# What's the gist of this Executive Order, and why might my cousin characterize it as "evil"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 12, 2012, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-gist-of-this-executive-order-and-why-might-my-cousin-characterize-it-as-evil/627962 "2012-07-12T02:37:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2012, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-gist-of-this-executive-order-and-why-might-my-cousin-characterize-it-as-evil/627962/21 "2012-07-15T22:22:55Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Are we talking about the same DHS, the Department of Homeland Security? It didn’t even exist until after the 2011 attacks, did it? Maybe Nancy Reagan’s fortune teller had a role in writing the 1984 order. Obviously, the original 1984 order ([EO 12472](http://www.ncs.gov/library/policy_docs/eo_12472.html)) had no reference to DHS. But [EO 13286](http://www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/eo/eo-13286.htm) issued in 2003 includes amendments to the older EO in section 46, adding references to that department and removing references to FEMA, amongst other minor changes. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-gist-of-this-executive-order-and-why-might-my-cousin-characterize-it-as-evil/627962/22 "2012-07-16T00:30:22Z")
> [@fumster](#): > > Well Obama is black, so that makes it a gazillion times worse than when white presidents did it. If it weren’t for the fact that Obama has seized all the guns already I expect that there would be armed revolt. I don’t know the OP’s cousin but I don’t see any need to assume this is a racial issue. Political partisans have been coming up with conspiracy theories like this for decades (long before we had a black president) in which they claim a presidential administration of the other party is planning on seizing power. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-gist-of-this-executive-order-and-why-might-my-cousin-characterize-it-as-evil/627962/23 "2012-07-16T00:32:59Z")
Seizing power, as in the future? There’s a black Muslim Kenyan in the White House – that ship has sailed. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-gist-of-this-executive-order-and-why-might-my-cousin-characterize-it-as-evil/627962/24 "2012-07-16T14:28:52Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Thanks very much, gentlemen. With your kind permission I will bring these up when I return to the discussion with my cousin. Who will promptly move on to the next right wing conspiracy e-mail. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-gist-of-this-executive-order-and-why-might-my-cousin-characterize-it-as-evil/627962/25 "2012-07-16T14:51:01Z")
> [@SCSimmons](#): > > OK, I’ll do my best … > > Sec. 1: The federal government needs to have effective telecommunication capacity with other parts of the government, even (or especially) during major emergencies. > > Sec. 2: The Directors of the OSTP and of Homeland Security are responsible for providing regular status updates to the President and the Executive Committee on the current telecomm infrastructure available. > > Sec. 3: The Executive Committee will have representation from the State, Defense, Justice, Commerce, Homeland Security, GSA, DNI, and the FCC. Defense and Homeland Security are in charge. They’re responsible for making a plan to meet the needs from Sec. 1, and providing that plan and estimates for how much it will cost to the President and the OMB. > > Sec. 4: Homeland Security will provide the people who make this all happen, once budget and steps needed are approved. > > Sec. 5: Each department represented on the Executive Committee has particular responsibilities for providing information and support to that committee. Here’s what they are. > > Sec. 6: If the committee needs something in particular from any sector of the federal government, within the scope of their charter, please assist if you can, even if it’s not in the specific list above. That’s just the stuff they shouldn’t even have to ask for. > > Sec. 7: Legal stuff–previous EO’s on this subject are revoked, nobody gets to sue anybody because this wasn’t done the way they want to, none of this supersedes any law or established departmental authority, etc. > > * * * > > Evil? Um, to the extent that bureaucracy is evil by nature, I guess … That’s all I see. Wait, which is the clause authorizing the FEMA death camps, again? ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-gist-of-this-executive-order-and-why-might-my-cousin-characterize-it-as-evil/627962/26 "2012-07-16T21:18:41Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Wait, which is the clause authorizing the FEMA death camps, again? It’s the one between the two fnords. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-gist-of-this-executive-order-and-why-might-my-cousin-characterize-it-as-evil/627962.md?page=1)