Posted on 07/04/2003 10:14:58 PM PDT by Commie Basher
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NEWS FROM THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY
2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Suite 100
Washington DC 20037
World Wide Web: http://www.LP.org
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For release: July 4, 2003
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For additional information:
George Getz, Communications Director
Phone: (202) 333-0008
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Color-coded terror alert system is useless and should be scrapped, Libertarians say.
WASHINGTON, DC -- The national color-coded terror alert system should be scrapped, Libertarians say, because it only alarms the public with warnings that are too vague to be useful.
"Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge risks becoming like the boy who cried wolf with his frequent, unsubstantiated orange alerts," said George Getz, Libertarian Party communications director. "Soon the public might start ignoring him -- and that could be a real disaster."
As the Fourth of July weekend approached, Department of Homeland Security officials declined to say whether they planned to raise the terror alert level from yellow to orange, the second-highest category. Since the system was instituted last fall, the threat has been raised to orange four times, and no attacks have taken place -- raising questions about the reliability of the underlying intelligence data.
One example: In February, Americans stockpiled food and water and rushed out to buy duct tape and plastic sheeting to seal their homes after the government warned about the risk of a chemical or biological attack.
At the time, Ridge claimed the intelligence reports were based on "multiple sources, obviously credible and corroborated." But days later he quietly canceled the alert after being forced to admit that the reports were "not as accurate as we thought."
An unreliable terror alert system may be worse than none at all -- which is why the program should be dismantled, Libertarians say.
"Telling a nation still reeling from the September 11 terrorist attacks to be on alert for another horrific attack -- without telling them when, where, or how it might occur -- is nothing more than scaremongering," Getz said. "In fact, every orange alert that is issued based on flimsy evidence actually endangers the nation by making Americans more likely to ignore future warnings."
The federal system also forces local police departments to squander tax money on unnecessary security precautions, he added.
"The U.S. Conference of Mayors estimates that cities spent $2.6 billion on additional security costs since the September 11 attacks, much of it related to 'code orange' overtime costs for police and other emergency personnel," Getz said. "These warnings actually made America less safe, because every dollar spent on imaginary threats is a dollar that can't be spent arresting an actual murderer, robber or rapist."
The solution is to replace the gimmicky color-coded system with one based on law enforcement needs rather than political posturing, he said.
"If the federal government obtains a specific, credible threat, it should share it immediately with local law enforcement officials and let them take the appropriate steps to warn and protect the public," he said. "But in the absence of solid information, it should cut the political chatter and refrain from alarming 280 million Americans with a vague, generalized terror alert."
Libertarians believe that preventing another terrorist attack is one of the most important functions of the federal government -- and that's why Americans should insist that it's done right, he said.
"This Fourth of July, let's declare our independence from unnecessary fear by pulling the plug on this counterproductive terror-alert system," he said.
Maybe another day huh?
Actually just plain English in the platform says it all...or in this case doesn't say what you and your fellow lp'ers seem to have decided amongst yourselfs. Which leads me back again to the basic question.
How would the lp, with a national platform of totally open borders and unrestricted immigration (regardless of welfare), protect the nation from terrorist attack?
The lp is being very critical of the current administrations color coding system but is pretty unclear, in fact totally unclear, on what they would do to protect the nation.
"Libertarians believe that preventing another terrorist attack is one of the most important functions of the federal government -- and that's why Americans should insist that it's done right, he said."
HOW? How do totally open borders and unrestricted immigration do this right?
Anyone...how would the lp, with it's platform of open borders and unrestricted immigration, prevent another terrorist attack?
No wonder the only place a libertarian society will ever exist is in cheap science fiction novels.
Hot air, insults,nonsensical ideas, and propaganda are the ONLY things Libertarians spew.
Right there tells me you are clueless. The federal budget has gone up 400 billion since GWB was sworn in. He entered office operating under a 1.9 trillion dollar budget and now after 9/11 and two wars it's at 2.3 trillion.
here is a tip for you slick
It's better to remain silent and thought a fool, than to speak up and remove all doubt
C'mon bud, it's a simple question
You're a class act slick
I am not a man.
I talk about tax cuts; you take about assumptions and taxes NOT levied by the president.
I suggested that you read the Malkin article, because it is thorough, longer than what I should post ( you want a tome as an answer ? You wouldn't read it/understand it...so why should I bother ? )and easy to comprehend. Go read the damned thing and NO, I don't do links and have no idea if it was even posted. Go to the N.Y. Post on line and look it up and read it ! Unlike YOU, I can not only think for myself, I have the ability to comprehend fully, what I read.
Oh, and you're now saying that Malkin is " wrong " and you haven't read the article she wrote. Now, that's sooooooooo wise/clever/precient of you. NOT !
Of course he signed the Farm Aide Bill. No president, since it came into being, has done otherwise. Real politics escapes you. What you yearn for, is a benevolent dictator/tyrant, who will do exactly what YOU want done, without concern for the consiquences. Ain't gonna happen, no matter how many silly temper tantrums you throw here, or anywhere else.
President Bush has NEVER said that he wants amnesty for ( fill in the blank ) number of illegal immigrants. Nor, has he done anything to further that spurious plan. But, why are you even complaining about that ? The LP wants OPEN BORDERS . I don't give a hoot what YOU say, it's in their platform, along with many other hairbrained , totally worthless gibberish.
Oh, so we should close down ALL our borders, even though that's the antithisis of what is clearly stated by the LP ? And HOW is that to be accomplished ? We have not only F-O-U-R borders, we have airports. You've already complained about making fed employees out of some airport workers. Now, NOW, you want MORE fed agents ( or is it the military you want there, instead of them fighing in Afghanistan and Iraq ? ) at airports ? What you are suggesting is physically impossible;yet, you stamp your feet, pout, and go into a tizzy of delsuional rapture.
I'm not going to even attempt to refute your bilious outpourings of twisted, ill educated mewlings. Your complaints are vacuous at best. You don't know what Socialism is, but you sure enjoy throwing around the word.
I haven't a problem understanding facts, nor in knowing what a police state is and isn't. You have so many problems, you need more help than can be given on a poltical forum. Seek some.
Take care and stay safe
MJY
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