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Old 03-13-2017, 13:31   #12
craigepo
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Southern Mo
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Answering this question is going to require looking back through history, and I would propose using America's history as a proper exemplar.

Pre-Revolution, the Colonies did not have much, if any, standing army or navy. The military was, essentially, a citizen-based militia. Even as late as WWI, officers were elected in many units. As the nation progressed, we saw a need for a larger standing professional military. Today, we have four large and expensive military forces. Has this centralized power? Undoubtedly yes.

This new enemy, let's denominate it "terrorism", forces upon us a new type of battle. There are few "front lines" or clearly-marked opposing forces. The several states and local governments would be impotent in putting up much of a fight. Again, our reply has been to task the military, as well as several federal law enforcement agencies, with combatting "terrorism". Has this centralized power in the federal government? Again, I would answer yes.

Today, much of our governance is similarly centralized. Taxation, environmental protection, labor relations, federal courts, , medicine, education, aviation, national parks, etc., are all handled, in whole or in part, by the Federal government. The question becomes, "Is this (centralizing/federalizing the fight against terrorism) bad"? Another question might be, "Is this (centralizing/federalizing the fight against terrorism) necessary"?

Personally, I would argue that centralizing the fight against terrorism is necessary, and that it is bad. Accordingly, we need good Constitutional vigilance, as well as a temporal checkpoints, to ensure that we don't permanently lose Constitutional freedoms.
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