Pete Buttigieg Critiques National Guard Deployment Proposal in Sacramento
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg addressed the potential deployment of National Guard troops to San Francisco during his participation in the Sacramento Speakers Series on Wednesday. This discussion arose in response to a question from a student concerning a proposal by former President Donald Trump to send troops into the city to address rising crime rates.
Buttigieg Raises Concerns Over Deployment Costs
Buttigieg, a veteran and former Navy reservist who served in Afghanistan, articulated the complexities involved in military deployments. He emphasized the logistical and financial burdens associated with such actions. “As somebody who is in the military and who knows what goes into a deployment, including the gear you are issued, the time away from your family, the pay, the food, the cost, before you even get into the constitutionality of it, which is a huge problem,” he explained.
He noted that the financial implications of deploying a National Guardsman could equate to funding for two or three police officers or mental health professionals, who could play a significant role in community safety. “If this was about safety, they’d be funding stuff like that. But this is not about safety; this is about power. And this is a president wanting to send a message,” Buttigieg stated.
Local Crime Rates and Community Efforts
During his address, Buttigieg also shared insights from a recent conversation with San Francisco’s mayor regarding initiatives aimed at reducing crime. He highlighted that the strategies being implemented are potentially leading the city towards achieving its lowest murder rate since the 1950s.
The Sacramento Speakers Series is organized by the Sacramento Metro Chamber, and this event was sponsored by KCRA 3. The next speaker in the series will be author and philanthropist Mitch Albom, scheduled for November 12.
For more updates on upcoming events in the series and coverage of significant stories in California, readers can explore additional resources provided by local news outlets.
