Max Cleland's no vote on the Homeland Security bill is vindicated

[bluestateguy]

In 2002, Cleland voted against creating that bloated agency because of one provision, a clause that removed basic civil service protections from workers and allowed the president to re-assign employees on a whim.

For that vote Cleland was roundly denounced for being "weak" on national security and unpatriotic. He was defeated. In the end, Bush got his bill and the DHS was structured in the Bush-way.

Now we see how well that agency performed in a natural disaster that was as bad or worse than 9/11.

Now we all know that Cleland was right the first time. But it won't put him back in the Senate.

[Egalitariat]

1. HS failed Katrina b/c workers could be easily fired?

I'd argue that HS failed Katrina b/c one worker, Brownie, wasn't fired.

[Ilsa]

2. It would be sweet if the op-ed writers would reflect back on this.

Send your thread to Mo Dowd or someone else trustworthy.

[LittleClarkie]

3. I don't remember. Did Bush resist forming the Dept of HS

I had a freeper over the weekend insist on that point. Haven't gone back to check yet. Did Bush originally fight the formation of a Department of Homeland Security? Or did he just fight giving the guy any power?