Posted on 07/23/2003 9:33:08 AM PDT by PhiKapMom
July 22, 2003
“The Democratic candidates’ challenge to Bush’s stand on homeland security … comes as their party is struggling to raise public doubts about Bush’s ability to protect American security.” (Steven Thomma, “Bush Criticized On Homeland,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 3/19/03)
President’s FY 2004 Budget Calls For Large Increases In Homeland Security Spending. “The President’s 2004 Budget provides the necessary resources for the Department to succeed. The budget includes a total of $36.2 billion, 7.4 percent more than the 2003 level and over 64 percent more than the FY 2002 level for these activities.” (Department of Homeland Security Budget in Brief, www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?theme=12&content=430, Accessed 7/18/03)
President Bush Included $3.5 Billion For First Responders In FY 2003 Budget And Additional $3.5 Billion In FY 2004 Budget. (“Budget Of The United States Government, Fiscal Year 2003,” The White House, 2/4/02; “Budget Of The United States Government, Fiscal Year 2004,” The White House, 2/3/03)
* Democrat Senate Failed To Pass Budget Last Year, Delaying $3.5 Billion Until GOP Regained Control Of Congress. (Public Law No. 108-7, 2/20/03)
Already In FY 2003, Homeland Security Department Has Made Almost $3.8 Billion In Grants Available To States And Localities For First Responders, Mass Transit System Protection, And Port Security. (“Department Of Homeland Security Funding For States And Cities,” Department Of Homeland Security, 5/21/03)
* Between 1999 And 2002, Almost $500 Million In Federal Domestic Preparedness Grants Were Made Available To State Governments, But Over $331 Million Still Remains Unspent. (“Equipment Grant Allocation Distributions: FY99-02,” Department Of Homeland Security Office For Domestic Preparedness, 2/24/03)
* Over 55,000 State And Local First Responders Trained On Homeland Security Preparedness. “Office for Domestic Preparedness has provided training to emergency responders, including over 34,000 personnel in Fiscal Year 2001, and more than 21,000 to date in FY 2002.” (“Justice Department Accomplishments In The War On Terrorism,” U.S. Department Of Justice)
Clinton FBI Director Louis Freeh: “[Bush] is a president who is serious about fighting and winning the war on terrorism. The liberation of Iraq and the continued effort to bring al Qaeda to justice are all the proof anyone should need.” (Louis J. Freeh, “Remember Khobar Towers,” The Wall Street Journal, 5/20/03)
In May, Homeland Security Department Held Second In Series Of Major, Nationwide Terrorist Attack Drills. On May 12, 2003, DHS Secretary Ridge announced the Top-Off 2 exercise, which involved more than 25 federal agencies, plus state, county and municipal first responders. According to Ridge, the exercise, which lasted five days, “detail[ed] a fictitious sequence of events … simulat[ing] a radiological device explosion in Seattle and a covert biological attack in Chicago.” (Secretary Of Homeland Security Tom Ridge, Press Conference, 5/5/03)
President’s USA Freedom Corps Initiative Includes At Least 37 State And “More Than 400” Local Citizen Corps Councils “Mobilizing The Country To Help Protect The Homeland.” All 56 states and territories will have State Citizen Corps Councils by Spring 2003. The National Citizen Corps Council comprises 43 groups, including the International Association of Firefighters, to whom Kerry addressed his call. “Neighborhood Watch is at 60% of their two year goal of doubling the number of groups” across the country. (“Homeland Security & Volunteerism,” White House Memorandum, 3/18/03)
Republican-Led House Passed Homeland Security Department In Just One Month. Introduced on June 24, 2002, the Homeland Security Act of 2002 passed the House overwhelmingly just 32 days later – without the support of Reps. Gephardt or Kucinich. (H.R. 5005, Introduced 6/24/02; H.R. 5005, CQ Vote #367: Passed 295-132: R 207-10; D 88-120; I 0-2, 7/26/02, Gephardt And Kucinich Voted Nay)
Democrat Politics Slowed Homeland Security In Senate. “Election-year politics are a chief reason for the Senate’s impasse on creating a Homeland Security Department. Democrats are refusing to buck their allies in organized labor and give President Bush the broad power he demands …” (Curt Anderson, “Politics Hold Up Homeland Security,” The Associated Press, 9/29/02)
Senate Democrat Presidential Candidates Fought Bush’s Plans For Department. Edwards, Graham, Kerry, and Lieberman sided with labor unions against Bush in creating a Department of Homeland Security, voting 6 times against the President’s plan. (H.R. 5005, CQ Vote #218: Motion Rejected 50-49: R 0-48; D 49-1; I 1-0, 9/19/02, Edwards, Graham, Kerry, And Lieberman Voted Yea; H.R. 5005, CQ Vote #225: Motion Rejected 49-49: R 1-47; D 47-2; I 1-0, 9/25/02, Edwards, Graham, Kerry, And Lieberman Voted Yea; H.R. 5005, CQ Vote #226: Motion Rejected 50-49: R 1-48; D 48-1; I 1-0, 9/26/02, Edwards, Graham, Kerry, And Lieberman Voted Yea; H.R. 5005, CQ Vote #227: Motion Rejected 44-53: R 1-46; D 42-7; I 1-0, 9/26/02, Edwards, Graham, Kerry, And Lieberman Voted Yea; H.R. 5005, CQ Vote #228: Motion Rejected 45-52: R 2-46; D 42-6; I 1-0, 10/1/02, Edwards, Graham, Kerry, And Lieberman Voted Yea; H.R. 5005, CQ Vote #241: Motion Agreed To 50-47: R 48-0; D 1-46; I 1-1, 11/13/02, Edwards, Graham, Kerry, And Lieberman Voted Nay)
Senate Dems Stalled Homeland Security For 112 Days. The Democrat Senate took 112 days to approve the Department of Homeland Security. In the end, after their stalling tactics failed, Sens. Edwards, Graham, Kerry, And Lieberman voted for the bill. (H.R. 5005, Received In The Senate 7/30/2002; H.R. 5005, CQ Vote #249: Passed 90-9: R 48-0; D 41-8; I 1-1, 11/19/02, Edwards, Graham, Kerry, And Lieberman Voted Yea)
Gephardt Would Repeal Homeland Security Bill If Elected. “I voted against that bill, and I suggest that we defeat that bill the first chance we get when we take back the White House.” (Rep. Dick Gephardt, Remarks At AFSCME Forum, 5/17/03)
Dean Says Department Is “Mistake.” “Democratic Presidential candidate Howard Dean says the creation of a homeland security department was a mistake</Uand that Tom Ridge is the wrong man for the job. ‘I would not have created the Department of Homeland Security,’ the former Vermont governor told CQ Homeland Security.” (Andrew Freedman, “Dean Knocks Ridge, Says Homeland Department A Mistake,” CQ Homeland Security, 5/20/03)
Publication of RNC Research
Elect Republicans and send the DemocRATs packing!
Otherwise, it's only useful to the them politically. Hillary has carefully positioned herself to benefit in the event we suffer another terrorist attack here.
She's hoping for it, without a doubt.
RNC Chairman designate charges democrats are naive politicians who are willing to just stand by and wait for America to be attacked again.
Democrats are big spenders who favor countless new spending plans to cope with the aftermath of future attacks instead of self defense to prevent attacks.
Democrats are coalescing behind an 'aftermath policy' toward potential threats that is naive in the post 9/11 world.
It is a passive, reactive approach that fails to connect the dots and would put America's fate in the hands of people who seeks to destroy us.
The problem is how it's being spent, and the Administration is extremely vulnerable on this front. There are lots of stupid things going on in Homeland security, from confiscation of tweezers, to the FAA dragging its feet on allowing guns in cockpits.
Fortunately, the Donkeys are too dumb to make intelligent critiques.
Good news on the war front. Andrew Sullivan linked the Spc Ops letter to his websight yesterday. If the American people hear the truth about Iraq - the left-Dems may be peddling hot water for 100 years as the Americans flock back to the GOP and support for our important war on terrorism. In Iraq, and on the homefront - Pres. Bush's team is doing an awesome job.
I left early this morning for Mosul then to a town in Northern Iraq called Duhok. It is a Kurdish city and a bigtime market place. The people there really love the Americans... more than anywhere else. It was a very cool experience. Kids wanting to touch you and thank you for getting rid of Saddam. I had one kid saying... "mister... Saddam very bad ... bush very good..." and repeating it over and over. It was a very long day and I am glad to be back at Qwest... Northern Iraq is soo pretty with the mountains and some water. The Kurdish people are very friendly and honest. One of the soldiers dropped money accidentally out of his pocket and didn't notice. A whole group of kids came up and pointed to it saying " Mister your money..." Most kids in shitty places like this would just steal the cash and run...
He's putting himself on the line - taking on the mainstream media, the DNC, UN, EU and both Clintons (the Pentagon, CENTCOM and WH press corps, not to mention the BBC, CNN and Al Jazeera) to get the truth out about Iraq.
To thank Andrew, or share a story re. Iraq:
Oh, and you might want to let Mr. Sullivan know you're a Freeper. See #184 (^;
3-D: Dean: Dem's Dunce
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