Homeland Security

Crav · Post by **Crav** » May 20, 2003, 1:04 pm

I was reading an article about the Texas democrats who left the session last week. The thing that I found a bit disturbing was a section of the article that follows:

The buses carried 49 lawmakers to Ardmore, where they were joined by former House Speaker Pete Laney. He flew his airplane, causing a major flap when it was learned the DPS had asked an agency of the federal Homeland Security Department to track the aircraft from Austin.

I think this is the major fear that people had when this agency was being set up. When politicians or other agencies begin to use the agency for matters other than homeland security. I know it's just a minor incident and the action could be justified, although it was not a federal matter, I fear this small incident can lead to larger ones.

Mort · Post by **Mort** » May 20, 2003, 3:10 pm

This will go down in history.....

/gratz retarded Democratic Party.

Who's paying the Holiday Inn and Denny's bill?

Fairweather Pure · Post by **Fairweather Pure** » May 20, 2003, 3:23 pm

Homeland Security is simply the scariest thing our governemnt has ever done in my lifetime. Words cannot express how concerned I am over the whole issue.

As far as the Democrats running away, well, that's just fucked. Oddly enough, you hear very little about the reasoning that actually drove them to such a drastic measure. I guess I'm just kind of in awe over the whole thing. It will be very interesting to see how it gets resolved.

masteen · Post by **masteen** » May 20, 2003, 3:57 pm

Democrats should leave petty posturing and childish pranks to Republicans. We're better at it. Dems should stick to making magnanimous speeches and raising taxes.

Cajen · Post by **Cajen** » May 20, 2003, 3:58 pm

Speaking of Homeland Security....Terrorist threat was raised back to High/Orange Level today at 2pm~

Dregor Thule · Post by **Dregor Thule** » May 20, 2003, 4:43 pm

Code Apricot! I repeat, we are now going to Code Apricot!

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » May 20, 2003, 5:22 pm

Democrats raise taxes to pay for massive deficits the republicans build up with overspending, corporate welfare and tax breaks for the ultra wealthy.

The homeland security bill was awful enough even if you overlook the ridiculous amount of pork the GOP snuck in on the ass end of it.

miir · Post by **miir** » May 20, 2003, 5:27 pm

Cajen wrote:Speaking of Homeland Security....Terrorist threat was raised back to High/Orange Level today at 2pm~

bbbbut.....bbbb.....butttt.....bbbbuuttt... how can that be>!?!?!??!!?

I thought they promised that the USA would be safe after they got rid of soddom and killed all those iraqui al qaesadilla terrorists.

Bocc · Post by **Bocc** » May 20, 2003, 6:27 pm

Bbbut...bb...but did anyone really say that?

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » May 20, 2003, 6:32 pm

I'm still waiting for the domino effect of freedom and decmocracy to wash over the middle east.

Mak · Post by **Mak** » May 20, 2003, 6:52 pm

I'd like to know when the adult version of putting your fingers in your ears and going lalalalalalala until a problem goes away became an acceptable political tool. I'd be embarrassed- and pissed- if any of those people were in my district.

Vote Yay, Nay, or Abstain and let the courts decide if something is legal or not.

What a horrible, horrible precedent.

Neost · Post by **Neost** » May 20, 2003, 8:26 pm

This is akin to a fillibuster, which is a viable political tool and has been for some time.

I don't know if they were right or not, but they were attempting to kill a redistricting bill that would redraw voting districts to the benefit of the republican party (and inversely at the dems expense). The only way to stop it, was to make sure there wasn't a quorum. With no quorum there could be no vote and the bill would die.

I happened to be in Dallas last week and followed this on the local news.

I think that the big issue here should be the Texas DPS requesting Homeland Security to track an individual.

Unless of course certain Canadians come to the US, then all bets are off and surveillance and tracking should be done by any and all means possible.

Metanis · Post by **Metanis** » May 20, 2003, 9:25 pm

Neost wrote:I think that the big issue here should be the Texas DPS requesting Homeland Security to track an individual.

Until 9/11 any individual could track in real-time the status of any flight under IFR (instrument flight rules). I vaguely remember some business execs complaining about this because they didn't necessarily want the competition (or their wives) knowing exactly where/when they were flying. I'm sure that system still exists even if it's not available to the average citizen any longer.

Check out Air Travel Center - Flight Tracking Facility (PS, the link is just one example I found in a Google Search.)

In other words, DPS requesting to track a fight in progress is not such a major event as some might think. However... If the DPS person lied to get the information then that needs to be addressed. Perhaps a reprimand in their file? Or Kooky gives them a tongue-lashing?

Mak · Post by **Mak** » May 20, 2003, 11:28 pm

Neost wrote:This is akin to a fillibuster, which is a viable political tool and has been for some time.

I'd disagree.

A filibuster, when allowed, is also subject to a cloture vote.

As I understand it, in Texas, a filibuster is allowed only in the Senate. So, rather then be on the short end of a legal, democratic vote, they circumvented Texas legislative process and not only killed the redistricting bill but other bills as well.

Why they did it is largely irrelavant for the over-all picture. It's irresponsible lawmaking.

Crav · Post by **Crav** » May 21, 2003, 10:00 am

In other words, DPS requesting to track a fight in progress is not such a major event as some might think. However... If the DPS person lied to get the information then that needs to be addressed. Perhaps a reprimand in their file? Or Kooky gives them a tongue-lashing?

Personally the problem I have with this is whether this is within the responsibility of Homeland Security. After all wasn't this set up to track terrorist? With the administration trying to use different methods to fight terrorism many of those methods like the database being developed to track people's information I fear will be abused by politicians and other agencies.

Chidoro · Post by **Chidoro** » May 21, 2003, 10:20 am

masteen wrote:Democrats should leave petty posturing and childish pranks to Republicans. We're better at it. Dems should stick to making magnanimous speeches and raising taxes.

As opposed to lowering them while spending more and ruin our country's solvency.

VeeshanVault

Homeland Security

Homeland Security

!~

Re: !~