and it CAN be dismantled with care and foresight after looking at what it did well (if anything?) and what went to hell in a hand basket compared with the individual departments which existed before the DHS.

A couple of unrelated examples that come to mind:

-Before the DHS, FEMA was considered a first rate agency and was widely praised for its performance in disaster relief. Afterward it has been a dismal failure. I think it is safe to split this one off and make it as it was before as much as possible.

-Poor communication between the FBI, CIA and other "spy" and law enforcement agencies. No one really seems to know if they work together any better now than before, but it is widely believed that poor communication between the agencies helped the attacks of 9/11 succeed. (the inaction of George Bush will mostly likely go down in history as the main reason for the attack's success.)

My point is there can and should be a third evolution of these agencies which if done carfully could result in our government being more effective at protecting our country (Homeland??? WTF! Sounds like something a GD Nazi would say.)

And last but not least... Don't most of you feel less secure now that there is an huge, powerful bureaucracy in the United States named "the Department of Homeland Security" than before it existed?

... the biggest single moment of the entire general election was delivered by John McCain and it was no gaff or mistake, he said it and he meant it.

When he said 'The health of the mother' in air quotes, and with contempt for and condensation toward the idea that the mother's health was worthy of consideration.... Wow!

It sounded awful at the time, but I'm starting to think that a landslide is starting for the Democrats and the mountain side let go when McCain uttered those words.

The secret service can spot an Obama pin a half mile away in a sea of people at a Bush rally, but someone yells "KILL HIM" in the middle of a repug beer hall rally, on film, recorded by 50 microphones and covered by 20 cameras when everyone in the world is waiting for someone to say it again, and they have no idea who could have shouted that??

Bull!

They don't give a rat's behind because the secret service has been replaced with a bunch of right wing Bushies and Brownies.

Obama is in real danger until he can root the right wing nuts out of the government (Gordon Liddy is a perfect example of the types the repugs seek out.)

Paglia debate Palin.

Does Paglia think Palin would win???? I don't think so.

... will Palin's Witch-doctor swear them in?

... Palin's witch-doctor swear them in?

Just don't try to burry the waste near my home.

We elected a menatally incompetent president...

...Who thinks that McCain might actually be important to his collegues in Washington right now that Obama?"

--rocket999

Yes, you are.

But it is 100% the creation of the republican revolution starting with Reagan and switching into overdrive in the early 90s when Gingrich and the other batshit crazy repuglicans began to plunder the American economy by letting corporations and wall street get away with murder (they called it "deregulation").

The entire economic theory and main pillar of the republican party has collapsed under its own weight of greed and stupidity.

There is no doubt however that Bush and his cronies have made the situation much, much worse.

Happy birthday Joan. Hope you're feeling better.

Now get back to that typewriter (I mean keyboard... what's a typewriter?) and write some more so I can criticize your carefully thought out and written articles with my spontaneous and barely legible diatribes. ; )

Send in the Clown (errr Moose lady).

She used to be a TV sports anchor and she IS ready to be president. This little debate thingy does not intimidate her?

Need more proof?

She sat next to a dead moose! If you travel a thousand miles north west of Anchorage you can see Russia on a clear day for god's sake!

You think she's intimidated by Obama, heck no! Let her debate him so McSame can take a nap.

simultaneously work on the proposed legislation to clean up the republican's deregulation mess, and battle nuclear seals armed with laser beams.

Its just one thing after another.

Now, not only do we have to fight the terrorists who hate us for our freedom (and freedom fries) now we have to battle commie nuclear seals with laser cannons for eyeballs!

Take that old man.

If you're going to be a troll, at least try to be a good troll and make your posts somewhat coherent or clever... you could be the first.

...another old man who by his own admission does not know a lot about the economy.

Brilliant!

Maybe Jim Bunning and McCain can put their heads together and come up with a method for walking and chewing gum at the same time.

Maverick!

I agree with your comment.

It appears almost like he has had a mild stroke and is partially paralyzed on the left side of his face.

Warning: (Conspiracy theory ahead)

A mild stoke would go a long way to explain his backing out of the debate.

Palin will have to postpone the VP debates until after the snow stops falling.

She currently needed to help with the removal of all this... snow.

Welcome back!

Thought maybe some right-wing freak offed you for messing up the repuglican VP choice. You confused McCain darn you!

snowqueensquareglasses...

Where do you people dig these freaks up?