“There would be no need for local law enforcement in South Dakota to use either UAVs or Satellites.”

You might want to read this article
http://www.shephard.co.uk/news/1821/customs-and-border-protection-uavs-begin-operations-in-north-dakota/

Yes you are correct there is a geographics difference between North and South Dakota, but the point I think you were trying to make is that some areas within the US are so remote that the value of imagery for local and state law enforcement would either never be used or only on very limited basis.

If I am correct in understanding your point of view. My point is that the US is a large area and that satellite resource can be retasked to support the region that needs it when they need it. Would the local and State agencies have used satellite imagery when the Red River flooded this past winter. There are many things that can be done and analyzed when you cross correlate data from different sources.

Also, don’tLocal state and Federal all work together when dealing with domestic issues? What about the monitoring of hate groups or domestics terrorist? Some of these groups are located in remote area and UAS or Satellite resources might be the only way to monitor what they are doing in the compound that is on a 100+acres ranch.

Pennsylvania67

If she consulted the law enforcement officials who were meant to use the satellite program and found that they didn’t need the program, then the cancellation should be accepted. Of course, it won’t. Politicians get their support by fostering hysteria.

Sounds like someone is making the right decision.

Two words……Liberal politics. Those on the left have ALWAYS been willing to give up safety for personal freedom, often mis-quoting Benjamin Franklin, who said, “Those who would sacrifice essential liberty for a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty or safety.” The problem is, Franklin was referring to trading away freedom for the safety secured through loyalty to King George III of England. Liberals “liberally” apply this statement to ALL manner of personal freedoms, and they will gladly trade away ANYTHING which they feel impinges on those personal freedoms, even if for the sake of the greater good or for their community. They’d rather scream at George W. Bush for “spying on them” rather than have a capability which could provide massive assistance to first-responders during a crisis–with de-classified imagery for use in damage assessment, search & rescue, and which could actually save lives during a catastrophe like hurricane Katrina.
Liberals need to understand that sometimes both freedom AND safety are purchased with the temporary surrender of one’s personal comfort–but it’s a lesson it seems they are never willing to learn.