SD Gov uses private $ to send Nat'l Guard to border

[redheadbaker]

www.nytimes.com/2021/06/30/us/politics/noem-south-dakota-troops-donation.html

South Dakota taxpayers have subsidized the state National Guard’s operations in world wars, the Middle East, Panama and the Caribbean. Now Gov. Kristi Noem has come up with a novel way of paying for it.

Ms. Noem, a Republican, announced Tuesday that she would deploy up to 50 of the state’s 3,100 Guard members to Texas, where they will help “secure the border between the United States and Mexico.” But unlike other Republican governors, who have dispatched troops to secure both the border and photo-ops for themselves, Ms. Noem found a private donor to provide the money for the deployment.

“The border is a national security crisis that requires the kind of sustained response only the National Guard can provide,” Ms. Noem said in a statement.

The move prompted an array of questions in South Dakota about the legality of privately funding National Guard operations, a fuzzy area of the law that officials in the state said had never before been contemplated. It comes as Ms. Noem is busy building a national profile ahead of the 2024 Republican presidential primary contest.

[NewOrleans]

😱

[UMaineTeach]

So, the military is up for sale now. Great.

Another thing in the list of government norms that no one thought needed a law and then some Trump Republican exploits it for personal gains.

[Velar Fricative]

Can I reserve them for parties too?

[seeyalater52]

Uhhhh this is really insane and REALLY big. Private anybody should not be able to buy military presence to do their bidding. That should be scary to people across the political spectrum.

[lea]

What in the actual fuck. That’s actually really terrifying.

[cattledogkisses]

Jul 1, 2021 6:57:29 GMT -5 seeyalater52 said:

Uhhhh this is really insane and REALLY big. Private anybody should not be able to buy military presence to do their bidding. That should be scary to people across the political spectrum.

Seriously, this sets a terrifying precedent. 

The governor of a state still has to approve any deployments of their NG, but as we see here, there are some terrible governors out there, so...

[pixy0stix]

I'm going to go back to researching cults, because I don't want to contemplate sanctioned private armies in the US.

[cville]

What the fuck. This is like 5 alarm fire dangerous

[pixy0stix]

Sorry if this is mentioned in the NYTimes article, I don't have a subscription anymore - the couple is paying $1M : www.argusleader.com/story/news/2021/06/30/south-dakota-receiving-1-million-send-50-national-guardsmen-texas-border-crisis/7812901002/

[Velar Fricative]

Jul 1, 2021 9:13:44 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Sorry if this is mentioned in the NYTimes article, I don't have a subscription anymore - the couple is giving paying $1M : www.argusleader.com/story/news/2021/06/30/south-dakota-receiving-1-million-send-50-national-guardsmen-texas-border-crisis/7812901002/

This couple from TN was looking for the governor most likely to agree with this for self-serving purposes and Noem was the perfect choice, although it wouldn't shock me if she wasn't the first friendly governor with 2024 aspirations they asked. 

[mouse]

I was noticing on a road trip last weekend an RV trailer was named “Rubicon.” I asked Mr M if he thought they thought a Rubicon was just a fun thing to cross, because I definitely didn’t think when Caesar brought the Roman army over it (ending the republic) was something to commemorate in a positive way. I didn’t realize that’s where we were.

[neverfstop]

Desantis doesn't want to be upstaged....

DeSantis sending Florida officers to respond to border crisis in Texas and Arizona
www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/desantis-sending-florida-officers-respond-195600318.html

[atexan]

Dear South Dakota and Florida,

We're fine. Really. Unless you have some ideas about electrical grids.

Sincerely,
Texas

[Velar Fricative]

Jul 1, 2021 10:46:21 GMT -5 neverfstop said:

Desantis doesn't want to be upstaged....

DeSantis sending Florida officers to respond to border crisis in Texas and Arizona
www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/desantis-sending-florida-officers-respond-195600318.html

This was from June 16th so technically Noem didn't want to be upstaged lol.

Still though, governors have wide latitude in how they utilize the National Guard. I hate this decision, but South Dakota's deployment of their National Guard from private funding is going way too far. No National Guard should be considered for rent to whomever wants them for whatever reason they want.