Posted on 09/27/2005 8:19:23 AM PDT by Crackingham
President Bush yesterday sought to federalize hurricane-relief efforts, removing governors from the decision-making process.
"It wouldn't be necessary to get a request from the governor or take other action," White House press secretary Scott McClellan said yesterday.
"This would be," he added, "more of an automatic trigger."
Mr. McClellan was referring to a new, direct line of authority that would allow the president to place the Pentagon in charge of responding to natural disasters, terrorist attacks and outbreaks of disease.
"It may require change of law," Mr. Bush said yesterday. "It's very important for us as we look at the lessons of Katrina to think about other scenarios that might require a well-planned, significant federal response -- right off the bat -- to provide stability."
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) accused Mr. Bush of attempting a power grab in the wake of fierce criticism that he responded too slowly to Hurricane Katrina a month ago.
"Using the military in domestic law enforcement is generally a very bad idea," said Timothy Edgar, national security policy counsel for the ACLU. "I'm afraid that it will have unforeseen consequences for civil liberties."
SNIP
But stabilizing a crisis might require federal troops to arrest looters and perform other law-enforcement duties, which would violate the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878. The law was passed in the wake of the Civil War and Reconstruction to prevent the use of federal troops from policing elections in former Confederate states.
The White House wants Congress to consider amending Posse Comitatus in order to grant the Pentagon greater powers.
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
Please accept my apologies. This topic makes me see red.
The trouble with Bush wagering state's rights on the political cardtable is Dems can and will call the President's bluff, let him and the Republican majority pass it so the President would get the onus dumped back in his lap and IIRC, Bush owns no pen of veto. The Dems then will say, "See! we told you Repubs are no conservatives of Constitutional principles!"
I'd rather see the incompetent Blanco and Nagin fly into a frenzy and self-destruct than to forever lose states' authority to place assets where they're most needed. Blanco and Nagin's fall seems such a small sacrifice for Constitutional principle.
everyone just keep telling yourselves "he is a conservative, he is a conservative"....
At best the MSM is going to say too little too late, and at worst they will say this proves Bush was not ready for a natural disaster..
People elect losers and they pay a terrible price.
NJ is a prime example. McGreevy tried to put his gay lover as liaison to homeland security.
The man was not a citizen and couldn't even get security clearance.
Not a word from anyone in the know.....and my guess is that another dem crony will buy the governor's seat and we'll be in as much jeopardy as ever.
Essentially he is saying that OK I took a big hit for Katrina so I am going to expand the powers of the federal government to fix a press problem..
There I fixed it for you..
How this all plays out we'll just have to see but I do repeat my feeling that because of all of the crap he's taken I don't blame President Bush for trying this. Remember the dems basically distrust the military so I'm not sure they would take the chance of calling President Bush's bluff on this one.
Big Mistake.
Look around. That's gone too. Watching Faux News this morning (don't ask me why) and the three talking heads were literally giddy for us to all call our respective state attorney generals and report price gouging. So much for the free market, so much for posse comitatus. But remember keep voting Republican because...why is it I should keep voting Republican again? I keep forgetting..
Bad idea, the ACLU is right on with this one...Federal 'troops' etc.. should only come at the request of a governor.
Bad idea, and not at all how our federal system is supposed to work.
Maybe so, maybe not. If I were calling the dem's shots, I'd let the President have his Military and afterwards play up the federal militarization of the states just to secure wavering dems who "basically distrust the military" and teetering Conservatives who feel the President has again abandoned the Constitutional limitations of the federal government. Two groups then would've been crossed, those who distrust the military AND those who fear federal powers have again expanded beyond a safe boundary - not a good ploy, IMO.
BTTT!
That's the same type nonsense that gave us Campaign Finance Reform, we all knew the SC would knock it down. Now we hear this won't pass congress. Yea, right.
Essentially he is saying that OK I took a big hit for Katrina so I am going to expand the powers of the federal government to make up for my lack of being able to get the truth out over biased media.
Needed just a bit more tweaking. Let's face it, if Bush were the Great Communicator this would not have happened. Heck even if he was the "Mediocre Communicator" it wouldn't have happened.
As conservative we Should be very afraid about a plan like this. We all have the government of LA to thank for federal Government having a shot at this kind of power. Come to think of it maybe we should have just hung on to KING George in the first place. Why fight and die for freedom only to give it all back in the end so that we can FEEL a little sense of security.
Maybe just Maybe...We should make sure the plans of our state and local governments are in order instead.
We all know they have the capability to do a far better job then the federal government can do on there best day. Given this kind of power that will all be out the window. You will have signed sealed and delivered you fate over to them.
You will have NO CONTROL. Do as you are told or else!!!!
"Damned if he do, damned if he don't. What a lousy Catch 22 the Pres is stuck in."
The is so much more importaint than the presidents problems.
Just because the MSM has created this perception is not a reason to give up the control of your state.
In a way you would really be surrending to the MSM among others if you allowed this.
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