Why Did People Wait More than Sixty Years to Get Upset?
By Robert Higgs • Wednesday March 21, 2012 11:56 AM PDT • 19 Comments
In a post at The Beacon two days ago, I called attention to President Barack Obama’s executive order issued last Friday, March 16, which relates to the fact that, to quote my post’s title, “the specter of centrally planned economic fascism continues to hover over the United States.” In my post, I noted that the president’s order updates and amends previously issued executive orders, all of which put into more definite form the underlying statutory authority granted by the Defense Production Act of 1950, which has been in force continuously since its enactment.
I notice that the blogosphere is now abuzz with hyperventilating commentary about Obama’s order, as if the president—completely out of left field and totally without warning—had suddenly sprung this provision for a government takeover of the economy on an unsuspecting public. Get a grip, people. Obama’s order, egregious as it undoubtedly is, only moves the deck furniture around on a Leviathan than was launched in September 1950 and has been plowing the seas ever since. The president’s action seems to be serving, in particular, as grist for the Obama haters mill. I hold no brief for the president, but please bear in mind that he has committed plenty of his own sins against liberty. It’s really bizarre to flog him for something Harry Truman’s administration put forward, which has been validated and continued by every presidential administration from Truman’s to the present.
I realize that reading a federal statute is hard slogging for ordinary mortals, so I won’t bother to recommend that you read the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended. But in a couple of minutes you can read the entire Wikipedia entry for this statute. I recommend that you do so if you are among those who imagine that the current administration has just concocted a new plan to take over the U.S. economy and has sneaked it into effect by issuance of an unheralded executive order.
Tags: American History, Corporatism, Defense, Economics, Fascism, Law, Military, Politics, Presidential Power, The State, War 
Erosion is a gradual process punctuated occasionally with noticeably accelerated events. The people of the US were most free in 1780. 1789 marked the beginning of the end. Fortunately, (for “The State”), people have short memories and are easy prey for propagandists.
Bryan Morton | Mar 21, 2012 | Reply
Maybe because this is the first president in 60 years that people are afraid will really USE this for his own power grab and goals?
Sam | Mar 21, 2012 | Reply
Bryan has a point. And our Founders would have agreed. They understood that our Republic was to be ‘of and by the people” as such a Republic could not remain free if people were not vigilent.
Ben Franklin said, “...a frequent recurrence to fundamental principles...is absolutely necessary to preserve the blessings of liberty and keep a government free.”. Leaders in government were not to be “career politicians” but servants of the people.
The American people were first alerted and then, alarmed by Obamacare, and have ever since been untrustful of government’s intentions about thier liberty. This was the beginning of citizens forming the Tea Party and town hall meetings being places for public servants to answer their constituents questions.
The States have also taken on what they see as more corosion upon their independence, with resistance of the NDAA with the “nullification. (the 10th Amendment).
“If the federal government has the exclusive right to judge the extent of its own powers, warned the Kentucky and Virginia resolutions’ authors (Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, respectively), it will continue to grow – regardless of elections, the separation of powers, and other much-touted limits on government power.”
–Thomas E. Woods
Isn’t this one reason why the Supreme Court is hearing so many cases. Conservatives don’t particularly care for an active judiary.
So, why would you post something that you felt was misleading, or simplistic, if you did not want to enflame social media outlets?
angie vandemerwe | Mar 21, 2012 | Reply
I only know of about four people that read it I riposted it three times got no respond what so ever.
ROYCE HINES | Mar 21, 2012 | Reply
I am just finishing up “Crisis and Leviathan”. It is fitting just as I learned the government retained these powers after WW II, we get this martial law executive order.
Rick Caird | Mar 21, 2012 | Reply
Robert
Fine job as usual on your last two posts. I did read the Defense Production Act and it is indeed hard slogging — but fascinating in a morbid way. As you say, given that Act, what’s all the fuss about NOW?
In this context, you might enjoy a poem I wrote today. it scans as: da da DUM da da DUM da da DUM da da DUM.
Stephen
Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes?
We’ve got Antitrust, BLM, CFPB,
and the DEA, EPA, FDIC,
FCC, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, plus the Fed
and the GAO running us all in the red.
While the FDA, FTC, Homeland Security
(TSA too) and ICE guard our futurity,
Medicare, NLRB, NSA
redistribute and regulate, day after day,
helped by OSHA, the OMB, PBGC,
RRB, SBA, SSA, SEC.
And a White House that every four years is new-leased
ensures all of bureaucracy’s wheels stay well-greased
for directors, inspectors, correctors, collectors.
So who will protect us from all our protectors?
Stephen Colley | Mar 21, 2012 | Reply
Repealing prescription laws is a good first step as it destroys the monopoly control that doctors now hold over the supply of medicine. Ron Paul understands this. He also advocates repeal of all drug laws period. The economic savings from both of these would be serveral hundred billion dollars a year in total. Perhaps more.
Jerome Bigge | Mar 26, 2012 | Reply
Exactly.
clay davis | Mar 26, 2012 | Reply
I think a lot more people are taking an interest in their government than they used too. And thanks to the internet (knock on wood), it’s a lot easier to be informed. And I agree with the poster above, Obama is sick in the head enough to implement these powers.
clay davis | Mar 26, 2012 | Reply
I am amazed at the fear of government that exists in this community, but I would wager that most here have 1) a college degree from a state or private school that would be small and inconsequential without the Federal research programs that fund graduate studies, or 2) uses the communication system developed by the military, now almost totally for civilian use, or 3) counts on a medical system that will meet your needs for everything that befalls you – R & D by government labs and reviewed for safety. Ron Paul may want snake oil elixer, but I prefer safe and reviewed drugs. I for one have much greater concerns when capitalism runs rampant and the quest for profit exceeds all other concerns. US business has always had it way with our lives, and very often not our best interests. Balance is essential in all things, and the US business community is usually restricted only due to prior excesses.
Paul Pruitt | Mar 26, 2012 | Reply
Clay Davis makes an important point. Not all Americans are historians who knew what on earth happened in the ancient, far-flung era of 1950, but today, many Americans *are* concerned about the growth of government, whether it is the right-wing Tea Party or the left-wing Occupy Wall Street. Now, obviously, these protesters are not all well-informed, nor is their policy advocacy always consistent or clear-headed (OWS: “the banks are given too much power by the government, so lets give the government more power!” Tea Party: “we want smaller government, as long as Social Security and military adventurism are retained!”). Nevertheless, look at how all the GOP candidates are imitating Ron Paul, knowing that that is what the people want to hear. (Sort of like the socialist atheist Thomas Paine pretending to be a libertarian Christian in his Common Sense.) The people do not know the historical precedents for Obama, but they *are* genuinely concerned about what he is doing, in a way that has not been since Vietnam.
Michael Makovi | Mar 27, 2012 | Reply
“look at how all the GOP candidates are imitating Ron Paul”
Actually, Santorum deserves real credit and praise for being honest enough to forthrightly admit that he is *not* Ron Paul. He explicitly says he is *not* a libertarian, and in recent YouTube video, in which a person yells at Santorum that he wrongly supported big-government bills, Santorum replies that he should just vote Ron Paul. So the man is honest. Let us give credit where credit is due. The rest of the GOP, however, it pretending like they too have been railing on the Fed for 30 years.
Michael Makovi | Mar 27, 2012 | Reply
I’m an American living in Asia, and I am laughing my scrawny posterior off. You will feel the full brunt of the calamity coming down on you, but I won’t. What did you think would happen to you, living in a society that consistently consumes more than it produces? You have sown the wind, and now it’s time for you to reap the whirlwind. And the Republicans are every bit as bad as the Democrats.
David A. Laibow | Mar 27, 2012 | Reply
Just to make it real simple, if we had Ron Paul as President, it would be made simple and we could all understand the gook that is coming out on the websites. I just do not understand what is the matter with and where has the common sense gone? Everything has to be so complicated that most people will not read it, so they vote for the pretty smile or whoever their Buddy votes for and that is what has happened to Common Sense, in my opinion.
Joyce Luna | Mar 27, 2012 | Reply
Not that’s not true. he’s not the powermonger, the right is all about power and wealth, they don’t care about you, and if you continue to fool yourself into thinking they do, you’ll get just what you have coming to you. Screwed.
Granny Tenderstone | Mar 28, 2012 | Reply
stop kidding yourself! wRONg PAUL is not what you think he is, and he’s in the race for two reasons: to promote the future of his son, that tea party bum, and to STEAL VOTES away from Obama so that IF YOU VOTE FOR PAUL YOU WILL ELECT A REPUBLICAN of questionable sanity. MARK MY WORDS. Don’t waste your vote. Besides Paul is a FAKE libertarian. Do your HOMEWORK.
Granny Tenderstone | Mar 28, 2012 | Reply
Do you really think the FDA has your health in mind when it receives payoffs from big pharma and directs what sort of research to conduct, who gets research dollars, etc.? If customers value an independent agency to determine drug/device safety, they will develop in a voluntary for-profit market, free of coercion.
bill | May 21, 2012 | Reply