A Clearly Rattled President, A Clearly Wrong Request
An agitated and confused President Bush asked the United States Congress to give him authority to use the military should a flu outbreak occur in America.
This is as telling a commentary on how he values his Department of Homeland Security as could possibly be found. DHS is a junker sitting in the driveway, hood-up, wheels off and wires sticking out of the engine compartment. The neighbors are complaining, from Florida through Alabama and Mississippi, Louisiana to Texas and on into Oklahoma.
While Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff futzes around underneath, his hand occasionally emerging to grope for a wrench, the country still expects this beater to pull out on the highway, chase down evildoers and save the town (whichever town) at high noon. At least that was the expectation. Evildoers it seems, come in more sizes and flavors than just the 9-11 terrorist model. The terror of weather got past Mike and now the terror of epidemic is sniffing at the door. Chertoff doesn’t s…