What Should DHS Focus On Over the Next 4 Years?

[nerdgirl 0]

Congress has asked the Department of Homeland Security to conduct a quadrennial homeland security review (QHSR). Congress also mandates a 4-year of the Defense Department, since 1996. “QHSR” … just doesn’t flow as well as “QDR,” imo.

As part of the QHSR, DHS is holding

“3 week-long, web-based dialogues. Each dialogue will build on the previous one, allowing participants to view and comment directly on proposed elements of the review before they are made final. Your invaluable participation will directly inform the work of the DHS study groups [DoD has similar study groups – nerdgirl] conducting the QHSR—and ultimately, our Homeland Security policies and priorities over the next four years.”

The first begins 3 August.

“What goals and priorities do you think should inform our nation’s Homeland Security policies for the next four years?”

Some potential candidates:
Preventing conventional terrorism
Preventing WMD terrorism
Preventing cyberterrorism
Illegal immigration
Legal immigration, e.g., H1B visa quotas (e.g., skilled workers)
Natural disaster preparedness – hurricanes, tornados, and/or H1N1 (“swine”) flu.


What do you think of the idea of having public dialogues? Good for participatory democracy, recognizing that the US is technically a democratic-republic? Waste of time? It’s certainly novel.

Btw: to not be left out, the State Department and USAID are conducting a “Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review” (QDDR).

The proliferation of quadrennial reviews themselves may create some ‘interesting’ situations: e.g., if DoD identifies China as strategic conventional adversary of most concern (Asian peer competitor), if State indentifies China as a strategic partner, and DHS is concerned about cyber attacks launched from China.

/Marg

Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters.
Tibetan Buddhist saying

[quade 4]

My opinion? They should work on on their own dissolution.

I think they're redundant.

Look at every "potential candidate" issue you've listed and there's already another part of the government responsible for it.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[ryoder 1,590]

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My opinion? They should work on on their own dissolution.

I think they're redundant.

Look at every "potential candidate" issue you've listed and there's already another part of the government responsible for it.

I'll second that motion!

And the same goes for BATFE:
A & T -> FDA
F & E -> FBI

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[akarunway 1]

DHS/TSA. Take me off the no fly list.

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[TomAiello 26]

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My opinion? They should work on on their own dissolution.

Absolutely agree.

-- Tom Aiello

Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[Gawain 0]

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What Should DHS Focus On Over the Next 4 Years?

If I were in charge, they should be concentrating on packing their offices and awaiting reassignment as it would be dissolved.

But, I guess we'll have to wait until I get elected to that office....

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Preventing conventional terrorism -- Domestic: FBI International: CIA
Preventing WMD terrorism -- Domestic: FBI International: CIA
Preventing cyberterrorism -- Domestic: FBI International: CIA Ubiquitous: USAF
Illegal immigration -- Domestic: ICE, INS International: DoS, Private Enterprise, CIA
Legal immigration, e.g., H1B visa quotas (e.g., skilled workers) -- CIS
Natural disaster preparedness – hurricanes, tornados, and/or H1N1 (“swine”) flu. -- FEMA, CDC

We already have purpose driven agencies that can tackle these tasks. They're burdened down with massive bureaucracies that serve no purpose other than to kill trees with paperwork.

The government fumbled so marvelously with "cash for clunkers"...short sighted, short funded, and is a false "working solution". Of course people flocked to it, giving away money draws attention...

Meanwhile, complex organizations like DHS are spread with fingers in agencies that do not need another layer of overhead...

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[nerdgirl 0]

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Natural disaster preparedness – hurricanes, tornados, and/or H1N1 (“swine”) flu. -- FEMA, CDC

Don't forget the DoD w/r/t H1N1. Funding influenza vaccine and therapeutic research and response capabilities. The latter back to at least fall 2006.

/Marg

Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters.
Tibetan Buddhist saying

[kallend 2,150]

1. I agree with all those who said that DHS is redundant. However, the probability that it will self-destruct is negligible, so:

2. It should focus on identifying and prioritizing the real threats, rather than taking cosmetic actions on perceived threats. Example - the TFR restrictions on flying a model airplane or a hang glider or making a skydive 29.9 miles from wherever the President happens to be are just plain stupid. Something like 6,000 TFR violations have been recorded, and ALL of them have been inadvertant. Not one real threat has been identified.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[lawrocket 3]

This goes not just for the DHS for for all agencies:

Perhaps they should devote a substantial amount of time doing its duties and what it should be already be doing before it figures out what to do next.

Problem - we don't know what the DHS is doing now, how well it is doing it, and why it is doing it. Before moving forward we've gotta assess where we are.

Involvement of the public is a nice idea - let them feel nice and give them a sense of efficacy. But it's similar to involving a layman in deciding future strategy in Afghanistan. Why the hell would we bring in people who don't know what the present situation is?

My wife is hotter than your wife.