The Posse Comitatus Act prevents, by federal law, the president of the United States from sending federal troops into any state without the direct request of the elected governor of that state. A frustrated President Bush could only stand by and watch as the horror unfolded until he received the request for help. Despite the finger-pointing at President Bush, there was little that he could do until he was formally asked for assistance. No matter how loudly the liberals scream, they know full well that the president was helpless to do much of anything.
Can't be repeated often enough. But I'd like to see it stated once or twice by some Republican Congresscritters or for that matter by the administration!
They need to put Cheney on TV to "handle" this one!
If a WMD with chems and/or bios and particuarly a suitcase nuke, is set off on Capitol Hill or in the business district of Washington, D.C. by you know who, the power grid goes out, the FEMA tells people to evacuate due to contamination, and within several hours widespread looting and chaos erupts ONLY SIX BLOCKS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE, (and re: Posse Comitatus) does the President have to wait for an OK from Mayor Tony Williams, or Elizabeth Holmes Norton of D.C.? D.C. being a federal district, and not a state, and all.
You when/if it comes to this, the criminal element and looters-in-waiting will erupt with one huge roar, guns blazing, most likely heading for The White House, the Capitol, and/or upscale Northwest or Georgetown, after trashing sections of D.C. in the center of the city. I hope FEMA sure has a plan for THIS potential nightmare of a headache.
Freeper comments?
Newt was on TV the other night and I fully expected him to mention this. Normally, he can take a complex subject and make it very understandable. He did not. He was given a perfect opportunity to bring this up and he didn't even mention it.
First time his minions call me requesting a contribution to his campaign I am going to request to be taken off his list and I fully intend to tell them why.
Outstanding bump.
On another note, now that Bush has done what he has done, and sent in the forces he has ordered in, I would not doubt that democrat strategists (aka, lawyers) will be watching the military disaster relief operations very carefully for any violation of posse comitatus or other provisions of the Constitution. And if they can find or gin up justification, the democrats may use it as an excuse to call for impeachment.
As we used to say: "No good deed goes unpunished"