What was your first thought when Bush announced The Department of Homeland Security?

True- but we never had the PATRIOT Act, the colour coded threat thing. We didn't have x-ray scanners at airports and Port Authority used to have trash cans. As far as I know that (and other security measures) are relatively new.

 

And the "Patriot" Act was already written before 911 and ready to go at just the right time.

 

The bill was written, passed, and signed October 2001 and effective Febuary. If you're suggesting a conspiracy- forgive me if I misread you- then I think writing the bill that would be passed almost unamiously would be the least of the conspirator's concerns.

 

Can anyone find the thread we must have had back at the end of 2001 about the Patriot Act and/or the Department of Homeland Security? I searched, but I can't find it. I remember my impression -- we were going to go overboard in curtailing civil liberties to combat terrorism (I think it isn't as bad as I feared it'd be, actually) -- but I'd like to read whatever I might have written.

 

Of course. You always have interest groups who would like to see certain legislation passed and they'll do all the legwork of crafting the langauge and whatnot to make it easy for legislators to do what they want. Then they have to work to build the votes to pass it. 9/11 made that argument very easy to win.

 

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2011/12/ron-paul-%E2%80%9Cthe-patriot-act-was-written-many-many-years-before-911-and-the-attacks-simply-provided-opportunity-for-some-people-to-do-what-they-wanted-to-do%E2%80%9D.html