Texas Army National Guard, the Commander in Chief, Money, and Lack of Purpose or Limits
From concern about little children to militarizing the Army within the boundaries of a sovereign nation. After the War Between the States, the US Congress agreed to demilitarize the former Confederate states with the intention that the military would never be activated again. Exceptions have been made by the Federal Commander in Chief (the US President) if a governor fails to protect constitutional rights, as did Eisenhower when he sent National Guard troops to Little Rock to protect citizens from violence by other citizens. The essence of posse comitatus is to demilitarize the nation, to protect the citizens from an over-reaching sovereign, as explained in the original law of 1878: Sec. 15. From and after the passage of this act it shall not be lawful to employ any part of the Army of the United States, as a posse comitatus , or otherwise, for the purpose of executing the laws, except in such cases and under such circumstances as such employment of said force may ...