reply to post by Hefficide
Dear Hefficide,
It goes beyond what you know. Homeland Security has actually provided grants to local governments in order to deputize people within local government
and I am not just talking the police, all government employees. Once deputized, in the event of a declared emergency, they can direct all local
government employees and use them in whatever capacity they wish. This is usually done via a loyalty oath to the Federal government. In addition, I
previously wrote an thread on how the FCC has claimed jurisdiction and control over local right of ways and the Federal Appellate Court agreed. There
is NO valid precedent for the Federal Government to control local right of ways (streets and alleys).
What has in fact been going on is that the Federal government has been taking over jurisdiction of all modes of travel be they waterways, streets or
highways. What is amazing is that the American Public Works Association and the various states leagues of cities say nothing about it. Very few people
chose to read or comment on my thread about the FCC because it is boring to most people and they do not understand what it means. Many don't
understand the difference between local authority, state authority and federal authority. The difference is as important as the separation of powers
within the Federal government as a check and balance it prevents anyone form having total control.
Let me mention the streets again. Local governments usually do not own the streets, they have an easement also known as a right of way, the ownership
of the underlying property remains with the property owner (you usually own to the middle of the street). The local government cannot close access to
the streets for other than specific reasons and under specific guidelines. If a road is permanently closed the street is right of way is vacated and
the property is returned to the property owner. The easement is a right of all the public to use without being stopped by the TSA or anyone else. This
does not apply to federal and state highways as they buy the underlying property and can therefore close as they wish or even decommission highways.
