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March 17, 2006
To Protect and Serve..and look good while doing it
Although it doesn't happen very often, I love it when Stantis defies the President - especially when it's the "cool" thing to do. The UAE/port scandal is a perfect example of this. Today he not only goes after the Prez for outsourcing our port security to a foreign country, he gets in a dig about how American Patriotism was outsourced to China. Nice.
What Stantis forgets is that this isn't just something he can pin on the President. Your Republican party, the "conservatives," are the ones in charge, Scott. Like CJo pointed out the other day, Chertoff and Brownie and outsourcing have all happened under your watch. The Republicans have tried to turn this port thing around - I mean they're supposed to be the party of national security, right?
From the Senate website, swapped from Daily Kos:
Lieberman Amdt No. 3034; To protect the American people from terrorist attacks by providing $8 billion in additional funds for homeland security government-wide, by restoring cuts to vital first responder programs in the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice, by providing an additional $1.2 billion for first responders, $1.7 billion for the Coast Guard and port security, $150 million for chemical security, $1 billion for rail and transit security, $456 million for FEMA, $1 billion for health preparedness programs, and $752 million for aviation security.
REJECTED by Republicans.
Menendez Amdt. No. 3054; To provide an additional $965 million to make our ports more secure by increasing port security grants, increasing inspections, improving existing programs, and increasing research and development, and to fully offset this additional funding by closing tax loopholes.
REJECTED by Republicans.
Stabenow Amdt. No. 3056; To provide $5 billion for our emergency responders so that they can field effective and reliable interoperable communications equipment to respond to natural disasters, terrorist attacks and the public safety needs of America's communities and fully offset this by closing tax loopholes and collecting more from the tax gap.
REJECTED by Republicans.
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/vote_menu_109_2.htm
Every year since 2001 the Democrats have proposed legislation to strengthen our port security, and every time the Republicans in charge have rejected it. Not just Bush, not just the neo-cons running the White House, the Republican party in general. Your conservative Republican party, Scott. So when you look around and wonder why we're not safer and why all of our jobs have gone to China, just remember: it's your fault, not mine. Everybody thank Scott and the rest of the morons who voted Bush and these Republicans into power.
On a side note (that's also not funny), I read an interesting theory yesterday on one of those conspiracy websites. Imagine if you will this scenario: the United States Coast Guard intercepts a ship carrying a nuclear device, but it detonates just outside a US port. The damage and loss of life is minimal, but it sends the message. The President announces that the ship was sent from Iran with Al Qaeda terrorists on board, and his illegal wiretapping program was the way they knew the ship was coming and was able to stop it from reaching our ports. Can you just imagine what would happen to our country if something like that were to happen?
But I mean that's just a crazy conspiracy theory that outlines how the Republicans and conservatives in power could use a terrorist attack to manipulate the country into giving up their rights and freedoms. Heck, the citizens would probably then encourage the invasion of a country in the Middle East that probably has nothing to do with the original attack.
Yup, just a crazy conspiracy theory.
Comments
That's not even a good conspiracy theory, as what effin nuclear blast is going to cause minimal loss of life and property? Just stupid.
Posted by: FredN. at March 17, 2006 12:12 PM
You do realize that there are different size nuclear explosions, right? We used nuclear tipped bunker busters during shock and awe. They found a way to make sure they're not all Hiroshima-sized.
Posted by: The Furnace at March 17, 2006 12:14 PM
You're telling me that the resultant radioactive [waste, fallout, whatever] doesn't cause significant problems?
Yeah, I'm sure we were reeeealllll concerned with the lasting radioactive effects of our bunker busters.
All I'm saying is that conspiracy theorists don't typically follow the science very well.
Posted by: FredN. at March 18, 2006 10:30 AM
Maybe if we had guarded/maintained/otherwise oversaw the ports ourselves, then maybe all of our jobs wouldn't have been able to go to China.
But I'm just saying.
Posted by: j kendall at March 21, 2006 02:31 PM
