"[Statist politicians will often try to quietly and preemptively enact laws that protect them from the legal consequences of what would otherwise be 'illegal' activities they are planning in the future, unless stopped by a skeptical and vigilant opposition and populace. An example would be Hitlers 1933 Post-Reichstag Fire Emergency Decree, that later allowed him to become the supreme dictator of Germany before starting the Second World War. Another example is the original one page, carte-blanche proposal for the US government and Federal Reserve's steps to respond to the 2007-09 Great Recession, sometimes called the Global Financial Crisis. Still another example is the 2012 draft of the ESM - European Stability Mechanism - as follows:] Article 32, para 3: The ESM, its property, funding and assets, wherever located and by whomsoever held, shall enjoy immunity from every form of judicial process. [There is one exception entirely in the ESMs favour.] para 4: The property, funding and assets of the ESM shall, wherever located and by whomsoever held, be immune from search, requisition, confiscation, expropriation or any other form of seizure, taking or foreclosure by executive, judicial, administrative or legislative action. para 8: To the extent necessary to carry out the activities provided for in this Treaty, all property, funding and assets of the ESM shall be free from restrictions, regulations, controls and moratoria of any nature. Article 35, para 1: In the interest of the ESM, the Chairperson of the Board of Governors, Governors, alternate Governors, Directors, alternate Directors, as well as the Managing Director and other staff members shall be immune from legal proceedings with respect to acts performed by them in their official capacity and shall enjoy inviolability in respect of their official papers and documents."

Author: John Ward

Notes: Founder of 'The Slog' website. [http://hat4uk.wordpress.com/2012/09/09/the-esms-articles-todays-must-read/ ]