Senator Usage in Season 1

[Enlightened_GKar]

A common occurence in Season 1 is comminuiques between Commander Sinclair and a senator from EarthDome. More often than not, Sinclair is in dealings with Senator Hidoshi. ("By Any Means Necessary," "Deathwalker," "A Voice in the Wilderness part 2") Although, Sinclair has often worked alongside other senators including Senator King (the Black woman from "Chrysalis") and the senator from "The Gathering."

My question is why use senators to pass down orders to Commander Sinclair? Obviously, the position of senator grants an individual to a copious amount of authority and power, but why is a senator used for command deicions on a military instillation? Sheridan states it in his speech to the Nightwatch security officers in "Point of No Return": A senator cannot give you an order. Babylon 5 seems to be a place where the chain of command would be exercised most. For certain occasions, such as where Sinclair's vote should lie in the Babylon 5 Advisory Council, then usage of a senator would seem appropriate, but the senators are not used in that manner.

I suppose that the placment of senators in the military is a small stylistic tool used by J. Micheal Straczynski going all the way to Crusade's "Each Night I Dream of Home" where Senator Jacob Redway gave Captain Gideon several military orders. Furthermore, he traveled aboard Earth's most destructive, reckonizable ships.
Although, to be fair the circumstances were very different in that instance.

Still, it is a question why senators were ever used in the first place. It seems a very purposeful thing to do writing-wise, because no other mediums -- to my knowledge -- display military situations that have leaders working in tandem with senators. You always see admirals, generals, colonels, or joint chiefs discussing military situations.

Why were senators ever used?

(Oh, I know. I am a nitpicker.)

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

I'd have to review the episodes, but I don't think the senators are giving either Sinclair or Gideon military orders. (Although Gideon and the Excalibur have a sufficient unusal status with EarthForce that anythiing's possible.) Babylon 5 is a military installation, but also a diplomatic post, and the commander wears two hats. The senator is either the chairman or a senior member of a committee that has jurisdiction over B5. (Maybe a subcommittee of the Armed Services Committee) So in matters of interplanetary relations, the station's budget, handling of civilians, etc. Sinclair could plausibly be subject to instructions and adivce and explanations of policy from someone like the senator.

Sheridan's comments regarding Nightwatch involve orders to uniformed EF personnel with regard to directly military functions including security. And no, a senator could not give orders in such a case. (In theory neither could the President, since such orders should be relayed through normal channels, whatever exactly those are in the B5 universe. It is never very clear who the direct military superior of the commander of B5 is, for instance. Apparently the Earth Allliance Joint Chiefs, unlike their contemporary American counterparts, have direct command authority, so maybe one of them. )

Regards,

Joe

 

[Quagmire]

The first season senator seemed to be a patron of Sinclair. The Senator seemed to be using what power and influence he had to help out this commander he liked and with whom he had an affinity. When he couldn't help the reply would be, "sorry you're sol."

 

[PillowRock]

I, too, would have to review the episode to make sure of details. Howver, I don't recall Senators giving orders, with the likely exception of one or two Council votes which are strictly diplomatic matters.

If you want to get into how realistic that kind of stuff is:
Though it would obviously be *very* inconveniant in terms of writing the story, I always considered it more likely (as a "real" life issue) that the military commander of the station and the ambassador to the Council would be two separate jobs filled by two different individuals (a little closer to Sheridan's arrangement with Lochley in S5).