Patterico's Pontifications

1/5/2010

“This Was a Screw Up” (Updated)

Filed under: Obama,Terrorism,War — DRJ @ 3:18 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

President Obama reportedly told his national security team today:

“This was a screw up that could have been disastrous. We dodged a bullet but just barely. It was averted by brave individuals not because the system worked and that is not acceptable. While there will be a tendency for finger pointing, I will not tolerate it,” a White House official says in the Situation Room the President said.”

Press Secretary Robert Gibbs also announced the United States was suspending transfers of Guantanamo detainees to Yemen.

There are very few things that President Obama and members of his Administration say that I like, but I like both of these. Now we’ll see if they follow through. Thus, will any of the remaining Guantanamo detainees be released and, if so, where and under what conditions? Will there be reprimands and personnel changes because of this “screw up”? And does the finger-pointing ban mean President Obama and his Administration will stop blaming Bush?

— DRJ

UPDATE: What do Michael Yon, Joan Rivers and the Newark Airport have in common? Via Michelle Malkin, they are more Homeland Security screw ups.

97 Responses to ““This Was a Screw Up” (Updated)”

  1. Make no mistake, he will still close Guantanamo. Where will he send these jihadists? Who knows. Illinois? I thought the issue was how these jihadists were treated, not the location of the holding facility.

    It remains difficult to follow the logic.

    GeneralMalaise (68a574)

  2. It was averted by brave individuals not because the system worked and that is not acceptable.

    Napolitano joins a host of others under the bus.

    While there will be a tendency for finger pointing, I will not tolerate it

    I’m not quite sure he’s going to tolerate the abandonment of a playbook that he’s been employing for the past year.

    Another Chris (2d8013)

  3. Sez the prez:

    I’ll do the finger pointin’ around here, and don’t you for git it!

    Matador (176445)

  4. That supposed quote reeks of damage control after public outrage that the Obama Administration tried to minimize the failure.

    Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (efb4fe)

  5. Obama says he recognizes a tendency toward finger pointing but won’t tolerate it.

    That’s certainly an arrogantly convenient way to puff up his chest and spout self-serving platitudes, especially since the finger is pointing directly at him, Janet Napolitano, and John Brennan.

    The man isn’t up to his job, and it shows.

    ropelight (706b29)

  6. “…While there will be a tendency for finger pointing, I will not tolerate it…”

    Except when he does it, I think that the President means.

    Eric Blair (ddbceb)

  7. We dodged a bullet. You maybe dodged a golf ball.

    happyfeet (71f55e)

  8. Yep damage control.

    It’s not like the ‘system worked’ language wasn’t classic crisis management. The Admin’s initial PR failed, and now they are trying something else. The idea that this is some behind the scenes talk that wasn’t carefully written specifically for this public consumption is dishonest on Obama’s part.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  9. As always, actions will speak louder than words. We’ll know if it’s an ongoing CYA maneuver or if our President has wised up.

    (For cynicism to find a home in less than a full year really can’t be a good thing.)

    Dana (f64b7d)

  10. “That’s certainly an arrogantly convenient way to puff up his chest and spout self-serving platitudes, especially since the finger is pointing directly at him, Janet Napolitano, and John Brennan.”

    I find it difficult to listen to the prez, let alone watch him. The haughty, arrogant tone he uses in nearly every appearance is simply nauseating.

    A man of little accomplishment is fast becoming a man of no consequence on the world stage. And that is not good for Western Civilization.

    GeneralMalaise (68a574)

  11. I like the first part but fail to see how the second — saying he won’t “tolerate” “finger-pointing” — is consistent WITH the first part.

    Isn’t he finger-pointing himself, and (to his credit) at his own administration?

    Better he had said, “So if you want to point fingers, point them at me and my administration. As I said, we blew it.”

    Mitch (890cbf)

  12. I updated the post with a Michelle Malkin link that reviews this week’s Homeland Security screw ups.

    DRJ (84a0c3)

  13. Way to go, Barcky.

    Though as many have noted, it is pretty rich with irony that he says there should be no finger pointing, especially since he already has done so on this very issue.

    JD (7e3655)

  14. Obama admits his self esteem program for Jihadis is a failure?

    You notice how every day our so-called president seems to act more and more like your petulant two year old than president.

    we all know what the real problem here is, failure to recognize what the real problem is — Islamic terror. And his world apology and bash America tour now just looks really silly, to everyone.

    bill-tb (541ea9)

  15. big words, big words.

    “It was not acceptable”. “No finger pointing” “I won’t tolerate it”.

    DRJ’s right, this sounds freaking awesome. But will that stop a terrorist from blowing up Americans? Obama has a long term problem: he has to find a way to stop terrorists. Sure, he can order his own staff around. Big freaking deal… Carter bossed his staff around too. How’s Obama going to stop the Iranians from doing the “unacceptable” and “intolerable”? What’s Obama’s plan for Pakistan or Russia? There’s a lot of terrorist energy in the world. Someone has to think big picture, and channel the fight into a battle we have won before we start. Bush did this with Iraq and various other strategies that surrounded and pressured Iran and sucked Al Qaida into a fight they couldn’t win.

    Of course, it also took care of Saddam, who really was a problem. But it did a lot more.

    What’s Obama’s plan for the war on man-made disasters? An isolated drone bombing some bigwig terrorist is a critical aspect, but there are thousands of monsters out there that will find something to do… either Obama has a plan or he’s going to try to push this problem off to the GOP in 2012.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  16. Since Obama’s Administration is loath to let a crisis go to waste, this is an opportunity to blame the CIA and name a bi-partisan commission to study systemic failures to connect the dots. The commission will make recommendations to reform the investigative agency, which will only incidentally more closely align CIA operations with long-term Islamic interests.

    ropelight (706b29)

  17. What we’ll get is Brennan investigating Brennan.

    AD - RtR/OS! (9812f2)

  18. No finger-pointing? Hundreds of people could’ve been killed because our government failed to screen a passenger with red flags waving hither and yon. Fingers had better be pointed, because if they’re not, the idiots in our government will stay right where they are, and we’ll be no safer in the future than we were on Christmas. Everyone responsible for this historic screw-up deserve worse than having fingers pointed at them.

    This president is either an idiot or a monster.

    Alan (07ccb5)

  19. From Yon,

    When they handcuffed me, I said that no country has ever treated me so badly. Not China. Not Vietnam. Not Afghanistan. Definitely not Singapore or India or Nepal or Germany, not Brunei, not Indonesia, or Malaysia, or Kuwait or Qatar or United Arab Emirates.

    Wow.

    Dana (f64b7d)

  20. If it’s not acceptable, then there has to be some accountability, or the unacceptable becomes, by default, accepted.

    Let’s be candid here: the Directorate of National Intelligence was set up, during the Bush Administration, to insure that all of these bits and pieces of information got put together into a songle, coherent picture. It’s obvious that the DNI, under President Bush, didn’t get that job done.

    But George Bush has been retired for 11½ months now. DNI Dennis Blair has admitted that:

    The President was direct in his assessment that intelligence failures were a contributing factor in the escalation of this threat. This is a tough message for us to receive. But we have received it, and now we must move forward and respond as a team.

    Of course, he followed it with:

    Whatever shortcomings emerge in these investigations should not obscure the progress the Intelligence Community has made in developing collection and analysis capabilities, in improving collaboration, and in sharing information, both against al Qa’ida and against the many other threats to our national security. The Intelligence Community should be proud of its role in weakening al Qa’ida’s ability to plan, organize, finance, and carry out highly orchestrated attacks conducted by well trained teams, like those on 9/11. Al Qa’ida is diminished as evidenced by the fact they are sending inexperienced individuals without long association with al Qa’ida, but susceptible to jihadist ideology. Unfortunately, even unsophisticated terrorists can kill many Americans.

    Admiral Blair took office on 29 January 2009, so it wasn’t like his was a delayed appointment; if the DNI under President Bush didn’t get the job done, then neither has the DNI under President Obama.

    The Dana who notices these things (474dfc)

  21. Where will he send these jihadists?

    Perhaps to Seattle; where the security folks seem to need some practice with real terrorists.

    Old Coot (d2bd0f)

  22. Alan wrote:

    This president is either an idiot or a monster.

    Why must it be either/or; and works much better.

    The grammatical Dana (474dfc)

  23. Dana, that is truly disgusting. The TSA didn’t need more than 1 minute to realize they were dealing with one of the good guys, but were too focused on acting like bullies.

    Wow, indeed. But they hassled some people, so vaguely they are doing something about terrorism. Nothing that works, but that isn’t the point. Finger pointing will not be tolerated, but leaving huge problems in our security will be tolerated.

    I worry that Ropelight is correct.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  24. The Ninth-Circus takes a very dim view of LE putting people into restraints without reading them their Miranda Rights.

    AD - RtR/OS! (9812f2)

  25. Comment by The Dana who notices these things — 1/5/2010 @ 4:28 pm

    How do we know that the Bush-DNI wasn’t connecting these dots?
    For one thing, under Bush, the DNI reported directly to the President. I’ll bet a Dollar to a Do-nut, that Blair reports to Brennan, and not to the President.

    Too Many Czars!

    AD - RtR/OS! (9812f2)

  26. Dana who notices,

    goes without saying that Bush didn’t perfect the system, but his results speak for themselves.

    Bush’s system relied on various other elements that have been taken apart. Attitudes, strategies, means, all are changed. It’s silly to look at what’s left as though it’s bush’s idea… he didn’t intent this to stand on its own.

    Also, our government had warning about this guy… plain and simple. Bush’s admin could have kept him off the plane. Obviously, I am speculating.

    anyway, things should be better now than then. Every year, we should be getting better and better at this. It’s a shame that the two-party system is going to cause some stagnation. ‘compare this to the other party’s approach’ instead of ‘is it improved from yesterday?’

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  27. It looks like Joan Rivers was prevented in Costa Rica from getting on a plane that was going to Newark. If so, that would mean that the screwup in her case was not the fault of anyone in Newark, or anyone directly associated with the U.S. government.

    In the Michael Yon case, though, I have no idea why they would have questioned him about his annual income or detained him for not telling them that.

    Joshua (9ede0e)

  28. It’s still unclear to me why Yon was asked how much money he made, and why his refusal to answer the question warranted handcuffs. If this is what our administration sees as effective changes, then put another tic mark in the Loss of Privacy column.

    Just think what will happen when if the TSA employees become unionized and this sort of incompetence cannot be swiftly dealt with by a personnel change….

    Dana (f64b7d)

  29. and this sort of incompetence cannot be swiftly dealt with by a personnel change….

    eh, assuming it will be deemed incompetence…which might be a mighty big assumption.

    Dana (f64b7d)

  30. “What we’ll get is Brennan investigating Brennan.”

    Indeed. After watching his performance on the Sunday shows, he needs to do a little soul-searching, preferably with his head unencumbered by his lower digestive tract.

    GeneralMalaise (68a574)

  31. Dustin – The end of the year was Obama’s final, super serious, I really really mean it this time, deadline for Iran to stop its nuclear weapons program, so I think we can safely assume that threat has been taken off the table and all breath easier.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  32. “No finger pointing” is O-man’s way of saying, “Nothing to see here. Move along”.

    PatriotRider (1729de)

  33. It looks like Joan Rivers was prevented in Costa Rica from getting on a plane that was going to Newark.

    If you ask me, they did Joan a favor.

    Another Chris (56d79a)

  34. Wasn’t Joan departing from Colorado Springs CO?

    AD - RtR/OS! (9812f2)

  35. “And does the finger-pointing ban mean President Obama and his Administration will stop blaming Bush?”

    No.

    Next question?

    tyree (9d7ff3)

  36. Axelrod finally got around to writing something sensible for the teleprompter.

    nk (df76d4)

  37. This Date in History: January 5, 2010

    President Barack Obama is officially dubbed “President Screw-Up.”

    Official Internet Data Office (eb2f3c)

  38. President Obama reportedly told his national security team today:

    “This was a screw up that could have been disastrous. We dodged a bullet but just barely. It was averted by brave individuals not because the system worked and that is not acceptable”

    Well thank you Sherlock Holmes. Finally something that makes sense. I wonder if he really said it?

    kansas (689105)

  39. When I see a respected pundit or blogger say “he said the right thing this time”, I always picture Charlie Brown, getting ready to take another run at the football, wanting to believe Lucy will actually DO the right thing “this time”.

    Exactly what has this president or his administration D-O-N-E in the last year to suggest he’s serious “this time”?

    Sigh, there’s a sucker born every minute

    Born Free (00406d)

  40. Born Free, I don’t think DRJ takes Obama at his word on this. She’s asking for more than talk, while noting that she likes the talk and hopes it’s really change.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  41. Just more promises of the same MAS (Moron Appeasement Strategy) for the suckers out there. I’ll be convinced our government is sincere about security when I see common sense profiling used as the tool of choice. Forget pulling little old ladies out of line for a strip search and forget looking in little junior’s diapee for a boom-boom.

    Get serious and stop bull-shitting the American people.

    GeneralMalaise (68a574)

  42. There was a Department head named Janet
    She spoke, and her boss yelled, Damn it!
    Is your head made of fluff?
    You can’t say that stuff,
    You’re the dumbest broad on the whole planet!

    The Limerick Avenger (474dfc)

  43. Joshua,

    The Newark screw up is in Malkin’s update: “TSA Allegedly Waited 80 Minutes Before Reporting Breach at N.J. [Newark Liberty] Airport.” As for Joan Rivers, it appears her delay was due to concerns about her alias raised by a Continental Airlines employee, and my guess is it resulted from federal security guidelines. As in the Michael Yon case, screening will only be as good as the instructions and training provided by the government to the agencies and airline employees on the scene.

    Born Free,

    We’re all wrong about things and maybe I’m wrong to keep an open mind here. Candidate Obama embraced liberal national security policies, but as President he hasn’t followed through on many of them.

    I have no hope that Obama will support domestic policies I believe in but I hope this incident will make him realize terrorism is his responsibility now and, as a result, that he moves further right on national security issues. Today’s words are a start. The real question is will he follow through.

    DRJ (84a0c3)

  44. DRJ, as the saying goes: elections have consequences. I hope that every person who sat out the election because of how much they hated John McCain is happy now.

    Everyone needs to remember the lessons of the last election next time. You would think that the Ross Perot thing—giving us eight years of WJC—would have been enough. Apparently, not so.

    It’s up to voters, and seeing if the RNC will wake up and smell the coffee.

    Eric Blair (ddbceb)

  45. Also, DRJ, not to worry! The Left is doing all it can to “save or create” more voters.

    http://www.seattlepi.com/local/413851_vote05.html

    Eric Blair (ddbceb)

  46. Why wasn’t anyone fired for all these screwups?

    David (6941c8)

  47. The only one of the three that probably is immediately at risk, is the poor gate person in Colorado Springs. Continental can probably re-assign him for retraining (it would be interesting to know how many times Joan has used that passport for boarding ID in the past few years without any problems, and now this?) by just notifying his union steward (if applicable); the CBP jerks in Seattle are probably union, and it usually takes six months to build a case before you can make a termination stick; as for Newark, that would seem to be a management foul-up, and he/she should be gone (perhaps they can do a lateral to an agency where their deficiencies will not be noticed – like ATF?).

    AD - RtR/OS! (9812f2)

  48. Dana

    i’d wait for more details – Yon has been known to exaggerate for self promotion

    EricPWJohnson (9b7688)

  49. The Prez doesn’t want to push blame
    ‘Cause his minions have just been so lame
    We won’t point fingers
    And give Rush more zingers
    It’ll work till they blow up a plane.

    The Limerick Avenger (474dfc)

  50. Rush is back tomorrow – it should be an interesting broadcast.

    AD - RtR/OS! (9812f2)

  51. The TSA turned into mush
    They missed the bomb on his tush
    But we’ll be OK
    We just need a way
    To blame it all on George Bush!

    The Limerick Avenger (474dfc)

  52. It’s not war, this is just a crime
    He’ll go to jail and do his time
    This was not terror
    It was just an error
    Be patient, it will all be fine.

    The Limerick Avenger (474dfc)

  53. Above all, we must not blame Islam
    If you do, you’re just in the wrong
    The religion of peace
    From the near East
    Loves us; want a hit off my bong?

    The Limerick Avenger (474dfc)

  54. It is a good thing
    Barack Hussein Obama
    Has made them love us

    The Haiku Avenger (474dfc)

  55. I like Michael Yon, but law enforcement isn’t exactly filled with flexible thinkers.
    Refusing to answer even the stupidest question usually gets their knickers in a knot…. in fact refusing to answer the stupid questions exposes the officer making the demand as stupid which, in my experience results in payback handcuffs and some cheapass detention based on “non compliant behavior” and a vague nod to “officer safety”.
    Then they let you go after wasting your time.

    Think about it for a minute, because this goes on every day…. how many law enforcement resources were tied up pursuing some law enforcement control freak agenda? Five? Eight? Real terrorists could have skated through the vacuum.

    My prediction is that this is what healthcare will look like.
    Five cops handcuffing you in the lobby of the clinic because you thought the receptionist was rude… not because objecting is illegal per se… no no, your behavior makes the police feel like officer safety is an issue, so they cuff you.
    I wait for the day when cops regularly deploy pepper spray in a health clinic and when “don’t tase me bro” is the most common phrase there

    SteveG (909b57)

  56. They thought they’d elected a saint
    took comfort that George Bush, he ain’t
    he built mountains of debt
    he’s not even done yet
    and now a clown with bomb glued to his taint

    GeneralMalaise (68a574)

  57. The General tried to steal my thunder
    His words are a great wonder
    He’s thinking big
    He wants my gig
    But to try would be a blunder

    The Limerick Avenger (474dfc)

  58. To seize that prime gig, one should some haste make
    a battle that might make one’s knees quake
    ’tis folly for sure
    for one to endure
    Dull wit and ill temper, for God’s sake

    GeneralMalaise (68a574)

  59. As for Joan Rivers, it appears her delay was due to concerns about her alias raised by a Continental Airlines employee, and my guess is it resulted from federal security guidelines.

    I wouldn’t guess that. Most of those stations hire sub-contractors who work several carriers the same day.

    This particular one saw the birthday field say “1933, New York” while her face says “2008, Dr. Hoefflin’s office.”

    steve (782a6c)

  60. #46 DRJ: Thanks.

    Joshua (9ede0e)

  61. ‘Screw-up’? He’s so _eloquent_!

    RNB (d95551)

  62. When I read this post’s title, the music from the game Portal started running through my head:

    This was a screw-up.
    I’m making a note here: HUGE MISTAKE.
    It’s hard to overstate my irritation…

    Robin Munn (758a3b)

  63. i’d wait for more details – Yon has been known to exaggerate for self promotion
    Comment by EricPWJohnson — 1/5/2010 @ 6:13 pm

    Michael Yon interviewed about what occurred at the airport..

    Dana (f64b7d)

  64. This was a screw up that could have been disastrous. We dodged a bullet but just barely. It was averted by brave individuals not because the system worked and that is not acceptable. While there will be a tendency for finger pointing, I will not tolerate it,” a White House official says in the Situation Room the President said
    Strong words. But hardly enough to stop the next attack. It seems this nation is just asking to be attacked. Whether some folks have a vested interest in seeing America bleed, is a mystery to me. I mean, all the red flags where there for all to see but they refused to act on it. This goes way beyond failure to me. It reeks of a secret diabolical conspiracy to destroy America that failed. Somebody wanted that G-string-bomber to succeed. That is the real terror. Obama has no clue about what this is. It’s a conspiracy. Not a security failure.

    The Emperor (22bda5)

  65. The Empty Roar

    > It’s a conspiracy. Not a security failure.

    Well, yes, all signs point toward it being literally a conspiracy. i mean we are reasonably certain that he was part of AQ which is an ongoing criminal conspiracy.

    But why do i get the feeling you mean that word in a wholly different way. So who are behind it, if not AQ? the Templars? The Illuminati? The Hare Club for Men?

    A.W. (e7d72e)

  66. Comment by A.W. — 1/6/2010 @ 8:08 am
    It’s hard not to imagine all kinds of things these days, A.W. I think at this point all things should be considered. Nothing is impossible. Nothing should be ruled out. Just sayin’

    The Emperor (22bda5)

  67. @A.W.
    Think about this: For your enemy without to hurt you, he needs the help of your enemy within. The Judas among the twelve. Yes AQ planned this and were almost successfully. Thanks to the action or in-action of our watchmen. The way forward should be to fire all those responsible for this so called intelligence failure. Then we can talk about actually protecting Americans. Heads ought to roll for this.

    The Emperor (22bda5)

  68. I think the larger issue comes from believing we can continue to build a better mouse trap and with it, we will be safe.
    Not saying we should give up or not continue to hone to process and devices – but the path to safety lies in the removal of the enemy. Build more drones, deploy them with more frequency, use them everywhere.

    Corwin (ea9428)

  69. Heads ought to roll for this.

    Please avoid this kind of terminology when discussing jihad.

    Official Internet Data Office (2748b2)

  70. Comment by Official Internet Data Office — 1/6/2010 @ 8:49 am

    Jihad? Don’t worry. Your “head” is safe. 🙂

    The Emperor (22bda5)

  71. “As for Joan Rivers, it appears her delay was due to concerns about her alias raised by a Continental Airlines employee, and my guess is it resulted from federal security guidelines.”

    Expect to see even more false positives as security gets even tighter.

    imdw (017d51)

  72. While there will be a tendency for finger pointing, I will not tolerate it

    here’s the NY Daily News struggling with cognitive dirty socialist dissonance:

    the article…

    There was no fingerpointing among the 20 advisers in the meeting, but Obama delivered an unmistakable repudiation of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano’s statement that “the system worked” when nearly 300 people could have been killed.

    the photo caption…

    President Obama angrily blamed intelligence community for failing to detect potential bomber aboard Christmas Day flight.

    happyfeet (71f55e)

  73. link

    happyfeet (71f55e)

  74. Also, DRJ, not to worry! The Left is doing all it can to “save or create” more voters.

    http://www.seattlepi.com/local/413851_vote05.html

    Comment by Eric Blair

    That will probably set a new record for 9th circuit reversals. I think Reinhardt does this to get his name in the papers.

    The Michael Yon story is another example of badge heavy dopes. I had an Australian friend (actually the girlfriend of a friend) who was detained because she gave her occupation as “retired.” She owned a huge cattle station in the Outback at the time, about 15 years ago.

    I have previously recounted my own experience with these masterminds.

    Mike K (2cf494)

  75. mmm… the president says it was a screw up. Well, thank you Captain Obvious! I guess it is a sign of progress but, exit question:

    Do you believe that Obama considers this a genuine alarm bell, ringing in the night, and thus he will actually start to take terrorism more seriously?

    Or did he just figure out that napolitano was floundering and needed to get in front of this and the moment the fuss dies down he will go back to business as usual?

    imdw

    btw, a false positive beats a false negative. And let’s face it Joan Rivers is a scary person. And btw, what she ever funny?

    A.W. (e7d72e)

  76. The Empty Roar

    > Think about this: For your enemy without to hurt you, he needs the help of your enemy within.

    Wow, you are a paranoid idiot. And no, your enemy does not need inside help to hurt you. mind you of course they try to send in spies and the like, but they don’t need traitors to f— you, they can do it on their own.

    No, there is no conspiracy. Obama is just a boob, that is all.

    A.W. (e7d72e)

  77. the alleged quote is utterly unbelievable.

    the next time Ear Leader takes this specific a stand on something in public will be the first time Pus Nuts takes a stand on anything….

    ladies & gentlemen, i give you President Barney Fife Obama.

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  78. “Airline Security Breach. Disaster avoided by brave passengers. Obama Blames Staff.”

    Californio (628bff)

  79. Dear Obama:

    Perhaps you should focus less on “staff” more on “cajones”.

    Californio (628bff)

  80. Dana, I don’t know how much to blame Bush for the creation of the DNI. It was actually a proposal of the 9/11 Commission – one of a series of really meaningless to stupid ideas that the 9/11 Commission came up with. There seemed to be some pushback from the Bush admin for awhile on the 9/11 Commission proposals until partisan politics on capitol hill made all of the 9/11 Commission proposals gospel.

    SPQR (8475fc)

  81. Bush actually opposed the DHS initially but was attacked for that and gave in. It was a big issue for the Dems who wanted them unionized. The Max Cleland Senate race was about the unionization and became a big deal when he lost.

    Mike K (2cf494)

  82. Also, as I remember it, the creation of a DHS was a proposal of Joe Lieberman, to consolidate disparate elements of the Government into one structure
    (that hasn’t worked too well BTW – some severe cultural conflicts have yet to be blended) so as to increase accountability
    (as if there is ever any accountability within large bureaucracies).

    AD - RtR/OS! (b6fff3)

  83. “Also, as I remember it, the creation of a DHS was a proposal of Joe Lieberman, to consolidate disparate elements of the Government into one structure
    (that hasn’t worked too well BTW – some severe cultural conflicts have yet to be blended) so as to increase accountability
    (as if there is ever any accountability within large bureaucracies).”

    And the democrats left Lieberman in charge of DHS oversight. Big mistake.

    imdw (d4868e)

  84. Well, that’s the price you pay for a 60-vote majority – no cmte chair, no caucus with the Dems.

    P.J.O’Rourke was right when he called them a “Parliment of Whores”.

    AD - RtR/OS! (b6fff3)

  85. In the long run, letting Joe oversee this matter is good for America, which is good for the democrats even if they too politically expedient to realize it.

    it’s like with healthcare… sure if they failed to pass their awful bill, they’d look silly for a few months… but America would be much better off and they would probably inspire a lot less voter anger. Letting someone responsible and more independent handle this critical oversight is such a good idea for the democrats. If Joe comes down hard, they can play it as the opposition anyway.

    The idea of DHS wasn’t so bad… the idea that it was going to synergize different cultures to skip along the garden singing songs was pretty silly. We need some clearing house to take all the different results and views and tasks and try to connect dots… not a huge bureaucracy that sends down unweildly directives.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  86. AD

    now now, that is unneccesarily insulting. i mean at least ho’s give people something they want and there are usually a few things that they wouldn’t do for money. So to compare them to our congress is just low.

    😛

    A.W. (e7d72e)

  87. “Letting someone responsible and more independent handle this critical oversight is such a good idea for the democrats. If Joe comes down hard, they can play it as the opposition anyway.”

    So how has the oversight gone?

    imdw (543362)

  88. A.W. Your comment at number 81 portrays you as a naive thoughtless little person. Read that comment again and you will see how idiotic you are becoming. Not to talk of annoying. Your enemy within is your real threat. Wake up and smell the coffee!

    The Emperor (09c9e3)

  89. Comment by A.W. — 1/6/2010 @ 12:47 pm

    IIRC, even P.J. thought he was being unkind to “working girls” in the comparison.

    AD - RtR/OS! (b6fff3)

  90. We have met the enemy, and he is an EmptyRoar!

    AD - RtR/OS! (b6fff3)

  91. A.D. Happy new year. Always bringing common sense to the discussion.

    The Emperor (09c9e3)


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