Menendez Calls For Transit Security
At NJPolitics, Rep. Robert Menendez is quoted demanding more funds for urban transit security, an area in which many Democrats believe the Republican approved homeland security legislation of the past neglects.
Menendez went as far as to say that in response to the attacks in London and Madrid, "this Congress has hit snooze". Interestingly, despite Congress's nonchalance, the metro area has responded with significant security measures, with both New Jersey and New York City implementing random bag checks on the transit systems. For more, go to Glowie's Vista.
It is curious that the GOP leadership seems so uninterested with the idea of putting mass transit security ahead of their priorities, such as securing the Mexican border and doling out pork to heartland states that are under little risk of attack. In fact, the one attack that did occur in such a suprising location, the Oklahoma City bombing, exemplified the naive notions of many who believe that securing the U.S from Arabs is the most effective defense against terrorism. Timothy Mc Veigh was not Arab, in fact, he was an American citizen.
Nevertheless, what would increased transit security mean? Do random bag checks really protect people from suicide bombers? What do you think?
Many believe that Robert Menendez is an expert Pork dispenser, go to Tammany on the Hudson for more.
posted by Jack @ 5:56 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
All Bob Menendez knows is pork barrel spending. He's an expert at distributing money for things like homeland security to friends of his.
About half of the $8.6 billion that Congress provided in homeland security grants has gone unspent. Menendez, Schumer and Schumer are grandstanding on the issue. No matter how much money is spent, it’s impossible to stop every nut bent on inflicting harm to civilians.
This trio and others of their ilk are setting the stage for the day when there is some form of attack on U.S. mass transit. These demagogues will then say "I told you so" and blame the usual suspects for not protecting the country. “The administration, the Republicans cared more about tax cuts for the wealthy than protecting the American people.” “The misguided war in Iraq distracted the country from the real problem and ..” And on it will go.
Never mind federal funds were provided, never mind it’s impossible to provide total security on every bus, subway and train car – the attack occurred and the “greedy” Republicans and neocons are to blame.
Israel, a small country that devotes great attention and resources to transit security, still suffers attacks from people willing to blow up themselves and others. Menendez, Schumer and Corzine understand the facts of life, their press releases are all about scoring political points and have nothing to do with solving problems.
To Enlighten,
You make good points; it's good politics for the Democrats to call for more spending that the GOP is against. However, much of their rhetoric about checking ports and guarding nuclear facilities is true. If the Bush administration wants to wage a real battle against terror, then they have to start taking the domestic threats as seriously as they have taken the foreign ones.
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