This is a misleading report. The lobbyists on which you report, cannot block legislation. Only the elected officals can block these proposed laws. If they wanted to enact these restrictions, they could. The question is if they have the courage to do it.

re: ocean shipping container inspection ...

Congress has been previously presented with workable comprehensive inspection plan, during open hearings headed in part by S.Biden.

The plan was being implemented overseas as joint Government / NGO operation at the time of the Hearings and Testmony, but would be already in operation (for a year or so) as a model at Singapore's or Hongkong's ocean ports, i forget which.

Costs for the plan & inspections are paid for (to regulators) entirely by the Shipping comunity, as they have incentive of thier "inspected" containers recieving expedited treatment.

Apparently the Admin. & Congress choose to not follow thru on this. Are we supprised? pffffft

Terrorist Attacks ... War On Terrorism ... Pass another Law to prevent ...

As long as these moronic concepts are perpetuated, the RETALIATION by both sides will continue to get worse.

Until gov. leaders, media, & public get thier tumbs out of thier anus's, and deal with the underlying motivations, there will continue to be murder & destruction in the name of freedom (on both sides, and by both sides).

(the next 20 pages of comment omited to save bandwidth)

Since when do lobbyists block legislation? Our representatives are blocking the legislation because they work for the people lining their pockets not the people that hired/voted them into their position.

This seems to be typical of Washington politics and our society, as a whole, everytime there is some sort of disaster, no matter where, it ALWAYS comes down to the $$$$$$$. Look at New Orleans and Katrina. Putting a price on human life is dispicable and shameful.

so, brain ross works for the lobbists on the otherside of the farm industry???

As always a do nothing congress what else is there to say????

Obviously, Clark was an ABC consultant on your film. He certainly made sure HE was shown in a good light in the fight against terrorism on the Path to 9/11 film. This certainly was not an unbiased view. Was he that visable in the decisions on National Security? I doubt it.

I agree with Mango but extend it to everyone in the world. We all need to grow up and get along.

After the total systemic failures within the US government, the failures to immediately implement the 9/11 Report's Recommendations, and the foolish redirection of US forces from Afghanistan to Iraq, I'm scared like on the date 9/11/01.
Why does our government take so long to do anything? The government would take more than five years just to ship an empty paper box across the street!

I am pleased to see a major news outlet telling the truth without taking sides. i have had a hard time watching news and believing what is being said as being the truth

I would like to comment on The Path to 9/11, and the 9/11 commisions report. I just think that it's time to stop the blame game. It's time to take the facts learned and implement them so that 9/11 doesn't happen again, and I'm scared that it will. It doesn't matter if you are Republican, Democrat or anything in between the plain and simple truth is that if you were an American you, and everything that this County is based on was attacked. How did this country get so far away from the patriotism we felt, closeness to our neighbors, and unified spirit for our fellow citizens and allies right after 9/11 to where we are now? How did we get to the point where we are trying to lay blame on Our Presidents and Our Leaders for something that radical beasts did? Just remember who were the ones that did this to us...

I watched the "docudrama" with an open mind... and from the perspective of having worked in the region for the past 15 years, including Iraq. My conclusion is "no confidence" with too much bias and non-accuracies. For shame to the memory of those who died in the attacks and the subsequent adventures.

As long as Republican lawmakers are in power, no one should be suprised that they act in the best interests of corporate America. Move along, nothing to be concerned about here. Baaaaaahhhh

I am in utter shock... that 5 years after this devastating attack.....MONEY is always more important than HUMAN LIFE!!!!!!!!!!

The politics in this country is as thick as the smoke that covered Manhatthan on that tragic day. We are back to the blame game again and there needs to be more Indians instead as many chiefs. You cannot protect this country behind a desk in Washington. I have even had an Arabian doctor tell me that americans are ingnorant on how to protect themselves and there country. This individual is sitting on our soil and telling us this. Why are the people that dropped the ball on 9/11 still in office. Sometimes it take someone to not be so politically correct to save lives.

You make a point that "corporate America" is blocking security steps, but fail to mention the efforts of liberal senators, like my own Russ Feingold, to halt efforts to intercept international calls by known terror suspects, while the media supports those efforst by calling the work "domestic spying." THAT is a much more deliberate act of blockage than a corporate lobby effort!

I cannot believe that the reasons we are not safe, still comes down to $$$. Oh, It cannot happen again! I have heard this said!!! Don't blame the people at the bottom!! Blame the ones at the top!! We as American need to make the people we elect remember what "We the people" means. If you can't do the job we will vote you out!!! The rich need to understand that "we are the people" and we are the who suffer the most. How money is enough for you??? Remember God is watching you!! You cannot take it with you!!

Since when can lobbyists block legislation? Blame the lawmakers who fear not getting re-elected more than terrorist attacks.

Two-term limits for Congress are long past due. They will greatly reduce the effect of lobbyists and produce far more beneficial legislation.

Two terms have worked well for the President. They can do even better for the House and Senate.

Two terms are ample. Get in, get done what you came to do, and make room for someone with fresh ideas.

That won't give time to get ensnared in lobbyists' payoffs and other unethical practises that plague 'career' politicians.

Same old Same old!!! I would be willing to bet that if those with the money had to fight this war, (Both here and in Irag), they would want their hands untied!! We have not learn &*&% from 9/11. It will happen again, if we do not everything we can to prevent it. But it comes down to the same thing. FINGER POINTING!!!!!!!!!! STOP IT!!!!!!! DO SOMETHING!!!!! DO THE WHAT IS RIGHT!!

We have legislatures that seem to be worried about everyone's ethics but their own..lobbyists shouldn't make laws..

The report is not misleading. The report indicates that there are powerfully monied interests that put the wealth of their constituents ahead of the nation's security. The Farm Bureau, and thereby farmers, for instance, should be ashamed for not doing its part to ensure our safety. It is not just the Administration's or Congress' failure . . . it is our failure.

I'm more worried about the political correctness you inserted into your ammonium nitrate story. Why would three white people purchasing ammonium nirtrate raise any suspicions? Why couldn't you be honest in your report about who the threat really is and use three men of middle eastern ethnicity who match the profile of the 911 hijackers. I'm willing to bet that suspicions would be raised if you had used individuals as I just described. Why don't you contact the FBI and ask them how many tips they receive weekly from everyday Americans regarding suspicious activities of individuals matching the 911 hijacker profiles.

I think that the fact that people are complaining about how ineffeciant it would be to take necessary precautions with transported cargo is absolutley ludacris. Most of the people who vote not to take precautionary measures are the ones who sit at home feeling fine or sit in a bunker somewhere watching events unfold before their eyes while not doing anything to put a stop to it. I wish officials in Washington would have got there heads in the correct position to stop 9/11. If they hadnt been so headstrong and self centered we wouldnt have had to deal with planes striking the towers or anywhere else. After watching "The Path to 9/11" and listening to what people have said it has only proved my point correct. We need to do something about the people in office that make the decisions for us, the people. Everytime i stop to think about the people in office i get sick to my stomach. And i cant stand having a bunch of greedy lying people telling me and everyone else what they think is best for us. Its to bad that it took 9/11 to get people in office to stop and give thought to the american people. Its to bad that all those people had to die for the president and everyone else to get there heads where they should be for awhile. Here it is five years later and the only changes i see are a new secret building where all the bureaus share their information, more money going to what seems like nowhere, and the death of 3,000 more americans. I just wish that the people that can make a difference will wake up and do it. My generation is the future and im afraid the what we will inherite is debt and war. Please anyone and everyone that care try and find a way to do something.

How can the government even begin to say they are doing anything for security when everywhere you look are illegal immigrants who seem to have more rights and freedoms than we as americans do? The borders have been spread open for all!!!!!!

I am afraid that we are doomed by self centered politicians that only worry about keeping the power for themselves and their cronies. If we start electing representatives who will represent US and not the power brokers we may be be able to turn things around. Lobbysts aren't shaping policy, it is the big bucks that the the lobbysts keep plying the politicians with that is.

Sorry, but after "The Path to 9/11" ABC has no credibility anymore.

I liked the information you provided this evening. My favorite, the scene of the joint intelligence secret office, with decks that slide across the floor to open up into a conference table, flat screen monitors that slide up from inside the table. Everyone sitting in the finest chair looking at the most luxurious plasma screen monitors. However the 170 million dollar database, to store and share prospecitve terrorist information, "DOESN'T WORK". This country is a disaster.

The strange irony of today is, Bush has approved 15 THOUSAND new Saudi student visas... so they can be educated here in the USA by paying CASH... No mention of that in the speech.
Not only are we being lied to and robbed, now we just gave away 15 thousand chairs in university classrooms to another country. The same country who provided the 911 terrorists to us, and entered the country on student visas.

I think we could all stand to be inconvienenced or delayed in the name of our security. Walmart and others don't want their containers screened because it would cause 'delays' of a couple to a few days. Lobbyists are a problem but they are not THE problem, when it comes to passing legislation that is. Lobbyists are a problem when it comes time for elections, I read in these comments how "we the people" vote people in and can vote them out, and unfortunately voting is a joke anymore and will always be. As an example, Electronic voting machines, put in place to make sure a certain candidate was elected and then tossed out afterward, how convenient. Anyhow, to all those who earn multi-millions per year, it's high time to take a pay cut and allocate that money where it could have the most impact, one is our National Security, and the other to the middle and lower class, as they are only in those classes because of the thievery of corporate america. Big company's can't be inconvienenced because time is money, yet their workers earn squat. Just like Big Oil, isn't a yearly income of say 5 million enough for any one person? Supposedly money is the reason we are not safer, yet it is out there, just not where it should be. I find it difficult to believe that of the recommendations of the 9/11 commission, the only place they received an "A" score was in disrupting terrorist financing, yet can't get the financing of our National Security right.

Good point above, regarding lawmaker fear vs. lobbyists power. However, at least Rep. King did get the word out that it is the Farm Bureau organization who is opposing his bill to require background checks/registration before purchasing ammonium nitrate, which is apparently very popular with terrorists.

This begs the question: whose side is the Farm Bureau on?

I will never watch ABC again, nor will I buy ant product of you sponsors.

I watched the documentary with its facts and fiction. I hear on the news reports of our elected officials turf fights;lies; ethical and moral prejeudices;politics power plays; monetary greed;pride and arrogrance from the President; the Senate; the House of Representatives were not, and are still not listening... not skillfully listening to the military and intelligence people embedded among the terroist. How long and how many more American civilians and soldiers must die, because our elected officials chose to powerplay and make incompotent decisions based cost. Money, money, money seems more important than lives at home or global. When did demand and supply of Corporate America out weigh moral and ethical integrity?
Did we not learn from 911? We the people have not forgotten 911. However, it seems who we elected have have forgotten the people... and their excuse is "it will cost too much"...but it is ok for soldiers and civilians to pay the "cost" with their lives, amputated limbs, blinded eyes, battle fatigue and post traumatic syndrome. The same mentality of the government was portrayed in the documentary and even today.

It is sickening to see that 5 years after 9/11, there seems to be a majority of Law makers and special interest groups that continue to conduct business with a pre-9/11 mentality.

Only when we really start putting our job priorities before our careers, and do what is truly good for the country and what it stands for, will we defeat terrorism and achieve a safer world.

"The Path To 9/11" was enlightening and frightening, both at the same time.

My wish would be that Clinton and his cronies could not have edited this before it was aired. I feel that if Clinton had better morals during his Presidency, perhaps the Tragedy of 9/11 could have been stopped.

Since 9/11 huge strides have been made to attempt to make our United States of America a safer place. Will they work? I don't know. Is there anyway to totally ensure complete safety?

Thank you, ABC, for airing this program.

It is funny that Senator McCain will get his shorts ina twist over this...but he will have no problem giving amnesty to 12 million illegal aliens some of whom are muslim fundamentalists trying to destroy our liberty. Makes no sense!

Just wanted to say, the "Path tp 9/11" was riveting. Keep up the good work.

John

ABC's 9/11 program, Path to 9/11, followed by Where Things Stand was the best effort on main stream television to give more than a predictable time filler on the 5th anniversary.

The timing of the George Bush speach within these shows was the icing of the cake.

It was hilarious to watch, how right after the presidential tough talk, mentioning World War III, current lobbyists and legislators can show up on the same screen, using today the very familiar, narrow-minded, "pre-9/11" self-interests to block measures of "connecting the dots", as the different parties did before 9/11.

George Bush really should have addresed the nation at 6 pm and not when it has unintentionally become part of the ABC program. The president's speach in that context pretty nicely underlined the alarming state of the "war on terror".

Part of the problem is that there was no personal responsibility for not taking or missing the steps.

I suspect, that things were different, if lobbyists and politicians were forced to enter into a contract with the public.

If lobbyists and politicians prove to be wrong and their efforts to water down proper legislation can directly result in a deadly terrorist attack, they should personally take all legal, financial resposibilities.

Families, who loose their loved ones should be able to sue lobbyists, organizations, politicians, government organizations and even a political party for sabotaging to take the necessary steps.

If lobbyists, their organizations god forbid, elected politicians could loose all their money, if they should face criminal and civil actions, legislation could be very different. Put your money where your mouth is, could actually have a meaning.

It's ridiculous to hear how inconvenience of farmers or the profitability of WalMart shareholders can override the interest of the larger society - 5 years after 9/11. It's even more ridiculous that elected politicians vote for a "better than nothing" law.

It makes all the mourning, all the events to pay respect for the victims sound like a bad joke.

Or more like pissing on the graveyards.

Obviously, no amount of money and care will prevent failures.

Terrorists would not mind to force the US and Western goverments into endless security spendings, they would not mind to force them into newer and newer, trillion-dollar wars, which cost Al Quada very little.

A traditional cost/benefit analysis of 9/11 versus Afghanistan, Iraq, Guantanamo Bay, security spendings, demage to economy, etc. would clearly show, that Al Quada gets way more for their "investment".

Just like the Russians collapsed in the arms race, the USA can't continue to fight "World War III" the same way as in the past 5 years. Right now most of the other countries look at the US from the side-line, not minding at all, that the only military super power is bleeding to death.

The US should realize that they can't do it alone. The time has passed when state enemies could be over run by superior technology overnight. For the war with the much more cost-effective Al Quada the USA should start to build an unprecedently wide coalition, where negotiations are as much the name of the game as the stealth bombers.

I found the report on 9/11 too episodic, and it was difficult to identify the players. In my view, the only really recognizable one (by an actress) was Madeline Albright. It was difficult to keep track of the real persons depicted by actors/actresses. Yet, it did make the point.

I though the follow-up with Charlie Gibson was excellent, and the follow-up on sodium nitrate.

In my view, one thing that has never been discussed in the media is the point your dramatization made about an Bin Laden statement:
America must convert to the Moslem religion or be killed.

That is the problem with the media and the American people, in general: they do not know history.

The fact is, Christianity was thriving in the Middle East until the rise of Mohammad and his "religion of thw sword." From there he penetrated into France and Spain, and was threatening Austria until the Moslems were defeated in battle at Lepanto in the Gulf of Corinth.

The reason that is important is because your two part presentation on 9/11 mentioned a citation from Bin Laden who is quoted as saying: "Americans must convert to the Moslem religion or be killed."

Generally speaking, thre are no wars as viscious as religious wars, and that is truly what Osama bin Laden and his followers are engaged.

I strongly urge that you encourage your viewers to read the Koran, which clearly delineates that it is a "religion of the sword."

In the last ten years of his life, Mohammad let 27 campaigns, and planned 38 others, which he sent out under other leaders. His followers, as you surely know, are on a religious mission, and it is not comforting to know that Moslems are coming in droves to almost all Western nations,a nd it is very difficult to know when they will all rise up.

Those who do not study history are bound to repeat it. THESE TIMES ARE MORE DANGEROUS THAN ANYONE IN AMERICA TRULY UNDERSTANDS.

Your two programs abundantly evidence that our leders do not understand our peril, and it seems that there are no prominent American leaders and or politicians who rally are or will be able to lead this nation in the type of war bin Laden has fomented. You surely can see that Moslems are engaged in war in the Balkans (and there we were their allies under the guise of "Ethnic Albanians").

I realize you took a lot of heat for your 9/11 programs, but it is important to keep at it regardless of politics. certainly the President's speech of Monday night was simply more words, words, words. He seems to sleep well at night sending young men into battle, and a draft in the current climate would incite, perhaps, a civil war in this country. Patriotism simply is not what it was during World War II, when I, my five brothers served with our friends and Classmates.

Cordially,

Paf

Lobbiest: Synonym for legalized bribery!!!

What is everyone so afraid of? Why can't we ask for more information when purchasing fertilizer? Why can't someone listen to my phone calls? I have nothing to hide and I have no one, not one person, in my family I'm willing to sacrifice for the price of "protecting" my civil rights! Listen to me, watch me, audit me, I DON"T CARE if it keeps me and my family safe.

Everyone seems to think there are some humans around that don't first serve their own interests. Maybe aliens? We simply need to kill those first that wish to kill us - no excuses. They are radical muslims that come from the Middle East (mainly) and that is where we need our troops to be. Iraq, Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt,...wherever. After the enemy are dead, the rest can be our friends, sic. Japan, Germany, Italy. And, now we have a premptive policy - so anyone that says they want to kill us needs to be eliminated. That did include Sadam and still includes Syria, Iran, Palastine, and others. We need to profile radical Muslims and seek them out. There is no other choice. They are NOT going to change!!!

Our government knew 20 years ago that they were planning a 9-11 type attacks. We could have taken out Saddam and Bin Laden over and over an over. Ambitious politics and politically correctness got in the way. What has changed? If unopposed, evil only gets worse. Next time it could be depleted uranium and/or electromagnetic pulse attacks.

The path to 9/11 promised to provided a view covering Regan, Bush, Clinton, Bush W. administrations misjudgments, miscalculation and cover the end report card of the current standing on improvements our nations security. What it did was skip Regan’s and Bush senior administration all together jump into the Clinton Administration with a hell bent to twist and manipulate placing "blame" any where and everywhere possible. George W Bush administration received less then 20 min skim over though it was the presidency for over ½ year before the attack. The promised report card standing involved less then 2 minutes of flashing grades only singling out 3 of the grades.
SO what was the purpose of this "docu-drama" Only one to support the republicans in their upcoming election by trashing its opposing party as in-effective and implying that yes the current administration made mistakes but not as bad as the last

I am OUTRAGED, but not surprised, that Congress has allowed special interests to dictate the safety and security of the United States and its people. I ask everyone who reads this to send letters to Bush and each Senator and Congressperson from his/her state demanding change (email addresses at end of this post). Tell them which 9/11 committee recommendations you want enacted via legislation and that it is unacceptable for them to vote based on special interests. Tell them you want a two-term limit in the House and Senate. And then ask all of your family and friends to do the same. One of the biggest problems in this country is apathy. People don't vote. They don't tell their elected representatives what they want from them. I interned for U.S. Senator Dennis DeConcini, D.-Ariz., during his last six months in office and I can tell you that we kept track of all calls and emails from constituents and what their position was on a given issue. DeConcini had us do that so he would know what Arizonans thought. The other thing I learned at the Senate is EVERYTHING done in Washington is based on favors owed. The longer people are in office, the more favors they rack up from other legislators to obtain votes on legislation benefiting their home state. And lobbyists are everywhere. It is a corrupt and morally bankrupt system and the only way to stop it is with term limits and campaign finance reform. The only way these two things will happen is for the American people to say enough is enough. We must all keep emailing and keep calling legislators to demand reform (not just once!). I do this all the time because it is the only power I have besides voting. Instead of spending time thinking about all that's wrong with the country, I fire off emails to Bush and my state's Congressional reps and I'm going to keep on doing it. Please join me and encourage everyone you know to DEMAND CHANGE and TAKE ACTION. VOTE in every election-local, state and federal. Volunteer to register voters in your area (The League of Women Voters is a neutral organization that seeks to educate and register voters). Every vote counts. Thank you and thanks to ABC and Brian Ross for this informative report.

Why don't you folks post a real poll?
These comments are made by unimformed fools, much like the media you pretend to be!
We the people really do need news fair and balanced!

In viewing "The Path to 9/11" yesterday and today, I find "LAWS", rules and regulations as being too RESTRICTIVE in trying to be politically correct and certainly interfering with agencies sworn to protect Americans.

I would suggest it's now time for a thorough review by a Congressional blue ribbon panel and changes made that will allow our authorities to act without fear of reprisals instead of debating issues forever on end on what can or cannot be acted upon, (or) Americans will surely die!

Who then will be held accountable and responsible for their inactions because they failed to act in time to prevent another attack on American soil with more lives being lost, or should we hold our Congressional leaders responsible because they can act now to change laws that hamper our Homeland Security Agencies and didn't?

Ok I think that people who are not american, shouldn't be able to hide behind our conistution. they are trying to destroy it. Sorry to say there are many things that have changed since 1776.

I was for this war unless it turned into a vietnam. It has and it's shameful. that our own govermnt informes the enemy if not directly or indirectly what we intend to do, Inregaurds to our military movements.
If we did this in world war2. I belive that we would be speaking German or Japaneese. It is a shame we have to live this way because of non americam rights under the constituion the forefathers drafted for americans.

IF WE WANT REAL SECURITY LETS SHOW THEM THE OLD WEST. AND WE SHOULD ALL BE ABLE TO CARRY WEAPONS.

I thought the docudrama was fairly balance and applied blame equally for the failure of officials to act.

However, I find the piece after the movie regarding ammonium nitrate to be dismaying: I have to sign away my first-born to buy Sudafed because of meth labs, but anyone can walk in an buy the ingredients to make a powerful BOMB without being challenged? What's wrong with this picture?

I was very surprised by the "Path to 9/11". It was very good, both artistically and factually.

I didn't know the show was not being done by ABC's news division, so I thought it was going to be just another "get bush" hit piece. I expected it to show that terrorism never really started until Bush became president and that the evil was growing only because of Bush. I couldn't understand Clinton complaining about the show as I figured his people probably wrote it.

Now that ABC has dipped their toe in truth for a moment, I hope it was a good enough experience that you will try it again.

Our country's political leaders are like a drunk engineer traveling on train that will very soon collide with the a station full of people. No one will care until after many everyday average Americans are killed at the station. We can only hope and pray that those who oppose protecting our nation and our families are in the station at the time of impact. Its transparently self-evident that our elected politicians and lobbiest are just simply bad people.

I was very surprised by the "Path to 9/11". It was very good, both artistically and factually.

I didn't know the show was not being done by ABC's news division, so I thought it was going to be just another "get bush" hit piece. I expected it to show that terrorism never really started until Bush became president and that the evil was growing only because of Bush. I couldn't understand Clinton complaining about the show as I figured his people probably wrote it.

Now that ABC has dipped their toe in truth for a moment, I hope it was a good enough experience that you will try it again.

Nice movie, I would have MUCH prefered to watch a documentary!

Karen, Ammonium nitrate was used by Timothy McVeigh in the Oklahoma bombing in 1995.

We have focused so much on terrorists outside the US that we have forgotten that we have home grown terrorists as well.

In fact, right after the WTC bombing there was a terrorist plot that was foiled by the FBI that received little media attention.

Another white supremecist group had purchased a huge amount of ammonium nitrate and had contracted to buy some illegal weapons, luckily through an FBI informant. While the perpetrators were caught before they blew up another building, it became clear once again that there needs to be some oversight on this.

I found the summarized overview portrayal of 911 profoundly chilling... the hate and anger directed at my country and my fellow citizens, beyond my comprehension! There are clearly some elected or appointed officials who should have been arrested for 'actions directly related to the wrongful death of thousands'! The terrorists should be hunted down to be sure, but the true terror continues regarding the lack of leadership and judgment in our government! So unforgivable to be sold out, not informed, and our safety bartered for someone else's agenda. The grievousness of it all…..

I lived through September 11, 2001 in Washington DC. I thought the "movie" and the special report by ABC news was informative and unbias.

My personal opinion on the 9/11 is that it hurts to know that our leaders DID drop the ball during their watch; however, it's time to stop pointing fingers. I'm not a democrat nor a republican. If we want to make a difference, we need to do it together. Lobbyist will always be there to do what they do best but WE the PEOPLE of the UNITED STATES of AMERICA can DO something too. Money talks yet it's our votes that put these legislatures in office. Get your family, friends, and neighbors to contact their legislatures and DO SOMETHING about it. Our complacent and apathetic attitudes are what is keeping our government from changing. We need to push for these changes together. It won't happen over night but it will if we want it to.

It appalls me that I have to show ID to buy a box of cold pills, and I can only purchase one box per month, but no ID or registration is required to buy such a dangerous chemical.

It's sad to see the state of distress we are in. The people in Government who were elected for the "greater good and betterment" of all citizens of this Great and Free Country, have no clue or power to do as Spike Lee once said, "Do the right thing"!!

We seem to be a dog chasing his own tail, not quite sure what to do about the threat of terrorism on our door front.

Special interests in DC. Like Blue Cross Blue Shield hauling doctors that treat the spirochete Borrelia in front of state medical boards and jerking their licenses. Special interests like having a spirochete, remember Tuskegee when all black men with the undiagnosed spirochete syphillis made them go blind and crazy or suffer a horrendous death, again a spirochete is untreated in America in the year 2006. While war is the topic of the day, Bush etal are gutting programs at home to help Americans in need. If you get sick and need help from SS disability services, in South Carolina, the employees with the state Director's blessing, do not obtain the information necessary to process claims, nor will they accept it from the client. They essentially shut down the application process then the hearing gets continued dragging out the process so long it is difficult to get any help ... for five and a half years as a returning client that worked successfully for eleven years!! DO NOT EVER TAKE A TICKET TO WORK> you will give up all health*(care) rights in America for going to work as a disable citizen.
We have a fascist elite government that cares nothing about any citizens or the Constitution they are elected to serve, they are stealing our American dream and our unalienable rights.

We know what needs to be done, but the selfish among us put their own self-interest before the common-good. If the farmers will not show id to get ammonium nitrate, the frequent flyers should not have to show Id to get on an airplane, and the broadcasters should not be allowed to cover the NEXT attack if they will not share the airways, then they should prepare to sell apples on the street corner when they lose their license to the FCC or DHS. And the turf battles among the Intel Community - all we did was rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic - DNI what a waste of time and money - who are we kidding? Not the jihaddists !
What we need is a Lewis Black type personality that will wake-up the people and the politicians!

We ARE in a WAR ! ! !

Thank YOU Brian and ABC for being brave enough to say and broadcast some truth and show us selfish folks what needs to be said. What we need are some ca-ho-nes to get the job done, or our kids and grandkids will be the next to suffer..what's next school invasions and assinations? Who knows, but we may all need to be inconvenienced to prevent the naxt attack. J.

If you're upset about not requiring farmers to submit to federal background checks in order to buy fertilizer . . . why not organize a boycott of the food they produce? Shall we also require background checks for gas station attendants (gasoline is very explosive as it is)? How about welding rods and supplies (remember the alleged plot to bring down a bridge in NYC using welding torches)? How about a security background check before buying a car (potential VIEDs)? Where does it end? When we are 100% assured we will encounter no dangers in our lives? When did we hire the government to be our nanny?

Did anyone notice the key element common to every "failure" of decision on the "path to 9/11"? It was fear of making a decision. Fear of repercussion. I was impressed with the Agents in the field, desperately trying to do their jobs-and not shocked at the lack of support they received from their superiors. Management is so poor in the fed govt-its all about covering your rear. The leadership selects a staff, gives a direction, then errodes the good work done by second guessing from a position of ignorance. Hooray for the INS Agent who detained one of the hijackers trying to get into the country-despite the warning of repercussion from above, he held the guy at the gate. I pray he was commended, but fear he was reprimanded or fired, in a typical federal management style most common today.

Odd it is indeed. Bush will shortly require Canadian and Mexican tourists, who enter the US legally and help the US economy, to have passports after 230 years without them. He will force Americans to get passports to visit their neighbors too.

Meanwhile, other Mexicans continue to pour across the border illegally. In his home state, and others, they steal jobs from American taxpayers. They receive all the benefits of US taxpayers, but pay no taxes. Clearly, Bush could care less.

Of course, major meat packers and other huge corporations want those illegal workers. They boost profits. Bush targets the legal tourists to make it look good.

He ignores the illegals who are costing American taxpayers millions in free education and free health care. He hasn't charged a single company with hiring illegal aliens. Imagine how fast the problem would end if there were no jobs waiting.

It is all 'smoke and mirrors'. It ranks with attacking Iraq when the 9-11 terrorists came from Saudi Arabia. Or allowing Saudi pals to fly home on 9-11 when all other flights were grounded. Go figure.

I'm glad to see ABC supports "fertilizer control" legislation. Now, shouldn't that also cover news and commentary YOU make that could possibly be used by the ememy to harm American citizens? I'll be watching to see if you will allow your reporting to be pre-screened by the authorities to prevent its mis-use by would-be enemies.

There was a bill that passed out of the House that was introduced by Representative Curt Weldon (R-PA) which would have solved this problem. The bill now sits in the Senate. Congressman Weldon deserves our praise and thanks for taking such a bold step when so many others seem to want to turn a blind eye to this problem.

Your "Doc-u-drama" on 9/11 wasn't to far off! Sandy Berger wasn't the one who "couldn't make a decision" about "getting-rid" of Osama Bin Ladin, it was Bill Clinton who couldn't make a decision! (he was too busy having sex in the "Oval Office"!) I know, I was privy, as a federal manager in one of the federal agencies involved. Brian Ross' expose' on ammonium nitrate is a "load of crap!" He asks numerous times, "why can't we get laws passed to stop the sale/get verification" before selling this product? It's a stupid agrument by an "ignorant city boy"! (I noticed that those he sent out to do his "stupid little trick" were all white U.S. citizens! What a waste of time to simply try to fool the American public.) If that's the case; Why not just stop renting Ryder trucks? Why aren't we using racial profiling? Who bombed the African embassies? Who bombed the USS Cole? Who bombed Kobar Towers? Who bombed the Marine barracks in Beirut? Who hijacked TWA73 to Beirut? Who bombed the World Trade Center buildings? The list is endless! We all know it was Muslim terrorists between the age of 25 and 40 years of age, but we don't profile for this! Why not, because we want to hassel 70 year old grandmothers at the airport, for having a finger nail file? What non-sense! Because the NAACP and other minority organizations are opposed to it? What crap!

From an "Insider", there should be no doubt that the Clinton Administration is completely responsible for what happened on 9/11/01! The 9/11 Commission was a "partisian group" set up to "white-wash" this entire affair and were completely ineffective and totally worthless!

Clinton had the opportunity to stop Bin Ladin a long time ago and was too weak and vacillating to do so! The result: The Muslims were emboldened and the next major stroke was the occurance of 9/11!

For the record: Osama Bin Ladin couldn't even tie his own shoes, let alone plan and carry out the actions of 9/11 or any other event credited to him! He's simply the "money man in all this! The mastermind behind all activities at Al Queda is Eyman Al Zawhatry! He had a "rap-sheet" as long as your arm! End of story!

Gee, I wish an undercover journalist would come to my work and try to buy ammonium nitrate sometime. We don't even sell it anymore because of 9/11.

As a small family farmer, I disagree with many of the positions that the Farm Bureau lobbys for, including ammonium nitrate, (commonly known as urea). I would feel much safer if it was restricted. I have to take classes and a test to get a licence for herbicides already, why should it be any different with this potentally dangerous fertilizer? Also their position on immigration is B.S. We do NOT need these illegal immigrants to work our farm. The only farms that want them are these huge "factory farms". They use cheap labor to drive family farms like mine out of business. Where would you rather ger milk from, a small family owned and operated farm like mine, where we know all of our cows by name and truly enjoy the privilege of being their caretakers? Or would you want milk from a 2000 cow dairy where illegal immigrants who are always coming and going, never working at the same place long enough to really care about anything but a paycheck are the ones feeding, milking and taking care of the animals. Which farm do you think would be easier for a terrorist to poison our food supply at?

Ref Karen's take on ABC's fertilizer segment, I ask ABC "did you not think to use several races, including caucasian, buying ammonium nitrate; thus having a fair reading on the result(s)...It may have been an entirely different outcome.....
Don Nunham

It's a shame that everyone's lives are put in danger because those we elect in office are too scared (and/or too dumb) to vote against the special interests. I guess money will always win over everything else. When will these people we elect actually ever do their jobs?