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T H U R S D A Y , J U L Y 0 7 , 2 0 0 5Terror Alert From Yellow To Orange. Whew! IFeel Safer.by Michael in New York on
7/07/2005 12:10:00 PMJust watched the press conference with Homeland Securityhead Michael Chertoff who spoke smoothly and reassuringly.He took questions for about three minutes, which seems ratherabrupt given the situation and that he can't be too pressed fortime, since the attack took place in another country.The most foolish moment: Chertoff said the terror alert fortransportation only was raised from yellow to orange. Then heclaimed that since we've been on heightened alert yellow foryears, that this had provided us an added level of comfort andsecurity. No, being on heightened alert yellow for years is ajoke that makes us look foolish. You can't be on heightenedalert for years at a time; if that's the level of security we willneed forever than that isn't a heightened alert level, it's thestandard level of security and keeping the threat level raisedfor years is ridiculous. It's like saying putting on your seat beltwhile driving is heightened security when driving. No, that'sstandard operating procedure.The debasement of security alerts: no one has addressed thefact that the color coded levels of threat have become a joke orthat Tom Ridge admitted the White House often raised thesecurity threat for political purposes over his objections. Whenthe codes have been abused for years, don't they lose theireffectiveness.The missing question: we're worried about our transportationand security. Homeland Security oversees the Coast Guard.And not one question about the front page story in USA Todayabout the crumbling equipment they use and Bush's plan todelay upgrading that equipment fully from 2025 to 2030. Howcan Chertoff justify taking 25 years to upgrade the Coast Guardwhen we are at war? How can that possibly make us safer?
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© 2009 - John Aravosis | Design maintenance by Jason RosenbaumSend me your tips: americablog@starpower.netAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Terror...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/terror-alert-from-yellow-...
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7/07/2005 12:10:00 PMJust watched the press conference with Homeland Securityhead Michael Chertoff who spoke smoothly and reassuringly.He took questions for about three minutes, which seems ratherabrupt given the situation and that he can't be too pressed fortime, since the attack took place in another country.The most foolish moment: Chertoff said the terror alert fortransportation only was raised from yellow to orange. Then heclaimed that since we've been on heightened alert yellow foryears, that this had provided us an added level of comfort andsecurity. No, being on heightened alert yellow for years is ajoke that makes us look foolish. You can't be on heightenedalert for years at a time; if that's the level of security we willneed forever than that isn't a heightened alert level, it's thestandard level of security and keeping the threat level raisedfor years is ridiculous. It's like saying putting on your seat beltwhile driving is heightened security when driving. No, that'sstandard operating procedure.The debasement of security alerts: no one has addressed thefact that the color coded levels of threat have become a joke orthat Tom Ridge admitted the White House often raised thesecurity threat for political purposes over his objections. Whenthe codes have been abused for years, don't they lose theireffectiveness.The missing question: we're worried about our transportationand security. Homeland Security oversees the Coast Guard.And not one question about the front page story in USA Todayabout the crumbling equipment they use and Bush's plan todelay upgrading that equipment fully from 2025 to 2030. Howcan Chertoff justify taking 25 years to upgrade the Coast Guardwhen we are at war? How can that possibly make us safer?
Add New CommentYou are commenting as a Guest. You may select one to log into:
Ben SmithGoing small - My story tonight: President BarackObama came alive about 50 minutes intoWednesday night’s news conference – whensomebo9 minutes ago
HuffPost PoliticsHuckabee's Huck Pac In Turmoil With StaffTurnover, Mounting Debts - Former Arkansas Gov.Mike Huckabee's political action committee, HuckPac, is undergoing a "restructuring," ExecutiveDirector Sarah Huckabee said Wednesday....23 minutes ago
Daily KosOpen Thread and Diary Rescue - *Today, srkp23(pulling a double shift), ybruti, taylormattd,ItsJessMe and vcmvo2 combed through hundredsof diaries to find this powerful list. Today's...1 hour ago
EschatonOvernight - Folk On. Newish.1 hour ago
Crooks and LiarsOpen Thread - Open Thread below...1 hour agoJ O H N ' S P H OT O S
Show AllA M E R I C A B L O G T VEnd Deadlock? Yes With ISVoters select one issue: lawmakers must resolve it or be replacedIssueSelection.org
Next 6AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Terror...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/terror-alert-from-yellow-...
1 of 57/23/09 1:31 AM
Visit ourAMERICAblog TV site.see all 323 videos >I collect with
vodpod
In honor of SenatorDeMint
For the GOPers, healthcare is politics. They just
Traditional media has todebunk the birthers
One small step...
The right-wing media, thevoices of the GOP, inAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Terror...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/terror-alert-from-yellow-...
2 of 57/23/09 1:31 AM
The TreatmentObama Has a Grown-UpTalk With America(Gulp)1 hour agoEzra KleinTab Dump5 hours agoWonk RoomSen. Byron Dorgan:The ‘Trade’ InCap-And-Trade ‘MakesNo Sense To Me’7 hours agoHealth BeatTruth Squad: WallStreet Journal HealthCare Editorial Wrong onthe Facts . . .8 hours agoDaily DoseProviders Endorse 'Payfor Value' ProposalsG AY P O L I T I C S
Visit our new gay politicssection, AMERICAblog Gay.F E E D S
Blog RSS
AMERICAblog TV RSS
Twitter RSSTwitter Feed
Get the blog by email:
Subscribe me!
900% Penny StocksGainerStocks that blow up overnight.Free reports. Join today. Explore Now...
Champaign-Springfield-DecaturMom Had YELLOWTeethLearn the trick, discovered bya mom, to turn yellow teethwhite. Explore Now...
"My Teeth Aren'tYellow"Read the trick a Champaign-Springfield-Decatur momused to turn… Explore Now...
Top AdAdvertise in this spot.H E A LT H C A R ER E F O R MAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Terror...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/terror-alert-from-yellow-...
3 of 57/23/09 1:31 AM
S E A R C H
AMERICAblog
Web
SearchS E N D U S T I P S &C O M M E N T Samericablog@starpower.netB L O G A R C H I V E
Blog ArchiveS I T E S W E L I K EAir America RadioAlan Colmes' blogAri Melber (The Nation)Ben SmithBicycleMark's blog &podcastBilericoBradBlogBring It OnCarrie FisherCrooks and LiarsDailyKosDan Savage's "Slog"Daou ReportDemocratic UndergroundEschatonEzra KleinFire Dog LakeFiveThirtyEight.comFreeway BloggerThe Gavel (SpeakerPelosi's blog)Good As YouGlenn GreenwaldHoly Bullies and HeadlessMonstersHuffington PostHullabaloo (Digby)Jack and Jill PoliticsJed ReportJesus' GeneralKenneth in the 212Margaret and HelenMatthew GrossMedia MattersMike Signorile's "The Gist"MudflatsMyDDOpen LeftPlum LinePolitical Punch (JakeTapper)Political WirePolitics 1Pop SurfingProgressive Blog DigestQueers UnitedRawStoryRex WocknerRude PunditSmirking ChimpTalk LeftTappedTaylor MarshThink ProgressTowleRoadVetVoice.comWashington NoteWayneBesen.comWonketteWorth Repeating
N E W S L I N K SUSWashington PostNYTAP PoliticsReuters PoliticsRasmussen PollsTimeNewsweekRoll CallThe HillABCNews
P L E A S E S U P P O RTA M E R I C A B L O GOne-time donation$
Recurring monthlydonation$
Donations are nottax-deductible.L A B E L S
Select a labelL A S T 1 0 0 V I S I T O R SRecent Visitors
A B O U TA M E R I C A B L O GWhy AMERICAblog?Because a great nationdeserves the truth.What issues do youcover?US politics overall with aparticular focus on theObama Administration, theradical right, and civilrights.Who are you?John AravosisEditorWashington, DCJoe SudbayDeputy EditorWashington, DCChris RyanAssociate EditorParis, FranceRobert ArenaContributing EditorBaltimore, MarylandJacki SchechnerContributing EditorWashington, DCAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Terror...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/terror-alert-from-yellow-...
4 of 57/23/09 1:31 AM
© 2009 - John Aravosis | Design maintenance by Jason RosenbaumSend me your tips: americablog@starpower.netAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Terror...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/terror-alert-from-yellow-...
5 of 57/23/09 1:31 AM