05 August 2016

Wearing My Preacher Hat Again

"Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every country in Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops that can be, on any pretense, raised in the United States. A military force, at the command of Congress, can execute no laws, but such as the people perceive to be just and constitutional; for they will possess the power, and jealousy will instantly inspire the inclination, to resist the execution of a law which appears to them unjust and oppressive." 

~ Noah Webster, “An Examination of the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution,” October 10, 1787


Now ask yourselves again, why are there some 200,000 Federal bureaucrats with firearms?


“The ‘Militarization of America’ report found civilian agencies spent $1.48 billion on guns, ammunition, and military-style equipment between 2006 and 2014. Examples include IRS agents with AR-15s, and EPA bureaucrats wearing camouflage.

“‘Regulatory enforcement within administrative agencies now carries the might of military-style equipment and weapons,’ Open the Books said. ‘For example, the Food and Drug Administration includes 183 armed “special agents,” a 50 percent increase over the ten years from 1998-2008. At Health and Human Services (HHS), “Special Office of Inspector General Agents” are now trained with sophisticated weaponry by the same contractors who train our military special forces troops.’

“Open the Books found there are now over 200,000 non-military federal officers with arrest and firearm authority, surpassing the 182,100 personnel who are actively serving in the U.S. Marine Corps.

“The IRS spent nearly $11 million on guns, ammunition, and military-style equipment for its 2,316 special agents. The tax collecting agency has billed taxpayers for pump-action and semi-automatic shotguns, semi-automatic Smith & Wesson M&P15s, and Heckler & Koch H&K 416 rifles, which can be loaded with 30-round magazines.

“The EPA spent $3.1 million on guns, ammo, and equipment, including drones, night vision, ‘camouflage and other deceptive equipment,’ and body armor.”

7 comments:

Ed Bonderenka said...

We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.
Barack Obama

Ed Bonderenka said...

Posted to FB.

Guffaw in AZ said...

AMEN!

gfa

Rev. Paul said...

Thank you, gentlemen.

Rob said...

Even the Air Force has figured out Civil Air Patrol and its volunteers can do things at a cheaper rate then they can.

CAP is now training to escort drones into and out of certain areas. An air crew of two or 3 pilots in a 182/206 can do it cheaper then 1 pilot in a F-35/F-22. We are now wearing Air Force ABU's with different color name tapes, so we blend in, and look more like them.

Fiona said...

Are police this well equipped? How do people want more government and believe it will solve everything? Keep safe and this was a very good read.

Rev. Paul said...

Rob, I read your recent post on that topic, and agree that the lines between "federal" and "local" are being blurred. I'm not so sure that cost-effectiveness has much to do with it. It's more about dictatorial control.

Fiona, in a word: yes. Lack of education, the dumbing down of America which has been going on since the Woodrow Wilson administration, and the fact that the government wants more government - these are some of the reasons. It's the desire for absolute control.