DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

For those of you who thought that this past week's media-enhanced furor over pre 9/11 intelligence lapses was without merit, its time to reevaulate. The rising furor has motivated the Bush Admnistration to do what it should have over six months ago - create a true Department of Homeland Security, with Cabinet-level authority and accountability.

The key unanswered question - will the new agency have the authority to do the critical task that has not been done yet, what Josh Marshall calls the "trench warfare of the DC beauracracy." Here are some questions to ask President Bush after he delivers his prime-time address tonight. Will the new Director be able to appoint and fire the head of the INS or its successor? What steps can the Director take to punish CIA and FBI agents who hoard information? Will the Director have the final word on what information MUST be shared between the State Department, FBI, CIA, INS and FAA? Will the Director have the final word on when and how visas are issued? Without clear answers to these questions, Bush will just be expanding the b-cracy, not streamlining it. Creating such a position will either be the biggest step forward in the domestic war against terror, or simply the largest diversion from its failure.