Not only did Bush cut funding to NYC and DC by 40% - funding that is meant to stop the next September 11 - and not only is what Bush did today the exact opposite of what his Homeland Security Secretary promised would happen - and not only is this the exact kind of move that the September 11 Commission warned was a big mistake that endangers all of our lives - but it seems that Bush didn't even bother checking with the Republican member of Congress who RUNS the entire Homeland Security Committee in the US House.
Check this out, from the NY Post no less (uber right-wing Rupert Murdoch paper that ALWAYS support Bush - not anymore):
"As far as I'm concerned, the Department of Homeland Security and the administration have declared war on New York," said Rep. Peter King (R-L.I.), chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee.Nice words, but keep one thing in mind. It's not like Rep. Peter King just got off the turnip truck. He's been in charge of this committee during the entire time that all of this waste and abuse has been going on at Homeland Security, and Peter King didn't do a damn thing for five years.
"It's a knife in the back to New York and I'm going to do everything I can to make them very sorry they made this decision."
King said he would launch "rigorous investigations" of the Homeland Security Department - including a $21 million DHS contract with a Virginia limousine service accused of arranging hotel trysts between lawmakers and prostitutes.
"They have cut $80 million in funding to New York City," King said. "Meanwhile, they gave a $21 million limousine contract to the company that was driving pimps and prostitutes around."
Peter King was the guy responsible for making sure the Homeland Security department worked, for making sure Bush didn't continue wasting the money, as he's been doing for years even before this latest announcement.
And now, Peter King is waking up TODAY and suddenly realizing that there's a problem? Had Peter King and his Republican colleagues been doing their jobs the past five years, had they been providing ANY oversight of the executive branch at all, we wouldn't be having these problems today.
So let's just see what Peter King actually does to fix this problem. Like Arlen Specter in the Senate, Peter King is more than a little late to the game. And like Arlen Specter, King will probably just launch feel-good hearings that are meant to make the public think he's doing something, but in fact they'll be hearings that do nothing at all. The witnesses won't be sworn in, the hard questions will hardly be asked, and there won't be a lick of follow-up holding the Bush administration responsible. Because that's what Republican congressmen do. Absolutely nothing.
You're doing a heck of a job, Petey.
