Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Bush, soft on crime, inept on terrorism:

posted by The Vidiot @ 12:09 PM Permalink

As Violent Crimes Rise, Law Enforcement Officials Battle $1.1 Billion Funding Cut

With murder and other violent crimes on the rise in many American cities, local law enforcement agencies and elected officials are battling to stave off $1.1 billion in federal funding cuts proposed by President Bush.
[...]
Murders and non-negligent manslaughter increased 4.8 percent nationwide in 2005, the largest jump in 15 years, according to a preliminary FBI report in June. Murders were up over 2004 rates by 76 percent in Birmingham, Ala., 44.1 percent in Charlotte/Mecklenburg County, N.C., 42 percent in Kansas City, Mo., and 38 percent in Cleveland.
[...]
Former New Jersey Gov. Thomas Kean, who chaired the bipartisan commission on the Sept. 11 attacks and made recommendations to prevent more of them, called the federal government's failure to solve such communications problems among emergency-response agencies a "scandal." Last December, his panel gave the White House and Congress an "F" for failing to adequately address this issue.
[...]
"Everything is going to homeland security," said David Jones, executive director of the North Carolina governor's crime commission.
And what does Homeland inSecurity do with the $$?
Agency countering terror threats seen in disarray
Budget leaders call it 'a rudderless ship'

The federal research agency in charge of countering emerging terrorist threats such as liquid explosives is so hobbled by poor leadership, weak financial management, and inadequate technology that Congress is on the verge of cutting its budget in half.
[...]
Its reorganization was put on the back burner by Secretary Michael Chertoff, who took over in March 2005. Meanwhile, its management problems sapped the confidence of administration and congressional budget officials, analysts said.
[...]
In a 2007 spending bill awaiting a vote after the congressional recess, the Republican-led House would cut spending by the Science and Technology Directorate from $1.3 billion to $668 million. Congress noted about $250 million in unspent funds.

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