Chertoff: States Foot Transit Safety Bill

[maddezmom]

WASHINGTON - The federal government can provide only limited help to states and local governments to protect transit systems from terror attacks, and local officials must be largely responsible for the costs of improved subway, train and bus security, Homeland

One week after the bombings on London's subway and bus systems, Chertoff said the U.S. government is bound to financially support the security of the nation's commercial airlines in part because the aviation system is almost exclusively a federal responsibility.

By contrast, he said, U.S. mass transit systems are largely owned and operated by state and local authorities. He also said the federal government must focus on attacks that could produce the most casualties.

"The truth of the matter is, a fully loaded airplane with jet fuel, a commercial airliner, has the capacity to kill 3,000 people," Chertoff told Associated Press reporters and editors. "A bomb in a subway car may kill 30 people. When you start to think about your priorities, you're going to think about making sure you don't have a catastrophic thing first."

more:http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050714/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/chertoff_terror_4

Chuck Schumer on CSPAN2 now kicking his butt and demanding an apology for his comments.

[Lindsay]

1. I liked Schumer's comment that when Chertoff was being

interviewed about the HS post, he said nothing of the kind of comments he made today.

Good old Repug bait and switch in action...again.

[BattyDem]

2. mass transit = big cities

big cities = blue cities

Could that be true? Are most big cities in the US blue? You have to admit, it WOULD explain why they won't get one stinkin' dime!

[Zorra]

3. More proof that the Bu*h administration has lost touch with reality. n/t

[cosmicdot]

4. perhaps an indirect way of passing the buck

in more ways than the obvious?

i.e., to defer accountability and responsibility away from Bu$hco should 'something' happen?

their madness seems to often have win-win characteristics