Your October Surprise Gets Here Early

Yes, right on schedule--and it's only the end of July, dammit. Had we known a bullshit terror alert was coming, we would have cleaned the place up a bit and put on a tie. The Department of Homeland security is going to start scaring the shit out of people to help John McCain's chances at winning the Presidency. Too bad it isn't going to work.

Government officials have been quietly stepping up counterterror efforts out of a growing concern that al Qaeda or similar organizations might try to capitalize on the spate of extremely high-profile events in the coming months, sources tell ABC News.

Security experts point to next month's Olympics as evidence that high-profile events attract threats of terrorism, like the one issued this past weekend by a Chinese Muslim minority group that warned of its intent to attack the Games.

Anti-terror officials in the U.S. cite this summer and fall's lineup of two major political parties' conventions, November's general election and months of transition into a new presidential administration as cause for heightened awareness and action.

The Olympics are in China, of course--that's why terrorists would want to attack the American mainland.

The political conventions are mostly just for show, of course--no one watches the coverage anymore and not many Republicans, at least, are planning to go.

But that isn't going to stop the Department of Homeland Security from ratcheting up the threat meter. Politics vs protecting the American people: which side do you think Michael Chertoff is going to come down on?

Careful with your comments, the next thing you know, they'll start shutting down blogs to keep Americans safe...

Something to think about...



UPDATE: And just so you know how serious your fucking government is about fighting terrorism, here's a great illustration of just how they've been handling the safety and security of the American people:

In April, NPR reported that the Justice Department Inspector General was investigating whether former DOJ White House liaison Monica Goodling dismissed a career DOJ attorney “because of rumors that she is a lesbian.”

Today’s Office of Professional Responsibility report confirms that Goodling, a graduate of Pat Robertson’s Regent University, did discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation. In the case described by the report, Goodling stalled an assistant U.S. attorney’s advancement because of rumors of a gay relationship with her superior, a U.S. attorney.

As the report notes, the assistant U.S. attorney (AUSA) received “outstanding” performance reviews, the highest possible rating, and was subsequently granted a work extension in 2006. Goodling, however, opposed it. Deputy Director John Nowacki, who supported the extension, described a meeting with Goodling:

Goodling brought up the issue of the attorney’s “relationship in progress” with her U.S. Attorney “and made it clear just that she thought that was inappropriate.

”

Thanks again, Monica Goodling. You've made your country proud.