Sec Def and the DC NG

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

Pentagon streamlines process for deploying National Guard in DC

The Defense Department on Thursday streamlined the process for activating District of Columbia National Guard troops to assist local law enforcement by establishing a single point of contact within the Pentagon.

www.stripes.com

I'm not sure this is good. SecDef is a political appointee and can be biased.

Where are the checks and balances?

 

[Thump553]

Please explain specifically how this use of executive authority is a violation of "checks and balances." The executive branch already had this power on January 6, 2021, but the persons in the chain of authority were terrified of acting against Trump. They should have acted and forced him to countermand their orders so the responsibility would have been clear.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

^^ If SecDef is sympathetic to an action, they may refuse to activate to thwart that action. If DCPD needs help, they need it now. They should not have to wait for approval from someone who might deny them for the wrong reasons.

A political appointee should not be the last word on something like this.

 

[Moonbeam]

^^ If SecDef is sympathetic to an action, they may refuse to activate to thwart that action. If DCPD needs help, they need it now. They should not have to wait for approval from someone who might deny them for the wrong reasons.

A political appointee should not be the last word on something like this.

One question. Couldn't a non political appointment still be political and couldn't a politican appointment act in a non-political manner?

 

[Thump553]

Personally (and the aberration of the Trump Administration notwithstanding) I'm personally a LOT more comfortable with civilian control of the police and military forces than having the final authority rest in a benevolent autocracy. That is one of the genius' of the American system-the recognition by all the military that the Constitution is the ultimate authority.

OTOH when or if we reach the point that the Constitution becomes a meaningless document, no bureaucracy is going to save us. I still ask what sort of "checks and balances" are you looking for and shouldn't the ultimate authority over police and military powers reside under civilian control and ultimately by elected officials, subject to the constraints of the Constitution?