| The Department of Homeland Security ("DHS"), | | | | are the same as 2003. Am I missing something |
| the brainchild of this current | | | | here or is the DHS the biggest joke ever |
| administration, has an operating budget for | | | | played on the American public. |
| 2006 of $40.6 billion. After three years and | | | | |
| more than $100 billion, have we really | | | | Why is it that whenever we get near to a |
| reached the point were we can sleep better at | | | | budget or increased funding hearing for the |
| night with the knowledge that our "Leaders" | | | | DHS at the Senate Finance Committee we seem |
| are doing everything possible to protect us | | | | to suddenly be bombarded with new terrorists |
| against those terrorists attacks. | | | | threats or new information about a pending |
| | | | attack? Do they really think we are all that |
| According to the Government Accountability | | | | stupid or is it that they just have so little |
| Office ("GAO"), nothing has changed since the | | | | respect for us, they just don't care! |
| inception of the DHS in 2003. During their | | | | |
| most recent test of nine US border crossings: | | | | So what did we get for our money and loss of |
| California, Texas, Arizona, Michigan, New | | | | Civil Liberties? Michael Chertoff, the |
| York, Idaho and Washington, the GAO | | | | Homeland Security Secretary, applauded |
| investigators were able to penetrate all nine | | | | increased funding and changes to the |
| border crossings using fake ID's and phony | | | | Department of Homeland Security's |
| names. | | | | organization during a ceremony at the White |
| | | | House in October last year where President |
| Terrorists or criminals can "pass freely into | | | | Bush signed the FY 2006 Homeland Security |
| the United States ... with little or no | | | | Appropriations Act. He outlined an integrated |
| chance of being detected," the GAO concludes | | | | Preparedness Directorate to enhance |
| in testimony given to the Senate Finance | | | | coordination and deployment of preparedness |
| Committee. The investigators used readily | | | | assets and training at a cost of $4 billion. |
| available computers and software to create | | | | |
| these counterfeit driver's licenses and | | | | What were they doing for the last three |
| documents. None of the Customs and Border | | | | years? Secretary Chertoff, earlier this year, |
| Protection agents "ever questioned the | | | | outlined a new six-point agenda which |
| authenticity of the counterfeit documents." | | | | included the following: the creation of an |
| The GAO also said similar tests in 2003 | | | | Office of Intelligence and Analysis to be led |
| produced similar results. | | | | by a Chief Intelligence Officer by separating |
| | | | and elevating the Information Analysis |
| According to the DHS, it has trained border | | | | component of IAIP. Wow this sounds important. |
| agents to spot fake documents and the agents | | | | He also wants to establish an Operations |
| intercepted more than 75,000 last year, but | | | | Office, which will include the Homeland |
| the job is complicated by the huge variety of | | | | Security Operations Center. Then there's the |
| legitimate documents. More than 8,000 are | | | | Office of Policy and the Office of |
| used to enter the country, including | | | | Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs. |
| easy-to-forge licenses and birth | | | | |
| certificates. | | | | I am now sure there must be a department |
| | | | within DHS that has an operating title of |
| So let me make sure I understand this: three | | | | Formation of Stupid Titles for Departments to |
| years, $100 billion, the complete erosion of | | | | Increase Funding. |
| our Civil Liberties, invasion of our privacy | | | | |
| during phone calls, surveillance on our bank | | | | Have an opinion or a question you would like |
| accounts and arresting citizens and denying | | | | me to answer, then write me! |
| them legal counsel, but yet the test results | | | | |