DEFCON ?

Yesterday was interesting in terms of our security posture.

On Friday we discussed the probability of bad things happening at the local stores when people’s EBT cards stop working. I consider this a real consern.

Because of our agreed-upon concerns, we agreed to wait until today to do our weekly grocery shopping. Monday being the day when I can actually provide security for my lady while she is shopping.

Sunday morning my wife gets a message from her Aunt stating that my brother-in-law’s EBT would not be affected by the shutdown because “a federal judge has ordered Trump to use emergency funds for SNAP.” My wife heard this as a change in DEFCON. I heard it as BS from her liberal Aunt.

Article III courts have no authority over the Article III Executive’s enumerated powers. That includes how he deals with a budget shortfall.

My security posture is still high. I don’t use DEFCON values for myself or my family. Regardless, I will continue to provide armed security for my lady when she is shopping until the threat level goes down.

Side Note

We watched House of Dynomite yesterday. It is a well-done movie, handling multiple aspects of an incoming ICBM from multiple points of view.

For me, the two things that stuck out for realism are that nobody was stupid and nobody violated security protocols. In terms of security protocols, a common trope in this type of movie is the characters making a call to their loved ones to tell them to evacuate.

The loved one tells a few of their loved ones, and before you know it, there is mass panic, and the mob has closed the city, and egress is impossible.

While people did call their loved ones, they just told their loved ones they were loved with reasonable excuses. No mass panics.