Let's compare plans: Homeland Security

[Feanorcurufinwe]

JOHN KERRY’S PLAN TO MAKE AMERICA STRONGER AND SAFER

(1) A NATIONAL ‘DEFEND AMERICA’ INITIATIVE. Americans showed on September 11th that they want to contribute to their communities and their country. People waited hours to donate blood or help grieving families. Yet the Bush Administration has asked little of Americans, focusing instead on giving more tax cuts for the wealthy. John Kerry believes winning the war against terrorism will require tapping the best our country has to offer and asking more of Americans. He would start by:

* Enlisting the National Guard in Homeland Security. Homeland security should be a central mission of the National Guard. Guard members should be trained to serve as personnel in the event of an attack, helping evacuate or quarantine people, assisting in medical units; and helping communities set up and execute plans.
* Expanding Americorps to Make Homeland Security a Core Mission. Since 9/11, applications to Americorps have increased by 50 percent and applications to Teach for America have tripled. Unfortunately, the Bush Administration promised to double Americorps and then stood by as Congressional Republicans cut it in half. John Kerry believes that Americorps should be doubled and its mission expanded to include homeland security. Americorps members could be trained to help in emergency medical response, community planning, and other homeland security activities.
* Creating a New Community Defense Service. This service would be comprised of hundreds of thousands of Americans in neighborhoods all over the country. Volunteer Service Captains would receive training and education to assist their communities in the event of an attack Like the Civil Defense Program that existed during World War II, service captains would act as a 21st century Neighborhood Watch. They would be trained to help identify local health professionals and experts in the area, provide information on local evacuation or quarantine plans, and stand ready to be of assistance to first defenders in the hours after an attack -- providing needed manpower to deal with the aftermath.
* Calling on the Private Sector to Help Bring Technological Innovations to the War on Terrorism. During World War II, the U.S. government brought together our greatest thinkers, scientists, academics and policymakers through the Manhattan Project to design new tools for warfare. John Kerry believes we need a similar effort to bring the advances of the 21st century to the War on Terrorism. This should include: gathering the nation’s greatest scientists to develop needed vaccines and antidotes to the biological and chemical scourges (similar to the work that is already being done to protect troops on the battlefield from biological and chemical agents); partnering with the technology community to improve detection technologies and developing and implementing new security systems to prevent tampering with goods in transit.

(2) A NEW ‘FIRST DEFENDERS’ INITIATIVE TO ASSURE LOCAL RESPONDERS ARE EQUIPPED AND READY. Too often law enforcement officers, firefighters and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) are operating in a vacuum, and in many communities, are understaffed. America would not ask our military to go with inadequate staffing or equipment, and the same should hold true for domestic responders. However, again and again, the Bush Administration has turned the other way when it comes to real money for first responders. John Kerry believes first defenders should be a priority now. The First Defenders Program would do just that by:

* Assuring First Defenders Have the Gear To Do Their Jobs Safely and Effectively. Nearly four out of five mayors have reported a funding shortfall for necessary threat detection or emergency preparedness equipment. First defenders often don't have the protective gear or other emergency response equipment to help react in the critical first hours after an attack. The government should immediately fund the backlog of requests for protective gear, assuring that these resources go directly to responders, rather than trickling through the bureaucracy.
* Ending the Cop Crunch. Even before 9/11, many cities were having trouble recruiting police officers as fast as they were losing them. President Bush made this problem even worse by cutting the Federal COPs program. As a result, police officers receive fewer resources to double up on duty, doing their normal responsibilities as well as focusing on homeland security. Americans shouldn't have to face rising crime in their communities to fight the war on terrorism. John Kerry believes we should restore funding to COPS to realize its initial mission of 100,000 new police officers.
* Hiring and Equipping the Nation’s Firefighters. Today, nearly two-thirds of firehouses are understaffed, making it difficult to deal with traditional fires and medical emergencies as well as terrorism. John Kerry believes we need to create a separate fund – after a hero of September 11th, Father Mychal Judge, the chaplain of the New York City Fire Department who died delivering last rites. The Father Judge Fund would be similar to the COPS program, that goes directly to hire up to 100,000 new firefighters and to provide the equipment necessary to assure firefighters are prepared.
* Determining Basic National Standards So Every Metropolitan Area is Prepared. There are currently no common standards for what basic capabilities every major metropolitan area should have to respond to chemical, biological, and other catastrophic terrorist attacks. Kerry believes the Department of Homeland Security should work with representatives of federal, state, county and local governments; representative of health providers and first responders, and rank and file members to develop appropriate standards for preparedness in our cities and provide resources so communities can meet these goals.

(3) BRINGING 21ST CENTURY INFORMATION TECHOLOGY TO THE WAR ON TERROR. Most firefighters and local police don't have the equipment they need to communicate with each other during an attack. For example, firefighters in the World Trade Center did not have radios that worked indoors. Moreover, many local and state law enforcement agencies don't have access to critical information that would help stop terrorists. In fact, some of the terrorists on 9/11 previously had been pulled over by local law enforcement. John Kerry believes local enforcement agencies must have the information they need to fight terrorism. That includes:

* Assuring First-Responders Can Communicate in an Attack. Existing technologies must be made available to firefighters, police officers, and other first responders to communicate in an attack. The nation should also invest in technologies that make this critical communication even easier. We also need to work with the FCC to assure first defenders have access to the best wavelengths so they can communicate in an emergency.
* Sharing Information With Appropriate State and Local Officials. Appropriate state and local authorities should immediately get access to the 58 national terrorist lists and intelligence officials should work to simplify these lists. Then, as recommended by the Hart-Rudnam Commission, a 24-hour operations center should be established in each state to provide a real time intergovernmental link between local and federal law enforcement. Field-level police would contact this center to determine whether to hold or release suspects based on a check of federal databases.
* Cutting Down on False Identification. Four of the five terrorists who crashed an airliner into the Pentagon had false IDs. Attorney General Ashcroft’s solution to address identification challenges has been a wholesale assault on civil liberties. With better technology, we can replace these "big-net" tactics with smarter, more targeted efforts to identify real terrorism suspects. This includes encouraging states to modernize their driver's license and ID systems; strengthening anti-counterfeit safeguards; enabling different state motor vehicle departments to communicate about applicants using false information; and investigating phony identification traffickers.

(4) REFORMING DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE. Many of the examinations of 9/11 have raised serious questions about whether the FBI is the right agency to conduct domestic intelligence collection and analysis given their fundamental mission is to catch and prosecute criminals. The Bush Administration’s proposed terrorist threat integration center, (TTIC) would not be able to do the job, given its dependence on other agencies' analysts, the bureaucratic divide created between people identifying vulnerabilities and individuals charged with eliminating those vulnerabilities, and the numerous people in charge that could complicate efforts to work with the states and local governments on information sharing. John Kerry believes that simplifying the bureaucratic charts makes more sense. America needs an independent intelligence capability that focuses explicitly on domestic intelligence.

(5) A NATIONAL HOMELAND HEALTH INITIATIVE. America’s public health system has risen to important challenges before, conquering typhoid fever, malaria, small pox, polio and other once common diseases. However, it lacks the advances necessary to detect or contain a major outbreak. There are too few medical personnel trained to spot biological attacks, a shortage of sophisticated laboratories to identify the agents and inadequate supplies of drugs and vaccines to counteract the threat. John Kerry believes we must upgrade the public health system by:

* Connecting the Nation’s Public Health Systems with a Real Time Detection System. This initiative would apply the benefits of 21st century modern technology to provide real time reporting of disease outbreaks and track and monitor health trends. Most bioterror illnesses initially look like the flu, and health professionals may not realize a trend. A new real time detection system would pool confidential patient data and pharmacy usage across the country to alert public health officials when disease is on the rise.
* Assuring Health Care Providers Are Prepared to Detect and Respond to an Attack. Today, most doctors and nurses are not adequately trained to detect many biological weapons and hospitals are not prepared to respond to a mass crisis. This initiative would provide training to health providers and assist hospitals and other providers in developing plans for a surge in patients.
* Increasing Research for Diagnostic Tests, Vaccines, and Treatments. When penicilln was discovered, it was found to treat a wide range of illnesses. Later, Cipro treated a wide range of bacterial diseases, including anthrax Terrorist organizations and hostile dictators are trying to create new biological weapons that will kill us fast with designer variations on existing diseases. We need to bring together the best of the public and private sectors to develop broad-spectrum designer antidotes so that our first responders - and our population -- can be protected and treated from the widest possible range of attacks.

(6) DEFENDING OUR SKIES, SEA, AND LAND. Currently, 95% of all non-North American U.S. trade moves by sea, concentrated mostly in a handful of ports. Everyday we import millions of cargo containers, any one of which could contain deadly threats to our people such as a deadly disease secreted in a shipment of foreign fruit – radioactive material hidden in frozen seafood. If an explosive device were loaded in a container and set off in a port, its results could be catastrophic, not just in terms of the immediate loss of human life, but on the impact on global commerce. John Kerry believes improvements must be made, while recognizing that global prosperity and America’s economic power depends on an efficient system. He believes we should:

* Improve Port Security. The Maritime Transportation Act of 2002, which primarily focused on the physical security of ports, is essentially an unfunded mandate, receiving only $200-$300 million extra since 9/11. John Kerry believes we need to develop standards for security at loading facilities for containers and assure facilities can meet basic standards. He also believes America should be researching and developing containers that will be technologically transparent – capable of being inspected instantly by detection and identification equipment. Technology could also improve accuracy and timing for transmitting and sharing data about contents, location, and chain of control involving a container shipment.
* Secure Bridges and Tunnels. Only five major bridges and one tunnel link Ontario to Michigan and New York, and account for 70% of all the trade between the U.S. and Canada. To improve security on this important commerce, John Kerry believes we should accelerate the timetable for the action plans agreed to in the U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico “smart border” accords. America should also work with Canada to implement adequate security measures for cross-border bridges and the Detroit-Windsor tunnel.
* Protect Private Infrastructure. At least 3/4 of the country's major infrastructure is in private hands. However, if even one large facility is hit, with a biological agent or an explosive that releases toxic fumes, thousands – even millions -- could die. The economy could also take a huge hit, as emergency measures were taken to figure out how to prevent a repeat and shut down whole industries for weeks or even months. The Bush Administration says we should leave it to big business to make these security improvements themselves, even though they are unlikely to make real changes. Others might want to mandate protective measures with an expensive one-size-fits-all Federal solution. John Kerry believes should work to develop modest, minimal safety standards for certain kinds of industry and infrastructure, look at requiring private terrorism insurance, and helping owners find economical ways to improved security.
http://www.johnkerry.com/issues/homeland_plan.html

What are the other candidates' plans for Homeland Security?

[killbotfactory]

1. Howard Dean

http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/PageServer?pagename=policy_policy_homelandsecurity

Homeland Security

As former Governor of the State of Vermont, and as a physician, Howard Dean has a unique perspective among the Democratic contenders of what it takes to build effective security of the U.S. homeland from the ground up, while protecting the important civil liberties on which this country was founded. The Dean Homeland Security plan provides for a comprehensive approach to the terrorist threat that will most certainly continue to plague the U.S. in the years ahead. In addition to increased military, intelligence, and police focus on offensive operation against terrorists -- and with increased support and cooperation of our allies -- the Dean Plan is built around three circles of defense:

a circle of preparation and response to ensure that the resources are available immediately at the local and state level to enable first-responders to mitigate the effects of any future attack and cope with the consequences of such an attack without compromising our civil liberties;

a circle of protection to defend our critical infrastructure and borders;

a circle of prevention, in cooperation with Russia and our allies, to reduce the chances that weapons of mass destruction (WMD) will fall into the hands of terrorists or states that mean us harm and to promote the principles of democracy, tolerance, human rights, and equal access for women in societies that have heretofore been breeding grounds for terrorists.

Governor Dean has long advocated reversing President Bush's irresponsible tax cuts to fund more pressing needs of the country, such as universal health care. In addition, Dean would use these funds to establish a Homeland Defense Trust Fund to fund his comprehensive three-circle homeland defense strategy.

America should have been better prepared for the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Bi-partisan reports warning of the imminent threat had been largely ignored. Even now, over a year after September 11, 2001, the Bush Administration is unwilling to take the steps urgently needed to protect the U.S. from terrorist attacks. The Administration has supported massive, deficit-inducing tax cuts and defense increases, but has refused to fund needed increases to meet urgent homeland security needs. The Democrats in Washington have not done much better in preparing our nation to deal with these grave threats. While it was the Democrats who proposed the Department of Homeland Security -- which the Bush Administration reluctantly embraced -- discussion of the reorganization of government departments misses the point: Creating new bureaucracies and more government while not allocating urgently needed additional resources to the mission will not protect our country and its citizens.

In addition, Governor Dean is deeply concerned by Bush Administration policies that threaten our basic civil liberties and the freedoms that we as Americans have fought so hard to protect throughout our history. When these freedoms are compromised in the name of homeland defense and fighting terrorism, it is clear that the terrorists have achieved part of their objective of forcing us to restrict our own freedoms. Governor Dean believes that the rule of law and due process must continue to be the hallmarks of our judicial system. As President, one of Governor Dean's top priorities would be to strike a balance in implementing his comprehensive homeland security plan while simultaneously ensuring protection of our basic civil liberties every step of the way.

The Circle of Preparation and Response

Unlike others seeking the nomination, Governor Dean has actually dealt with these issues at the local and state level, making decisions on allocation of funds and prioritizing various homeland security programs in his state. Dean understands well that effective homeland security begins at the local level where individual citizens, local jurisdictions, police forces, and medical professionals are empowered with the resources and information necessary to protect the homeland.

The problems are clear: State and local authorities and first responders lack communications gear to respond to attacks most effectively, they and hospital workers lack the protective gear to deal with a bio-terrorist attack, the public health system remains ill-prepared, and the National Guard, which could be a major asset, is not equipped, trained, and organized to focus on this task. Our hospitals are unprepared to respond, including the Veterans hospitals that are ready neither for a domestic attack nor for massive casualties from a war in Iraq. Police and fire departments, whose budgets are overtaxed now, need federal help. Dean would use $5 billion of the Homeland Defense Trust Fund to transfer to the states so they could address their most urgent needs, which could include communications equipment and protective gear for first-responders.

A Dean Administration would provide resources, information, and guidance to state and local level governments so that necessary practical preventive steps and preparation for effectively dealing with future attacks can be accomplished at home and in the local community for all Americans. Over a year after September 11th, only a small amount of the resources allocated for the task of building our homeland defense has actually been transferred to the states or spent on actual measures to improve security.

The Circle of Protection

Homeland security means securing our borders and protecting our infrastructure. Except for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), this administration has simply not allocated the funding needed for this urgent task. A number of key bi-partisan studies have clearly stated what needs to be done to bolster security at our borders. The Bush Administration has paid only lip service to the urgency of this threat. While promoting a second deficit-generating tax cut, the Bush Administration is citing the deficit it is creating as reason to deny the Coast Guard the $5 billion needed to increase security of our ports. There are no major increases of funding in the President's 2003 or 2004 budget for building our border and transportation security protections. Instead, billions are going to a regressive tax cut. We must increase protection of our borders and critical infrastructure. We must implement measures with our allies to better inspect container cargo before it enters this country and develop and implement new technology to detect threats before they cross our borders.

A Dean Administration will use the Homeland Defense Trust Fund to ensure adequate funding of the programs needed for a robust circle of protection that stops threats at our borders. New emphasis and focus will be given to research development and to early-to-market applications of cutting-edge detection and identification technologies.

The Circle of Prevention

Homeland Security starts abroad. Governor Dean would increase military, intelligence, and police focus on offensive operations against terrorists operating overseas. With increased support of our allies, Governor Dean would provide a multi-layered defense to deter and defeat such attacks. Hand in hand as an integral piece of our overall national security strategy, homeland security "prevention" efforts abroad would be designed to ensure that no terrorist ever reaches the U.S. homeland and that all terrorists are denied access to any WMD capability.

The danger that weapons of mass destruction or weapons-useable material could wind up in the hands of terrorists or hostile nations and be used against our troops abroad or citizens at home is one of the most serious threats facing our nation. Governor Dean agrees with numerous recommendations that $30 billion is needed over the next 8-10 years to adequately address this threat. Current Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) and related programs with Russia and other former Soviet states have produced impressive results but more must be done. Initial attempts by the Bush Administration to cut these programs failed because of alarm spread by Democrats. Now, the Bush Administration -- at a time when CTR programs should be significantly increased -- is not expected to propose any increases in funding.

In addition, Governor Dean would bolster key elements of our foreign policy and national security mission to assist with our homeland security goals. He believes that any prevention program must include a long-term vision for spreading the principles of democracy, tolerance, human rights, and equal access for women in countries that have become breeding grounds for terrorism. We must also reduce our over-dependence on Middle East oil. Until we develop alternative sources of energy, we will continue to send billions of dollars every year to countries that finance radical educational systems that teach young people to hate Christians, Jews, and Americans. Although these objectives cannot be reached overnight, we must begin to implement an aggressive diplomatic strategy and rational energy policy that will be necessary to achieve success on these fronts.

A Dean Administration would be guided by the notion that CTR and related programs are a more urgent priority than National Missile Defense and would transfer $1 billion per year from the over $8 billion ballistic missile defense budget to CTR and related programs. As President, Howard Dean will increase our intelligence, police, and military special-forces capabilities abroad to thwart and disrupt terrorist operations. A long-term vision to deal with the societal root causes of terrorism, as well as measures to reduce our over-dependence on Middle East oil that currently funds anti-American sentiment in some countries, will be key tenets of a Dean homeland security policy.

http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/PageServer?pagename=policy_statement_foreign_homelandsecurity_oped

Misplaced priorities have left our nation vulnerable
After the horrific attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 awoke America to the danger of terrorism, making Americans more secure should have been our nation's top priority.

Instead, after some initially positive steps, the Bush administration abandoned the war on terror for other misplaced priorities. It chose a domestic agenda of tax cuts for a few wealthy Americans and a foreign policy focused solely on Iraq. Almost two years later, the president has turned the largest budget surplus in history into the largest budget deficit, and much of the work necessary to protect us from the threat posed by terrorists remains undone. As a result, all Americans, at home and abroad, are less secure today - economically, politically and strategically.

The president's focus on passing reckless tax cuts and the resulting budget shortfall have left the United States without the resources to adequately protect against possible terrorist strikes and unprepared to deal with the aftermath of an attack. The critical requirements of our first line of defense - police, firefighters and hospital emergency workers - have become unfunded budget mandates imposed upon local and state governments.

There are no mandatory security standards at the 123 chemical facilities in the United States, any one of which could, if attacked, put up to a million people at risk. Just last week, a Wall Street Journal report confirmed that our airports remain dangerously - and unacceptably - vulnerable. Two years after the CIA failed to tell the FBI about terrorists on their watch list, nine agencies maintain 12 lists of suspected terrorists containing overlapping but not identical data. We still are inspecting only a tiny fraction of the containers that enter the United States by sea, rail or road - any one of which could contain materials to kill millions. And hundreds of tons of Russian nuclear material, chemical agents and biological pathogens remain unsecured. Addressing most of these priorities is a simple matter of resources - yet resources are not available due to today's budget crisis.

Worse, what little the Bush administration has done domestically to try to make us safer, it has done poorly. The creation of the Department of Homeland Security has triggered a bureaucratic turf war, drawing resources and attention away from the real war on terror. The color-coded national threat advisory system has needlessly scared the public and failed to provide any useful information. No one knows what to do when the administration changes the color from yellow to orange. The administration's mistreatment and religious and ethnic profiling of Arabs and Muslims has unnecessarily alienated groups whose assistance we vitally need to win this war.

They don't just go away

On the international front, Osama bin Laden and Taliban leader Mohammed Omar remain at large. Far from being destroyed, terrorist network al-Qaida has dispersed and been reconstituted - with Osama bin Laden reported to have convened a terrorist summit in the Afghan mountains just last April. The Taliban is again on the move, threatening the safety and security of whole swaths of Afghanistan.

North Korea, a known weapons proliferator, is threatening to test a nuclear bomb - the Hermit Kingdom is in such dire financial straits that selling nuclear materials is a chillingly real possibility. Progress in completing the Israel-Palestinian "road map to peace" has come to a full stop, fueling the skepticism toward the United States that much of the Middle East now exhibits. The lack of planning for the stabilization and rebuilding of Iraq has led to a significantly more dangerous situation than existed before the war by creating a magnet for terrorist groups, including al-Qaida, seeking to kill Americans. Furthermore, the way the administration has arrogantly carried out the war in Iraq has alienated the friends and allies whose cooperation is integral to our success in combating terrorism, not only in Iraq, but everywhere around the world.

It is unfortunate that the issue of America's security has ever made its way into the political realm. Bipartisan statesmen and panels of experts who have examined the issue - from Warren Rudman to George Schultz to William Perry - overwhelmingly agree on what needs to be done to respond to the security threats facing our country. This clear consensus should have led to bipartisan agreement, resulting in swift passage of initiatives to make all Americans safer. Instead, lacking the will to abandon their reckless tax cuts to fund these necessary measures, the president and Republicans in Congress have questioned the patriotism of those who have challenged their policies - whether on Iraq, North Korea or other critical issues.

Before it is too late, we must take the steps that most agree will make us truly safer. This will require forcefully challenging terrorism in a united effort with other nations, improving domestic security and enlisting Arab and Muslim countries' support for the war on terror.

We're not in this alone

To win the war on terror, we must be prepared to use the iron fist of our superb military. These efforts must be aggressive and make better use of special-operations forces and CIA operatives. All aspects of U.S. power need to be more effectively employed and coordinated in a joint effort with other nations. To accomplish this, we must stop conducting a foreign policy based on petulance and stop browbeating and berating our friends and allies. Such playground politics only alienates other nations and weakens our national security - with no apparent upside.

In the past, other countries have followed our lead because they respected us. It is vital that we repair these damaged relations and regain the respect of the world. We cannot win the war on terror on our own. We will be more effective and carry less of the burden if others join us in this effort.

To defeat terrorism, we need to work vigorously to defend America at home. We must improve U.S. intelligence and step up counterterrorism collaboration. We need to systematically assess threats and vulnerabilities and fix the greatest gaps in our defenses first - safeguarding chemical facilities against attack, protecting our ports by inspecting more ships, and improving how information is shared across all federal agencies and all levels of government so that everyone can work in tandem to prevent attacks and respond effectively if they occur.

Security begins at home

We must give the nation's first defenders and responders the resources and training they need; improve communication systems; and clarify the appropriate roles for federal, state and local government. We should also make homeland security a core mission of the National Guard. And we must fund homeland security research and development, including safer alternatives to hazardous chemicals, innovative approaches to container security and better controls over nuclear, chemical, biological and radiological materials here and abroad.

We must also enlist support in the Arab and Muslim world. The United States must mount an aggressive campaign to win the hearts and minds of those less fortunate and more susceptible to being won over by terrorists' fraudulent promises.

Too many politicians think in terms of two- or four-year cycles, and we need to fundamentally change the way we approach the task. To do so, we must go beyond superficial statements declaring, "We are not against Islam." We must think and act more broadly to address the real economic and social contradictions that plague Arab and Muslim countries with a long-term plan that encourages economic reform and promotes democracy, tolerance, human rights and equal opportunity for women. We must work with our friends and allies around the world to give the people a reason to hope rather than despair.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

2. So, it seems the specifics of Dean's plan are 3 circles.

And what are the specific proposals?

The Circle of Preparation and Response

Unlike others seeking the nomination, Governor Dean has actually dealt with these issues at the local and state level, making decisions on allocation of funds and prioritizing various homeland security programs in his state. Dean understands well that effective homeland security begins at the local level where individual citizens, local jurisdictions, police forces, and medical professionals are empowered with the resources and information necessary to protect the homeland.

The problems are clear: State and local authorities and first responders lack communications gear to respond to attacks most effectively, they and hospital workers lack the protective gear to deal with a bio-terrorist attack, the public health system remains ill-prepared, and the National Guard, which could be a major asset, is not equipped, trained, and organized to focus on this task. Our hospitals are unprepared to respond, including the Veterans hospitals that are ready neither for a domestic attack nor for massive casualties from a war in Iraq. Police and fire departments, whose budgets are overtaxed now, need federal help. Dean would use $5 billion of the Homeland Defense Trust Fund to transfer to the states so they could address their most urgent needs, which could include communications equipment and protective gear for first-responders.

A Dean Administration would provide resources, information, and guidance to state and local level governments so that necessary practical preventive steps and preparation for effectively dealing with future attacks can be accomplished at home and in the local community for all Americans. Over a year after September 11th, only a small amount of the resources allocated for the task of building our homeland defense has actually been transferred to the states or spent on actual measures to improve security.

Specific proposal: Dean would use $5 billion of the Homeland Defense Trust Fund to transfer to the states.

I guess Dean is hoping the governors have their own plan.

The Circle of Protection

Homeland security means securing our borders and protecting our infrastructure. Except for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), this administration has simply not allocated the funding needed for this urgent task. A number of key bi-partisan studies have clearly stated what needs to be done to bolster security at our borders. The Bush Administration has paid only lip service to the urgency of this threat. While promoting a second deficit-generating tax cut, the Bush Administration is citing the deficit it is creating as reason to deny the Coast Guard the $5 billion needed to increase security of our ports. There are no major increases of funding in the President's 2003 or 2004 budget for building our border and transportation security protections. Instead, billions are going to a regressive tax cut. We must increase protection of our borders and critical infrastructure. We must implement measures with our allies to better inspect container cargo before it enters this country and develop and implement new technology to detect threats before they cross our borders.

A Dean Administration will use the Homeland Defense Trust Fund to ensure adequate funding of the programs needed for a robust circle of protection that stops threats at our borders. New emphasis and focus will be given to research development and to early-to-market applications of cutting-edge detection and identification technologies.

Specific proposal: I must've missed it. Anyone?

The Circle of Prevention

Homeland Security starts abroad. Governor Dean would increase military, intelligence, and police focus on offensive operations against terrorists operating overseas. With increased support of our allies, Governor Dean would provide a multi-layered defense to deter and defeat such attacks. Hand in hand as an integral piece of our overall national security strategy, homeland security "prevention" efforts abroad would be designed to ensure that no terrorist ever reaches the U.S. homeland and that all terrorists are denied access to any WMD capability.

The danger that weapons of mass destruction or weapons-useable material could wind up in the hands of terrorists or hostile nations and be used against our troops abroad or citizens at home is one of the most serious threats facing our nation. Governor Dean agrees with numerous recommendations that $30 billion is needed over the next 8-10 years to adequately address this threat. Current Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) and related programs with Russia and other former Soviet states have produced impressive results but more must be done. Initial attempts by the Bush Administration to cut these programs failed because of alarm spread by Democrats. Now, the Bush Administration -- at a time when CTR programs should be significantly increased -- is not expected to propose any increases in funding.

In addition, Governor Dean would bolster key elements of our foreign policy and national security mission to assist with our homeland security goals. He believes that any prevention program must include a long-term vision for spreading the principles of democracy, tolerance, human rights, and equal access for women in countries that have become breeding grounds for terrorism. We must also reduce our over-dependence on Middle East oil. Until we develop alternative sources of energy, we will continue to send billions of dollars every year to countries that finance radical educational systems that teach young people to hate Christians, Jews, and Americans. Although these objectives cannot be reached overnight, we must begin to implement an aggressive diplomatic strategy and rational energy policy that will be necessary to achieve success on these fronts.

A Dean Administration would be guided by the notion that CTR and related programs are a more urgent priority than National Missile Defense and would transfer $1 billion per year from the over $8 billion ballistic missile defense budget to CTR and related programs. As President, Howard Dean will increase our intelligence, police, and military special-forces capabilities abroad to thwart and disrupt terrorist operations. A long-term vision to deal with the societal root causes of terrorism, as well as measures to reduce our over-dependence on Middle East oil that currently funds anti-American sentiment in some countries, will be key tenets of a Dean homeland security policy.

This is all about foreign policy, not homeland security.


http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/PageServer?pagename=policy_statement_foreign_homelandsecurity_oped


This looks more like a three-ring circus than a set of specific policy proposals.

[killbotfactory]

7. This part is about homeland security

Worse, what little the Bush administration has done domestically to try to make us safer, it has done poorly. The creation of the Department of Homeland Security has triggered a bureaucratic turf war, drawing resources and attention away from the real war on terror. The color-coded national threat advisory system has needlessly scared the public and failed to provide any useful information. No one knows what to do when the administration changes the color from yellow to orange. The administration's mistreatment and religious and ethnic profiling of Arabs and Muslims has unnecessarily alienated groups whose assistance we vitally need to win this war.

They don't just go away

...

We must give the nation's first defenders and responders the resources and training they need; improve communication systems; and clarify the appropriate roles for federal, state and local government. We should also make homeland security a core mission of the National Guard. And we must fund homeland security research and development, including safer alternatives to hazardous chemicals, innovative approaches to container security and better controls over nuclear, chemical, biological and radiological materials here and abroad.

We must also enlist support in the Arab and Muslim world. The United States must mount an aggressive campaign to win the hearts and minds of those less fortunate and more susceptible to being won over by terrorists' fraudulent promises.

Too many politicians think in terms of two- or four-year cycles, and we need to fundamentally change the way we approach the task. To do so, we must go beyond superficial statements declaring, "We are not against Islam." We must think and act more broadly to address the real economic and social contradictions that plague Arab and Muslim countries with a long-term plan that encourages economic reform and promotes democracy, tolerance, human rights and equal opportunity for women. We must work with our friends and allies around the world to give the people a reason to hope rather than despair.

I think Kerry is more specific about his plans because he's been a senator for so long, and making plans is pretty much his job, while Dean is used to setting goals and letting the legislature work out the details. But that's just a guess.

[Tinoire]

3. Dennis Kucinich on Homeland Security

$550B defense budget implies more taxes
make the connection between the rising deficit and the war in Iraq. Because unless we commit ourselves to get out of Iraq-get the UN in and get the US out-we're going to see rising deficits. Are we going to have tax cuts for the wealthy and then ask people later on to increase their taxes? Are we going to have the Pentagon budget go to $550 billion within eight years and ask the people to pay more taxes? I think we have to reorder our priorities. It begins with getting out of Iraq.
Source: Debate at Pace University in Lower Manhattan Sep 25, 2003

Cut defense budget by 15%, even if unpopular
Q: As president, what would be the least popular, most right thing you would do?
KUCINICH: I would move to cut the Pentagon budget by 15%, which would in no way affect adversely our national defense, and put the money into child care. And I would move to create a Department of Peace which would seek to make nonviolence an organizing principle in our society and to work with the nations of the world to make war itself archaic.
Source: Debate at Pace University in Lower Manhattan Sep 25, 2003

End the ban on gays in military
End the ban on openly gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals serving in the US armed forces.
Source: Campaign website, www.Kucinich.us, "On The Issues" Aug 1, 2003

Terminating ABM treaty was unconstitutional
Kucinich filed a lawsuit in federal district court to block the President from withdrawing from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty of 1972. The President's termination of the ABM Treaty represents an unconstitutional repeal of a law duly enacted by Congress.
Source: Campaign website, www.Kucinich.us, "On The Issues" Aug 1, 2003

Violence and war are not inevitable
Violence is not inevitable. War is not inevitable. Nonviolence and peace are inevitable. We can make of this world a gift of peace which will confirm the presence of universal spirit in our lives. We can send into the future the gift which will protect our children from fear, from harm, from destruction.
Source: Campaign website, www.Kucinich.us, "On The Issues" Aug 1, 2003

Confront the bloat and waste in Pentagon budget
The US military is the strongest in the world by far, and will remain so. But Democrats cannot lead the nation without being strong enough to confront the bloat and waste in the Pentagon budget. Our military budget is almost as big as that of all other countries combined. I don't agree with other Democrats that we can continue to increase military spending, and still deliver on our domestic agenda for middle class and working Americans. We can't. That's voodoo budgeting.
Source: Campaign website, www.Kucinich.us, "On The Issues" Aug 1, 2003

Hometown Security: social spending instead of military
I plan to make a major issue of hometown security -- healthcare, jobs and education for all -- and misspent Pentagon dollars, even as other Democratic candidates join President Bush in pressing for still more exorbitant military budgets.
Source: Campaign website, www.Kucinich.us, "On The Issues" Aug 1, 2003

Abide by Non-Proliferation, ABM, and Test Ban Treaties
We must abide by the principles of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, stop the development of new nuclear weapons, take all nuclear weapons systems off alert, and persist towards total, worldwide elimination of all nuclear weapons. Our nation must revive the Anti Ballistic Missile treaty, sign and enforce the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, abandon plans to build a so-called missile shield, and prohibit the introduction of weapons into outer space.
Source: Campaign website, www.Kucinich.us, "On The Issues" Aug 1, 2003

Bush's foreign policy of preemption is destabilizing
KUCINICH : You and Dick Gephardt were two of the biggest supporters of President Bush's war against Iraq. You both endorsed his proposal for unilateral first strike. The president's ever-changing reasons for going to war have not been justified by the evidence. Now how can we as Democrats win this election if we simply rubber stamp this president's destabilizing foreign policy of preemption, and nuclear first-strike, without offering a serious alternative?
LIEBERMAN: I'd say how can we win this election if we send a message of weakness on defense and security after September 11, 2001? Protecting the American people's security, giving them a sense of safety, making sure people in this country are not worried when their loved ones go out to the mall, or take a train, go to a movie theater--that is the first goal of our government, and that means being strong on defense and homeland security.
Source: Democratic Debate in Columbia SC May 3, 2003

Voted NO on $266 billion Defense Appropriations bill.
Vote to pass a bill appropriating $266 billion in defense spending for FY 2000. Among other provisions the bill would allot $1.2 billion for research and development for next-generation tactical aircraft, yet would not include $1.8 billion in procurement funds for the new F-22 Raptor combat aircraft. The bill would also fund a 4.8 percent pay increase for military personnel. The bill would also allot $93.7 billion for operations and maintenance to be used to maintain military properties and spare parts that have been reduced due to overseas military combat missions.
Reference: Bill introduced by Lewis, R-CA; Bill HR 2561 ; vote number 1999-334 on Jul 22, 1999

Voted NO on deploying SDI.
Vote to declare it to be the policy of the United States to deploy a national missile defense.
Reference: Bill introduced by Weldon, R-PA; Bill HR 4 ; vote number 1999-4 on Mar 18, 1999

Take US nuclear missiles off high alert.
Kucinich sponsored the MX Missile Stand-Down Act:
Title: To take the 50 Peacekeeper (MX) missiles off of high-alert status.
· Requires the Secretary of Defense, during FY 2002, to remove the warheads from the 50 Peacekeeper (MX) intercontinental ballistic missiles.
· Urges the Secretary to take measures to lengthen the time for launch of U.S. nuclear weapons while remaining consistent with national security.
· Requires an annual report from the Secretary on the inventory of Russian nuclear forces, their alert status, and the condition of Russian early-warning systems.
Source: House Resolution Sponsorship 01-HR2718 on Aug 2, 2001

End the use of anti-personnel mines.
Kucinich sponsored the Landmine Elimination and Victim Assistance Act:
Expresses the sense of Congress that:
1. the Department of Defense should field currently available weapons and other technologies, and use tactics and operational concepts, that provide suitable alternatives to anti-personnel mines and mixed anti-tank mine systems; and
2. the United States should end its use of such mines and join the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction.
3. Amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1993 to make permanent (currently terminates on October 23, 2003) the prohibition on the transfer of anti-personnel landmines.
4. Directs the President to establish an interagency working group to develop a comprehensive plan for expanded mine action programs, including victim rehabilitation, social support, and economic reintegration.
Source: House Resolution Sponsorship 01-HR948 on Mar 8, 2001

http://ontheissues.org/2004/Dennis_Kucinich_Homeland_Security.htm

For more please see: Dennis Kucinich: Bio, Issues, Vision

[Feanorcurufinwe]

4. Is it my imagination or

is the only thing here about Homeland Security this part:

Hometown Security: social spending instead of military
I plan to make a major issue of hometown security -- healthcare, jobs and education for all -- and misspent Pentagon dollars, even as other Democratic candidates join President Bush in pressing for still more exorbitant military budgets.
Source: Campaign website, www.Kucinich.us, "On The Issues" Aug 1, 2003

Am I missing something?

[sandnsea]

5. No security here

This is where I disconnect from Kucinich. There isn't anything specifically wrong with any of this, but it isn't a security plan. It also isn't a plan to deal with terrorism, here or abroad. And it isn't a plan to deal with weapons proliferation by other countries. We should look at our own contribution to the tensions in the world. But we can't pretend other countries aren't making similar, and many times worse, contributions as well. We've got to confront both.

[genius]

8. Dennis's plan makes me feel secure because it will change our focus

People create whatver they focus upon. Dennis seems to be the most enlightened of the candidates.

[DemDogs]

6. Edwards - on judiciary and intelligence

He has had a lot to say about this and a lot of proposals.

The biggest proposal is the most important, which is to take the domestic intelligence activity away from the FBI. He would have a new domestic intelligence agency, with civil rights and civil liberties oversight, that wasn't looking for criminals. It would be looking to infiltrate the terrorist organizations. It would understand the importance of the memorandums that the FBI ignored. It would have kept track of the people who attended the Manila Al Qaeda meeting and not let them just walk off a plane in San Diego.
The only way to win this fight is to win at the intelligence level or agree among ourselves that some level of casualties is okay. He is the ONLY candidate with this proposal, a proposal that really has the FBO mad at him according to news reporters last spring.

His proposal for a development of a warning system that alerts people that there has been an attack or a threat of imminent attack in an area, even if the attack happens in the middle of the night was adopted.

He proposes an increase in protection for the most vulnerable targets like nuclear plants and chemical plants particularly located near population centers.

He raises the number of inspectors so that our ports are less porous. Only 4% of those huge containers get inspected.

He has targeted grants for communications equipment and response equipment for localities and more advanced technology for mass transportation screening.

He enlarges community watch programs to teach communities how to respond to likely means of terrorist attacks.

His website describes it better:
A New Homeland Intelligence Agency
Edwards will establish a new Homeland Intelligence Agency focused entirely on intelligence gathering and analysis.


The new agency will:

Contain all foreign intelligence operatives working in the United States.


Protect the rights of all Americans with new judicial review requirements, new public reporting requirements, and a new office of individual liberties.

A Safe and Free America
Edwards has strongly opposed measures by Attorney General John Ashcroft that undermine our civil liberties without increasing our security.

Edwards has vocally criticized the administration policy which allows the indefinite detention of a United States citizen arrested on United States soil as an “enemy combatant” without access to a lawyer or a day in court.

Help for Front Line Officers
Police on the front lines need better warning information, more security clearances, and better access to newly combined federal watch lists.

Under Edwards’ Anti-Terrorism Intelligence Distribution Act, first responders in different regions of every state will be carefully chosen to receive classified information on terrorist threats.

More Secure State IDs
Because 7 of the 19 hijackers on September 11th had fake IDs, Edwards has called for stronger basic standards for state-issued IDs. He will give states money to help do the job.


Tighten Our Border Security

Borders
Edwards supports substantial increases in the ranks of the INS, Border Patrol, and consular officials. These officials will be specifically dedicated to fighting terrorism.

Seaports
Edwards has called for the use of more sophisticated screening technology at our ports.

Edwards will accelerate the move to an “EZ-Pass System,” so that shippers that improve their security will move through ports more quickly.

Protect The Most Vulnerable Targets

Chemical Plants
At 123 chemical plants, a terrorist attack could kill or injure more than 1 million people. Security at many of these plants remains weak.

Edwards has fought on the Senate floor for tough new safety standards at chemical plants vulnerable to terrorist attacks. These efforts have been opposed by the chemical industry.

Skyscrapers and Arenas
Today, many tall buildings and arenas lack state-of-the-art security and blast-resistant materials. Edwards introduced the Building Security Act to support research into improved safety standards, building construction, and building security
methods. The bill also establishes a new task force to develop improvements in a private security industry that is too often inadequately trained, screened, and supervised.

Cybersecurity
Edwards introduced the National Cyber Security Leadership Act to make the government's computer systems less vulnerable to attack.

While today only a few federal agencies follow best practices for securing their computers against cyber attack, this Act requires all federal agencies to adopt those practices.

Improve Domestic Readiness

First Responders
Edwards introduced legislation to provide $50 billion for cash-strapped states and local governments. Included in the funding was a $10 billion infusion for homeland security to be split between states and major cities. Then funds could be used to hire, retain, and equip police officers, firefighters and EMTs.

Homeland Security Scholarships
Edwards introduced legislation to offer college scholarships to students who commit to serving in shortage homeland security professions for at least five years after graduation.

Improved Emergency Warnings
The color-coded warning system is often more confusing than helpful and does not reach all Americans in the event of a nighttime attack. Senator Edwards’ Emergency Warning Act requires the provision of better, faster and more practical information using all available technologies, including traditional telephones, cell phones, and pagers.

Getting Americans Involved
Edwards will support communities that encourage every citizen to serve — for example, for a weekend each year.

He has also proposed supporting neighborhood watches and enabling them to better address homeland security concerns. Edwards has introduced legislation to encourage the creation of thousands of neighborhood watch groups by 2007.
<http://www.johnedwards2004.com/security.asp>

[Feanorcurufinwe]

9. Does Clark have a Homeland Security plan?