He's so freakin' dumb and lazy, he couldn't figure out this situation:
Posted on 07/05/2007 10:52:56 PM PDT by goldstategop
It's my birthday today.
And, if I had one birthday wish, it would be the firing of Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff.
Maybe, though, I should go further. I think I would wish for the elimination of the entire Department of Homeland Security, a boondoggle of almost unimaginable proportions.
Take it from someone who knows quite a few Homeland Security employees, this is a do-nothing, paper-shuffling agency. It's full of many well-intended people who would like to make their country safer but are actually prevented from doing so by this monolithic bureaucracy that would make the old Soviet Union look efficient by comparison.
But, I digress.
(Column continues below)
It is Chertoff, the former judge appointed years ago to baby-sit this unnecessary and counterproductive waste of taxpayer dollars, who really is the target of my wrath today.
Last weekend, in an interview with Fox News' Chris Wallace he essentially blamed the American people for his inability to secure the border with Mexico. Last year, Congress authorized the building of 700 miles of fence between the two countries. Wallace asked if it were true that only 13 miles had actually been built.
He didn't answer the question, so I can assume that is a "yes." He did promise that an entire year after that congressional vote up to 140 miles of fence would be built this fall.
But then came the really amazing part of this interview.
"We're on track to get about 370 miles done by the end of '08," he assured. "But I do have to say that for people who believe the answer is just fence, yesterday we discovered a tunnel. So fencing is not the cure-all for the problem at the border. We've got 40 percent of our illegals coming through the ports of entry using legal visas and overstaying. We've got people concealing themselves in vehicles coming through the ports of entry. I've seen this myself. I think the fence has come to assume a certain kind of symbolic significance which should not obscure the fact that it is a much more complicated problem than putting up a fence which someone can climb over with a ladder or tunnel under with a shovel."
I almost don't know where to begin dissecting this kind of double-talk from an official I am paying with my tax dollars.
Notice, first of all, his lack of enthusiasm to build the fence. It is openly expressed here. Last year Congress mandated that he build 700 miles of fence. He didn't. He built 13. Why is he in contempt of Congress? Why has he failed so miserably?
I think we have the answer. He didn't want to build it, because he doesn't like fences. He says it wouldn't fix the problem because people can tunnel under the fence or climb over.
At this point I have to wonder why they lock doors at night at the Department of Homeland Security, because, after all, bad guys can still break in if they choose. Locks are not 100 percent effective, so why use them? I wonder why the Capitol building is surrounded by barriers? Barriers don't keep out all the bad guys. I wonder why Chertoff himself fences in his own property, since bad guys can climb over or tunnel under.
It's so ludicrous the man should be a national laughing stock by now. He should be pilloried for his flagrant failure to carry out his assignment from Congress. His excuse-making is pathetic. He obviously couldn't be this stupid. But he thinks we are.
He also made one other stunning admission: "We don't really have the ability to enforce the law with respect to illegal work in this country in a way that's truly effective."
Whenever a top official in charge of doing a job says it can't be done, it's time for that top official to go.
I'm sure there are many qualified people in this country who agree with me that we can enforce our laws effectively – and that we must.
That's why all I want from my birthday today is Chertoff's resignation or firing.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
He also made one other stunning admission: "We don't really have the ability to enforce the law with respect to illegal work in this country in a way that's truly effective."
How is that "stunning"? Seems pretty damned obvious to me.
He’s only the messenger. He is carrying out policy that is dictated from above in the administration.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Laws are definitely hard to enforce when you don't even try.
I agree - don’t people realize we need someone who is EXTREMELY AGGRESSIVE on this problem? Not someone making stupid excuses. Get it done. NOW.
He’s only the messenger....
Whose job is to deceive you the voter, and you the taxpayer.
Accept it at your peril. Or, demand accountability.
We know it comes from above. But this gov’t was designed from the bottom up, thank god. Help make it work as it was designed.
You said it. And we'd be saying more if we weren't biting our tongues for a variety of reasons.
I'd like to see a picture of this.
He's so freakin' dumb and lazy, he couldn't figure out this situation:
Dump Chertoff, fold up the Dept. of Homeland Security. And, while we’re at it, privatize airport screening.
Other than those two, I can't think of a single good reason why he is so recalcitrant on this issue.
Homeland Security Sec. Tom Tancredo in a President
Duncan Hunter administration
Happy Birthday and I agree.
Fire his boss first.
Why defend borders that your masters in the Council want erased?
I have never liked him for that job from the very beginning. He’s far too wimpy! We need a military man who knows about defense! One that might intimidate terrorists.
Hence my tagline.
His corporatist backers want the flood of cheap illegal labor to keep pouring into this country to drive down wages of legal workers.
I also like the idea of getting rid of Homeland Security.
It sounds so much like those two private cops in the John Candy movie or maybe the movie THE BANK DICK with W.C. Fields.
Chertoff looks emaciated. He could go home to NJ where the people like his kind of treacherous “Republican”.
Bush simply does not have the fundamental first principles understanding of America and its place in the world.
Fred Thompson has the coherency, integrity and personally-developed rational worldview similar to Reagan.
Policy advisors can only provide guidance one issue at time.
A president’s values govern the course of an administration, and poor Jorge’s is lost and foundering.
More like the Keystone Kops.
" You say illegal aliens are setting fire to forests and fields along the border to
distract U.S. Border Patrol Agents to make their crossing easier, and throwing
Molotov cocktails at US agents’ vehicles, and setting fire to their observation posts? "
"I'm the Homeland Security Chief. What do you want me to do about it? "
I'm no Farah fan, but I think he nailed this one. When the first calls rose for a Department of Homeland Security, my immediate thought was, we need a cabinet-level department to protect our country from external threats. A department to defend us. Something like, let's say, a Department of Defense. Why don't we have something like that?
I had the same reaction when folks started baying for an "intelligence czar." Let's see. We need someone to coordinate the various intelligence agencies. Someone to direct. Someone right in the middle of things. Someone like a Director of Central Intelligence. Why don't we have that guy?
But rather than fix existing institutions, the Washington solution is always to create a new one. Neither party is innocent in this -- they mostly squabble about whether the new department should have union employees and what color the logo should be.
Amen ... further, the man himself (in terms of his countenance) doesn't inspire confidence. He looks like the weasel he is.
"I see myself as firefighter ... who lights a few fires to keep business going. What is so bad about that?"
"And I got a guy from Guatamala who cuts my lawn, cheap."
The idea of a Department of Homeland Security was another example of bad governance by our congress critters.
It was formed as a result of 9-11 and it was done because hey, another government bureaucracy...that’s the ticket.
As we’ve learned, this administration didn’t do such a good job forming these mandated bureaucracies, not that any administration could have done much better. The solution is NEVER to , boom, create more government.
We know it and we’ve got to keep unelecting those congress critters who keep doing it. Bush had much more important things to deal with in the aftermath of 9-11 than forming more government agencies.
It’s time for us to start getting rid of that crew in DC. Their solutions to any problem are always about them, never about us.
You idiot...their success is encouraging more to come. Start deportations, NOW!
I am in complete agreement.
Chertoff needs to be dumped. He lacks the ability to lead. Since his appointment, DHS has become a laughing stock of ineptitude. We need a go getter who isn’t afraid to step on toes and do the job he was tasked to do.
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Good morning everyone. Some additional reading material today...
Bush pressed to pardon border agents (Duncan Hunter & Dana Rohrbacher)
Man accused of rape hours after he left jail
Incorrect. The basis of re-organization was the Hart-Rudman Commission Report(AKA Roadmap to the 21st Century) whose Phase 1 was was completed in 2000 and Phase 2 report in 2001 prior to 9-11.
There was a lot of reluctance to implement H-R because it was political suicide for whoever pushed it because many/most members of Congress would lose their existing authority. In the end, Dick Armey of Texas presided over the re-organization because he had already announced his retirement and was immune from retaliation from other members of Congress.
House dem Turner of Texas introduced the first legislation prior to 9-11 and Lieberman's bill came after 9-11. Liberman's was considered to be the most credible because of his bi-partisanship. Bush's version drew heavily from Lieberman's.
The H-R commission report should be required reading because much of what has been implemented was in H-R. For example, justification for more fed involvement in education(NCLB) is there. Pre-emption(Bush Doctrine) is there.
Additionally, the Gilmore Commission Report played a big part because it examines fed re-organization from the states' perspective.
Members of the House appropriations committee are in S. Texas this week getting a look and listenting to local authorities. They will soon be finalizing their 2008 budget appropriation for border security. The Senate committee has already completed their’s.
I did not know a thing that you describe in your post.
Obviously.
Now let me get this straight....the first I ever heard about DHS was right after 9-11.
You say the thing was in the works BEFORE the attacks?
So okay, why?
Did the attacks of 9-11 bring this little known proposal to the fore?
It’s way past the time for this clown to go. Farah is absolutely spot on.
"it is a much more complicated problem than putting up a fence which someone can climb over with a ladder or tunnel under with a shovel."Yes. It certainly it. And we need somebody who can deal with more complicated problems--and it's not Chertoff.
Message to Bush:
Message to the American People:
If you ate food today, thank a Mexican. Get a grip!
Pray for W and Our Troops
Those in govt knew this had to be done but no one wanted to be the one to do it because of the political ramifications. 9-11 was the event that finally set it in motion. Hart and Rudman couldn't get Congress to act. After Bush was elected, H & R met with Bush and Bush put Cheney in charge, but they didn't didn't want to move on it either for the same reason. It was only after 9-11 and Lieberman's bill started to get some traction that Bush got out in front of it.
Keep in mind that NATO is slowly re-organizing for the same reason while the UN is stuck in the past.
Those complaining about Chertoff need to realize that he was an apolitical appointee, one that dems and pubs in Congress could agree to without a big fight.
Michael Skeletor needs to be kicked out ASAP. This pathetic excuse for a human being is a disgrace, and an incompetent one at that.
Hey Auntb, if you have those DHS funding sources, post ‘em.
( a tip of my hat ) to #7
spyone , best post I’ve read in quite some time
concise & true
Please add me to your list!
Chertoff’s a lying weasel. Rodger Hedgcock interviewed him on the Rush Limbaugh Show a couple of weeks ago and asked him why a 2.5 mile stretch of fence in the San Diego area hadn’t been completed in over two years. Chertoff answered by going into a long st rig of BS about the engineering complexities of building a mere 2.5 miles of fence. Since the Empire State Building was built in a little over a year in the 1930s, all the trash he spun was pure lies.
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