[ExI] Security clearances

[spike]

From: extropy-chat [mailto:extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of William Flynn Wallace
Sent: Sunday, May 15, 2016 1:12 PM
To: ExI chat list <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
Subject: Re: [ExI] Security clearances

 

It is not mildly frightening to those of us yanks living in the libertarian’s worst nightmare, it is terrifying.  We see appalling stockpiles of nukes being handed over to one of two candidates, both of whom have demonstrated clear evidence of being authoritarian to the point of totalitarian warhawks.  The rest of the world has a huge vested interest in how this comes out.  Can this get any worse?  Eh… ja.

spike

 

My guess is that no president (or cannot?) do it alone.  They need backing.  If the Cabinet members and the military all agree with the pres, then what can one do?  If they all disagree, then I think no pres would (could?) order strikes.  Maybe Trump would try to go it alone, but I have to doubt even that.

 

I would dearly like to see Congress act as a balance here, as they are supposed to do.  No military action without agreement by Congress.  Otherwise, where is the balance of powers?  Would that take a Constitutional Amendment?

 

bill w

 

 

 

 

 

BillW, you know we love like a brother pal.  But you need to educate yourself on this process please sir.

 

A US president can unilaterally order a nuclear strike, enter the code into the football, no permissions needed from anyone, congress or anyone else.  The sub commanders receive a code, they carry out their orders, for they don’t know if their own country is at that moment under attack or is already a smoldering ash heap.  They don’t know what has happened.  They will fire those rockets.  The US president is the only person who can physically do that.

 

No.  There are no checks and balances on that process.

 

spike

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.extropy.org/pipermail/extropy-chat/attachments/20160515/8e193f81/attachment.html>