It Comes Down To Control Of The National Guard

Oh, you didn't think I was done blogging, did you?

It's been an eventful summer. Washington, D.C. has been overrun with National Guard troops. And Trump has threatened to do likewise with Chicago. So far, ICE has made inroads into the Windy City, but no National Guard troops have arrived.

Because Trump can't do so without the approval of Governor J.D. Pritzker.

D.C. was easy to overrun with Guard troops, legally speaking. It has no statehood, and is thus subject to Federal control. Not having much of a National Guard presence of its own, D.C. received some on loan from other states, all Republican. But when statehood is involved, the law states the approval is needed from a state's governor.

This legal requirement didn't stop Trump before. He nationalized 4,000 troops from California's National Guard to patrol Los Angeles in an effort to counter protests against ICE activities there. This was in utter defiance of Governor Newsom's authority.

So why hasn't Trump defied Pritzker in the same way?

Because it was ruled illegal. On September 2nd, US District Judge Charles Breyer said Trump violated the Posse Comitatus Act. This is the law which prevents a US President from using government troops against civilians.

So, when it came to Chicago, Trump hemmed and hawed, but couldn't nationalize Illinois' troops.

This fact is of vital importance for all of us. If Newsom and Pritzker can keep control of their own states' National Guard, then they have troops to oppose the federal government, if and when it should ever become necessary for California and Illinois to secede from the Union, thus avoiding fascist rule.

If, on the other hand, Trump manages to circumvent the Posse Comitatus Act, or the mentally handicapped Supreme Court strikes it down for him, California and Illinois, along with every other state, will be left defenseless.

It's all about the Guard.

And the news media, what's left of it, has said nothing.

As is frequently the case, I'm the only one telling you something you need to know.

Eric

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