[upchuck]

So, we're gonna take a little from here, a little from there, a little from over there, etc.

Seems to me this should just about be self-funding.

And I agree, at least 5000 jobs cut due to job overlap. Wonder when this will be announced? Probably not until congress passes the legislation authorizing this new deparment.

I hope he gets someone other than Ridge to run this. Every time I've heard Ridge speak he sounds like he's in a daze. The Peter Principle at work perhaps?

[ClaireSolt]

I am a little amazed at suspicions about losing liberty. I would say that we have little now. There is precious little oversight of these agencies now-- what with the whoring Congressmen think is more important than oversight. Not to mention the misplaced prioity of the wire taps and surveillance of the whorehouse in New Orleans

Debating this reorganization will let us know everyone who is active now. Putting someone in charge of it all may well increase our liberty.

I don't think many know all the nefarious and even illegal things these agencies that we have never heard about are doing now. Don't think the ACLU will help you. They are just a poor little organization with active PR to raise funds for their cause of the year.

By the way, President Bush did mention that eliminating duplication and overlap would save money. They may not have many layoffs, because one half of the federal workforce is slated to retire by 2005.