Regarding the 'armed' citizenry...while you are correct that it is a deterrant, the groundwork for confiscation is already in progress. The UN small arms control treaty was signed by the U.S. reversing George Bush's position (he wouldn't sign it). In that bill there are provisions regarding 'small arms' and the control of them. It has been ballied about that it is for the purpose of getting guns from the drug traffickers but really, we know that its purpose is to disarm Americans. We are definitely a thorn.
I’ll see if I can’t find something on the National Guard control, too. That article could have been correct about McCain making a request of Washington but McCain could have been doing a Fed suck butt routine.
Regarding confiscation of guns or anything else that is unconstitutional, Arizona can “just say NO”. People aren’t going to just give them up anyway.
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/bio/userletter/?letter_id=4537853451
The above is a letter from a Republican senator from MO. which he wrote to the governor in Jan. of this year. In the letter, the senator references one of the links I have in my comment about the Governors Council and he also quotes a poster from Free Republic!
After reading the letter, my understanding is that the Feds now have the right under declared martial law to command the national guard - if there is a “catastrophic event”. This right was obtained through legislation passed by Congress under Bush. Obama inherited that power and he has expanded it by executive order the bottom line of which is he now has the ability to declare martial law without a catastrophic event requirement.
With regard to the National Guard therefore, it looks like Obama thinks he can command them directly if martial law is declared but the power to command them is still also with the Governor. If the Governor does not agree with Obama and countermands his orders to the Guard, I guess it would ultimately be up to the guard itself to decide who has the superior authority. I believe the guard would stand with the Governor.