Terror alert raised to "red ass"
Warning: Topical, timely, nationally important post ahead. No drivel contained.

Two posts for the price of one today.

Here we go.

Tom Ridge and his lackeys (or is he a lackey himself?) are a bunch of monkeys.

I hesitate to even approach the hackneyed topic of the America's color-coded terror alerts. Way too much has been written, and way too many jokes have been made to really reach any new conclusions about the ineffectiveness of such a warning campaign.

But, I've had it. They lost me today.

After what could amount to the most dire warning to date about the possiblity of a terror attack, Tom Ridge and the Homeland Security folks said they don't plan at this time to raise the color-coded terror alert level.



Now, if I'm Ridge, I take a hard look at my own color-coded terror alert warning. We're at yellow. What do we need to make it up to orange?

Orange: High Condition
High risk of terrorist attacks. In addition to the previously outlined protective measures, the following steps may be taken:
*Coordinating necessary security efforts with armed forces or law enforcement agencies
*Taking additional precaution at public events
*Preparing to work at an alternate site or with a dispersed workforce, restricting access to essential personnel only
Source: Homeland Security

Lesssseeee...

High risk of terror attack?

* Al Qaeda plans a large-scale attack on the United States "in an effort to disrupt the democratic process" before November's elections, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said Thursday.

* "The reality is of increased risk here in the homeland over the next several weeks, the next several months," Senate Majoirty Leader Bill Frist said.

*When asked if the threat is considered higher at the political conventions this summer or as the nation gets closer to the presidential election in early November, an official said concerns are high from this point in time forward.

Check.

Coordinating with law enforcement agencies?

* The Department of Homeland Security is addressing the threat and has efforts under way to "ramp up security," White House press secretary Scott McClellan said.

* Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said the Bush administration based its decision to bolster security on "credible" reports about al-Qaida's plans, coupled with the pre-election terror attack in Spain earlier this year and recent arrests in England, Jordan and Italy.

Check-aroni.

Taking additional caution at public events?

*We have briefed the campaigns, both campaigns - the Kerry-Edwards campaign as well as the Bush-Cheney campaign - about the security measures that are being put in place for those conventions in New York and Boston," said White House press secretary Scott McClellan.

Um...yeah...check.

No one said anything about essential personnel, but, frankly, I'd betcha that wouldn't happen until those essential personnel were already dead.

So, even though we've seen countless pieces about the uselessness of the terror code, after doing this little comparison, I gotta ask...what the hell?

So, there you have it. The warning sounds pretty dire to me. Election terror. Plans to disrupt America's elections. Fear, FEAR, ladies and gentlemen, should be employed. Or, at the very least, embraced until you leave the voting booth.

Cynical much, Otis?