Blowing the Homeland
Excellent piece in this week's TNR by Jonathan Chait, which unfortunately is only available to subscribers. Basically, it chronicles the Bush administration's refusal to spend more on upgrading homeland security.
"Through passivity or, more often, active opposition, President Bush has repeatedly stifled efforts to strengthen domestic safeguards against further terrorist attacks. As a consequence, homeland security remains perilously deficient. 'President Bush vetoed several specific (and relatively cost-effective) measures proposed by Congress that would have addressed critical national vulnerabilities. As a result, the country remains more vulnerable than it should be today,' concluded a report published last month by the Brookings Institution. A December 2002 report sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations concurs: 'America remains dangerously unprepared to prevent and respond to a catastrophic terrorist attack on U.S. soil'."
As noted by Chait, the media seems to be giving the President a free pass on this issue, which is more than unfortunate. If our ports, chemical plants or nuclear power facilities are not adequately protected we will have one person to blame- President Bush.