On the Homeland Security front...
Mixed news this week from the HomeSec front, as the Senate unanimously passed its FY 2007 Homeland Security spending bill Thursday. On the positive side, the Senate passed an amendment (84-16) by Louisiana Republican David Vitter prohibiting government confiscation of citizens' firearms during a disaster—a response to the unlawful disarmament of New Orleans' law-abiding citizens in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

When it came to fulfilling its pledge to protect the nation's southern border, however, the Senate showed its usual self. In May, the Senate voted by an overwhelming 83-16 margin to build a border fence along high-traffic areas of the U.S.-Mexico border. In the same vote, they also endorsed construction of 500 miles of vehicle barriers along the border. However, when it came time to fund construction of the fence and barriers this week, both of Sen. Jeff Session's amendments to that affect were unceremoniously rejected. In votes of 71-29—not far from the margin by which the Senate first approved their construction—the upper chamber, a la John Kerry, refused to fund the $1.8 billion needed for their construction.

So, when Jihadis cross the southern border and detonate a fissile device in a U.S. urban center, we know where the inevitable special commission investigation should begin.