Scary if you ask me. What sort of precedent is this setting? This has never been done in the history of the US (sans helping out with Katrina relief a couple years ago). With what's going on in the financial world, it's certainly interesting timing. Not to mention it directly goes against the US constitution, specifically the part stating that the army will not be used against it's own citizens.Why couldn't the National Guard have done this?
this new mission marks the first time an active unit has been given a dedicated assignment to NorthCom, a joint command established in 2002 to provide command and control for federal homeland defense efforts and coordinate defense support of civil authorities.
Hmmm.... do they expect an uprising if Obama wins...I mean some of the people in those McCain rally videos look a bit mentally unstable to say the least.
I'm sure, scratch that, I hope that the reason for this is that if Obama does win that they are there to try and quell the racist outrage in certain states.
Otherwise, this just isn't good.
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Well no...but I think it just makes you wonder why they're doing it all of a sudden...as in, do they know something we don't know? That was my first thought.
Hmmm.... do they expect an uprising if Obama wins...I mean some of the people in those McCain rally videos look a bit mentally unstable to say the least.
If Obama wins he is in CHARGE of the unit. Hell, I'll put when in front of that sentence in 3 weeks.
Something tells me this is a bit less ominous than some in this thread have wet themselves over. Since the various National Guards are under State (not Presidential) control there may be some gaps in which locations are under whose control.
New FBI guidelines governing investigations were released today after being signed by Attorney General Michael Mukasey. The American Civil Liberties Union quickly blasted the Department of Justice and FBI for ignoring calls for more stringent protections of Americans’ rights. The guidelines replace existing bureau guidelines for five types of investigations: general criminal, national security, foreign intelligence, civil disorders and demonstrations. The ACLU has been vocal in its disapproval of the overly broad guidelines, citing both the FBI’s and DOJ’s documented records of internal abuse.
The new guidelines reduce standards for beginning “assessments” (precursors to investigations), conducting surveillance and gathering evidence, meaning the threshold to beginning investigations across the board will be lowered. More troubling still, the guidelines allow a person’s race or ethnic background to be used as a factor in opening an investigation, a move the ACLU believes may institute racial profiling as a matter of policy.
For interest sake, I compared it to Wikipedia's definition of a police state
Quote:
The term police state describes a state in which the government exercises rigid and repressive controls over the social, economic and political life of the population. A police state typically exhibits elements of totalitarianism and social control, and there is usually little or no distinction between the law and the exercise of political power by the executive.
The inhabitants of a police state experience restrictions on their mobility, and on their freedom to express or communicate political or other views, which are subject to police monitoring or enforcement. Political control may be exerted by means of a secret police force which operates outside the boundaries normally imposed by a constitutional republic.
If Obama wins he is in CHARGE of the unit. Hell, I'll put when in front of that sentence in 3 weeks.
Something tells me this is a bit less ominous than some in this thread have wet themselves over. Since the various National Guards are under State (not Presidential) control there may be some gaps in which locations are under whose control.
yeah you're right. Bit I think it's kind of a knee-jerk reaction..at least on my part. However one can never be too careful.
If Obama wins he is in CHARGE of the unit. Hell, I'll put when in front of that sentence in 3 weeks.
Something tells me this is a bit less ominous than some in this thread have wet themselves over. Since the various National Guards are under State (not Presidential) control there may be some gaps in which locations are under whose control.
This unit is definitely not under state control. There are provisions in the 2008 National Defense Act added by the Congress that were intended to limit the amount of power given by earlier acts with regards to suppressing social unrest threatening the constitution, but a White House signing statement was released when Bush singed the bill basically dismissing the limitations.
This unit is definitely not under state control. There are provisions in the 2008 National Defense Act added by the Congress that were intended to limit the amount of power given by earlier acts with regards to suppressing social unrest threatening the constitution, but a White House signing statement was released when Bush singed the bill basically dismissing the limitations.
Reread my first sentence. Or read it for the first time. Either or....just read it.
This is a little OT but interesting nonetheless. last night I went to Wal-Mart for some damned reason. On the way out I spoke to the greeter as I've known him awhile. He works there part-time to help his kid with college. He happens to be black. As we spoke he asked the customers who were leaving who they were voting for. If a white person replied "McCain" he , in a roundabout way, asked if they were racist. He started going on a rant that caused a near-riot. He was not expelled from the store or fired, just told to shut up. But put something like that out in the parking lot and magnify it ...and put it happening simultaneously in several cities...not that it has anything to do with this deployment but it did make me realize what could happen.
This unit is definitely not under state control. There are provisions in the 2008 National Defense Act added by the Congress that were intended to limit the amount of power given by earlier acts with regards to suppressing social unrest threatening the constitution, but a White House signing statement was released when Bush singed the bill basically dismissing the limitations.
Well, exactly.
The unit is under Federal power.
Which, I'm not sure is a good idea. There isn't going to be any 'racist' outrage when Obama wins.
If anything I would think a deployment would be necessary in the event of a total financial collapse, rather than anything with Obama...at least I hope...Surely I'm not hoping for a complete financial collapse, of course just throwing out what-ifs. But I would definitely prefer having people go nuts due to losing money than due to having a black president...
I was thinking it was more about the financial climate too. But I wonder how much ONE UNIT would help in a national crisis. Wouldn't they need several all over?
Which, I'm not sure is a good idea. There isn't going to be any 'racist' outrage when Obama wins.
Whats wrong with the National Guard?
Exactly.
I can not believe the level of perceived active racism from this forum. It's insane.
Quelling the racial outrage in some states if Obama wins? That is a statement directly from someon who doesn't have a clue about that which he is talking. No offense CG, it's just the truth.
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I think the most logical reason they would deploy an army unit is to deal with problems arising from the financial crisis. If there were ever a run on the banks they would have to implement an account freeze. AKA induce rioting.
I think the most logical reason they would deploy an army unit is to deal with problems arising from the financial crisis. If there were ever a run on the banks they would have to implement an account freeze. AKA induce rioting.
300 million people. 50 states. 1 army unit.
The US didn't need a surge...they just needed THAT one unit!