August 1, 2000

4:12 PM

What's the right answer? FEMA's plans to use the Army to quell serious civil disturbances that might crop up during the Republican Convention almost certainly violates Posse Comitatus... but can the Army National Guard cope with the stuff? And can it chop to FEMA in the first place?
posted by baylink (3 comments total)

Posse comitatus? I don't think so. We are talking about having half the Congress in one place -- I hope they have contingency plans. It's also unlikely they'd ever be used. The president would have to declare martial law, for one thing. You're reading way too much into this.
posted by dhartung at 10:05 AM on August 2, 2000

Probably.

It's a rough job, but someone's got to do it.
posted by baylink at 2:20 PM on August 2, 2000

And besides, didn't you read Executive Orders? Maybe losing most of the government would be a *good* thing... :-)
posted by baylink at 2:23 PM on August 2, 2000