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Report: Massive National Security Intelligence Program Collected Info on Innocent Americans, Little on Terrorists

Oct. 2, 2012 9:36pm Jason Howerton

Massive National Security Intelligence Program Collected Info on Innocent Americans, Not Terrorists

A Homeland Security police car is shown parked outside the Long Beach, Calif., Federal Courthouse Friday Feb. 17, 2012 in Long Beach, Calif. On Thursday a gunman shot another agent who was then shot and killed by a third agent. The wounded agent was hospitalized. This shooting at the federal building of a high-ranking Immigration and Customs Enforcement official was over an unspecified disciplinary matter, a person familiar with the case said. (Credit: AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) — A multibillion-dollar information-sharing program created in the aftermath of 9/11 has improperly collected information about innocent Americans and produced little valuable intelligence on terrorism, a Senate report concludes. It portrays an effort that ballooned far beyond anyone’s ability to control.

What began as an attempt to put local, state and federal officials in the same room analyzing the same intelligence has instead cost huge amounts of money for data-mining software, flat screen televisions and, in Arizona, two fully equipped Chevrolet Tahoes that are used for commuting, investigators found.

The lengthy, bipartisan report is a scathing evaluation of what the Department of Homeland Security has held up as a crown jewel of its security efforts. The report underscores a reality of post-9/11 Washington: National security programs tend to grow, never shrink, even when their money and manpower far surpass the actual subject of terrorism. Much of this money went for ordinary local crime-fighting.

Disagreeing with the critical conclusions of the report, Homeland Security says it is outdated, inaccurate and too focused on information produced by the program, ignoring benefits to local governments from their involvement with federal intelligence officials.

Because of a convoluted grants process set up by Congress, Homeland Security officials don’t know how much they have spent in their decade-long effort to set up so-called fusion centers in every state. Government estimates range from less than $300 million to $1.4 billion in federal money, plus much more invested by state and local governments. Federal funding is pegged at about 20 percent to 30 percent.

Despite that, Congress is unlikely to pull the plug. That’s because, whether or not it stops terrorists, the program means politically important money for state and local governments.

A Senate Homeland Security subcommittee reviewed more than 600 unclassified reports over a one-year period and concluded that most had nothing to do with terrorism. The panel’s chairman is Democrat Carl Levin of Michigan, the ranking Republican Tom Coburn of Oklahoma.

“The subcommittee investigation could identify no reporting which uncovered a terrorist threat, nor could it identify a contribution such fusion center reporting made to disrupt an active terrorist plot,” the report said.

When fusion centers did address terrorism, they sometimes did so in ways that infringed on civil liberties. The centers have made headlines for circulating information about Ron Paul supporters, the ACLU, activists on both sides of the abortion debate, war protesters and advocates of gun rights.

One fusion center cited in the Senate investigation wrote a report about a Muslim community group’s list of book recommendations. Others discussed American citizens speaking at mosques or talking to Muslim groups about parenting.

No evidence of criminal activity was contained in those reports. The government did not circulate them, but it kept them on government computers. The federal government is prohibited from storing information about First Amendment activities not related to crimes.

“It was not clear why, if DHS had determined that the reports were improper to disseminate, the reports were proper to store indefinitely,” the report said.

Homeland Security Department spokesman Matthew Chandler called the report “out of date, inaccurate and misleading.” He said that it focused entirely on information being produced by fusion centers and did not consider the benefit the involved officials got receiving intelligence from the federal government.

The report is as much an indictment of Congress as it is the Homeland Security Department. In setting up the department, lawmakers wanted their states to decide what to spend the money on. Time and again, that setup has meant the federal government has no way to know how its security money is being spent.

Inside Homeland Security, officials have long known there were problems with the reports coming out of fusion centers, the report shows.

“You would have some guys, the information you’d see from them, you’d scratch your head and say, `What planet are you from?’” an unidentified Homeland Security official told Congress.

Until this year, the federal reports officers received five days of training and were never tested or graded afterward, the report said.

States have had criminal analysis centers for years. But the story of fusion centers began in the frenzied aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

The 9/11 Commission urged better collaboration among government agencies. As officials realized that a terrorism tip was as likely to come from a local police officer as the CIA, fusion centers became a hot topic.

But putting people together to share intelligence proved complicated. Special phone and computer lines had to be installed. The people reading the reports needed background checks. Some information could only be read in secure areas, which meant construction projects.

All of that cost money.

Meanwhile, federal intelligence agencies were under orders from Congress to hire more analysts. That meant state and local agencies had to compete for smart counterterrorism thinkers. And federal training for local analysts wasn’t an early priority.

Though fusion centers receive money from the federal government, they are operated independently. Counterterrorism money started flowing to states in 2003. But it wasn’t until late 2007 that the Bush administration told states how to run the centers.

State officials soon realized there simply wasn’t that much local terrorism-related intelligence. Terrorist attacks didn’t happen often, but police faced drugs, guns and violent crime every day. Normal criminal information started moving through fusion centers.

Under federal law, that was fine. When lawmakers enacted recommendations of the 9/11 Commission in 2007, they allowed fusion centers to study “criminal or terrorist activity.” The law was co-sponsored by Sens. Susan Collins and Joe Lieberman, the driving forces behind the creation of Homeland Security.

Five years later, Senate investigators found, terrorism is often a secondary focus.

“Many fusion centers lacked either the capability or stated objective of contributing meaningfully to the federal counterterrorism mission,” the Senate report said. “Many centers didn’t consider counterterrorism an explicit part of their mission, and federal officials said some were simply not concerned with doing counterterrorism work.”

When Janet Napolitano became Homeland Security secretary in 2009, the former Arizona governor embraced the idea that fusion centers should look beyond terrorism. Testifying before Congress that year, she distinguished fusion centers from the FBI-led Joint Terrorism Task Forces that are the leading investigative and analytical arms of the domestic counterterrorism effort.

“A JTTF is really focused on terrorism and terrorism-related investigations,” she said. “Fusion centers are almost everything else.”

Congress, including the committee that authored the report, supports that notion. And though the report recommends the Senate reconsider the amount of money it spends on fusion centers, that seems unlikely.

“Congress and two administrations have urged DHS to continue or even expand its support of fusion centers, without providing sufficient oversight to ensure the intelligence from fusion centers is commensurate with the level of federal investment,” the report said.

And following the release of the report, Homeland Security officials indicated their continued strong support for the program.

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Comments (58)

Brother Winston Smith
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 1:31am
Correct.
This is what “crazy” Ron Paul HAS BEEN SCREAMING ABOUT!
This is what “crazy” Alex Jones HAS BEEN SCREAMING ABOUT!
This is what “crazy” Adam Kokesh HAS BEEN SCREAMING ABOUT!
This is what “crazy” Pete Santilli HAS BEEN SCREAMING ABOUT!

This is what FAKE-TEA GOPers Bachmann, West, Rubio, VOTED FOR!
This is what Romney/Obama/Ryan/Biden (same thing) SUPPORT!
This is what FAKE-conservative/libertarian Glenn Beck (by campaigning for the gop) SUPPORTS!

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- shogun459
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 9:31am
  switch to decaf
  
  Report this comment
thindime
Posted on October 3, 2012 at 12:38am
People used to thing that it would be the conservatives/Repbulicans that would become the Federal Government “Big Brother” — reality is that it has happened under the liberal/Democrats agenda.
Very scary. Government is ordering 30,000 drones for use inside our own country. It has also ordered 450 million rounds of hollow point 9mm ammunition (stopper rounds used in handguns) for use by non-military government agencies of all sorts. Why? When are people going to wake up, get the guts, and put a stop to some very dark and potentially dangerous trends that can only lead to loss of freedom and/or life.

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- Brother Winston Smith
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 1:40am
  BOTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BOTH!!!!!!!!!!!!! BOTH PARTIES!!!!!!!!!!!!! TOGETHER!!!!! Partners!!!!!
  Bush, Obama, Romney, Ryan, Biden, West, Bachmann, Boehner, etc,etc…
  
  TSA, drones, NDAA, SOPA, PIPA, CISPA, DHS, “Patriot” Act… ALL UNCONSTITUTIONAL… ILLEGAL.. AGAINST THE LAW!!!!!!!!
  
  And there is NO SUCH THING AS “conservative” vs “liberal.” That is manufactured NONSENSE! THE REALITY IS LEFTIST DEMOCRAT VS LEFTIST REPUBLICAN.
  
  Report this comment
elderbat
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 11:22pm
both parties responsible and this needs to be dealt with but I don’t hold out much hope because many of them have been in bed with each other for years. they could have fenced off and protected our borders years ago but they didn’t. innocent people including agents on both sides have been killed. instead, they’ve probably wasted money and time listening to me talking about my cats barfing hairballs and thinking I had some secret code thing going or something. so much for we the ;people, huh? we just provide tax money for fancy lifestyles, fancy toys, food stamps and obamaphones.

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- breakobamanow
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 11:33pm
  Don’t leave off our own opperssion, for putting more faith in liars than the LORD. We paid for that too! But we have not yet resisted sin unto bloodshed. That will come later.
  
  Report this comment
MrKnowItAll
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 11:16pm
Up until 2008. I used to laugh at how so many people had no common sense and were outright stupid. Today, I wish I would have educated them as much as possible. Talking to those types today. It’s like they are looking right through you and your Mom is screaming at you.

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- shogun459
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 9:33am
  I did try to educate them.
  They don’t want to know the truth.
  You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.
  Some people are happy not knowing anything, then they have no worries until someone kills them or puts them in prison.
  
  Report this comment
breakobamanow
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 11:14pm
All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. Ecclesiastes 1:8-10

If you want to know what is happening and why read the King James Bible. The newer versions are a product of subtle changes which are not God inspired,the serpent is very subtle also
11 There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

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- PaineSense
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 12:26am
  Everything is God inspired. There can exist no perfection without imperfection. The only thing imperfect in the universe is mans evil inclination, for which the correction of it the universe was created. Think of it as existing on the timeline of a single thought of the Creator. Although to Him the perfect thought is instantaneous, the perfection of the thought required a state of imperfection to arrive at it. We are within that thought, and thus within the perfection of it. There is nothing else besides the thought of the Creator. All of reality is within it.
  
  Report this comment
- lildrummerboy
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 12:24pm
  @painesense…what kind of philosophical circle jerk comment is that. God created us because he wanted a relationship; a counterpart to love him as much as he loves…You are implying that within Gods perfection lays an imperfection so he created the universe. Your theory is undone by Gods perfection, he can’t be imperfect and perfect…Nice try..switch your name to nonsense..it would be more fitting..
  
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- PaineSense
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 2:20am
  Lildrummerboy-you are correct, He created man because He is what we see as natures attribute of newspeak. And what good is bestowal of love without a proper vessel of reception, and what sort of companion is a vessel that receives for the sake of selfish reception with no acknowledgment of the bestial? Thus the universe was created, and all its perfect representations of the attribute of newspeak even down to the sub-atomic level, as an example for man to learn from. The universe was created for man, to teach him about the Creators attributes so he can mimic them and become more like the Creator, thus showing his love and thanks. The highest form of flattery.
  
  Report this comment
- PaineSense
  Posted on October 5, 2012 at 2:23am
  correction: replace “newspeak” with “bestowal”
  
  Report this comment
Jenasus
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 11:05pm
They collected the information on Americans so they can find out who the people are that will not conform to the New World Order Agenda.
America is under a soft tyranny now.
Be prepared for 12/21/2012 which might be doomsday government style for the USA.

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- breakobamanow
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 11:30pm
  This is just another step toward fulfilling that which was prophesied by Christ in Matthew 24 and the book of Revelation. All of it will come to pass on God’s time table but the pain and suffering in getting there will depend on people who believe or disbelieve. It is going to be much harder for the non-believers. I pray many of them will turn to Christ and I believe many of them will convert from Islam to the Christian faith in the last days. Praise the LORD for His word is sure.
  
  Report this comment
batmanroxus
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 10:59pm
This is one of the most dangerous things in the world. They aren’t doing anything. They haven’t anything to show for the money, and you can bet they will start finding or even making terror threats. Eventually it will be your grandma setting a mouse trap.

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republitarian
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 10:52pm
“The federal government is prohibited from storing information about First Amendment activities not related to crimes.”

That’s why they get Google to do it for them.

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ALL4FREEDOM
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 10:44pm
The problem with all the “wars” on this or that – crime, drugs, poverty, obesity, cancer, whatever, is that we are led to believe that they will eventually “won”. Nothing could be further from the truth. Reason? If the Government actually “won the war”, what would they do with all the “soldiers” hired for the fight? Face it, the nearest thing to immortality on earth is a government program.

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SaturdaysWarrior76
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 10:36pm
@FREEBERTY: Sure, there are problems with both parties I agree. But I’ll take the Right any day my friend… and proudly so! ;)

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justangry
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 10:22pm
“When fusion centers did address terrorism, they sometimes did so in ways that infringed on civil liberties. The centers have made headlines for circulating information about Ron Paul supporters, the ACLU, activists on both sides of the abortion debate, war protesters and advocates of gun rights.”

I can’t believe this is where we’re at in this country. Following the politician that most closely represents Madison’s and Jefferson’s views is looked upon as being a subversive somehow. There are some backwards ass people on the Hill.

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- progressiveslayer
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 10:53pm
  It’s a damn shame we’ve allowed our government to abuse us,to get this much power over us and pretty much do what they want. I wonder if it’s even possible to reverse course and get back to what we were meant to be,a constitutional republic. I hope we can return to what our founders gave us,time will tell.
  
  Report this comment
- justangry
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 11:26pm
  Maybe if we end the Federal Reserve.
  
  Report this comment
- razhunter100
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 5:47am
  maybe, if we quit voting for the best of the worst…hmm?
  
  Report this comment
bikerdogred1
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 10:17pm
Thats because they want to know where all the lesbians live.

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SaturdaysWarrior76
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 10:10pm
I remember, growing up, my Grandfather and my father were always saying: “Don’t trust the Government..if you let them take ONE of your rights away, they will soon take them ALL away” I remember laughing at them whenever they said that, but it still stuck in my mind. However, when I was 18 I registered to vote… as a Democrat (don’t ask me why.. young & dumb I guess) When my Dad found out I’d registered Democrat, he nearly hit the roof! He made me turn right around and register again as a Republican! And I have been one ever since! Gosh, what I wouldn’t give, to talk to my Dad and Grandpa again about what is happening today… and thank them for saying all of those things I thought were so silly… but stuck with me all these years.

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- freeberty
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 10:26pm
  Jokes on you then
  
  Don’t know if you been paying attention but it was republicans that gave us the Patriot Act and Homeland Security. It was also a republican that declared a war on drugs which was the start of local police being federally funded and the start of the police state which we currently have.
  
  Report this comment
JUSTANOTHEROPINION
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 10:06pm
The Department of Homeland Security is totally unnecessary. DHS is doing the same job that the CIA and FBI are responsible for, therefor it is a redundent program and should be abolished. DHS is really just Department of Homeland Spying.

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cookcountypatriot
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 10:04pm
didnt germany do this sort of thing to its citizens in the 30,s and 40,s…yea they did

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TRILO
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 9:59pm
“[...] Congress is unlikely to pull the plug. That’s because, whether or not it stops terrorists, the program means politically important money for state and local governments”. The fusion center in my state of Missouri called veterans, supporters of third party candidates, people who are against abortion, people who display certain bumper stickers like the Gadsden Flag are potential terrorists.

My city gets money from the feds for license plate scanners, retinal scanners, drunk driving enforcement, swat team gear, and a whole host of equipment. All of the scanner information goes to the state database that is shared with the feds. Any person that wants to put in a freedom of information request can find out everyplace you were spotted by the scanner.

They “collected” how about they are still “collecting” information on innocent Americans. This is what the Patriot Act has done to America. Way to go Congress! Oh I forgot, if I do not have anything to hide why do I care. Should the government track my phone calls, e-mails, blogs, or if I am at the doctor, a bar, at the shopping mall, at a protest, at a church, at an anti abortion rally, at a concert, etc, etc. w/o a warrant? As long as I am not breaking the law, what I do and what I say is between me, my family or whom ever I am interacting with. The government has no right to collect data on me unless I am breaking the law. Unfortunately both parties have sanctioned the shredding of our Constitutional right

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- Exrepublisheep
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 10:07pm
  Sad (scared) agreement.
  
  Report this comment
denkat56
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 9:58pm
its funny how the innocent are now marked, and the terrorist are allowed to walk free. i think the biggest threat to america is the obama regime, and the chigago style of politics.

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- freeberty
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 10:12pm
  Did I miss something? Has Romney decided to rescind the Patriot Act and disband Homeland Security like Ron Paul wants to?
  
  If he hasn’t then Obama/Romney it’s all the same regime.
  
  Report this comment
- pissantno.10
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 10:50pm
  only in your small mind free. your best bet is move to some other country
  
  Report this comment
The0bserver
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 9:57pm
Who is surprised? This is why I was against George Bush’s creation of his own Geheime Staats Polizei, known as the so-called “Patriot’” Act. I trusted George not to be abusive, but I was worried about the Presidents who would follow him. With Obama, my concerns obviously were not unfounded.

Ihre papieren, Bitte.

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- The0bserver
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 10:05pm
  Geheimne Staats Polizei = Ge Sta Po
  
  Ihre papieren Bitte = Your papers, please! The dreaded question asked all over Nazi Germany when you travelled.
  
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soybomb315_II
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 9:53pm
The biggest threat to americans is not terrorists, global warming, or Iran – it is our own government

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- Exrepublisheep
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 10:02pm
  Yup!
  
  Report this comment
- oneshiner
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 10:24pm
  Amen. Homeland Security seems to be run by our enemies.
  
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- freeberty
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 10:40pm
  What would all the blaze readers do without their George Soros, Nancy Pelosi, gay muslim black abortionist, and OWS boogeymen.
  
  It’s not like they would vote for someone like Ron Paul or Gary Johnson, or anyone that would make an actual difference.
  
  Report this comment
- Individualism
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 9:20am
  our police and military have been behind about 99 percent of the terror attacks around the world and in our country, of course not all are terrorists just some of them are.
  
  Report this comment
- Meyvn1
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 9:59am
  For sure. I’m sick of it.
  
  Report this comment
RJJinGadsden
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 9:49pm
Aren’t GIs returning from overseas, gun owners, Christians, traditional family advocates, etc, etc, the actual terrorists? Could have sworn that is what were told.

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dickdastardly
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 9:49pm
HLS is in the toilet with Barry and out of control. Someone has to rein in this administration.

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Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 9:48pm
That’s because, to the Obama Administration, WE are the terrorists, not his muslim friends.

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- justangry
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 11:23pm
  The only republicans in congress that aren’t in favor of this are…
  
  Justin Amash, MI
  Timothy Johnson, IL
  Tom McClintock, CA
  Ron Paul, TX
  
  Report this comment
- The-Monk
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 12:07am
  Hi Justangry,
  
  What about Jim Demint?
  
  Report this comment
- The-Monk
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 12:09am
  Also…. Rep. Gohmert?
  
  Report this comment
- justangry
  Posted on October 3, 2012 at 1:12am
  Hey Monk, Demint went along with them but took a stand with the NDAA. He has stated he believes the GOP needs to start listening to the Libertarians/Constitutionalists more, so he isn’t just brushing us aside like so many R’s on the hill. Gohmert has voted for all this stuff. It’s sick how infested the GOP really is with police statists. I know, in the Senate, only Rand has stood up for all of our rights. Demint is the next best thing after that.
  
  If you’re on FB “like” Justin Amash. You’ll get an update on every vote with his reasoning. His status updates are like… “I voted X for h.r. Y because of Z” I wish he’d get more attention from the media. He very well could be the next statesman to carry the liberty movement banner.
  
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Exrepublisheep
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 9:47pm
Despite that, Congress is unlikely to pull the plug. That’s because, whether or not it stops terrorists, the program means politically important money for state and local governments. Obamas’ fault!

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soybomb315_II
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 9:47pm
surprise surprise. Dont worry, it is just to keep you safe from all those people who want to kill you

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- TRUMPETCALL
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 10:15pm
  And just to prove that They are serious…….
  
  Please take refuge in Their beautiful Camp FEMA!
  
  Complete with Concertina and armed security – - -
  
  All for YOUR protection !
  
  Report this comment
Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on October 2, 2012 at 9:46pm
Shows the truth of the administration when they fear that Americans are worse than the terrorists. We must uproot this evil lock, stock and barrel.

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- Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 9:54pm
  But at least we drop the charges against people standing outside of voting stations with billy clubs. And don’t forget checking 90 year olds adult diapers and feeling up 5 year old children. That keeps us safe, along with freeze tag, and of course, taking our water bottles and checking our coffee.
  
  We all know that the twin towers were taken down by little old ladies and children with coffee and water bottles………………..naaaahhhhh, we know they were all from the middleeast, oh, wait, I guess I am profiling and being racist. Quick, I see a middleage white man checking a phone message, GET HIM.
  
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- justangry
  Posted on October 2, 2012 at 10:24pm
  No, it’s not just this administration. This administration is certainly guilty too, let’s just not pretend it’s the other guys that are doing this. You’re on here enough to know better.
  
  Report this comment

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