Homeland Insecurity

Three months ago tomorrow, Janet Napolitano announced her resignation from her position as Secretary of Homeland Security to take the position as President of the University of California. Her replacement at the DHS, the third largest cabinet office, with 240,000 employees across over 20 agencies including, the Secret Service, the TSA, ICE, INS and so many other agencies is... Wait! What?!? There is no Secretary leading the way in these times of increased terrorism? Who is watching the store? Acting Secretaries? Basically, TEMPS???

Are we to believe that in a country of 320 MILLION people, we can't find one person qualified to lead this important Department? Was Janet  Napolitano so qualified that there is no one as good to fill her shoes? Are we to believe that President Obama is focusing on the security of our homeland so much, that he decided to run the department himself?

I guess he can, since the White House is presently shuttered, along with the parks, ports and so many other venues, that he has time on his hands. Or maybe, he is really James Bond reincarnate. And since he thinks a big fan of his, Carly Simon, sings to him, he really believes Nobody Does It Better.

So, since there is no Secretary, if we are attacked, who will he blame for that? Malia? Bo, the dog? Because we know he likes to kick the dog when the dog is down. Or maybe, his old stand-by whipping boy, George Bush, because he created the department in the first place.

And since the Congressional Committees in both the House and the Senate that oversee this department haven't asked where the nomination of the next Secretary is, since there is no sense of Congressional urgency, the President has decided their is no urgency needed on his part either. Golf, anyone?

So, sit back, folks. All is well. No need to fill this apparently unnecessary position because it's all going so smoothly, right? So, the United States gets to save $200,000 in salary, and we can use the savings to offset the deficit and bring down the debt. Yeah, that's it!

In the end, President Obama has shown us that if we go along to get along, and rolls the dice on not being attacked, maybe daddy will get that new pair of shoes. He has presided this way since January 20, 2009 and no one has held his feet to the fire and apparently won't now.

And, I guess, the Department of Homeland Security will continue to operate rudderless and drift along until something bad happens. Because no one could do the great job Napolitano did.

And if you believe this, I have a memorial or two you can go visit.