Posted on 10/10/2005 11:04:49 AM PDT by Anthem
I will NEVER count on the government to do anything for me.
The government is something to hate and fear, something to be used only sparingly. It is a necessary evil, not something to be welcomed.
One of the reasons the military is so effective is that they have a very specific mission. Unlike the school system, which must not only teach the 3 Rs, but must also teach about sex education, and indoctrinate our children politically, their mission is simply to win wars. That's why the school system is a mess, and the military is not.
If you start piling other responsibilities onto the military, then you distract them from their mission. People who want to fight wars, will not be particularly interested in joining, and people who want to clean up after hurricanes will suddenly start joining the military, and will be outraged when they are sent overseas to fight wars.
If you need people to clean up after hurricanes, then hire people who want to clean up after hurricanes.
I think the primary reason our politicians want to use the military for so many new things is that soldiers don't get paid as much as civilians. That's not a good reason.
Blanco shouldn't be making military strategic decisons on the ground.
In Iraq politicians aren't making on the ground decisons.
The situation in New Orleans was so messed up because Blanco was making decisions she isn't qualified making.
People also elected their president in Louisiana. Bush got a far bigger share of the vote than Blanco did in Louisiana. The military should be allowed to rescue people and defend themselves so they aren't sitting ducks.
I disagree with you. A general would never order local citizens guns be taken in a situation like New Orleans that the police did their.
Blanco wasn't elected to make military strategic decisions on the ground. People don't want a president making on the ground decisions on the ground in Iraq and people don't want Blanco making strategic decision on the ground
either. Blanco was making decisions out of her state. She was blocking guard help from other states.
When someone is committing criminal actions like Blanco did against the citizens of this nation someone should be able to stop her.
What will hurt recruitment more than anything are the marines that were made to feel like second class citizens in New Orleans.
Marines had to peak through windows to see if anyone was in need of help inside their houses. Marines were furious that they thought someone inside was in dire help but they weren't sure.
Marines in search and rescue operations should be able to rescue someone in their house if they believe someone inside is physically wounded.
People died because the way our system is set up marines can only peak through windows even if they have a great idea that someone is inside that needs help.
There were also cases that people were injured and calling our for help and marines couldn't go inside to help them because that was against the law. More legal bureacracy. Even in third world countries troops aren't blocked from helping someone that needs help and is crying out for help.
When you have a natural disaster that is so big you can't have a governor blocking assets that need to come to bear to rescue the citizens of our nation.
Why do people that are so obsessed about state rights not worried about local rights that a governor can overule?
If the fed govt is hostage to someone like blanco with all their resources then we should drastically reduce fed govt. They are useless. The federal elections are useless then. Call the president the outside the U.S commander and chief because obviously he is powerless to protecting his own citizens against a criminal like Blanco.
Iraq is a war. New Orleans is not.
Blanco isn't qualified to make these decisions. Next time elect someone who is.
You hope that a general would never order local citizens to be disarmed. I'm guessing that some of this hope comes from the fact that there is no law today that could even remotely be interpreted as allowing such a thing. I'm sure that a hundred years ago people said that the government would never require law abiding citizens to register their weapons but we know that things are different today. Let's not open this door with the military.
The situation in New Orleans never would have become a military one if Blanco wasn't such a horrible governor. The military being called in because of her derilection of duty was the right call FOR THE SITUATION. However, to change the law, and in this instance the Constitution, would be like cutting off your nose to spite your face. As harsh as it sounds, laws and policies that have worked excellently for our country since its birth do not need to be changed because of the incompetence of Blanco. Focus on her, and on not allowing others like her to come to power.
Ask yourself this question. If the elected local officials in Louisiana weren't so corrupt, moronic, and incompetent, and could do THEIR JOBS with even limited ability, would anyone even be considering such a drastic action as this? The local officials were the problem, not the law.
Someone can stop her. The voters.
"Why have a military then?"
To protect against attacks and threats by foreign military forces.
Must be winter in purgatory, we agree! NO, and NO again if the first isn't sufficient! Blackbird.
NO, ever.
Frankly, I'm stunned he ever said this.
I don't want the government in my house, my bedroom, my car, and I sure as hell don't want them in my state running things.
We do just fine during hurricanes; I hate Mike Easley, but he was all over Ophelia; and it wasn't because of what happened in New Orleans; we just DO IT time and time again.
And I sure as hell am NOT going to take orders from Jamie Lee Witt.
Because perhaps crises such as an avian flu pandemic aren't the real reason relaxing Posse Comitatus is being broached.
Though I believe it is a REALLY bad idea to allow the Federal Government to take over a State
I do think is is good to discuss this and that States make double sure they don't screw things up like Governor Blanco did with her State
It is the unschooled like you who are giving this country over to European style central planning.
The 10% not supporting it will be those in the quarantine AOP.
{{{THUD}}} Someone call doctor, Anthem just fainted.
Or maybe Bush is just a big government RINO/CINO himself!
"Enough already with the power consolidation. I've had it."
Don't know if it's too late or not tho. This "slippery slope" we are on got started in 1861. It's been going on ever since with no slow down in sight.
A far more appropriate response is for other States to send their NG at the request of the Governor. It helps if the NG is at home where they belong, too.
If we cannot use the military to defend our southern borders, I damn sure don't think they have time to replace failed state administration when there is a flood!
I tend to agree. The vector we're on is hair raising, to be sure.
Why?
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