>And then there was the Conference Report vote: GOP drops national security ball

>”Return with us now to those wonderful days of yesteryear” when the Republican Party was associating itself with “national security” as a source of its strength…except when it wasn’t. On October 15, 2009 members of the GOP House caucus had an opportunity to vote on the conference report on H.R. 2892, the funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security. Did the entire caucus vote in favor of additional monies for explosives’ screening devices? Not. So. Much.

The conference committee report passed 307-114. As you scroll down the voting list note that only six of those votes against the conference report came from the Democratic side of the aisle. The conference committee report then went to the U.S. Senate on October 20, 2009, in which one might have expected that Senator John Ensign (R-NV), he who was so anxious to “discuss” national security during his turn in the CNN barrel, would have voted for it. Not. So. Much. Senator Ensign was one of 19 members of that august debating society to vote against the passage of the funding for the Homeland Security Department, including money for the Transportation Security Administration. Joining Senator Ensign in opposition to funding the DHS (TSA) were:

Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
Senator John McCain (R-AZ)
Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ)
Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)
Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID)
Senator James Risch (R-ID)
Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN)
Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY)
Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS)
Senator Richard Burr (R-NC)
Senator James Inhofe (R-OK)
Senator Thomas Coburn (R-OK)
Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC)
Senator Bob Corker (R-TN)
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX)
Senator John Barrasso (R-WY)
Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY)

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>Ensign Votes To Strip Over The Road Bus Security Funds

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The next time Senator John Ensign (R-NV) gives a speech during which he calls for “national vigilance,” or wants us to “engage in the war on terror,” someone needs to gently remind him about his vote on July 7, 2009 to eliminate the appropriations for the Over The Road Bus Security Assistance recommended by the Transportation Safety Administration. [roll call 218]

The McCain amendment (S.Amdt 1400 to S.Amdt 1373) would have stripped a program that funds the development of security plans for intercity and charter bus services, the development of vulnerability assessments, preparing security plans, implementing response training, training front-line personnel to be aware of potential security threats, providing live or simulated exercises for improving responses, launching public awareness programs, modifying over the road buses to improve security, installing cameras and surveillance equipment on buses, terminals, garages, and bus facilities.

A person would think that planning, training, and equipping to improve over the road bus security would be a priority after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, or are the Republican tired of the whole “security thing” now that they don’t control Congress or the White House?

Why else would they try to strip out funding for modifying terminals and facilities to improve security? Are they tired of issues like isolating and protecting bus drivers? Improving emergency communications systems linking the bus drivers to their operation’s centers? Are they all over being concerned about funding projects to detect chemical, biological, radiological, or explosive matter on buses? [TSA]

The American Bus Association reports that independent bus operators provide 631 million passenger trips each year; and more people travel by bus in a two week period than travel by train in a year. 2007 estimates for bus ridership were around 700 million total passenger trips. [ABA]

One can’t help but imagine that not so long ago the Republicans in the Senate would have been supporting the Over The Road program, and citing this admonition from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials: “The nation’s public transportation systems are vulnerable to disruption from natural disasters and security-related incidents. Funding assistance from the Department of Homeland Security is needed to protect critical public transportation infrastructure from terrorists’ attack and to improve surveillance and detection. Inter-agency communications capabilities need to be improved. And a joint program involving police, fire and transportation agencies at the local and state level and justice, homeland security and transportation agencies at the Federal level needs to be developed to improve emergency response capabilities.” [AASHT]

But, perhaps, that was then and this is now?

desertbeacon.blogspot.com

>Coffee and the Papers: Campaign Leftovers

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Election leftovers: Nevada didn’t quite set a voting turnout record in 2008, with nearly 80% participating – but, it was close; 80.1% of the electorate cast ballots. The record was 84.6% in 1980. [SFC] Voters put the State Senate in Democratic hands with at 12-9 advantage; Democrats control the state Assembly with a veto proof 28-14 count. [SJMN] Meanwhile, the “Talking Point Du Jour” for the GOP is that no matter what the election results “this is a center-right nation.” [TP] The logic escapes me. When the GOP win elections they promptly pronounce that the results prove this is a center-right nation, and when they lose they just as quickly declare that the election returns don’t actually matter – that we’re really a center-right nation in spite of the results.

Politico inserted Senator John Ensign (R-NV) into its “The Biggest Losers” list – and he wasn’t even running. His NRSC is announcing “victory” because the Democrats didn’t get the 60 seats necessary to break the Roadblock Republican filibuster machine in the Senate. “The Promise” may be broken? The Las Vegas Sun reports that Ensign plans to campaign for Senator Harry Reid’s opponent in 2010, whomever that may be. [Pol] The Anchorage Daily News has the understated headline of the year: “Pollsters miss mark in Alaska elections.” By a mile. “The Obama Effect bit the pollsters who foretold small victory here” (Nevada) [LV Sun]

The Portland Oregonian is calling their Senate race for Democrat Jeff Merkley. With 80% of the vote counted, Merkley led by more than 4,000 votes. Most of the counties remaining to be tallied were those in which voting trends heavily toward Merkley (Multnomah, Lane). The Minnesota race between Coleman and Franken is headed to a recount, and the “election” of convicted felon Ted Stevens will send that mess into the Senate. Senator Mitch McConnell will call for Stevens’ resignation IF his appeals fail – further dragging out the drama. Stevens is scheduled to appear on February 25 in the U.S. District Court for sentencing, which is the starting date for the appeals process. [Roll Call sub req] The double standard applies here: Democrats are supposed to resign upon indictment – Republicans should only resign after the exhaustion of the appeals process.

If you haven’t already, click on the New York Times interactive map series (voting shifts), indicating that there is a thin band of counties in the U.S. that voted ‘more Republican’ than in past elections. Should this shift continue the GOP appears to be headed toward ‘regional’ party status. [HuffPo] Note: These are not counties that necessarily gave a majority to President-elect Obama, but which trended more Democratic than in previous elections. Jonathan Martin sums up: “Beyond demography, the party is now, thanks to the outgoing president and some members of Congress, perceived by many voters as either incompetent, corrupt or just not standing for much.”

Glenn Greenwald has a provocative piece, “Equating Clinton’s ‘scandals’ with George Bush’s,” in which he castigates the Beltway Blowhards for continuing the false equivilancies between “a stain on a dress” and “the stain George Bush and Dick Cheney have left on the Constitution, our political values, and our national image.”

Bushonomics: Remember when the Republicans told us that the ‘fundamentals of the economy were sound’ because of high productivity? Bloomberg News reports this morning that measurement of efficiency rose during the 3^rd quarter at “a slower pace than in the previous three months as the economy slumped, a sign employment may take a bigger hit.” “Non-farm output last quarter dropped at a 1.7 percent pace, almost as much as the decline in hours worked, leading to the slowdown in productivity. The economy overall shrank at a 0.3 percent pace from July to September, the most since the 2001 recession.” Macy’s, Target Group, and The Gap have all posted October sales declines. [Blmbrg] The news on the employment front isn’t good either: The number of U.S. workers collecting unemployment benefits increased by 122,000 (3.84 million) for the week ending October 25^th, the highest level in 25 years. New jobless claims are up 45%, continuing claims are up 46%. [MrktWtch] Once more, with feeling: The top 1% of this country’s population can’t spend enough fast enough to keep the other 99% fully employed.

“Slower spending hurt services sector in October” [NYT] “Retail sales worst in decade; shoppers cut back” [Reuters] “Toyota hacks forecasts as U.S. automakers seek help” [Reuters] “Employers taking closer look at retirement plans” [Reuters] “Hedge fund results seen going from bad to worse” [Reuters]

Homeland Insecurity: “Unwatched” Cutbacks and confusion over building security leave (government) workers wondering who’s guarding the doors? [GovExec] “Better Interagency Coordination and implementing guidance for section 311 could improve U.S. anti-money laundering efforts” [GAO report] “Security grants to have fewer requirements: DHS eases rules amid criticism from struggling local officials” [WaPo] “Chemical plant safety” [Newsday]

desertbeacon.blogspot.com

>Homeland Insecurity: Reid, Dem Leaders, Question Bush FY 2009 Budget Cuts

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Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and a considerable number of fellow Senate Democrats sent a letter to President George W. Bush on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 expressing their concern that the administration would do unto the FY 2009 homeland security budget what it had done to the FY 2008 version: trim, cut, and slash.

Information leaked out that there were several key government programs scheduled to “take a hit,” among them Transit Security Grant Program, the Emergency Performance Management Grant Program, and the Port Security Grant Program. The extent of the cuts aren’t known at present, but it’s a fair assumption that if the President cut the State Homeland Security Grant program in half in the last budget that he will do that again in the next version. This does have importance for Nevada governmental agencies.

During FY 2007 Nevada received $2.3 million for Emergency Management Performance grant functions, and $5.6 million from SHSG (State Homeland Security Grant) funds. Not having any major transit points or ports obviously means the state isn’t a major beneficiary of these funds, but given the Administration’s proclivity for proposals like shipping nuclear waste on Nevada rail lines it would be seemly for the Administration to give some consideration to the kinds of emergencies this activity might engender.

One could speculate that the Administration isn’t fond of funding state and local emergency programs since those monies are directed to public sector elements like local and state police, and fire departments. Operating on the assumption that Blackwater USA isn’t quite ready yet to take on all firefighting, EMT activities, and local security management; then one would have to determine that funding local government entities is singularly important if “homeland security” is truly the object. The last Bush Budget didn’t seem too enthusiastic about homeland security projects at the state and local level, and this next edition seems reflective of the same lack of ardor.

>Overnight Express News Round Up

>No representation: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) assisted by stalwart ally Senator John Ensign (R-NV) blocked a measure today that would have given voting rights to the citizens of Washington, D.C. McConnell displayed a strict construction of the U.S. Constitution, not visible during his support of the Bush Administration’s disposal of Habeas Corpus and the 4^th Amendment. “I opposed this bill because it is clearly and unambiguously unconstitutional,” McConnell said in a statement. “If the residents of the District are to get a member for themselves, they have a remedy: amend the Constitution.” [WaPo] Following his usual procedure of filibustering all important legislation in the Senate, therefore requiring 60 votes for passage, McConnell prevailed when supporters were three votes short. The cloture motion was defeated 57-42. [roll call 339] Senator Ensign was among the 42 opponents, who may have been fearful that giving the District of Columbia a Congressional Representative might mean that the NRSC would have to eventually face two more Senatorial elections from a predominantly Democratic area. (See also: Gleaner “Ensign casts another proud vote for tyranny”)

Guilt by association and circumstance? (1) Because a man seeking employment as a security guard at Andrews AFB is charged with giving untruthful answers during a background check, the government is proposing to air statements at his upcoming trial from the controversial imam of his mosque. [WaPo] (2) Nalini Ghuman, a musicologist who specializes in the work of British composer Edward Elgar (“Pomp and Circumstance”) was stopped last August at the San Francisco Airport and was refused re-entry into the U.S. without explanation. The assistant professor at Mills College has been trying since then to find out why or how she ended up on a security watch list. Officials took her residency visa, and her application for a new one has been pending since October. A Homeland Security spokesperson said the agency had no choice but to refuse Ghuman’s entry because the State Department had revoked her visa – the State Department refused her inquiries citing “the confidentiality of individual visa records.” Ghuman’s father, a professor emeritus of educational psychology at the University of Wales, was born in India to Sikh parents, her mother is British. Nothing in Ghuman’s background suggests any connection to terrorist organizations. [IHT] (3) Lawyers for Khaled el-Masri, who was abducted by the CIA, interrogated in an isolation cell in Afghanistan, and released without apology or explanation five months later, are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to determine if the Bush Administration has the power to prevent Mr. el-Masri from “seeking recourse in American courts.” Justice Department lawyers have asked the court to dismiss the case to “prevent disclosure of state secrets.” “When Masri filed his suit in federal court, government lawyers told the judge that just confirming or denying the charges would reveal state secrets about how the US is waging its war on terror. The government submitted a classified affidavit to the trial judge, explaining its position. Masri’s lawyers were not permitted to see the affidavit. The judge threw out the suit on state-secrets grounds, and a federal appeals court panel upheld the dismissal on the same grounds.” [CSM] (emphasis added)

What a relief? NSA Director Michael McConnell testified today before the House Judiciary Committee that Americans have not been subjected to warrantless wiretaps “since at least February.” [NYT] This doesn’t exactly explain what was going on from October 2002 to February 2007. However, this is the first Administration public acknowledgment that the wiretapping of Americans has officially ended. This is not stopping the Administration from requesting more wiretapping authority and immunity for telecommunications companies who assisted with domestic wiretapping programs. [USAT]

Unhappy in the Security Department? Two employee satisfaction surveys have shown the Department of Homeland Security as the “most disgruntled” of the federal government. 57% said they were satisfied, compared to 67.5 for the other agencies. The Coast Guard and Secret Service were the most satisfactory, while employees of the Transportation Security Administration and the Science & Technology directorate were the most dissatisfied. Employees in those two agencies feared retaliation, didn’t respect the leadership, and “are convinced that whatever is getting some people promoted, it’s not merit.” [FedTimes]

Ground Zero: NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg is supporting the “James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act” introduced by members of New York’s Congressional delegation. The bill would provide a range of physical and mental health services to ground zero workers, and would reopen the Victim Compensation fund to assist those who have been injured by exposure to the toxic atmosphere at the site. [NYT]

Land of the Midnight Scum? A member of the Alaska Legislature is asking the state attorney general to investigate bribery allegations involving the Pebble Mine project in the western part of the state. [ADN] Further east, Senator Ted Stevens holds the honor of having the most earmark requests in the FY 2008 Defense Appropriations bill. [ADN]

Also up north: “The United States has its hopes pinned on Canada’s tar sands for North American security in the oil market. But their “black gold” is an environmental nightmare.” [Alternet] And down South: Rock miners who want more mining around the Everglades hauled in heavy equipment and quarry workers to protest any restrictions on their operations. “The overflow turnout ensured that much of a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hearing on a new study of mining ordered by a federal judge would closely follow industry script: Mounting economic losses from curbing mining will far outweigh environmental impacts from continued excavation in West Miami-Dade County.” [MiaHrld]

Shot over the Energy Giant’s Bows? The EU is drafting a law that would split Europe’s energy giants into separate production and distribution companies in order to encourage competition in the energy sector. [DerSpiegel] This should give everyone a fairly good idea of exactly who is in favor of a free market economy and who isn’t?

Defense contractors are ready to mount their opposition to proposed changes in procurement policies. “Contractor groups are taking particular aim at provisions in the bill that would push the department to pay more contractors on a fixed-price basis rather than for work hours or materials used. The bill would prohibit the Pentagon from applying special rules for buying commercial services when awarding these so-called time-and-materials contracts. Some procurement experts advising Congress have said the provision will help restrict overuse of the contracts, which have in some cases have resulted in skyrocketing costs.” [GovExec]

“The British are leaving, the British are leaving.” Further cuts in British forces in Iraq may be announced as early as October 8, 2007 when Prime Minister Gordon Brown is scheduled to address the Commons after the summer break. The British have already announced they are withdrawing 500 of their total 5,500. [Guardian UK] The comments of Lord Ashdown, chair of the commission on terrorism, may be more discomfiting to the White House. “Our problem is that we have chosen the wrong mindset, the wrong battlefield, the wrong weapons and the wrong strategies to win this campaign. We have chosen to fight an idea, primarily with force.” [Guardian UK] Iraq’s ambassador to Australia is confident that relations between the two nations would not be damaged if the Labor government withdraws Australian troops from Iraq after the middle of next year. [SMH] Australia now has 575 combat troops and about 1000 support personnel in Iraq.

Taking an errand break – Desert Beacon and Blue Sage Views will not be updated tomorrow so that some real honest to goodness old fashioned work can get done. Thank you for your patience and interest.

>Nevada Test Site Radiation Detection Tests: GAO Releases Report

>Officials involved in the Nevada Test Site project on radiation detection made the papers this morning in regard to the inadequacy of their testing, and this afternoon’s release of the full GAO analysis makes them look even worse. The GAO has now released its report on “next generation radiation testing” online. From the summary: “Based on our analysis of DNDO’s test plan, the test results, and discussions with experts from four national laboratories, we are concerned that DNDO’s tests were not an objective and rigorous assessment of the ASPs’ capabilities. Our concerns with the DNDO’s test methods include the following:”

(1) DNDO used biased test methods that enhanced the performance of the ASPs. Specifically, DNDO conducted numerous preliminary runs of almost all of the materials, and combinations of materials, that were used in the formal tests and then allowed ASP contractors to collect test data and adjust their systems to identify these materials. It is highly unlikely that such favorable circumstances would present themselves under real world conditions. Translation: The Department tested the materials, gave the results to the contractors who calibrated their systems to match the data, and then the contractors replicated the DNDO test results.

(2) “DNDO’s NTS tests were not designed to test the limitations of the ASPs’ detection capabilities–a critical oversight in DNDO’s original test plan. DNDO did not use a sufficient amount of the type of materials that would mask or hide dangerous sources and that ASPs would likely encounter at ports of entry. DOE and national laboratory officials raised these concerns to DNDO in November 2006. However, DNDO officials rejected their suggestion of including additional and more challenging masking materials because, according to DNDO, there would not be sufficient time to obtain them based on the deadline imposed by obtaining Secretarial Certification by June 26. 2007. By not collaborating with DOE until late in the test planning process, DNDO missed an important opportunity to procure a broader, more representative set of well-vetted and characterized masking materials.” Translation: The DNDO tests left the “answers out in the open,” giving the contractors a better chance of detecting what had already been detected, rather leading the dog toward the bones.

(3) “DNDO did not objectively test the performance of handheld detectors because they did not use a critical CBP standard operating procedure that is fundamental to this equipment’s performance in the field. Because of concerns raised that DNDO did not sufficiently test the limitations of ASPs, DNDO is attempting to compensate for weaknesses in the original test plan by conducting additional studies–essentially computer simulations. While DNDO, CBP, and DOE have now reached an agreement to wait and see whether the results of these studies will provide useful data regarding the ASPs’ capabilities, in our view and those of other experts, computer simulations are not as good as actual testing with nuclear and masking materials.” Translation: Handheld detectors may have worked if “standard operating procedures” were ignored, and instead of applying the standards the agencies settled for computer simulations in lieu of actual operational testing.

>Afternoon News Round Up

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Censured Sensors: A $30 million project to develop radiation detection sensors for use at ports and border crossings being built at the Nevada Test Site is “mired in mismanagement with no clear way forward” according to a federal audit. [LVRJ] “Auditors found poor coordination between the Nevada Site Office and Homeland Security. The agencies did not formally define their respective responsibilities until May 2006, more than two years after the original contractor, Bechtel Nevada, started work on the project.” According to the report Test Site officials told auditors DHS was managing the project, and DHS officials claimed that Test Site officials wouldn’t allow communication with the Bechtel, the project contractor. We’ve known since February, 2006, that 75% of American ports lacked the ability to screen for nuclear devices. [DemSen] A March 12, 2007 New Yorker article reported that there isn’t even unanimity on what types of sensors would be effective, “The Bush Administration is now spending about four hundred million dollars annually on radiation-detector research, but nuclear physicists who have studied the technology disagree about how discriminating these sensors might become.”

“Debate, we don’t need no stinkin’ debate?” Thus far Republican presidential candidates have been subject to an amazing number of “scheduling problems.”

CNN cancelled its Spanish language presidential debate when only one Republican candidate accepted its invitation – Sen. John McCain. [PolTkr]

Candidates Giuliani, Thompson, Romney, and McCain couldn’t find the time to attend a September 17^th debate promoted by Christian conservatives in Florida. [SunSent] Fred Thompson became the fourth GOP candidate to announce that he won’t attend the PBS debate this month hosted by Tavis Smiley at a black college in Baltimore. Thompson joins Giuliani, McCain, and Romney who also cited scheduling difficulties. [TCR] (via HuffPo) Evidently, the top tier Republican candidates don’t need Hispanic, African-American, or Christian Conservative voters?

GOP leading: CREW has released its list of the Top 22 Corrupt members of Congress. The Republicans are winning: 18-4.

Another Republican bails out: Nine term Republican Congressman Jim Ramstad [R-MN] has announced his retirement at the end of the current session. [Roll Call sub req] The GOP will now have to defend several seats without an incumbent: Hastert (IL), LaHood (IL), Pickering (MS), Pryce (OH), Renzi (AZ), Gillmor (OH). Virginia Representative Tom Davis is expected to make a run for the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. John Warner (R-VA). The Republicans will not have incumbents for Senate seats from Colorado, Nebraska, Virginia, and Idaho – depending on the status of Sen. Larry Craig. [The Hill]

Waxman’s War Path: “Howard J. Krongard, the State Department’s inspector general, has repeatedly thwarted investigations and censored reports that might prove politically embarrassing to the Bush administration, the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform charged today in a 13-page letter.” [WaPo] All 14 pages of gory details in the letter (pdf). The New York Times opened with this: “A top House Democrat has issued an unusually strongly worded letter alleging that the State Department inspector general has interfered repeatedly with investigations into fraud and abuse in Iraq and Afghanistan, and that he had done so “to protect the State Department and the White House from political embarrassment.”

Blackwater is not the only security company with a problem: The Iraqi government has announced it will review the status of all security companies operating within its borders. While a law issued during the CPA grants contractors immunity from Iraqi prosecution, an Iraqi spokesman said the investigation should “compel” the companies to respect Iraqi laws. [NYT] “Iraq contradicts U.S. on Blackwater shootings.” [LAT]

VA backlog still a problem: Retiring VA Secretary Jim Nicholson told members of a Congressional panel even though 1,100 new claims processors have been hired the Department still faces a backlog of veterans’ disability claims, some for as long as 177 days. [USAT] Nicholson’s prepared testimony. Committee hearing information.

Taser flap: A University of Florida student was tasered after refusing to give up the floor during a Q&A session with Senator John Kerry (D-MA) [SunSent] It’s easy to agree with TCR, “the kid was being a jerk, but it’s not illegal to be a jerk.”

>Deja Vu All Over Again: Team Bush rewrites disaster non-plan in secret

>Most Nevadans were more than a bit perplexed at the Bush Administration’s 2006 decision to cut Las Vegas, NV from the “endangered species” list of likely terrorist targets. Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) was, in fact, calling for Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff’s head a day after the government dropped Las Vegas from the cities considered “potential high-risk targets eligible for special anti-terrorism grants.” [LVRJ] After Chertoff tried to defend the ill-advised list of 35 locations selected by some sort of fancy computer model, Reid dismissed the Secretary’s efforts to sound competent by saying: “He did a lousy job on Katrina.” [TL] One would think that a combination of the flap over protection spending, the investigations in the aftermath of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina, and the normal level of wisdom an official should absorb with time and experience, that Chertoff’s shop would be capable of designing a national emergency response plan based on the experiences with the target list development, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and the continuing efforts to get ‘ground zero’ restored. It didn’t.

In fact, in trying to develop a national emergency response “blueprint,” the Bush administration has done just exactly those things that have gotten it in trouble before. Like the Bourbon kings of old, Team Bush, never forgets and never learns.

One paragraph into the Washington Post article today, the source of the problem becomes crystal clear, and it’s nothing we haven’t noticed before: “State and local officials in charge of responding to disasters say that their input in shaping the National Response Plan was ignored in recent months by senior White House and Department of Homeland Security officials, despite calls by congressional investigators for a shared overhaul of disaster planning in the United States.”

Sound familiar? It should. Don’t we recall that when it came time to plan for the operations in Iraq the advice from General Shinsheki, Zinni, and others was ignored in favor of the “senior White House officials,” and the Secretary of Defense. Intelligence was stovepiped through the Office of Special Plans rather than via the usual channels. The carefully compiled and analyzed 16 volumes of advice on post war Iraq planning were ignored as “too academic.” [CD]

The Bush Team decided to rewrite the national emergency response plan in secret. What else is new? “...a draft of the revised plan released to state officials last week marks a step backward because its authors did not set requirements or consult with field operators nationwide who will use it to request federal aid, adjust state and county plans, and train workers.” [WaPo]

Like the so-called “strategy” for the occupation of Iraq, the new draft for a national response to emergencies is not a plan. The Alabama emergency management director said, “I don’t have any problems with a framework . . . but it’s not a plan . . . and it’s not national. Who are we fooling here?” The answer: No one.

Similar to the endless rationalizations of the Iraq occupation “plan,” the Bush Administration seems to be putting more effort into escaping accountability than into addressing the problems. “Federal officials, Ashwood (OK EMC) said, appear to be trying to create a legalistic document to shield themselves from responsibility for future disasters and to shift blame to states. “It seems that the Katrina federal legacy is one of minimizing exposure for the next event and ensuring future focus is centered on state and local preparedness,” he said.” If there is one thing at which the Bush Administration has demonstrated its talents, it is avoiding accountability. Nothing is ever the fault of this inept and often incompetent administration.

We’ve seen this most recently when the reports became widely publicized that 190,000 assault rifles “went missing” in Iraq. However, with the Bush administration there’s always an excuse, on this matter General Petraeus sought to explain away the issue saying, “From a practical standpoint, Petraeus added, it was more important to get the weapons to the Iraqis as they started to enter the fight against a strong insurgency than it was to keep meticulous records.” [WaPo] You couldn’t do both? We managed to do it in Kosovo. Why not Iraq? Yes, right, in Iraq the Bush Administration was in charge.

The term “myopic” has come up more than once when critics of the Administration seek to characterize its planning processes. The Administration’s instance on emphasizing counter-terrorism to the exclusion of nearly all else has been discussed in terms of Justice Department activities, and those of the FBI. Kathleen J. Tierney, Director of the Natural Hazards Center, Boulder, Colorado, told the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that a “9/12 mindset” was informing planning, including “…a myopic focus on terrorism as the only physical threat of any significance to the nation. It was marked by a militaristic, command and control mindset that encouraged secrecy rather than transparency in extreme event preparedness.” Tierney’s advice sounds remarkably similar to that of Nevada and other officials who decried the omissions on the endangered target list, “… efforts must also be risk and vulnerability based…we have all the tools we need to understand our nation’s vulnerability to hazards. What are lacking are comprehensive vulnerability based loss reduction programs.” [KT-test] Translation: What we don’t have is a realistic, workable, plan.

Take all the credit, deflect all the blame: As in the case of planning for the reconstruction of Iraq, the dismal response to that devastating hurricane season, and the “It’s a Minnesota pot-hole problem” categorization of the I35W bridge disaster, the Administrations predilection for secrecy and centralization is getting in the way of the nation’s need for competency and collaboration. “John R. Harrald, a professor at George Washington University’s Institute for Crisis, Disaster and Risk Management, cautioned that shutting out state and local voices during the plan’s preparation would be ill-advised. He said that the administration appears “to be guided by a desire to ensure centralized control of what is an inherently decentralized process. . . . Response to catastrophic events requires collaboration and trust in a broad network of organizations.” [WaPo]

No collaboration, no trust, no alliance building, no real planning, broadly characterized, vague, and politicized frameworks designed to minimize the Bush Administration’s responsibility for anything. This would be just an interesting foray into analyzing the Bush Administration’s modus operandi — except that hurricane season is upon us.
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Testimony: Albert Ashwood, President, National Emergency Management Association, Director, Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, July 31, 2007 (pdf)
Testimony: Kathleen Tierney, Director, Natural Hazards Center, Boulder, CO House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, July 31, 2007
House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing “FEMA preparedness in 2007 and beyond” July 31, 2007
Washington Post

>Flag Flapping and Smoke Screening: Senate Republicans block major reforms

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Almost unnoticed by the Beltway Pundits, and all but ignored by the Cheney-Bush Administration, is a small, but growing, Revolt of the Underlings. Even Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons, is playing his own small part. [LVRJ]

The most recent rebellion concerns lowering flags to honor men and women from certain states who have fallen during the occupation of Iraq. More than half the governors in the United States now order the flags lowered in their states. [USAT] Therefore, we have at least 25 states honoring what the Federal government will not — service and sacrifice. [NYT] The clock is still running on the bill to allow governors to lower the flag that is still sitting on the President’s desk. [Mil.com] Actually, one could ponder that if the bill didn’t have the word “flag” in the title if it would have made it through the Senate at all.

It’s actually a bit surprising that the Flag bill got to the Oval Office, given that of the 239 bills passed in the House of Representatives the GOP bloc, under the leadership of Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), has objected strenuously to all the major pieces. [Roll Call sub req] The Roll Call article also offers a hint at what might be the GOP strategy for the 110th: Diversion.

“One senior Senate GOP aide noted that any mileage Democrats hope to get out of their energy bill likely will be “vastly overshadowed by immigration.” [Roll Call sub req] Could it be that in the Beltway Backrooms the “immigration issue” is being fanned to a nice white hot heat for the purpose of taking the oxygen out of public discourse on — Iraq? Energy? Health care? or any of the other major issues about which Americans care deeply?

The “immigration issue” contributes, as well, to the masking of the Revolt of the Governors on energy policy, specifically that of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. [Gov.CA] And, to the rebellion of the mayors, primarily those who have decided that their cities will abide by the Kyoto protocols. [PBS]

The flap over immigration also provides cover for the Cheney-Bush-GOP dithering over security policy. The House overwhelmingly passed an “anti-terror” bill (H.R. 1 Implementing the 9/11 Commission recommendations Act of 2007) in January 299-128 [USAT] (H.R. 1, Roll Call 15) The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on January 9th. [GovTrack] The related Senate bill, S.4, introduced by Nevada Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) was introduced on January 4, 2007, and since March 20, 2007 is still “held at the desk.” The House also passed H.R. 1401, the “Rail and Mass transit security act of 2007,” 299-124, requiring the Department of Homeland Security to develop a national plan to protect railways, mass transit, and inter-city buses from attacks. The House passed the bill on March 27, 2007; it’s been sitting in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation since.

Security legislation isn’t the only thing stalled in the Senate, H.R. 2317, the Lobbying Transparency Act of 2007,” was passed by the House on May 24 [GovTrack] [roll call 420] and now sits idly on the Senate Legislative Calendar no. 183.

H.R. 2316 “Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007″ passed the House with a hefty 396-22 margin [roll call 423] on May 24th, and a month later abides on Senate Legislative Calendar under general orders, no. 182. H.R. 1309, the FOIA reform legislation to enhance open government, is being blocked by a single U.S. Senator, Jon Kyl (R-AZ), who objects (on behalf of the Gonzales’ Department of Justice) to the provisions of H.R. 1309 and its companion S. 849. Kyl is emerging as a major champion of government secrecy. [AAN]

Even if legislation concerning security and ethics weren’t considered sufficiently imperative to warrant immediate consideration, bills attempting to improve the lives of veterans and members of the Armed Forces, should have enough “flag” to them to get through the morass in the Senate. Not so. H.R. 2199 to provide for treatment of persons with traumatic brain injuries (the signature wound in the Iraq occupation) was passed by the House last May, and referred to the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs — it hasn’t moved since. H.R. 2239 to provide for early access to Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Benefits, also passed the House in May, and it, too, is going nowhere fast in the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

Imagine, for a moment, what the right wing talkers on the air waves would be saying right now if the Democrats in the Senate were blocking passage of bills on national security, ethics reform, and veterans’ benefits and programs? However, it appears that the right wing would rather pound the drums of xenophobia at the moment hoping that the noise will drown out the Silence in the Senate. It’s little wonder that the Underlings are getting restless.

>More "Free Enterprise" at home and abroad: Health Care mergers, a privatized war, and Homeland Insecurity

>Unfree Enterprise: Thus much for the old “free market” philosophy, if Sierra Health Services is absorbed into UnitedHealth Group it “would virtually eliminate Medicare HMO competition in Nevada. “...United would control 95 percent of the Medicare HMO market statewide, and 100 percent in Clark County.” [LVSun] The next person who argues that the health care system should be governed by the “Free Market,” should be reminded that that would be a good idea — if we had one. “Sicko“

Races Yet to Come: Jon Ralston muses about the 3rd Congressional District race in 2008 and possible candidates. [LVSun] “This race is difficult enough for the Democrats, but if they can’t head off a primary fight, Porter will win easily.” Granted, the race will be difficult, if for no other reason than Porter will be supported by the deep pockets of the Republican campaign machine, and the generous assistance of special interest groups — as he was last round. However, all that moolah only got Porter a 1.89% margin of victory over a relative newcomer, Tessa Hafen. [DB] Secondly, there are some good reasons for having a primary election “fight,” not the least of which is to give a strong candidate some early name recognition. As long as the primary campaign doesn’t devolve into mud wrestling, there are scenarios in which it could be a good strategy.

“MessO’Potamia:” The other half of the Splurge [WaPo] we’ve not been hearing about — the outsourcing of operations in Iraq. Private security companies (mercenaries like Blackwater) are taking over some “low priority missions,” and the Pentagon plans to spend a minimum of $1.5 billion to protect U.S. bases ($480 million), to provide intelligence ($475 million), and to protect reconstruction convoys ($450 million). Better yet for the Bush Administration, they aren’t counted among the casualties. “The U.S. military has never released complete statistics on contractor casualties or the number of attacks on privately guarded convoys. The military deleted casualty figures from reports issued by the Reconstruction Logistics Directorate of the Corps of Engineers, according to Victoria Wayne, who served as deputy director for logistics until 2006 and spent 2 1/2 years in Iraq.” [WaPo] When casualties were reported they were only those “registered” with the logistics directorate, and for only a fraction of the total number of convoys. The Post’s full five page article is well worth reading.

Homeland Insecurity: President Bush is threatening to veto the Homeland Security Spending bill passed by the House if the Senate retains the provision requiring department contractor to pay at least the local prevailing wage. [NYT] This provision would prevent the President from doing as he did in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and waiving the provisions of the Davis-Bacon Act allowing lower paid “temp” workers from subcontracting companies. [OMBwtch] The President reversed his position after the waiver was widely publicized. [WaPo]

Republicans proposed amendments to (1) ignore local input concerning the Fence along the Mexican border; (2) and to avoid paying the local prevailing wages, and were defeated. (Roll call votes) The Rogers amendment failed 145-277, with Nevada Congressional Representatives Heller (R-NV) voting “yes” and Representatives Porter (R-NV) and Berkley (D-NV) voting “no.” [RC 488] Roger’s “Amendment No. 1″ was also defeated on a 178-243 vote; again with Rep.Heller voting “yes,” and Representatives Porter and Berkley voting “no.” [RC 489] The Department of Homeland Security Appropriations for FY 2008 (H.R. 2638) passed on a 268-150 vote in the House, Representative Heller continuing his stretch of ‘no’ votes, and Representatives Berkley and Porter voting in favor of the bill. [RC 491]

Just for the record, here’s what Congressman Heller (R-NV02) was opposing: state grants to equip and train local first responders; assisting high risk urban areas improve their capacity to prevent, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism; protecting critical transit infrastructure; making up for the $287 million shortfall in Emergency Management Performance Grants program; addressing firefighters’ needs for communication, staffing, and equipment, providing interoperability communication grants; and, funding to help states meet the requirements of the Real ID Act, an unfunded federal mandate. The bill also includes more funds for air cargo screening, and flood map modernization. [AppHouse pdf] The Heritage Foundation thinks items like these are “pork.” [Heritage]

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s reaction to the President’s veto threat came straight to the point: “President Bush – whose war in Iraq has weakened our military and made our country less secure, and who has never made homeland security the priority it needs to be – has threatened to veto the bill. I hope the clear bipartisan majority voting for the bill will encourage him to withdraw his misguided veto threat and adopt homeland security policies more in touch with the wishes of the American people.” [Gavel]
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Nevada legislative news at Blue Sage Views