Catch 22 - Media trap

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/09/26/bush.military/index.html ^

[roostercogburn]

President Bush wants to make it easier for the Pentagon to deploy military troops during domestic disasters such as Hurrican Katrina. But a critic of that idea says Bush risks undermining "a fundamental principle of American law" by tinkering with the Posse Comitatus Act.

[roostercogburn]

Unbelievable. Seems to me not one journalist cared about constitutional rules regarding states rights after Katrina. Now when the White House says they are exploring ways to get quicker military response here they go acting very concerned about the rules.

[gunnedah]

Bush is smarter than most want to give him credit for. He actually exposes the two faced crowd for all to see.

[satchmodog9]

That's because none of these morons ever heard of Posse Comitatus . They are all to busy living in their dream world to know anything about the laws of the land. They are more concerned with their own ideas of right and wrong, which they consider law.

[billybudd]

I'm totally against involving the military in civilian affairs, but I just love the reporting here:

But a critic of that idea

Almost as good as "unnamed sources."

[billybudd]

Oh yeah. He's not actually advocating the military get involved in civilian life. It's just a feint to expose media hypocrisy. Sure.

[roostercogburn]

This will be the new rallying cry for the RATS. "Bush is making the US a police state"

[ex-Texan]

The journalist apparently listens to Rush Limbaugh. He predicted this scenario today just before winding up his show. Good example of Bush causing the MSM to jump through the hoops he holds up for them. They are acting like trained dogs. "Good little doggies." 'Nuff said.

[kpp_kpp]

or vice versa (unfortunately)

[Ron in Acreage]

Bush also nailed the leftist pigs in the MSM last week also. Remember when the smug David Gregory was browbeating Bush over his wanting to get to Texas ahead of the storm? He asked if Bush would actually be getting in the way of first responders and evacuee planners. Bush said he would not and the media slammed Bush for saying that. The next day Bush said he would not go to Texas becuse he didn't want to risk getting in the way. Check mate. They can't have it both ways.

[Diver Dave]

Begs the question... Where was the outrage re: WACO?!?!?

[Mike Darancette]

RATS will have to throw Nagin and Blank-o to the wolves if they say a larger role of the military is not required. They would be saying that the incompetence of LA RATS was extraordinary and that a well run state should have been able to handle the situation.

[gunnedah]

Believe what you wish I cannot read his mind but I really think he is putting the ball in the proper court and searching for answers. This states rights stuff still applies when it comes to Congress because they are elected on the local level.
Whether you like it or not there is no one on the scene with an answer and as long as you have to wait on lawyers to answer the question you may never get an answer.
America is in a real bind and if Al Queida could set off a dirty bomb in a major city you would see a real mess and it is coming while the politicians argue and dig bunkers for themselves. There is not a major city in America that can be evacuated in a hurry and as far as that goes most cities of any size in this country could not be. Of course we would rather argue about it than to find an answer wouldnt we?

[billybudd]

The reason we don't centralize police powers into the national military is to prevent our country from becoming a military dictatorship. Now, of course, initially that won't happen. But you end up setting precedents for military direction of civilian affairs that would be difficult to reverse. The civilian/military separation is critical to a free republic, and has been so since ancient times.

Now, regarding the dirty bomb possiblity. In that case, the military simply wouldn't be needed. Nobody would go into the city, except special units in radiation suits - I'm not sure why that has to be put under military command.

I just don't buy that the military direction is necessary, or a magic bullet. From a pragmatic standpoint, the local/state authorities are still the better option in an emergency since they can act the fastest. The problem in New Orleans was that the locals were incompetent, but people are learning from those mistakes. The Rita response was better, not perfect. That's another learning experience. Ultimately, the best option is what used to be called the militia - citizens with firearms protecting themselves and their neighbors.

[gunnedah]

I do not think you have a police department in America that is really equipped to handle a major radiation blast and cleanup. I believe most of that would be ;left up to federal authorities. Then if it ever happens on a local level no telling how decimated your police department will be and then you will have desertions just like you did in New Orleans if for no other reasons the police are going to take care of their families if they are not overcome by the chemical or nuclear device. You almost always need an outside agency going into a disaster area because the officials living there have families to protect also and this is asking a lot to ask them to leave their own families when they need help.Each state needs special response teams and it always takes time to get them on the scene and in most cases the military could most probably act more readily and professionally. I am not as worried about the military taking over as I am the Democrats establishing a dictatorship through judicial activism/