would you put it past them?

[vanilla]

How likely would it be for this scenario to happen?
Right before the election this Nov., the Bush people think they may not win.
They stage a terrorist problem, call on executive orders(totally legal) and suspend all elections and decalre martial law?

I was wondering.

[Garfield226]

Not a chance.

Even if the elections had to be delayed (though I can't imagine a likely scenario to cause that), they would still happen.

If they did try it (unwarrantedly), the backlash from both sides would be so great that whenever martial law was rescinded, they'd be out of office in months, if not sooner.

[vanilla]

I've heard that once martial law is declared, sometimes its never undeclared.

[Ringo]

What websites have you been cruising? We held elections during WWII. And, what Garfield226 said.

[Garfield226]

I've heard that once martial law is declared, sometimes its never undeclared.
Heard where?

And declared where? We don't work the same way as other countries. Especially when it comes to holding free elections.

[vanilla]

well, that makes me feel a bit better.
I wouldn't put it past them, myself.

[Guinastasia]

Considering how bad their PR is now, it'd be absolute suicide to try and pull a stunt like this. There's no way they could even do it-the Supreme Court and Congress wouldn't allow it, and neither would the American people.

[rjung]

Considering how bad their PR is now, it'd be absolute suicide to try and pull a stunt like this. There's no way they could even do it-the Supreme Court and Congress wouldn't allow it, and neither would the American people.
I'm sure there are some Americans who would applaud such a move -- Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, Shodan, Brutus... ;)

[Ephemera]

Er. No. Even as much as I hate Bush, Ashcroft, and their ilk, I would never believe them capable of something like what is stated in the OP, which has to be one of the most outlandishly ignorant ideas I have ever heard.

[LSLGuy]

Would they stage a terrorist event? Absolutely.

But why delay the elections? The idea would be to scare everybody into re-electing them. And American's don't stay scared (or interested in anything) very long. So they'd want to stage their event within a week or so of the elections, and count on the bounce to carry them back into the White House.

On a more calm note, I would not be surprised to find they've given OPEC the green light to run oil prices up to $40-50 a barrel. Then about a month before the election, George will get on TV, "order" OPEC to drop prices, and it'll happen, almost instantly.

Gasoline will be 40 cents cheaper than it was, almost overnight, and a grateful public will duly elect George for his "forceful" management of the situation. Never mind that prices would still be 40 cents higher then they were in early 2004, and Big Oil & the exporting countries are still making a mint at our expense.

[Shodan]

I'm sure there are some Americans who would applaud such a move -- Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, Shodan, Brutus... ;)And I am sure there are some Dopers who are lying shitholes. But then I would not accuse them by name outside the Pit.

[Marley23]

I loathe them, and I'd put this one past them too.

[Czarcasm]

And I am sure there are some Dopers who are lying shitholes. But then I would not accuse them by name outside the Pit.
And there are some Dopers who know how to report posts to the Moderator instead of posting [not so)indirect insulting responses outside of the BBQ Pit.

I haven't forgotten about you, rjung. You know better than to post insults outside of the Pit. Do not do this again.

[vanilla]

On a more calm note, I would not be surprised to find they've given OPEC the green light to run oil prices up to $40-50 a barrel. Then about a month before the election, George will get on TV, "order" OPEC to drop prices, and it'll happen, almost instantly.

Gasoline will be 40 cents cheaper than it was, almost overnight, and a grateful public will duly elect George for his "forceful" management of the situation. Never mind that prices would still be 40 cents higher then they were in early 2004, and Big Oil & the exporting countries are still making a mint at our expense.
Thats interesting.
We shall see, I guess.

[Marley23]

Unless you look at CNN and see this story: OPEC Agrees to Raise Oil Output. (http://money.cnn.com/2004/06/03/news/international/opec.reut/index.htm?cnn=yes)

[Uncommon Sense]

The POTUS has zero control over OPEC. Imagine if LSLGuys theory were workable. The POTUS and/or his ilk would be able to control the oil prices in such a way that they would be getting kick backs from the oil producers left and right. I always thought that these guys secretely hated the US and more so the current POTUS. The whole middle-east thing and all. They only like us a little because we buy their oil. They certainly wouldn't go into kahoots with GW in order to get him re-elected.