The Pennsylvania Progressive

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Monday, June 19, 2006

Homeland Security Priorities

New York Senator Chuck Schumer, not someone I've been especially proud of as a Democrat lately, is quoted criticizing DHS for shifting its priorities from New York City. Ostensibly Homeland Security said NYC doesn't have enough national icons to justify spending a disproportionate amount of money there to prevent terrorist attacks. Now, as news emerged that Al Qaeda considered using cyanide on the subway system Schumer is justifiably questioning DHS's priorities.

Our system of deciding where to spend anti-terrorism funds has been screwed up all along. This isn't new. When DHS was formed the opportunity for pork was simply too much for starving politicians in Washington to resist. The initial funding for Homeland Security gave each state an equal amount of money regardless of its risk. Wyoming got just as many funds as New York state. This led to some ridiculously extravagant expenditures, such as air conditioning for vehicles, neighborhood watch signs, gym memberships, and other wasteful programs. Local lawmakers saw this as a unique opportunity to channel millions of tax dollars to their local communities instead of using th emoney where it could actually be effective.

The discussion about New York has finally brought this topic into focus. Anyone with half a brain understands that New York City and Washington are the primary focal points for Al Qaeda. This is where they hit us and where they want to hit us. It is where our national institutions and icons are. The symbolism related to hitting us where we're supposedly strongest is huge. This is where our defensive efforts must be. Legislators have to stop being so obsessed with bringing pork back to their districts and look at what their real job is in Washington: our national priorities. Especially where it relates to national defense.

I was shocked at our vulnerabilty on September 11th. The most powerful nation on earth had no air defenses for its capitol. None. All we could do was scramble a few fighters. They weren't even armed. Our largest city was also defenseless. Our emergency personnel in the twin towers couldn't communicate with each other and, as a result, many were lost. We know why we were vulnerable that day and why so many more people died than necessary. The 9/11 Commission outlined many serious deficiencies. We know what we should be doing and where but four years later we still aren't.

Let's take those communication problems for instance. Police couldn't talk with firefighters over their radios and vice-versa. Communications were partially out because of the attack. There basically was no back-up system. Responders along the Gulf Coast, especially in New Orleans, were faced with the same difficulties after Katrina last year. From September 11, 2001 to August 19, 2005 we'd made no progress in this critical area despite spending billions of dollars for homeland security. Why? It was wasted on pork barrel spending by Congress. I keep asking our local emergency people if this problem has been resolved and they keep telling me no.

Chuck Schumer is correct, along with many other recent critics, in attacking the methods for allocating funds. Let's insist of using them sensibly and effectively. Even folks in Wyoming felt for New York that fateful day. I'm sure they love their police canine units but they also understand their dogs don't need body armor as much as the police in New York do. We must begin to get our priorities straight.