Inside the Shadow Government: National Emergencies and the Cult of Secrecy [Paperback]

Harry Helms (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2003

The Washington Post has reported that a parallel "shadow government" was activated in response to the September 11th attacks. Inside the Shadow Government is the first in-depth exploration of these standby plans. Among its revelations are details of plans for arrest - without probable cause or warrant - of American citizens by presidential order and government control of all media outlets. Special attention is given to the rise of "executive orders," a device that lets a president bypass Congress to create new laws. This book makes a powerful case that the "shadow government" is more concerned with restricting American civil liberties and constitutional government than it is with fighting international terrorism. Included are photos, illustrations, maps, charts and appendices that contain the complete text of government and military documents outlining plans for implementing the shadow government in future emergencies.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

What if, on September 11, 2001, United flight 93 had crashed into the Capitol, as some believe the terrorists had planned? Helms, an expert on clandestine and pirate radio, offers a nightmare scenario for what might have followed: the president could have declared a state of emergency and an unelected "shadow government," housed in hidden bunkers, would have gone into operation; civil liberties would have been suspended; civilian authorities in various cities would yield to military Special Forces. Is all this legal? Yes, according to Helms-a series of laws passed during WWII and after have concentrated much power in the president and created a Continuity of Government program in the event of a national emergency. Helms describes at length the past uses of executive orders to subvert civil liberties, such as FDR's order 9066, which led to the detention of Japanese-Americans, looks at the role of the Federal Emergency Management Agency ("the scariest agency in the entire government"), and sweeping security steps that have been contemplated in the wake of September 11. Readers concerned with the possible loss of civil liberties will find their worst fears confirmed here.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

...should give pause to anyone interested in promoting democracy and civil liberties... essential reading for all civil libertarians. -- Counterpoise, Vol. 8, #1 / 2

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Feral House; First Edition ~1st Printing edition (April 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 092291589X
• ISBN-13: 978-0922915897
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,552,412 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A compelling book!, October 14, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Inside the Shadow Government: National Emergencies and the Cult of Secrecy (Paperback)

What I like about this book is how the author doesn't just speculate but cites his sources, like the New York Times, Washington Post, and federal laws. Especially interesting were pages 133 and 134, where the author quotes the exact section of federal law that allows declaration of martial law by local military commanders without presidential authorization. The author does the same with laws allowing the seizure of radio and TV stations, confiscation of private property, and detention of citizens without a warrant in cases of national emergency. (What is a national emergency? Whatever the president says is a national emergency.) Helms reproduces the entire text of executive order 9066, issued by President Roosevelt in 1942 to keep Japanese-Americans in detention camps until after World War II. That order was twice upheld by the Supreme Court, and a future president could use the same order to hold another group of Americans in detention camps whenever that president declares a "national emergency".

The quotes from Oliver North's testimony to Congress in 1987 about the "Rex84" plans for handling national emergencies was frightening. Some people in Washington act like the Constitition and Bill of Rights is a problem they have to overcome.

The subject of this book is like dying, the thought of it is so scary that many people won't be able to think about it rationally. But Helms raises many good points and cites the relevant parts of the laws that make the "shadow government" possible.

3.0 out of 5 stars A good Intro, February 6, 2011

By 

BuddingWriter "Houseofmud51" (Connecticut) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Inside the Shadow Government: National Emergencies and the Cult of Secrecy (Paperback)

This book is a great into to the shadow government. It will wet the appetite as to the extent of what goes on behind the scenes. However, there are more complete works in this genre written by people like Jim Marrs, David Icke, and DVD's by Alex Jones that are much better and worth the money.

15 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Could have been much better, September 29, 2003

By 

D. Smithee "Universal Daddy" (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Inside the Shadow Government: National Emergencies and the Cult of Secrecy (Paperback)

The books presents a scenario of September 11th had a plane stuck the Capitol and killed most of Congress, a history of executive orders, and overviews of how the "shadow government" works and where it operates.

It all sounds very interesting but reads like typical conspiracy theory literature. The author contends we don't need a shadow government, but rather a sunshine government. He doesn't make much of a case in either direction. The book is rather lackluster and the absence of any footnotes, endnotes or bibliography make it frustrating. It is impossible to even use this book as a starting point to continue research about the topic.

It was a fun read, but the last third of the book is the actual texts of three executive orders which led to the creation of the agencies that comprise the shadow government and its predecessors. If you like to read legal code then you will like this, otherwise it is rather dry. The space could better have been used more carfully debate the need for a shadow government on a point by point basis, or omitted to reduce the price of the book.