Refusing civilian government requests that violate the constitution is literally part of their oath. It is the highest and most important part. To cede ultimate authority to the constitution, to the law, and not to a leader.
This is an existential battle between those who want a framework of power that is a hierarchy and those, like the founders, who wanted a division of power across a community of leaders, to prevent monarchic hierarchies. If democracy falls to the consolidation of a hierarchy then the American experiment has concluded and we return to the age of kings and warlords. The dream of community rule, not individual power, must be tried elsewhere, with whatever learnings can be gained, like the influence of power of private capital and the role of wealth on democratic integrity.
I hope American patriots, those who believe in the separation of power as the founders did, win this battle.
The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Well, it’s also part of the oath the civilian leadership takes, for what it’s worth.
Point is, you want the military to say “you can’t tell me to do that” and not “I won’t let you do that”.
The latter is the military exerting power over the civilian government, which is a deeply dangerous precedent.
Refusing civilian government requests that violate the constitution is literally part of their oath. It is the highest and most important part. To cede ultimate authority to the constitution, to the law, and not to a leader.
This is an existential battle between those who want a framework of power that is a hierarchy and those, like the founders, who wanted a division of power across a community of leaders, to prevent monarchic hierarchies. If democracy falls to the consolidation of a hierarchy then the American experiment has concluded and we return to the age of kings and warlords. The dream of community rule, not individual power, must be tried elsewhere, with whatever learnings can be gained, like the influence of power of private capital and the role of wealth on democratic integrity.
I hope American patriots, those who believe in the separation of power as the founders did, win this battle.
Well, it’s also part of the oath the civilian leadership takes, for what it’s worth.
Point is, you want the military to say “you can’t tell me to do that” and not “I won’t let you do that”.
The latter is the military exerting power over the civilian government, which is a deeply dangerous precedent.
Agreed.