Should or shouldn't Homeland Security have a limited institutional life?

Question

Homeland Security has a very specific purpose. It was created to coordinate the efforts to defend the U.S. of internal and external threats, however, it has created a huge bureacracy whose most important qualification is to be a "patriot". Doesn't anybody see the fact that it perpetuates itself, creates new jobs, new allegianges among the "initiated" and does business for billions of dollars by fostering paranoid fear among the American people? Why has it taken over functions traditionally performed by the FBI, the NASA, the CIA, and local police? Does it have to do with the scope of the threat and the need to coordinate efforts, or is it just another naked power grab? Are there any other similar instances in past world history? Could any one illustrate them?

Does anybody know of a government institution that will spontaneously and with disinterest declare that its purpose has been accomplished and that it should be dissolved and its staff should be dismissed to save taxpayers having to shoulder an unnecessary expense?

Answer 1

Good point!

Another neo-con attempt to enlarge government, and control.

Answer 2

This is a very complicated issue. I want to feel safe and protected and want the government to have adequate resources to carry this out. Coordination is important to maximize economy and avoid duplication of service. But at the same time, it gives rise to the potential for abuse of power. America has worked wonderfully as a democracy. I would hate to see a police state emerge and/ or a state where the separation of power becomes ever more vague. In this era we live in the wolves are definitely among us...how do we avoid politicizing our safety? The only attack I am aware of prior to this happened during WW II when Russia crossed the Baring Strait and hit us briefly in Alaska...I am answering this off the cuff, so I might not be right about which war this was. What is different is, terrorist factions, both domestic and international seem to be proliferating. Our old systems were not set up for this kind of warfare...as time goes on, we need to adjust the structure and methods for national security. As I said, this is a very complicated issue. BTW, I am not conservative , however, I really do not know what to make of our current situation and worry about how vunerable we are.

Answer 3

If you realized all the terrorist attacks foiled by our CIA, FBI, NSA, Department of Homeland Security and others, you might not sleep so well at night. Remember, we have to be constantly vigilant all the time. We have to be right..... all the time. The terrorists only have to be right once!

So please, don't imply that our government is callously trying to prey on our paranoia. Far from it. They have kept secret the hundreds of attacks they have thwarted. In other words, the government will never get the credit and gratitude it is due because concerns of national security keep them from revealing these events.

These institutions are not going to get out of control. This type of baseless fear is what I term "The Sci-Fi Syndrome". You see, sci-fi movies are usually based on the premise that one thing got terribly out of balance: the population exploded to 20 billion, a mutant virus devastated mankind, the ocean levels swamped all the major cities, the government became an all powerful fascist nightmare, etc.

There is a lot of oversight regarding these intelligence gathering services. Far from being immune to outside tinkering, they are often easy targets because other branches of government don't want their power to increase. Do you remember how easy it was for President Bush to reorganize these intelligence gathering departments?

Farm subsidies may last forever, but not these security departments.

Answer 4

What a shock! Anti-conservatives attacking Republicans because they strive for less government. In case you missed it in the papers, on September 11, 2001, the United States was attacked by terrorists. Since then, the government created and re-created federal agencies to better protect the homeland and those who live within it.

The asker has a good question! I don't think there will ever be a government agency (federal, state, or local) who would ever announce that their work is finished.

I think we can be thankful we have a government in place that has that power to protect us.

Answer 5

The biggest post-911 recommendation for reform was to create an overarching agency so the others would coordinate better.

I don't think it should have a limited life, but I think it needs to do a better job.

Answer 6

you called it a bureaucracy and that is exactly what it is. A top heavy structure that will eventual have no real use but will bull **** around to keep itself there in order to do nothing and get paid for it. The whole government is that way. Check and balances is one thing but anymore I swear they do nothing and blame it on that so they can get away with it.

Answer 7

In my opinion,This is the Republican game of war and Money.You and me are watching and someone has to do something about it.I will not be fear to fly or travel.Let it be and let see the November election and we can predict what is next for this country.

Answer 8

Gee! And to think that conservatives have always complained about big government and they came up with super big brother big government.

Answer 9

I wish I wasn't so jaded about governmental wasted spending, so that I could care more.