Thaddeus McCotter has a weirdly mixed reputation. Make no mistake, that is no joke. I call him the nowhere man. George W. Bush calls him
"the rock and roll dude", fair enough. McCotter's
press pages feature several trips to Iraq, where his band, The Second Amendments, have entertained our troops.
Think about that for a minute, the Second Amendment--you know, the right to bear arms. They must have been a smash hit because 60% of Iraqis recently polled agree with the right to bear arms against your oppressor.
His last trip to Iraq was in July 2006. Aside from the photo, you would never have known he was there. He's one of Boehner's boys, quiet, steady, often in the background.
But very, very scary. This is diary of pulling at a thread all day, and what I found. It is long, but it needs to be. Read, recommend, but please also go listen to Tony Trupiano tonight on Laura Flanders talk about why we need to raise money and get Thad McCotter out of office.
The background: An award from some group.
Thaddeus McCotter received the Homeland Defender award from the U.S. Freedom Foundation in December 2004. He must sure be tough on terror.
U.S. Freedom Foundation Senior Homeland Security Fellow Colonel John R. Brinkerhoff, USA (RET) said the awards recognize the pioneering work done by these leaders to re-introduce Americans to the concept of taking responsibility for homeland security at the local level.
"Our nation was founded on the principle of individual Americans joining to defend themselves under the old state militia system, the precursor of today's National Guard and State Defense Forces," Brinkerhoff said. September 11 showed that this time-proven homeland security concept is still needed today, and the recipients of these awards deserve the thanks of the nation for their willingness to step forward and lead on this issue."
The big deal is shared ideology. But exactly how was it that Thaddeus defended our homeland?
In July 2003 he introduced The State Defense Force Improvement Act Only 4 months in (or wasn't the mission accomplished?), H.R. 2797 claimed:
Domestic threats to national security and the increased use of National Guard forces for out-of-State deployments greatly increase the potential for service by members of State defense forces established under section 109(c) of title 32, United States Code.
There's more from the Freedom Foundation on the 2003 bill here.
McCotter renewed his call in 2005 with H.R. 3401 "The State Defense Force Improvement Act" 2005 This calls for U.S.C. Title 32 amendments, to establish state militias involved with Homeland Security operations, officially recognized as a relevant force (and I assume with all of the uh, legal benefits that entails). There's a State Defense Force FAQ. VAJoe.com seems to be the same guy.
That makes me nervous, I don't know about you. I'm all for greater coordination, but whose in charge? Who can lock me up for forever without a reason? Uh...this should be read, but later.
So just who is this U.S. Freedom Foundation? Hmm, looks like two quacks. Their Homeland Security page is scary. Stuff like:
Every able-bodied American male has a duty to provide military service to his country at some point in his life. Able-bodied American women have no obligation to provide military service, but should be equally encouraged to do so. All should seek the highest level of military service they are capable of providing. Reserve forces provide an opportunity to fulfill this obligation for nearly all Americans, including millions who cannot serve in regular U.S. Armed Forces due to age restrictions, minor health problems, and family or professional demands.
And further down, from August 21, 2006: U.S. Borders Must be Secured
We live in an unsafe world for which we are manifestly unprepared both physically and emotionally. Even during the days of the Cold War, the threat of global domination by leftist autocrats did not dispel our basic feeling of security at home. It is different now, for the threat of islamofascism is real, pervasive, and frightening.
Read on there for a treat on immigration, and a world of other issues. This is the primary archive of his writings, there are lots of dead links.
Remember, he thinks Thaddeus is a leader. He thinks Thaddeus is a Homeland Defender.
So what is Birkerhoff's background that would lead him to so admire our Thaddeus? Why would Thaddeus stand out of a crowd?
You'll start to get an idea if you go to wikipedia, martial law, controversy.
Well, better let Representative McDermott explain this one.
...snip...John Brinkerhoff, handled the martial law portion of the planning. The planning was said to be similar to one Mr. Guiffrida had developed earlier to combat a national uprising by black militants. It provided for the detention of at least 21 million American Negroes in assembly centers or relocation camps. Today, Mr. Brinkerhoff is with the highly influential Anser Institute for Homeland Security. Following a request by the Pentagon in January that the U.S. military be allowed the option of deploying troops on American streets, the institute in February published a paper by Mr. Brinkerhoff arguing the legality of this. He alleged that the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which has long been accepted as prohibiting such deployments, had simply been misunderstood and misapplied. The preface to the article also provided the revelation that the national plan he had worked on under Mr. Guiffrida was approved by Reagan and actions were taken to implement it.
What!?
Well, there is a lot written about this by non-credible people. There's lots written by credible people. There's Brinkerhoff's writings themselves--poorly reasoned legal theory, wacked out uber-patriotism, and very probably (frighteningly) logistical experience. THAT IS NOT THE POINT, yet. Let's stay focussed on the people who hire him, The Anser Institute for Homeland Security and The Anser Corporation.
And what does ANSER do? They're a non-profit corporation for Advancing National Strategies and Enabling Results. They're getting a lot of government work. Their Institute for Homeland Security has published Brinkerhoff's work, they consult with him. This is the way extreme ideologies are reproduced and made more credible along the way.
Here are his articles, many have been cached, now with dead links, or posted on US Freedom Foundation website, you have to scroll halfway down for the brilliant legal analysis.
Restore the Militia for Homeland Security, November 2001
And who cites him as a respected source?
Brinkerhoff's analysis has been cited in the following list of sources.
The National Archives ALIC Terrorism recommended reading list (recognizing him as a specialist but not necessarily advocating his views)
The State Defense Force Journal
The Air & Space Power Journal cites him as a source on problems with federal regulations. The military cites him. Rand cites him. The Center for Security cited him.
And who does he recognize for congressional leadership? Thad McCotter.
And what happened last week? Thad McCotter voted for the torture bill. He voted to demean centuries of legal tradition. He's a Homeland Defender. And on the very same day, Thaddeus McCotter sponsored H.R. 6160, More Border Patrol Agents Now Act of 2006.
Heads up people.
And what to do about it?
I deleted a diary I did earlier today, there was one comment (mine). It's crossposted here at michiganliberal, about McCotter's upcoming public schedule.
Donate to Tony Trupiano. He has years of a public record expressing his politics, beliefs, and plans.
When there's stuff like this out there, people like Tony Trupiano represent all of us.
Heads up people. I am not making any extraordinary claim, just pointing out how extremist ideas get bundled up in legitimacy. I don't pretend to be an expert on any of these bills, and some of them may have good ideas when not perverted by Republican ideas of accountability or leadership.
Sorry for using a bit of a scare tactic myself there at the end, but it's the kind of day I've had.
Listen to him on Laura Flanders tonight.