Drew Zahn: Martial Law In the US?

Drew Zahn is a former pastor who cut his editing teeth as a member of the award-winning staff of "Leadership, Christianity Today's professional journal for church leaders. He is the editor of seven books, including Movie-Basea Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching, which sparked his ongoing love affair with film and his weekly WND colur "Popcorn and a world view." The White House's late-week release of an executive order has sent the online community into an uproar, worried that President Obama had secretly provided himself means to institute martial law in America. In the common practice of dumping government documents on a Friday afternoon, just as the news cycle is wrapping up for the week, a move critics say allows the administration to avoid widespread coverage of embarrassing actions, the White House released an executive order on "National Defense Resources Preparedness." Filled with language about "government-owned equipment" and a "defense executive reserve," among other vague statements, rumors began to spread that the executive order expanded the president's power to do everything from seizing whole industries to drafting private armies. A Canada Free Press article titled "Obama Executive Order: Peacetime Martial Law!" spread concerns of gasoline ration cards; while an Examiner article declared the order would "nationalize everything" and "allow for a civilian draft." Facebook, email and Twitter were suddenly abuzz, and even the extremely popular Drudge Report posted a link to the White House release under the title "Martial Law? Obama Issues Executive Order." But are the cries of martial law and expanding executive power justified? No, says William A. Jacobson, associate clinical professor at Cornell Law School. "If someone wants to make the argument that this is an expansion of presidential powers, then do so based on actual language," warns Jacobson. "There is enough that Obama actually does wrong without creating claims which do not hold up to scrutiny." Discover how deep Obama's violation of Constitution really does go with David Limbaugh's "Crimes Against Liberty." Then tell America you've had enough with these shenanigans. Get the AVOID OBAMA TRAUMA magnetic bumper sticker!