A Founding Debate…

One of the most debated issues at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia was the issue of a standing military force at times of peace. The founders were extremely suspicious of granting power to the Executive office that included access to federal troops.

You have to remember the circumstances in 1787. Thirteen separate colonies tied together by the Articles of Confederation, mostly content with a loose framework to insure there was no return to a dominant authority like Great Britain. Freshly freed from colonization and a bloody battle with British troops, there was little appetite for a centralized authority, controlling the affairs of the states, and in particular a central authority with a military.

In those lively constitutional debates the founders found it very suspicious that the federal government should need standing troops in a time of peace. In today’s world we see how important a military force is for the security and stability of the world. With that said, the military has rarely been used for internal domestic affairs. I share the founder’s suspicion.

I am uncomfortable with the military policing our streets. That’s why we have millions of local police, state troopers, all reporting to civilian law enforcement agencies. I love our military and their ability to keep us free from the enemies of freedom. I love knowing they are there in case of invasion from a foreign enemy. I also know they have a role in stopping terrorist activity.

My concern is the potential for abuse. Not the military per se, but the people in charge, particularly Obama. I don’t trust Obama, Pelosi, Reid, Kennedy, or most politicians with power. They are prone to abuse it. I think there needs to be further debate before deploying 20,000 troops to our local streets under the guise of terrorism. I need more information. The devil is always in the details…