Zhanteimi

Wait. Isn't it against the law for the United States armed forces to be deployed on American soil? Isn't this to ensure that the government can't use its armed forces against the citizenry?

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Zhanteimi

LetsTalkMusic

RoxyRollah

I believe so yes.

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Lilja

Like any law, there are cases where exceptions can be made. In this case, if you are referring to the Posse Comitatus Act, the goverment can decide to involve the armed forces if one of these happens:

"A sudden and unexpected civil disturbance, disaster, or calamity may seriously endanger life and property and disrupt normal governmental functions to such an extent that local authorities cannot control the situation. "

"When the need for the protection of federal property or federal functions exists, and duly constituted local authorities are unable to, or decline to provide adequate protection, federal action, including the use of military forces, is authorized."

Is it the US president who decides when your Constitution is infringed on? In the end, No. Actually it is your military. For some reason, that strikes me as funny.

RoxyRollah

Alot of things are funny here whats your point.

One would think the military would be used to stop the government from doing terrible things to its people.

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Lilja

I was replying to the previous person's question. Not really trying to make a point.

I found it funny that the military can pretty much interpret the Constitution, rather than relying on the government to do so. Essentially, they could declare martial law whenever they see fit.

RoxyRollah

Yes. But its not called martial law any more. Its called civil emergency. And thats why we again have the secknd amendment. So if they come a knocking with black bags for your head you have at least a fighiting chance.

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Lilja

You realize your constitutional rights are suspended if the military took over, right?

RoxyRollah

Yea I understand thats what they say.However Im a legal gun owner and if the come a knocking with a black bag for my head....shots will be fired. End of it. Id rather spend 2 minutes in a gun battle where I loose but stood for something than die a slave to an elite run police state....


This post has probably put me on a no fly /no buy list. Oh well....

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The Batlord

But the President is Commander in Chief of the armed forces, so they would still need government approval. And I don't know if martial law requires approval of Congress, but I have to imagine it would.

Edit: Just checked, and yeah, martial law would require congressional approval.

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Chula Vista

Nope.

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“The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravity well,
on the surface of a gas covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 90 million miles away
and think this to be normal is obviously some indication of how skewed our perspective tends to be.”