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Wronging States Rights
Aug. 6th, 2006 02:41 pmAs the war in Iraq accelerates, those here at home are left to deal with the usual disasters. Here in Oregon, Gov. Kulongoski has joined with several regional Governors in calling for limits on National Guard deployments due to the need for those troops and materiel at home. The current fire season has proven him right.
While Oregon continues to provide troops and equipment to the effort in Afghanistan and Iraq, the federal government has done little with respect to Oregon save threatening to close the only Air National Guard base north of Fresno California, a move we suspect has to do with being a staunchly blue state. It is ridiculous to contemplate leaving the entire upper left quadrant of the US coastline, including all the dams on the Columbia River, with only standby F-15 fighter support. This is not about saving jobs, it's about real security.
A GAO report from April, 2004 recommended that at least 50% of state National Guard equipment and personnel be ready and available at any time for use by the state. The Governors, both Republican and Democrats among them, have been the ones on the front line battling for the right to use the National Guard from their own states to maintain security within their state.
But the administration knows better. In an extremist, anti-conservative move typical of this administration, GOP sock-puppets have slipped a provision into the defense authorization bill to hand control of the National Guard to the president during natural disasters lock, stock and barrel.
The provision is purportedly a response to Katrina, as if Katrina were a failure of the state government in deploying the National Guard rather than a certain FEMA director sitting in an expensive restaurant preferring not to be bothered with a little rain and wind.
Let us hope that the House-Senate conference committee will see the nonsensical nature of this provision and not grant more power to the Imperial President.
While Oregon continues to provide troops and equipment to the effort in Afghanistan and Iraq, the federal government has done little with respect to Oregon save threatening to close the only Air National Guard base north of Fresno California, a move we suspect has to do with being a staunchly blue state. It is ridiculous to contemplate leaving the entire upper left quadrant of the US coastline, including all the dams on the Columbia River, with only standby F-15 fighter support. This is not about saving jobs, it's about real security.
A GAO report from April, 2004 recommended that at least 50% of state National Guard equipment and personnel be ready and available at any time for use by the state. The Governors, both Republican and Democrats among them, have been the ones on the front line battling for the right to use the National Guard from their own states to maintain security within their state.
But the administration knows better. In an extremist, anti-conservative move typical of this administration, GOP sock-puppets have slipped a provision into the defense authorization bill to hand control of the National Guard to the president during natural disasters lock, stock and barrel.
The provision is purportedly a response to Katrina, as if Katrina were a failure of the state government in deploying the National Guard rather than a certain FEMA director sitting in an expensive restaurant preferring not to be bothered with a little rain and wind.
Let us hope that the House-Senate conference committee will see the nonsensical nature of this provision and not grant more power to the Imperial President.
