from, at least, the Civil War in important ways shaped the present phenomenon of a permanent state of national emergency." -Senate Report, 93rd Congress Source: from the Senate Report 93-549, 93rd Congress, November 19, 1973, Special Committee On The Termination Of The National Emergency United States Senate. The purpose of the committee was to discuss and address the 40 year long state of emergency that had been in effect in the United States since the Emergency Act of 1933, the Trading with the Enemy Act October 6, 1917 as amended in March 9, 1933. During the continued state of emergency, Congress voted to transfer powers from Congress to the President. The debate to end long-running states of National Emergency was ended in 1976 with the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601-1651), which limits any such declared emergencies to two years.
http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quote_blog/Senate.Report,.93rd.Congress.Quote.F19A

"Consistent with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act, 50 U.S.C. 1622(d), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency previously declared on September 14, 2001, in Proclamation 7463, with respect to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and the continuing and immediate threat of further attacks on the United States. Because the terrorist threat continues, the national emergency declared on September 14, 2001, and the powers and authorities adopted to deal with that emergency must continue in effect beyond September 14, 2010." -Barack Hussein Obama (1961-) 44th President of the United States Source: Federal Register, Notice of September 10, 2010, Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Certain Terrorist Attacks. The 2nd time President Obama has extended the state of national emergency that has been in continuous effect since September 14, 2001. The National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601-1651), limits any such declared emergencies to two years.
http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quote_blog/Barack.Hussein.Obama.Quote.77FE