Power Over D.C. National Guard Should Remain in District

The Mayor, who knows the city better than any federal official and works closely with federal security officials, should be able to call on the D.C. National Guard to cover events such as natural disasters or civil disturbances without relying on the President, who may be preoccupied with national matters. It does no harm to give the Mayor the authority. It could do great harm to leave him powerless to act quickly. If it makes sense that a governor would have control over the mobilization and deployment of the state National Guard, it makes the same sense for the Mayor of the District of Columbia, with a population the size of that of small states, should have the same authority.