Promises Unfulfilled: The Suboptimization of Homeland Security National Preparedness
Abstract
Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the nation has expended billions of dollars and millions of hours of labor focused on ensuring that such events would never happen again. To date, the efforts appear to have been rewarded. But is the nation really safer? The evidence supports an affirmative response, but is the level of national preparedness related to homeland security as high as possible? The answer to that question is a resounding no. This article highlights the flaws in the current assumptions guiding national preparedness policy and outlines the causes of homeland security national preparedness suboptimization. Homeland security national preparedness is suboptimized because of flawed assumptions, flawed perceptions of the policy environment on the part of the national government, and policy-distorting institutional pathologies. Similarly, ill-conceived policy instrumentalities and implementation have been thrust into the policy arena due to officials at the national level losing track of the original policy goals outlined in founding legislation and presidential directives. These policy failures, taken in totality, have led to missed opportunities, squandered treasure, increased intergovernmental tensions, and a host of disincentives for state and local governments to pursue enhancements to homeland security national preparedness.
Description
This article appeared in Homeland Security Affairs (October 2008), v.4 no.3
Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
-
Homeland Security Affairs Journal, Volume II - 2006: Issue 3, October
Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) (Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate SchoolCenter for Homeland Defense and Security, 2006-10);October 2006. Welcome to Volume 2, Issue Three of Homeland Security Affairs. This issue is dedicated to the memory of Lacy Suiter. I believe Lacy would be embarrassed by the idea of dedicating an issue of anything to him. ... -
Homeland Security Affairs Journal, Volume V - 2009: Issue 1, January
Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) (Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate SchoolCenter for Homeland Defense and Security, 2009-01);January 2009. In this issue of Homeland Security Affairs we offer one essay that outlines some of the important homeland security issues of 2008 and a set of essays that describes a potentially significant change in the ... -
Homeland Security Affairs Journal, Volume V - 2009: Issue 2, May
Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS) (Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate SchoolCenter for Homeland Defense and Security, 2009-05);May 2009. This issue of Homeland Security Affairs opens on a sad note: Rich Cooper’s memoriam to Inspector Matthew Simeone, who passed away in March of this year. Co-president of cohort 0601-0602, Matt graduated from the ...