Yeah, really. I honestly think that Hurricane Katrina WAS the reason for this revision in the first place. Everyone was squawking about the response to that disaster, and few realized the legal limitations involved, above and beyond the political dynamics. With the measure being passed in 2007, I’m surprised the Left was upset about it. Why would a Democrat-controlled Congress try to enable a Republican President to put dissenters in concentration camps? Of course, we found out from polling responses from some Obama voters that they thought the Republicans still controlled Congress, but I expect the bloggers to be far more savvy than that.
I expect that is right. Knee jerk legislation to solve a problem created by one stubborn partisan governor.
With the measure being passed in 2007, I’m surprised the Left was upset about it.
The left loves to squawk so much they can't accept the consequences of their own squawking. They howled that Pres. Bush didn't do enough. Congress fixes the problem and they turn around and cry that now the Pres. has too much power. The left are perpetual whiners who cannot be pleased no matter what the rest of us give in and give them.
I think that provision is a little troubling though. It does authorize the President to unilaterally deploy military troops for a number of broadly defined reasons. It is limited to 14 days when Congress does have a say in it. But a lot could be done and over with in 14 days and there is no apparent limit on how many times the Pres. could invoke this authority. I would be uncomfortable with that even if George Washington were the President.