Forecast: Continual State of Emergency

The House recently passed a version of the National Defense Authorization Act, HR 5122, that would amend Title 10 of the United States Code to give the President the authority to take control of the National Guard in case of "a serious natural or manmade disaster, accident, or catastrophe that occurs in the United States, its territories and possessions, or Puerto Rico" without gubernatorial consent.

Why should we worry? As stated explicitly by an oppositional letter from the National Association of Governors to House leaders last week, this provision is very open-ended without a definition of what constitutes a "serious" natural or manmade disaster. What's to stop this President (or any other, but I have reason to fear this one specifically) from using any handy excuse to deploy our own National Guard against a dissenting state, organization, or individual citizen? If we can engage in an eternal war on terror under this administration, surely we can also fall prey to an ongoing national state of emergency.

The clock is ticking! The House version of the National Defense Authorization Act must be reconciled in conference with the version already passed by the Senate. Call your Senators immediately and warn them not to allow this dangerous President any more "emergency" powers!