Threats from Pentagon officials doomed a West Virginia bill that would have blocked unconstitutional foreign deployments of the state’s National Guard troops and effectively restored the founders’ framework for a state-federal balance on the Guard.
But while the bill failed to pass, its story reveals the power and potential of this approach.
Opposition and backroom threats wouldn’t have existed if the legislation didn’t actually pose a threat to the unconstitutional status quo.
Del. Pat McGeehan (R-Hancock, 1) sponsored the Defend the Guard Act (House Bill 2168), McGeehan served as a former Air Force intelligence officer and did tours in Afghanistan and the Middle East. Ten other delegates co-sponsored this bipartisan legislation.
The bill would have prohibited West Virginia Guard units from deploying into active duty combat without an official Declaration of War from the US Congress, or as provided for under the three enumerated powers listed in the “militia clause” of the Constitution.
The story behind the bill’s demise is as fascinating as it is alarming.
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Stupid anti-federalal pandering. The national guard does NOT belong to the states. It is NOT the militia. It is a part of the reserve structure of the Federal armed forces and the federal government lets the state use them if nothing else is going on. The idea that the national guard are state troop is a mythology that goes back to the day when governors indeed had the power to raise troops. They no longer do. National guard units are raised, equipped and trained by the federal government, not the states. They are 95% funded by federal taxes.
ReplyDeleteThe state legislature has no suthority in this matter and any attempt by them to claim otherwise shows either gross ignorance, or pure pandering. Nor can any law passed by congress restrain congress. They can simply pass another law lifting the restraints, or declaring the restrainst "satisfied".
Who the Hell would vote for another Bush. That's like voting for treason:
ReplyDeleteA little dated but was when more states rights were over-thrown. I don't
know why all the states governors didn't oppose this.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/10/19/258936/-HUGE-Bush-Guts-Posse-Comitatus-Grabs-National-Guard-ACTION-UPDATE
Who the Hell would vote for another Bush.
DeleteA sure loser.
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Guts Posse Comitatus
Disgusting. Thanks.