To the Point

The State of Homeland Security

In the aftermath of September 11, President Bush created the Department of Homeland Security, the biggest government reorganization in 50 years. Now, as the President spends tens of billions of dollars on the war on Iraq in the name of -national security;- major Washington think-tanks say the United States itself is -dangerously unprepared- and -more vulnerable than it should be.- Nuclear power stations, chemical plants and train cars loaded with toxic chemicals are not sufficiently guarded, and firefighters still don-t have the technology to communicate with police and other "first responders." We look at the priorities, strategies and resources devoted to homeland security with experts from the Center for American Progress, the Heritage Foundation and the Cato Institute, and a former appointee to the National Commission on Terrorism. Making News: Spirit Rover Stops Sending Data Researchers at NASA reported today they have lost contact with Spirit, the so-called -rover- on Mars. At Pasadena-s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, project manage Pete Theisinger said there was a -very serious anomaly- in communications. Jill Serjeant, who is following the story for Reuters, says the setback should have no affect on Opportunity, the twin rover which is expected to land on opposite side of Mars, Saturday. Reporter's Notebook: The 'Legal Lynching' of Marcus Dixon Marcus Dixon has lost his football scholarship and spent almost a year in jail-acquitted of rape, but found guilty of misdemeanor statutory rape. Even the jurors, who thought the sex was consensual, were -shocked- that the honor student faces 10 years in prison without parole. Norman Arey is reporting the case, which was heard yesterday by the Georgia Supreme Court, for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.