There are a lot of opinions and emails firing about that imply President Trump has the authority through an executive order to use emergency powers to overturn the election results, and many conservatives and Christians think that’s OK. It’s not. For a president to take such an action would be equivalent to a totalitarian dictatorship, and set precedents that in the wrong hands would be very detrimental to this nation and its citizens. There are not any “emergency” powers that directly overturn elections. There are laws in place to ensure election integrity and all means of accountability through the courts and the processes that must be exhausted as a right of redress. Otherwise, we open the nation to tyranny.
Executive Order 13848 issued by President Trump on September 12, 2018 declares a national emergency to deal with “the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States constituted by the threat of foreign interference in or undermining public confidence in United States elections.” The “state of emergency” was renewed in September. This executive order does not call for the president to declare martial law, as some have suggested, to stop the overthrow of the nation by unscrupulous Democrats through their fraudulent election tactics. And you wouldn’t want him to have that power anyway, because if Trump has it, so does Joe Biden or say, Kamala Harris.
The executive order requires the Director of National Intelligence to submit to the Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security an assessment of foreign interference in US elections within 45 days of the election. The Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security then have 45 days to determine the extent of any foreign interference in US elections. To the extent of any interference, a wide range of sanctions can be applied. To make the assessment, the authorities have the ability to seize property and bank accounts of foreign operatives or those assisting them. This could include the seizure of voting machines owned by foreign entities and operated by US citizens.
Having said that, this executive order is not authority to somehow magically overturn the elections. It is a forensic mechanism to investigate foreign interference and to apply sanctions. Currently, there are many lawsuits making their way through the courts. State Legislators are holding hearings. Investigations are taking place. These are all part of the process. And despite a media which is abusing its First Amendment rights by propagandizing and repressing the evidence of election fraud, the election challenges are moving forward. We must be careful, however, not to press for precedent-setting emergency powers that overturn elections and keep people in office. That is tyranny. Let us seek the truth in these matters. As Jesus said in John 8:32, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” And, hopefully, keep us free.
