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| Remembering 9-11
Today, most of us don’t have to think twice to remember where we were when we learned of the planes crashing into the two towers. We talk about it with our families and friends as we think back to the day. We attend candlelight vigils and remembrance ceremonies across the nation to make it a priority to honor those that lost their lives or their loved ones at the hands of senseless terrorists. What we too often forget, however, is that sense of sheer vulnerability we felt at that time, as we realized amidst the news reels of smoke, fire, and thick ash, the reality of the threat of terrorism to America. In our nation, we have systems in place whose goals are to reduce our vulnerability to terrorism. Our agencies and law enforcement officers are equipped to gather data and share intelligence information from government agencies and departments. They are trained to break down terrorist networks and make it a priority to protect our country and ensure that American families are safe. In the days and months after September 11, we were quick to praise those systems and those who worked within them – we applauded their heroic efforts, we admired their courage, we respected their tireless work in protecting us from additional attack. The systems provided a sense of comfort to us as Americans – we had something we could rely upon to protect us from that vulnerability. Now, eight years later, the memories and feelings of vulnerability have begun to fade. The thoughts we shared, wondering when and where the next attack would come, have gradually been eased away by the comfort of the security we have been fortunate to enjoy. We see a much different picture than we did just days, weeks, and months after 9-11. Yet, just a few weeks ago, the Washington Post reported on the crumbling morale at the Central Intelligence Agency, which was described by a former high ranking CIA official as “down to minus 50.” The decline, the report stated, is associated with a string of investigations over intelligence and espionage efforts that resulted from the attacks in 2001. The public airing of the investigations has created a cloud of controversy over the men and women who choose to serve as intelligence officers, and while many officials continue to serve, there are a number that have sought to leave the field and find new positions. Some worry that the flurry of negative exposure will act as a deterrent from skilled individuals entering the field. Just a few weeks before that report, we learned that photos were covertly taken of undercover intelligence officials, sometimes at their private homes, in an effort led by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. The photos identifying the undercover CIA officers were purportedly shared with suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay. Earlier this year, the Administration issued a directive to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, opening the potential for known terrorists to be moved from Guantanamo Bay right here to our own communities in America. And for the first time in years, we are seeing an Administration that is content with our federal budget driving our defense and national security strategy, rather than our defense and national security strategy driving our budget priorities. While our security, defense and law enforcement agencies are not perfect, they are in place to keep us safe. Abuses must be addressed, but unfortunately we have allowed our protectors to become the impetuous target of repetitive investigations driven by political motivations. Where our nation once hailed their security efforts as brave and necessary, we have allowed systemic cracks in the morale of these critical defenses. We would be foolish, though, to continue tearing down the very systems that are securing our nation and protecting us from future losses as a nation. How quickly we forget the vulnerability we felt on that day. On the eighth anniversary of September 11, as you think back to the day and the hour that you heard the news, as you watch tributes to those who risked their lives, as you attend remembrance ceremonies in your communities, remember those who commit to keeping us safe today. Remember the men and women that are on the front lines and working behind the scenes to continue to defend America and to keep us safe. Yesterday evening I listened to the President address a Joint Session of Congress on the issue of healthcare reform where he made a lot of statements about a healthcare plan. The question is – where is the plan? Is the plan H.R. 3200? Is it a bill coming out of another Committee in Congress? Or is it a new bill altogether? The problem most Americans have is the huge disconnect between the rhetoric they hear and the legislation they read. Americans are ready to see a plan that makes healthcare accessible and affordable. They want a plan that creates competition for insurance companies, and they want to know why consumers shouldn’t be able to get health insurance the same way that they get car insurance across the nation. Americans are ready to cut waste and abuse in our current healthcare system. They are ready for a healthcare plan that protects their individual freedom to do what they believe is right for their families. And, Americans know that we need a true bipartisan effort to achieve this. |
Where Were You on 9-11?
Be In The Know About Health Care and Your Family
Resources for Small Businesses Online
Other News Sep 4, 2009 Sep 1, 2009 Sep 1, 2009 |
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This week, I stood in Statuary Hall among a sea of other legislators in a ceremony to remember the events of September 11, 2001. As I stood in the great hall shoulder to shoulder with Republicans and Democrats, I was reminded of the myriad of emotions that were flooding the nation as a result of that day. We were angry, confused, and grief-stricken. We experienced sadness of a new kind. We felt unity among friends and foes alike. The attacks birthed a new sense of patriotism in America. We hung flags on our cars and in our windows, we took time to converse with our neighbors, and we felt a sense of commonality with strangers at the grocery store.
Over the past several weeks, Americans have raised their voices to make it clear that they do not want a government takeover of healthcare, a theme that has become rampant in Washington. Americans don’t want the government to control their banks, their automobile industry, or their healthcare. They don’t want “co-ops” or “triggers.” They don’t want more healthcare rhetoric. They want healthcare solutions and, more importantly, they want specifics.
