News

Exactly. We can't rely on any sort of subtly or assumption of law. Precedent, be it of the courts or simply the traditional way of doing things, won't stop them. It has to be solid law, and they're still going to take it to court.

I think thats called a State Guard

Having an ocean between yourself and the nearest red state isn't practical for most of us.

if Trump were to federalize National Guard units, there’s nothing the state could do to prevent it; a presidential order preempts state authority.

And yet I remember not so long ago at the Texas border where Abbott refused to have the NG stand down when Biden ordered it. So there's precedent already there to ignore Cheeto in Charge's orders

there’s nothing the state could do to prevent it

Whoever wrote this needs to go back and read Thomas Jefferson or pretty much any history of any collapsing authoritarian regime in history.

They could obey the orders. Or, they could say "lol no". What's he going to do, activate their remote-control collars?

The US military, National Guard included, goes through training that heavily emphasizes support for the constitution and what to do about illegal or unconstitutional orders.

It's actually pretty dangerous to start to bend the knee to an authoritarian despot in this way. By presenting Trump's illegal bullshit as some kind of pre-ordained structure that other people will have to follow, of course, because that's the system, they are normalizing it. Even if he were following US law, which he isn't, they'd have the option to tell him to go fuck himself, and they'd be in some excellent historical company in doing so.

Isn't it illegal to obey illegal orders? Good soldiers don't follow illegal orders, at least; even if not illegal itself.

As much as we like to assume soldiers will follow orders and doctrine as if they were computers running code...they are ultimately human beings with their own free will, reasoning, biases, and agendas, to hell with what is and isn't legal and proper on paper. It would be a crossroads for the country and everyone who serves.

One of the oldest rules of quelling rebellion is to not use the local soldiers to do it. Too much emotional attachment. Bring in an outside force, preferably ones with standing ethnic or political hatred for those you want to crush.

It’s a scenario that was so concerning to Washington state Rep. Sharlett Mena that she introduced legislation that would make uninvited deployments of out-of-state troops illegal. Her bill cleared a committee last week and has the backing of Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson, who pushed for the proposal in his inaugural address last month.

...

But, as she noted to her colleagues last week, if Trump were to federalize National Guard units, there’s nothing the state could do to prevent it; a presidential order preempts state authority.