Ed Kalski got it all wrong in his letter, which appeared (in the March 17 issue of the Marietta Daily Journal) – it’s Republicans we can’t trust on security.

All Democrats believe in effective homeland security. Thing is, Democrats believe that effective homeland security includes having the will and capability to respond quickly to natural disasters like Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, as well as terrorist attacks. 

Moreover, most Democrats believe that when our nation comes under attack as it did on 9-11, that we should spare no effort to go after the people who are actually responsible – we should not waste lives and resources invading a country that had no involvement. Democrats also believe that effective homeland security involves securing reliable sources of energy that will ensure that we no longer have to depend on the Saudi Arabias and Venezuelas of the world for our energy supplies.

Democrats believe that effective homeland security includes protecting ourselves against poisoning by industrial polluters as well as by chemical or biological terrorists. Democrats believe that effective homeland security includes maintaining a strong system of public education so that children can build a brighter future for themselves and a more secure economic future for our nation. Democrats also believe that effective homeland security depends on keeping well-paying jobs at home – not offshoring those jobs to nations that don’t share our values or respect for working people.

Above all, Democrats believe that effective homeland security requires honest, open government. After all, didn’t we fight for our independence from Great Britain because we wanted to govern ourselves, rather than have our futures decided in secret meetings held behind closed doors thousands of miles away? Democrats agree with the Revolutionary War-era character who supposedly said: “Why should I trade one tyrant 3,000 miles away for 3,000 tyrants one mile away?”

Oh, and Democrats definitely do not believe that strong security involves turning over the management of our ports to foreign nations.

Personally, I think Senator Feingold jumped the gun on the whole censure thing. But I’ll still match Democrats’ ideas of homeland security up against those of the Republicans (including the ones who like to call themselves libertarians) any day of the week. 

In closing, Kalski and other Republican apologists also need to stop using the “well-a-Democrat-did-it-once” defense. It wasn’t right then, and it ain’t right now – and as the old cliché goes: “Two wrongs don’t make a right.”

[Ed Note: This was published in the Marietta Daily Journal on March 17.]

Contact G. W. Hall (Chair, Cobb County Democratic Committee)