Chemical imbalance

Speaking of keeping America safe, today's New York Times criticizes the fact that, more than four years after 9/11, our nation's chemical plants are still nakedly vulnerable to attack. The Times notes:

If terrorists attacked a chemical plant, the death toll could be enormous. A single breached chlorine tank could, according to the Department of Homeland Security, lead to 17,500 deaths, 10,000 severe injuries and 100,000 hospitalizations. Many chemical plants have shockingly little security to defend against such attacks.

After 9/11, there were immediate calls for the government to impose new security requirements on these plants. But the chemical industry, which contributes heavily to political campaigns, has used its influence in Washington to block these efforts.

It is inexcusable that a President who relentlessly contends that he is doing everything in his power to protect American citizens, has done nothing to address the WMD's already existing throughout the nation. Instead, he dedicates his efforts to defending torture, illegal eavesdropping, and an unnecessary war thousands of miles away, while shamelessly capitulating to special interest groups and big money donors.

Feeling safer now, America?