Learn more about some problems with our United States Legal system and the root cause of the current economic collapse - an "Emergency" suspension of the GOLD standard by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1933. This single Executive Order has thereafter allowed the President and Congress to print money (create national debt) and write checks (deficit spending) on behalf of future generations (taxation without representation).

While perhaps disputable, a return to the Gold Standard, or similar restraint on deficit spending, may be a necessary element of any feasible plan to correct our current economic problems. In any event, a better understanding of the legal issues involved will go a long way towards finding a viable solution. Learn more about Emergency War Powers and the War Powers Act of 1973 which further complicates the possible solutions to our current economic problems.

Since March 9, 1933, the United States has been in a state of declared national emergency. In fact, there are (as of 1973) in effect four presidentially-proclaimed states of national emergency: In addition to the national emergency declared by President Roosevelt in 1933, there are also the national emergency proclaimed by President Truman on December 16, 1950, during the Korean conflict, and the states of national emergency declared by President Nixon on March 23, 1970, and August 15, 1971. (Quote from 1973 Senate Report on Emergency War Powers) We now have additional Emergency War resolutions from the Gulf War and the Irag War.

These proclamations give force to 470 provisions of Federal law. These hundreds of statutes delegate to the President extraordinary powers, ordinarily exercised by the Congress, which affect the lives of American citizens in a host of all-encompassing manners. This vast range of powers, taken together, confer enough authority to rule the country without reference to normal Constitutional processes.

Did you know that the Emergency War Powers Act eliminated the CONSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENT for a 2/3 super majority for Declarations of War? The Iraq War is a prime example of the President's right to declare a war and invade a country without a formal Declaration of War.

Under the powers delegated by these statutes, the President may: seize property; organize and control the means of production; seize commodities; assign military forces abroad; institute martial law; seize and control all transportation and communication; regulate the operation of private enterprise; restrict travel; and, in a plethora of particular ways, control the lives of all American citizens without Congressional approval.

Laws enacted as Emergency War Powers appear to have no practical means to withdraw that authority once the time of emergency had passed. Many believe this is a serious national legal problem that needs to be addressed.