Brian Schweitzer and others governors to Bush: don't even think about it

The federal effort to involve the United States military in command-and-control of state disaster relief efforts isn't going over to well with some of the nation's governors, Brian Schweitzer included:

Governors chafe at greater military role
By MATT GOURAS, Associated Press Writer
Friday, November 4, 2005

HELENA, Mont. (AP) - Several governors are fuming over a Bush administration suggestion that the active military take a greater role in disaster response, calling it an attempt to usurp state authority over National Guard units.

Governors in Washington, Mississippi, Michigan, Arkansas, West Virginia, Delaware and Alabama are among those who have panned the idea, questioning whether it would even be constitutional.

Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, among the harshest critics, said the issue promises to be a major topic at the Western Governors Association meeting in Phoenix next week.

"I'm going to stand up among a bunch of elected governors and say, 'Are we going to allow the military without a shot being fired to effectively do an end-run coup on civilian government? Are we going to allow that?'" Schweitzer said. "We're going to have a little civics lesson for some leaders who are apparently out of touch in the military."

For the rest of the article, go here.