Colorfully Inane

Did we really need a a Congressional investigation to tell us that the color-coded threat system is pointless?

Representative Christopher Cox, the California Republican who leads the House homeland security committee, said in releasing the report that the officials overseeing the threat system needed to "make it work better or get rid of it."

Mr. Cox and Representative Jim Turner of Texas, the ranking Democrat on the panel, said the public was at risk for "threat fatigue."

"I'm afraid if we don't make improvements in the system," Mr. Turner said, "the public's going to lose trust and confidence in that system and won't pay any attention to it anymore."

Their comments reflected a growing unease in recent months among leading members of Congress about the government's ability to warn law enforcement officials and the public of an attack.

Indeed.