The recent decision by South Dakota Gov. Krista Noem to send 50 members of the state’s National Guard to Texas, paid by a wealthy Republican donor in Tennessee to augment border control, represents a blatant example of faulty and flawed decision-making by a governor unconcerned about the appropriate use of the South Dakota National Guard.
Though Gov. Noem’s action is a legal response to a request by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, it still reeks of misconduct and misjudgment. It places the Guard, commanded by a governor in event of domestic crises, in an unenviable position of being perceived as mercenaries paid by a wealthy donor who opposes immigration at our southern border.
It also paints an ugly, undeserved picture of a military force used for political purposes.
The whole scenario exemplifies governmental norms gone astray. It further fractures our democracy, blurring the line between the proper and improper use of our military forces.
In our current political environment, loopholes offer opportunities for those with questionable moral compasses to propagate mischief and bad behavior.
Control of illegal immigration is a federal responsibility. Governors, even when well-intentioned, lack the resources to successfully tackle a complicated problem with foreign policy implications. Vote-getting and base appeasement are insufficient reasons for deploying National Guard troops to the troublesome southern border.
Just imagine if a wealthy donor offered to pay for the Guard to combat urban crime—an undeniably serious problem—without seeking a mayor’s agreement, the situation could become chaotic and conflict with local law enforcement.
Suppose a wealthy donor offers to subsidize the use of Guard troops to clean up trash along major highways, or fight wildfires, oblivious, perhaps deliberately, to robust local efforts, public services would be disrupted.
While I well understand that our democracy is based, rightly so, on civilian control of the military, our founding fathers implicitly assumed that political leaders would act responsibly and respect the norms for appropriate use of military forces. Our early leaders understood the danger of using soliers and sailors as political pawns in an authoritarian way.
The National Guard is funded approximately 96% by the federal government, covering salaries and training. States pick up the remaining four percent. So, when Republican Gov. Noem calls up 50 Guard members for what Republican Gov. Abbott considers an emergency—and it may be on several levels—she is using troops trained and almost entirely compensated by the Department of Defense. She’s also deciding that she knows better than the President and the Defense Department the need to send South Dakota Guard members to Texas.
When Maryland Republican Gov. Larry Hogan called up the Guard to assist in operating Covid-19 vaccination sites, he was reacting properly to a national, if not a worldwide emergency, an epidemic unseen since 1918. He was not thumbing his political nose at the federal government. He smartly was taking advantage of troops skilled in medical matters and logistics for the sake of Maryland citizens. He was participating in a nationwide assault on Covid.
The South Dakota National Guard deserves better civilian leadership on the state level. It warrants a perception and reputation untainted by politics.
Columnist Howard Freedlander retired in 2011 as Deputy State Treasurer of the State of Maryland. Previously, he was the executive officer of the Maryland National Guard. He also served as community editor for Chesapeake Publishing, lastly at the Queen Anne’s Record-Observer. In retirement, Howard serves on the boards of several non-profits on the Eastern Shore, Annapolis and Philadelphia.
Randy Wheelock says
This is the worst exple of state government yet from an uncontrolled Governor that only has eyes on a further power grab. This is what you get when Trumpism is allowed to keepaking the rules as they go.
Stephen Schaare says
Randy, I would have to nominate New York State and their Gov Cuomo as pretty bad government. All the avoidable nursing home deaths he caused, plus the many women with whom he tried to “get frisky “.
Almost forgot, he signed the “no cash bail” law which immediately releases violent suspects back on the street. Not good.
Donald Trump is a former President living in Florida. He no longer has political power.
Tash jordan says
They all volunteered to go