The Purpose of Homeland Security

by emptywheel

Silly GAO! Silly bloggers! The purpose of the Department of Homeland Security is not to gather together all the resources of homeland security in one coordinated whole. The purpose of DHS is not to improve off of our performance on 9/11. And so you really shouldn't worry too much about any silly little GAO report.

The GAO states that after the largest government merger in more than half a century, the DHS met fewer than half of its performance objectives, or 78 of 171 directives identified by President Bush, Congress and the department's own strategic plans. The department strongly disputed the report.

In one of its harshest conclusions, the 320-page document states that the DHS has made the least progress toward some of the fundamental goals identified after the 2001 attacks and again after Hurricane Katrina in August 2005: improving emergency preparedness; capitalizing on the nation's wealth and scientific prowess through "Manhattan project"-style research initiatives; and eliminating bureaucratic and technical barriers to information-sharing.

Rather, the purpose of DHS is to gather together a bunch of contracting money under one partisan hack to create another government funding outlet for crony capitalists. Which is why Senator Lieberman's stance on the report is a truly heroic attempt to make more money available for the crony capitalists.

Yesterday, Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) said that although the DHS "has made important progress," it requires more focused attention and money.

And the purpose of DHS is to eliminate the collective bargaining rights of thousands of government employees so we make sure those on the front line remain poor and over-worked.

Silly people, don't you see that you're grading all the wrong benchmarks?

Comments

[pdaly]

DHS needs a fresh infusion of regular Americans.

Maybe we could put a bill into Congress that would give victims of Hurricane Katrina and other survivors of homeland insecurities extra consideration for jobs in the department.

[tekel]

DHS needs a decapitation. At a minimum, Chertoff and anyone who is in direct contact with him should be given 50 years' hard labor, crushing concrete in Cleveland.

[Seamus]

DHS needs to be disbanded. If for no other reason than the use of "homeland" in the title of a US government department. I still cringe every time i see it. The fascist-authoritarian connotations have no place in this country, and we would be much better off dumping it. As EW says, it is a union busting fraud at best, and will never fulfill its function.

[Alyx]

Yeah I don't like the 'Homeland' in the title either..reminds me of another regime..and the 'Motherland'...or how the Hawaiians hate the term the 'Mainland'. How about just National Security Department? Hmmm or is that taken already? FEMA should never been under that anyway...what a dumb idea! FEMA should be a stand alone organization that has feeder org's that feed into it for the various needs it may have...whether it be Food,Housing and Relocation Services, Red Cross Services, National Guard Services, National Weather Services etc. When a disaster kicks in there should be red flag that goes off within FEMA and their feeder organizations with their agendas that are usually required when a big disaster hits..they usually all need the same needs, at least the basics. Hmmm maybe they need a woman heading it up....lol grin :-)