August 04, 2005
A Lesson In Not Quite Thinking Things Through
Letter-Writer Accidentally Slams Federal Government
We've been waiting for someone to try to make this argument. There's never been any question in our mind that it was bound to happen. In the wake of the recent announcement of cutbacks in security screeners at Portland International Airport, someone finally went off the deep end in a letter to The Oregonian.
... But when you have Mayor Tom Potter and City Commissioner Randy Leonard, who don't support the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force, this is what you get. It's just like taking away [most of] the fighter jets at the air base.
If we show we are not serious about fighting terrorism, then why should they give any consideration to us? Potter has put all of Oregon in danger.
Seriously now, let's just for the sake of argument say that Portland is losing fighter jets and security screeners as a result of its decision to require proper civilian oversight of the JTTF (an argument, for what it's worth, that we find to be entirely bogus).
Wouldn't any anger over such a bizarre retaliation by the Federal government actually and more properly be placed squarely at the feet of that Federal government, for cynically putting the Northwest in danger because of a public policy dispute?
We can't help but wonder if the letter writer in question really means to suggest that the Bush Administration would play that sort of dirty politics with national security. But that's the clear, if unintended, implication of his argument.
Comments (3)
myrln on 04 Aug 2005
But the argument is pure Bushite: Say the lie often and loud enough and it will become the truth. That's what the letter writer bases the accusation on.
Chris Woo on 04 Aug 2005
Of course, the LTTE a couple down from the one you mention is just as illogical from the opposite side of the spectrum:
. . . our Homeland Security status has improved in the Northwest to the extent that we can significantly lower the number of our Air National Guard fighter jets and that we can lower the number of Transportation Security Administration personnel at Portland International Airport . . . These signs of a lowered threat are also bolstered by the fact that the recent bombings have been in London and Iraq, not here.
Small comfort for Londoners, I'm sure.
MarkDaMan on 05 Aug 2005
Isn't that how Bush got elected last year?