The effect of firing DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano would be symbolic only.

This isn’t to say that ritual firings are without value, but replacing a Napolitano isn’t likely to improve the security of American citizens. Napolitano’s replacement will, after all, report to a boss who thinks it’s a splendid idea to send Gitmo detainees to Yemen (or perhaps Illinois), try al-Qaeda’s chief operating officer in a New York City civilian court, and credulously engage — almost to the point of supplication– the world’s chief state sponsor of terrorism.

As long as the boss remains invincibly callow toward the threat of terrorism, his underlings are likely to reflect that mindset.