What's to stop the crisis that's going on in Pakstan from happening in the US?

Question

What if 9/11 happened during an election year.

They did pass the emergency powers act when it happened. The president could have halted elections.

Answer 1

Well, according to a huge number of "executive orders", signed by the President, he could theoretically assume total control of the government and country, "in event of an emergency." The Supreme Court and Congress wouldn't stand for it, of course, but considering that the president controls the military and the police, and considering the past behavior of Bush/Cheney and friends, there is little they could do to stop him if he so desired.

(Note: this is only counting the E.O.'s that aren't classified, which many are.)
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/orders/

Note that signed "executive orders" are not laws, nor are they mentioned anywhere in the constitution. President Bush has signed hundreds of them, more than any other U.S. President, but has vetoed the fewest Bills of any President.

In particular, the limitless and totalitarian powers assumed by President Bush, (and any future president should they so desire,) in these orders, should be grounds for impeachment in of itself, in my opinion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWEJWwEFnIE

Even more disturbing, none of the upcoming presidential candidates (excepting perhaps Ron Paul or Chris Dodd) have mentioned anything about restricting presidential powers. I can literally count on my hand, the number of times words such as "congressional oversight," "torture," "constitution," "deficit spending," "habeas corpus," "civil liberties," "bill of rights," "executive orders," etc. have been mentioned in public presidential debates. "Habeas corpus" and "executive orders" have NEVER been spoken in any publicly televised debates, as far as I am aware:
http://mediamatters.org/items/200711170002?f=h_tophttp://www.yourdictionary.com/library/presart1.html
http://overstated.net/2004/10/01/presidential-debate-analysis

What's to stop this?

I don't know.

I have no official capacity to advocate one candidate or another; though I'd personally vote for Ron Paul, even as a write-in....

~W.O.M.B.A.T.

Answer 2

The US is a fortress. It's very difficult for any enemy to do more to damage us than a superficial attack.

Even in WW II, Japan and Germany combined hit American soil only once: the Pearl Harbor attack. We succeeded in keeping the war entirely on foreign soil.

Also, there is a general feeling of confidence here in the US. Only liberals go out in force demonstrating angrily, and it's not because they're terrified of any particular event. They usually just want attention, control or influence, and this is how they do it.

On the other hand, Pakistan has several entire provinces in the north that the government can't take control of. Al Qaida has been operating on the roads from Peshawar to Kabul (Afghanistan) since 1980 and have had a great deal of influence in the country for almost 30 years.

There is no such group in the US and no situation even close to this level of instability.

Answer 3

Stop voting for neocons like Bush/Cheney/Guiliani/Romney