"Orange" security alert costs the country 1 billion per week

[Argo]

Good Lord... Imagine that money spent on schools, technology, etc... Not saying it's not justified - but the numbers are mind boggling.

Sorry, can't find the link. It was on cnn.com a few hours ago, but since then the link scrolled off from the top news.

 

[StageLeft]

Considering that the mainland is under constant attack from terrorists I consider it a worthwhile expense.

 

[Argo]

I agree with that. I just had no idea it cost that much...

 

[EyeMWing]

Governmental pocket change. If the US government had a couch, it'd lose more than that in an hour.

 

[rival]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Considering that the mainland is under constant attack from terrorists I consider it a worthwhile expense.

</sarcasm>

 

[flxnimprtmscl]

Worthwhile expense. The bad part is thinking about the useless crap we were buying with this money (most likely) before we had a legitimate use for it.

 

[T2T III]

Also, one report that I heard indicated that we'll be in code "orange" at least through the end of January. It's too bad we couldn't just take the last week of January and go back into code "yellow" based on one condition:

- Offer $1 Billion to the person who leads us to Usama Bin Laden.

Let the games begin, boys!

 

[EyeMWing]

Originally posted by: Tiles2Tech
Also, one report that I heard indicated that we'll be in code "orange" at least through the end of January. It's too bad we couldn't just take the last week of January and go back into code "yellow" based on one condition:

- Offer $1 Billion to the person who leads us to Usama Bin Laden.

Let the games begin, boys!

I believe we already have done this. We should up the ante a little bit. US Citizenship and TEN billion dollars.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: EyeMWing
Governmental pocket change. If the US government had a couch, it'd lose more than that in an hour.

With a budget of $2 trillion, the US federal government spends $228.3 million per hour.

 

[EyeMWing]

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: EyeMWing
Governmental pocket change. If the US government had a couch, it'd lose more than that in an hour.

With a budget of $2 trillion, the US federal government spends $228.3 million per hour.

Because they don't have a couch.

 

[Vic]

The point is that $1 billion per week is not government pocket change. $52 billion per year is more than the combined budgets of the FBI and the CIA for example.

 

[T2T III]

Originally posted by: EyeMWing

Originally posted by: Tiles2Tech
Also, one report that I heard indicated that we'll be in code "orange" at least through the end of January. It's too bad we couldn't just take the last week of January and go back into code "yellow" based on one condition:

- Offer $1 Billion to the person who leads us to Usama Bin Laden.

Let the games begin, boys!

I believe we already have done this. We should up the ante a little bit. US Citizenship and TEN billion dollars.

It seems like a combination of sources have put together some nice reward money: $5 million from the FBI, $2 million from the ATA, up to $10 million from Kimble.org, etc. Hmm ... maybe I should build a spreadsheet with a final tally on all of the various reward amounts. I wonder if Al Queda (or someone else in need of funds and the ability to occupy a slot in the witness protection program) would bit for such an amount?

 

[T2T III]

Originally posted by: Vic
The point is that $1 billion per week is not government pocket change. $52 billion per year is more than the combined budgets of the FBI and the CIA for example.

The $1 billion dollar amount is not money paid by just the Federal government. However, it is an "estimated" total on what the Federal and local governments spend when we go into code "orange." I guess eventually, we'll all pay the debt through higher taxes in our communities and states.

 

[m2kewl]

dasm...think of all the table dances...🙁

 

[boi]

Those billions of dollars save lives.

 

Originally posted by: boi
Those billions of dollars save lives.

Indeed.

 

[T2T III]

Originally posted by: boi
Those billions of dollars save lives.

Oh, there's no denying that. However, once the "infection" has been treated, we shouldn't need to go into code "orange" very frequently.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: boi
Those billions of dollars save lives.

How?

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: boi
Those billions of dollars save lives.

How?

The same way the war in Iraq is. 😛

 

[Soybomb]

Originally posted by: boi
Those billions of dollars save lives.

devil's advocate:
Do they? What proof do we have that going to security level lavender saves any lives or prevents any attacks? To me it seems like its largely an unfocused shot in the dark.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: Tiles2Tech

Originally posted by: Vic
The point is that $1 billion per week is not government pocket change. $52 billion per year is more than the combined budgets of the FBI and the CIA for example.

The $1 billion dollar amount is not money paid by just the Federal government. However, it is an "estimated" total on what the Federal and local governments spend when we go into code "orange." I guess eventually, we'll all pay the debt through higher taxes in our communities and states.

There's no guess about it. Money may be abstract but it is NOT imaginary.