President Bush dismissed concerns of a government being run by unelected individuals. "Hey, I wasn't really elected either," he said, "and look how good that turned out."
President Bush acknowledged the existence of a shadow government on Friday, made up of "roughly 100" senior officials that rotate shifts between Washington D.C. and two secret bunkers. Based upon Cold War protocols, the plan was put into action by the president following the events of September 11th.
"This is serious business," he said, "making sure my government survives to continues my agenda."
The bunkers, located on the East Coast, are outfitted with generators, telephones, televisions, computers and private offices. They also contain command centers and food rations, suggesting the underground centers were designed to survive a nuclear attack.
Bush admitted the spaces, which were constructed during the Eisenhower administration, are dated but said "after we puts in some snack machines and video games, it'll be cool."
The president and vice president have their own private bunkers which are more "plush". Cheney has spent a majority of time at his since September 11th, which is said to have state of the art communications technology and several backup artifical hearts.
Congress has its own contingency plans, as revealed by Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle. "Precautions have been taken and arrangements have been made to move the work of the Congress to another location. And that has been in place for some time and refined over time."
Widely unknown to the American public, a standby government is always at the ready in case of a devestating attack on Washington D.C. These anonymous people, who reside at secret locations, would take over in the aftermath.
The Pentagon also has survival plans, with command and control centers in mountain bases scattered across the United States. FEMA would also play a role in such dark scenarios. The organization was given authorization by the Reagan administration to suspend the Constitution in the event of national emergencies and institute martial law.
Such revelations have long been talked of by conspiracy theorists and militia members, but Bush is having none of it.
"This shadow government of which I speak has nothing to do with them conspiracy stories," he said. "That is a different shadow government altogether. In fact, I wouldn't even calls it a government. It's just a bunch of rich white guys like my daddy who want nothing more than to rule the world and deliver the souls of all innocents to Satan. What's wrong with that anyway?"
