Turns out that we’re all just as safe as we need to be, Port of Long Beach included…

We found that it wouldn’t require much in the way of planning, money or resources for a single person to wreak havoc at the Port of Long Beach.

But there is nothing to worry about, because according to the Bush administration, well-organized, well-funded and determined terrorists are no longer an issue. And so the administration plans to cut anti-terror funds by over 50%. The way they see it,

the administration is not convinced that the money has been well spent and thinks the nation’s highest-risk cities have largely satisfied their security needs…The plan calls [for] outright elimination of programs for port security, transit security, and local emergency management operations in the next budget year.

If I thought that he would take my call, I would be offering Port security chief Cosmo Perrone–who seemed to be doing his damnedest to juggle issues of safety, commerce, and a crappy budget–a good stiff drink.

The silver lining: perhaps, now that our security needs have been “satisfied,” they can bring the troops home and stop the domestic wiretapping?

Tags: budget, Bush, iraq, Port of Long Beach, Rachel Powers, security