GOP: Cops/Firefighters Should Work For FREE!
From The Daily Outrage :
Back in April, powerful Senator Ted Stevens asserted that police and fire-fighters should express their war-time patriotism by working overtime hours without pay. The Republican leadership met this amazing statement by one of their own with apparently-approving silence.
So why be surprised that, even as crime rates are starting to tick up again, the Republicans are now killing off a federal program to help keep cops on the street? USA Today reports that for want of a fraction of what the Republicans are giving away to the wealthy via tax cuts -- or what they now want to give away to the oil, gas and nuclear lobbies -- thousands of cops are being laid off nationally, in a development sure to bring more violent crimes to our cities.
"America faces a cop crunch just when we least need it," says a reports study by the Democratic Leadership Council. "It amounts to a reckless and a dangerous hollowing out of the nation's police forces ... [just as] crime rates are rising and homeland security is placing new strains on the existing force."
So it may get ugly out there -- but if it does, take heart from Donald Rumsfeld, who wisely tells us that "freedom is untidy," and if you are robbed and beaten or your business looted and vandalized, that's just a cheerful reminder that "stuff happens."
Edit: Formatting/Credit
Back in April, powerful Senator Ted Stevens asserted that police and fire-fighters should express their war-time patriotism by working overtime hours without pay. The Republican leadership met this amazing statement by one of their own with apparently-approving silence.
So why be surprised that, even as crime rates are starting to tick up again, the Republicans are now killing off a federal program to help keep cops on the street? USA Today reports that for want of a fraction of what the Republicans are giving away to the wealthy via tax cuts -- or what they now want to give away to the oil, gas and nuclear lobbies -- thousands of cops are being laid off nationally, in a development sure to bring more violent crimes to our cities.
"America faces a cop crunch just when we least need it," says a reports study by the Democratic Leadership Council. "It amounts to a reckless and a dangerous hollowing out of the nation's police forces ... [just as] crime rates are rising and homeland security is placing new strains on the existing force."
So it may get ugly out there -- but if it does, take heart from Donald Rumsfeld, who wisely tells us that "freedom is untidy," and if you are robbed and beaten or your business looted and vandalized, that's just a cheerful reminder that "stuff happens."
Edit: Formatting/Credit
Comments
Welcome to "The Daily Outrage," your last best hope to keep up with the blizzard of Bush-era bad news. Whether they're cutting down your forests, raiding your retirement funds, reading your email or shrinking your constitutional rights, the Republican (sometimes it's bipartisan) assault advances by the hour. The outrages come so fast that it's hard for even well-read citizens to stay abreast. So this column will provide you with a regular update on their doings. Pass it on.
Originally posted by Aquatic
alcimedes don't shoot the messenger. the GOP is always like this. They want TOUGH penalties and to be tough on crime. Good, I support that, and the death penalty. But they also love to cut critical government programs, like police funding. Duh?
Since when did local police/fire funding become the responsibility of the Federal government? Why should my (relatively safe) hometown send taxes to DC to provide police and fire services in some city on the other coast? It would be different if it was a temporary crisis or something, but this is a good example of how programs grow out of control and become "necessary".
Again, more spin and FUD regarding the evil Right and its conspiracy to enslave us all.
The COPS program, which is being phased out by the federal government, has provided grants to pay for all or part of entry-level officers' salaries during their first three years of work. Agencies that received COPS grants were required to keep the officers for a fourth year. Now, many cash-strapped police departments that have met their obligation to the grants program are trimming their ranks to meet increasingly tight local budgets.
As a result, police departments are pulling officers off patrols at a time when crime rates are beginning to tick upward again.
Sounds like LOCAL GOVERNMENTS are cutting back after getting a very generous boost from the Feds to train a bunch of officers. Since the limitations of the program were explained up front, maybe some LOCAL GOVERNMENTS (mostly Democrat-controlled, I'd bet) have some 'splainin' to do.
Welcome to "The Daily Outrage," your last best hope to keep up with the blizzard of Bush-era bad news. Whether they're cutting down your forests, raiding your retirement funds, reading your email or shrinking your constitutional rights, the Republican (sometimes it's bipartisan) assault advances by the hour. The outrages come so fast that it's hard for even well-read citizens to stay abreast. So this column will provide you with a regular update on their doings. Pass it on.
Fair and balanced.....
however, the link northgate provided was to a rabid jackass with an agenda. hence the rolling eyes.
Originally posted by finboy
Again, more spin and FUD regarding the evil Right and its conspiracy to enslave us all.
Well I'm glad you recognize the truth.
Originally posted by alcimedes
shooting the messenger would have been going after Northgate.
however, the link northgate provided was to a rabid jackass with an agenda. hence the rolling eyes.
So which is the problem? Being a rabid jackass or having an agenda? And don't all partisan columnists have an agenda? Also, which part of his article was rabid? Or jackass for that matter?
Nice bullshit thread title, btw.
Originally posted by SDW2001
Nice bullshit thread title, btw.
Dems Opposing Medicare Bill=Stupid As Dirt
Nope. That's not inflammatory at all. Last I checked, the thread title didn't demean anyone. In fact, the thread title is exactly the same type of headlines used by Drudge on a daily basis.
But hey, spin away my friend.
Yet, your post implies that Dems are screaming about ALL spending when, in fact, they're complaining about the TYPE of spending. Sigh.
Originally posted by finboy
Since when did local police/fire funding become the responsibility of the Federal government? Why should my (relatively safe) hometown send taxes to DC to provide police and fire services in some city on the other coast? It would be different if it was a temporary crisis or something, but this is a good example of how programs grow out of control and become "necessary".
It isn't the responsibility of the federal government to pay for fire/police. That has always been the way it is, however, some state and local governments get money from the feds for partial funding of their public services. The republicans want this to stop, they don't want anyone working for free. The republicans have always been for a smaller government, reducing federal funding of public services would make for a smaller and less visible national government and let the state/locals take more control. Thats what the republicans want.
Originally posted by Aquatic
Important distincti; you're right. However SDW you continue to be disingenuous. They are spending money on TAX CUTS for the RICH and for a WAR in Iraq to keep the RICH getting RICHER while the POOR get POORER. None of the money the GOP is spending will help anyone but the rich. However alcimedes et al are right, this is a local jurisdiction issue, however some places in the US are just so poor they'll inevitably need help, same with education, etc, and everything else. That's what the federal government is for.
No, the federal government is there to protect me from foreign and domestic threats to my safety. That's it. We need MASSIVE cutbacks everywhere.