Comments on: Homeland insecurity: Who’s guarding our national landmarks?

By: blues

blues — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 01:41:42 +0000

LarryD:as I said in my previous comment’ Iwas in favor of term limits ,but no longer.You make goods arguments for term limits(the same ones I used to make).Would I repeal the 22nd Amendment?No,term limits for the office of POTUS I believe are reasonable and probably necessary.For the Senate and Congress,however,I think the people need to take the initiative and not keep electing career politicians.Everyone complains about bad gov’t.,but they keep electing the same people.I live in a congressional district that is represented by one of the most corrupt pork-hogs in Congress,but I don’t think it should be left up to gov’t to kick him out,it is up to the honest voters,the vast majority of whom get nothing,while his hometown cronies rake in millions.It is time for the voters to decide that they will not accept do-nothing representatives and pork-hogs,even if they lose some federal monies.More often than not ,the people get no benefit from the pork anyway.That is why the voters need to get informed,and start doing the right thing by voting them all out.
If you limit congress to two or three terms(mandatorally),in their last term in office,the reps.are going to do less than they do now,except pick one of their cronies to take their place,and the beat goes on.No,I don’t believe anyone should be in office more than two terms,but it is up to the electorate to take responsibility for who we are putting in office and,for how long.
Yes,I know I’m being idealistic,but I don’t believe it would take very long for the politicians to get the message,if they saw two cycles of no incumbents.The electorate must take back its power,because none of the bums we have in congress and the Senate will ever vote themselves out by passing term limits.
Good dicussion though,Larry.And I’m sorry I went on so long,everyone,I’m not generally so verbose.

By: Alphonse

Alphonse — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:49:29 +0000

The Security Guard song:

Lucky, lucky, lucky me,
I’m a lucky son of a gun.
I sleep 8 hours,
I sleep 8 hours,
I leave 8 hours for fun.

Most private security guards make between 30-50% of a living wage, so 3-4 hours of work in 8 is about right.

By: countrybumpkin

countrybumpkin — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 18:37:31 +0000

Let’s see, aren’t their a couple of Border Patrol guys in jail for trying to do their jobs?

Maybe these guys just caught on to the way the system works.

By: GaijinBob

GaijinBob — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 18:30:24 +0000

UberInfidel67 said:

Now now people, this isn’t important! Remember, having a national identity and taking pride in our US monuments is BOUND to be oppressing someone somewhere. We should just demolish them all and pretend our great nation never existed...

Easy there, Uber. This wasn't some bunch of America-hating unwashed leftie hippie flag-burners. It was a pro-divorced fathers' rights group trying to get attention for a worthy cause. Inconsiderate, rude, and unlawful maybe, but far from treasonous. Maybe the guards were sympathetic supporters of their message?

By: DBNinKY

DBNinKY — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:41:19 +0000

While I understand that the differences in domain purview and division of responsibility between the DC police and Park Service exist to provide each certain legal protections and standing, would it have hurt for DC’s police to have intervened in this situation as a matter of public safety?

Supposing one of those protesters had fallen and seriously injured himself – could DC have withstood that kind of lawsuit?

By: jcflindsay

jcflindsay — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 15:09:50 +0000

Who’s guarding our national landmarks? What the heck is wrong with you? Do you want a police state? We the people guard our national landmarks. We do it by being free and moving throughout our nation as free human beings.

Like the soldier says: Freedom isn’t free. And roaming “free human beings” won’t protect a thing. Laissez faire democracy is nothing more than anarchy. And when it plays itself out your “freedom” will eventually be in the hands of a turban or beret-clad oppressor. But, if you play the odds, you’ll probably be safe and die peacefully in your own bed. Leave it for your grandkids to figure out. In the meantime you can continue to entertain yourself with Pollyanna fantasies about the meaning of freedom and liberty. Think with your head not your heart, friend.

By: RedRepub

RedRepub — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:52:28 +0000

I’ve heard that a lot of these guards are former prison inmates….seriously. I heard this during my Senate internship in DC.

By: procopy

procopy — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:43:12 +0000

Thank you, Rusty, for pointing that out.

By: Rusty

Rusty — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:27:36 +0000

Why are people blaming DC? The memorials aren't DC property. The Metro Police Department is not responsible for making sure people don't mess around with the Lincoln Memorial. The Park Service has been in trouble for years now. Here's the most recent WaPo article regarding the story.

By: The Raging Republican

The Raging Republican — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:26:42 +0000

Is everything in Washington a joke?

By: LarryD

LarryD — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:18:32 +0000

Term limits take power away from the electorate,by mandating how long a person can stay in office.I say fire them all,then fire the next batch after one term.

So, do you want to repeal the 22d Amendment? FDR, four terms. Check to see how long some Members of Congress (MoC) have been in office. Congress has passed so many incumbency protection acts that the turn over in the UK House of Lords is higher. At least the House of Lords isn't full of professional politicians. The whole point of having a constitution is to put limits on government. And on the electorate, thru government. The reason for all the pork out of Congress is so they can buy votes, one way or another, and keep themselves in office. Terms Limits attacks the problem structurally, removing the incentive and flushing out the MoC before they get too pork happy.

By: Boomer

Boomer — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:10:19 +0000

This BS makes my blood pressure go even higher after finding out the wife and I finally qualified for the 25% tax rate this year after doing our taxes last night. Woo hoo! She was so disgusted she actually thought about quiting her job. After all when we looked at the tax bill most of her income now goes to fund people that sleep on the job or are too lazy to work, or go to illegal invaders that get handouts from the government.

By: TMoney

TMoney — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 13:08:49 +0000

Okay Marines!
First General order:
To take charge of my post and any government property within sight or hearing.
Am I right – after 35 years away from boot camp? (and no notes)

Obviously these federals did not get professionalized well enough.

And folks who want this “free expression” are fine, but that does not include defamation of property that taxes have bought. If you want to express yourself by whizzing on your car, then do it. But don’t make your statements by applying grafitti to monuments paying homage to our forefathers’ sacrifices.

Common courtesy is evidently becoming more and more uncommon.

By: Chief RZ

Chief RZ — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 12:46:33 +0000

“Just another union job”

By: Barry F.

Barry F. — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 12:41:33 +0000

On February 4th, 2008 at 9:25 pm, gayle said:

Bet that invisible fence will be the newest national monument.

It won’t be guarded.

Gayle, I laughed so hard I almost cried at this, until the stark truth in your statement hit home.