"Unintended Consequences" - starts off with a history lesson on gun rights and laws but rapidly sets the story of unimpeded Government intrusion and regulation, and the resulting trampling on constitutional civil rights. The book ends with the major subjects taking matters into their own hands and dealing with government agencies who has, not at the agency level but at lower individual levels, violated individual rights. The actions of some stimulate and inspire others to do the same, so the U.S. Government has a case of sporadic and small violent revolt and direct action against an intrusive government's draconian regulation and civil rights violations. All of the violence in the book is directed against "rogue" employees of these government agencies, and a legislator or two, who more than just energetically enforcing "the letter of the law".
This book is out of print and commands substantial prices if you can find one. I am not a conspiracy buff and I do have routine conversations (read arguments) with people who think the U.S. government is a lot smarter than it really is, and often gets away with a lot of "covert" actions and conspiracies. I just don't believe in the vast majority of suspected government conspiracies. However, I personally think it is in the U.S. Government's best interests to have the book "Unintended Consequences" unavailable and I have wondered why it is no longer in print. Other than sending government employees out to buy up all the copies, I just don't see how it could be done.
This book serves to highlight what is possible, even probable, when the government in a wholesale manner tramples on individuals rights. I liked it simply because the underdog wins and in doing so exhibits some pretty crafty tradecraft. The technical writing about history and firearms is a bonus.
Kind of reminds me of a recent e-mail where the sender writes that over 600,000 hunters took to the woods in Michigan this year,...over 700,000 in Pennslyvania,....600,000 in Florida - and these are just a couple of states. The sender wrote that the U.S. has the largest un-organized milita and that is why not only foreign countries could never take over the U.S., a la a "Red Dawn" scenario, but also why U.S. Government martial law would never be accepted.
We have a history in this country of a separation of Law Enforcement and Military. The military, through U.S. Code 18, Section 1385, also known as "Posse Comitatus", has no authority or law enforcment powers in this country. With one exception,..the Insurrection Act,.....
The Insurrection Act of 1807 governs the U.S. President's ability to use Federal troops to put down lawlessness, insurrection and rebellion within the United States. The laws are contained in U.S. Code 10, Sections 331 to 335. I'll bet most of you did not know the changes in 2006 and 2007 by Congress to this law.
The amended Insurrection Acts now reads:
(1) The President may employ the armed forces, including the National Guard in Federal service, to--
(A) restore public order and enforce the laws of the United States when, as a result of a natural disaster, epidemic, or other serious public health emergency, terrorist attack or incident, or other condition in any State or possession of the United States, the President determines that--
(i) domestic violence has occurred to such an extent that the constituted authorities of the State or possession are incapable of maintaining public order; and
(ii) such violence results in a condition described in paragraph (2); or
(B) suppress, in a State, any insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination, or conspiracy if such insurrection, violation, combination, or conspiracy results in a condition described in paragraph (2).
(2) A condition described in this paragraph is a condition that--
(A) so hinders the execution of the laws of a State or possession, as applicable, and of the United States within that State or possession, that any part or class of its people is deprived of a right, privilege, immunity, or protection named in the Constitution and secured by law, and the constituted authorities of that State or possession are unable, fail, or refuse to protect that right, privilege, or immunity, or to give that protection; or
(B) opposes or obstructs the execution of the laws of the United States or impedes the course of justice under those laws.
A little known fact, is that when the State of Louisiana was hem hawing about asking for Federal help in the wake of Katrina,...many members of the U.S. Government were trying to get then President Bush to declare an insurrection in New Orleans in order to send in the U.S Army with law enforcement powers.......Bush did eventually send the military, but they did not have law enforcement powers - - - thank God, as that would have set an ugly precedent.
I don't know,.....I'm still not a conspiracy buff,.......I still think the only way to change unfair regulation and inefficient representation is through the ballot box,.....but I would still encourage people to read "Unintended Consequences", by John Ross.
