The Morphing of Homeland Security

The Department of Homeland Security was formed during the George W. Bush administration in response to the attacks on the United States of September 11, 2001.  National Strategy for Homeland Security defines their mission as  "a concerted national effort to prevent terrorist attacks within the United States, reduce America's vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do occur". Because the Department of Homeland Security also encompasses the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), they are also responsible for preparation for and response to natural disasters.

It should be clear to every thinking person that our main threat from terrorism comes from Muslim fanatics. There have been numerous attacks by Islamists against Americans and other westerners:  the attack on the Marine barracks in Beirut in 1983, the bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993, the attack on the USS Cole in 2000, and the ultimate attack on our own soil on September 11, 2001, to name a few. Not all Muslims are terrorists, but the vast majority of terrorist attacks on this country have been by Muslims.  

During the Obama administration, a couple of things that raise red flags have occurred. Janet Napolitano, head of Homeland Security, has made it clear that she considers returning veterans and conservative political groups to be dangerous and possible terrorist threats. At the same time, the administration twists itself into knots in their efforts to avoid labeling violent acts as terrorism, and in particular terrorism perpetrated by Muslims.  For example, in 2009 Major Nidal Hassan went on a shooting rampage at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas. Hassan had clearly displayed signs of growing fanaticism, carried cards identifying him as a "soldier of Allah" and shouted "Allahu Akbar" as he murdered 13 people and attempted to kill 32 others.  Yet, in spite of this, Obama has insisted on referring to this horrible incident as "workplace violence".  

On the other hand, there were protests yesterday by tea party members outside several IRS offices across the country in response to the IRS' admission that they unfairly targeted conservative groups seeking nonprofit status.  Despite what Obama and other left-wingers would have you believe, tea party gatherings are not known for being violent or disruptive, yet armed Homeland Security agents were highly visible at these protests.  Why not have the local police there instead? The answer is that tea party members are usually conservative and clearly Napolitano considers them a threat to the security of this country.  

This shift in attitude is, to my way of thinking, alarming.  Add to that the fact that Homeland Security has recently purchased 2,700 armored vehicles for domestic use and it starts to get creepy. Last, but certainly not least, DHS has also gone on a buying spree for ammunition, stockpiling an astounding 1.6 billion bullets.  Makes one wonder what they're preparing for, doesn't it? 

Bully Mindset

The Internal Revenue Service is supposed to be nonpartisan and impartial in executing our tax laws.  As revealed recently, however, this has certainly not been the case in recent years.  I refer, of course, to the targeting of conservative organizations seeking tax-exempt status.  

To refresh your memory, these organizations were subjected to long, intrusive questionnaires which inquired about the resumes of their past and present directors, as well as attempts to obtain the names of their donors.  The waiting times for approval of their tax-exempt status were so long that some organizations simply gave up and quit trying.  

President Obama made a puzzling statement yesterday, saying that "if in fact IRS personnel" targeted conservatives, that would be "outrageous".  Why make this conditional, when the IRS has already admitted its actions?  Actually, the actions of the IRS may be worse than what they have admitted.  

Meanwhile, what we the people are getting are the usual obfuscations and outright lies from the administration. President "I never knew anything about this" Obama would have us believe that he was totally unaware of the situation, yet he "joked" in 2009 that he could use the IRS to target political enemies, but said, of course, that he never would.  

IRS spokeswoman Lois Lerner insists there was no political motivation in what the IRS did.  If that's the case, then why did they target only conservative organizations? There are abundant data that these, and earlier, inquiries were indeed politically motivated. It's also known that these inquiries came not just from the Cincinnati office, as Ms. Lerner implied, but also from offices in California and Washington D.C. 

IRS officials are still sticking to their story that these questionnaires were not meant to intimidate these groups. Yet anyone who has ever received mail from the IRS can attest to the fact that when that envelope arrives, your blood runs a bit colder.  Everyone  knows that the IRS doesn't contact you just to be friendly.

I don't know how much President Obama knew about this and I'm not implying that he gave direct orders to harass these conservative groups. Obama politico David Plouffe tweeted that what the IRS did was "dumb and wrong", but that Republicans will use this to raise more money.  In Plouffe's world, apparently all that matters is partisan advantage instead of equal treatment under the law that Americans have a right to expect from their government. The actions of the IRS were prompted by a mindset that's prevalent in this administration, i.e., hit your enemies hard with whatever means you have available. That bully mentality has filtered down from the very top.  Whether you're conservative or liberal, Republican or Democrat, every American should be disturbed by this abuse of  power.  

Murder Is Not a Normal Part of Life

The Benghazi hearings began again today, with witnesses who were on the ground in Libya testifying as to the terrible events of September 11, 2012. As you'll recall, our ambassador and three other men were killed by Islamic fanatics on that terrible night. 

The State Department has done its best to avoid taking any blame for these deaths, Hillary Clinton famously saying during her testimony, "What difference, at this point, does it make?"  I daresay it matters a great deal to the families of these men, as well as a large segment of the American populace.  

Today, Representative Elijah Cummings (D-MD) added his own inane statement to the proceedings, saying "death is part of life".  Well, Mr. Cummings, natural death is part of life, but our ambassador and three others were murdered. Would you dare make such an insensitive statement about the children who were killed by a crazed gunman in Connecticut?  What about those who died at the hands of James Holmes in Aurora, Colorado?  

This particular consulate had been attacked twice previously by Islamists in 2012.  That fact alone should have made increased security imperative, yet none was provided.  September 11 is a significant date in our recent history, yet when that anniversary approached, no additional precautions were taken.  Didn't common sense dictate that this was a date which might entail heightened danger, especially in light of the fact that we had advanced warning?  

Now Democrats are in full CYA mode in their attempt to protect the administration.  I look at the testimony and it's sickeningly clear that this administration cared more about politics than it did about saving American lives (keep in mind that this occurred before the election).  In fact, it's been reported that after hearing that the consulate was under attack, the president was so concerned that he went to bed to rest up for a fundraiser the following day in Las Vegas!  

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said a few days ago that "Benghazi happened a long time ago".  To that, I would say two things:  first, how dare you and this administration be so flippant about these murders?  Second, Benghazi happened eight months ago.  I'm sure that doesn't seem like a long time to the families of these victims; eight months is a long time only to children.  

President Cool

My thoughts and prayers, like that of many Americans, go out to the victims of yesterday's bombings in Boston.  If any good comes of this, it will be to remind all of us of the need for constant vigilance.  

President Obama likes to project a cool image, an illusion of being above the fray to which we mere mortals are subject. For me, however, the cool act is wearing very thin.

There are circumstances in which it is wholly appropriate to feel, and show, anger and outrage.  Yesterday was one such instance, but there was the president making pronouncements in his usual robotic manner.  Where is your anger, Mr. President?  Why aren't you totally outraged that terrorists would make such a bold attack on a major American city?  Instead, we get the usual cliches that he speaks after every untoward event:  "let me be clear", "make no mistake", etc., etc., etc.

I suspect that Mr. Obama doesn't show these emotions because he doesn't actually experience them as most normal people would. He can appear above the fray because on an emotional level, he is above the fray, lacking the empathy needed to put one's self in another's shoes. He is detached from these horrible events, as if he were watching a fictitious movie. The only time I can recall seeing him show a flicker of genuine anger is when a reporter asks him a tough question (and that doesn't happen very often).   

I want my president to be angry about these attacks on America and to show that anger.  I want to see the emotions that most Americans are feeling now reflected in the president.  What I see is Mr. Cool, but I have to wonder:  is Obama really cool, or just cold-hearted?

Brazenness Comes out of the Closet

Those who adhere to a progressive ideology have long been at work surreptitiously in this country, subtly indoctrinating our children in the public schools, systematically removing prayer and, indeed, any mention of God in the public arena and undermining the strength of the family unit.  

Subtlety has been replaced by a brazen, in-your-face effort to undermine the rights of parents to raise their children as they see fit.  In their infinite arrogance, these leftist radicals believe that not only do they know what's best for everyone, but that they are also morally superior to those who disagree with them.  

In 2008, the Romeike family fled Germany under threat of arrest because they were home-schooling their five children, which is illegal in Germany.  The United States granted them political asylum and they have lived here since.
Now, Eric Holder's Department of Justice is threatening to deport them, saying that home-schooling is not a "right" of parents. No doubt Eric Holder agrees with the bullying attitude of the German government on this matter.  

The icing on the cake is the pronouncement by MSNBC anchor Melissa Harris-Perry that children don't belong to their parents - they belong to the entire community. Really?! If a child needs orthodontia or surgery, will Ms. Harris-Perry help pay for it? Children are part of a community, just as their parents are, but the responsibility for raising those children and instilling values lies with the parents, not the community as a whole.  This is just an attempt to undermine parental authority and, unfortunately, there are too many parents today who are willing to have the government be a surrogate parent to their children. 

Where will this end? We who believe in and want to preserve the traditional values and practices which made this country great and which comprise its foundation must be as aggressive in our efforts as the leftists. In other words, it's time to take off the gloves.  

Getting to the Point

Frustration and anger can be contained for just so long before they boil over.  Many people I know are quickly reaching that point, and it's time for some extremely blunt talk.

I am sick and tired of the hypocrisy and eternal campaigning in which Obama engages.  White House tours have been shut down during spring break, allegedly because of the miniscule sequestration.  There are lots of disappointed children out there who had been planning a trip to D.C. to take the tour. Meanwhile, the Obama daughters gleefully jet from the Bahamas to snow skiing in Idaho on the taxpayers' money, and the president has averaged more than one vacation a month during the first three months of 2013.  

It's apparent that when Obama isn't campaigning, he's vacationing.  Our economy is virtually stalled, millions of people are either unemployed or have given up looking for a job and the number of people using food stamps has grown at an alarming rate.  For the royal Obamas to be prancing about on their lavish vacations while millions of Americans are suffering is downright insulting. They are figuratively spitting in the collective face of the American populace.  

To add insult to injury, Barack Obama is THE biggest liar we've ever had in the White House. He has demonstrated a total lack of respect for our laws and the Constitution and his policies are, I believe, deliberately designed to hurt the United States.  His word means nothing, as he has revealed himself to be completely untrustworthy.  

Perhaps most egregiously, however, is his failure to protect our national security.  When an American president fails to lead, the result is mounting chaos world-wide, and Obama has shown extreme weakness in the face of these dangers. It seems that he has not taken the very real threats that Russia, North Korea, Iran and China represent seriously and it's obvious the leaders of these countries have a profound lack of respect for the president.  

In short, he has failed to uphold the oath of office he took when inaugurated. He has been derelict in his duty, overstepped the boundaries of his power at home, failed to support our allies and has emboldened our enemies.  For all these reasons, he should be impeached and removed from office.  

Insulting

President Obama and the rest of his administration must believe Americans are as dumb as a box of rocks.  Director of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano goes on TV to tell us that the lines at the major airports are longer than usual and that it's taking longer to get through customs.  Meanwhile, the airports are saying that the lines are not longer and are moving normally.  Why do they lie about something that's so easily verifiable?  Could it be that Obama and Napolitano think we're too stupid or lazy to know they're lying?  

Obama is obviously trying to save money.  For instance, he's cancelled all White House tours due to the sequestration. Boy, that's going to save a lot of money - White House tours are conducted by unpaid volunteers!  There was no need to shut these down; it's merely a spiteful, punitive move by a small, petulant man who's angry that he hasn't gotten his way.  One more thing - the White House is NOT yours, Mr. President; it belongs to the American people.  

Obama is not worthy of our respect.  I can understand why he and others in his administration think Americans are stupid.  After all, they did elect him twice.