Civilian National Security Force?

Published Saturday, November 1, 2008 A.D. | By Donald R. McClarey

Senator Obama has called for a Civilian National Security Force.

Hmmm. Considering we already have the US military, the state National Guards, and police to protect us, just what would be the role of the C.N.S.F.?

At any rate I am confident that it would not have the same role as the civilian army in another country that used to march while singing this tune.

Why am I confident of this?

We are America. We have been free since 1776, and such things can’t happen here. For such a thing to happen we would need a President who controlled both branches of Congress and had followers who had a cult-like devotion to him. We would also need some sort of great economic crisis that would justify the government amassing huge powers in the hands of the President. Finally we would need a largely supine press that could be relied upon to give fervent support to the President. Phew! A good thing that none of these conditions exist in this country currently!

Update: The focused upon remarks were not included in the transcript of the speech made available after it was delivered on July 2, 2008. As is so common with the press in this campaign, I have been unable to find any questions asked of Senator Obama by any of the media as to just what he meant by his remarks.

4 Responses to Civilian National Security Force?

Tito Edwards says:

Saturday, November 1, 2008 A.D. at 11:01pm

The next thing Senator Obama will announce once in office is to dissolve the judicial and legislative branches and create the Committee of Public Safety.
Christopher Blosser says:

Saturday, November 1, 2008 A.D. at 11:17pm

The Volokh Conspiracy has a good analysis of Obama’s proposals:

In Barack Obama’s July 2, 2008 speech calling America to national service, Obama proposed “a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded” as our military.

This has prompted some in the blogosphere to raise the specter of a huge new domestic paramilitary organization. Others suggest that he may have been talking about our “current non-military security agencies – FBI, CIA, NSA, DEA, DHS, etc.”

I think that both interpretations are probably wrong. If you listen to the whole speech –- or even the couple minutes before his security force proposal — I think that it’s reasonably clear that Obama is talking about expanding a range of domestic and international agencies such as AmeriCorps, the Foreign Service, and the Peace Corps — and adding some new ones. … read more
Tito Edwards says:

Saturday, November 1, 2008 A.D. at 11:40pm

Thanks for clearing that up.
Christopher Blosser says:

Sunday, November 2, 2008 A.D. at 12:08pm

Not to say it’s any less troubling, if Obama means what he says:

… his civilian national security corps would cost at least another $100 billion a year, and perhaps as much as $500 billion a year. With total federal income taxes of $935 billion in 2005, Obama’s proposal would mean using up to half of all federal income tax revenues just to fund his promise “to have a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded” as the military….

But given Obama’s penchant for hyperbole and obfuscation, let’s hope this is more of the same.