When President Bush visited the National Urban League Conference last week, he made a point of proclaiming his dedication to America's safety. The facts, however, show that Bush's bravado is no more grounded in reality than anything else he says.

"We're trying to do everything we can to protect our homeland," Bush told attendees. Contrary to this, Bush has refused to fill the needs of several domestic security agencies.

The Coast Guard tallied the cost of securing America's ports at $8.8-billion (all figures U.S.), with $1.5-billion needed immediately. The White House has set aside $46-million. The American Public Transportation Association asked for $6-billion to keep public transit explosives-free, but received $115-million. The Transportation Security Administration has also complained about 2.5-million tons of cargo loaded onto passenger planes annually with no machinery or staff in place to monitor what gets loaded or where it came from.

» Scott Saxon