Anti-terror funding cuts:

[me]

How smart is this?    



Well, Mr. President, maybe when you come to the city for a political fund-raiser today you can explain how you can allow cuts in funding to protect those of us who live, work and raise our kids in the terrorists' bull's-eye.

Cuts that come in the immediate aftermath of the attempted car bombing in Times Square.

Which came in the aftermath of the attempted bombings in the subway.

Which came in the aftermath of a dozen other attempted attacks.

Which came in the aftermath of the mass murder of thousands on 9/11.

All of which came before the next attempt, which is sure to come.

Most experts think the chances are better than ever it will be in the subways. Yet the Department of Homeland Security is cutting our transit funding from $153 million to $111 million.

Money to protect the port is being cut from $45 million to $33.8 million.

A government official who is privy to some of the intelligence that is summarized each day for the President says there is a "constant threat stream" regarding New York.

"Absolute insanity," the official said of the cuts.

The Homeland Security Department is trying to duck the blame for the subway part of the insanity, saying that the cut for New York only reflects an overall transit security cut by Congress.

But all Congress did was approve the funding request from the White House, which was down from $400 million to $250 million.

The White House being your house, Mr. President.

On Monday, as I walked with my 16-year-old daughter to the subway that takes her to school and me to work, she began talking about the terrorists.

"I was just wondering," she said.

I told her that it is up to each one of us to fight the terrorists by refusing to be terrorized, by continuing to ride the trains and walk the streets.

I realized that I was talking to her like she was a solider in a war, and I began to scold myself.

I then realized that's exactly what she is.

Bronagh Daly did her part by continuing down into the subway, riding one of the lines that was targeted by the bombers in the fall.

The Times Square car bomb was a block from where she went to a Boys Like Girls concert not too long ago.

Now, I have to figure out a way to tell her the President she so admires is leaving her and her city less protected.

Maybe you can explain it to her, Mr. President.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/05/13/2010-05-13_mr_president_youre_making_our_city_less_safe.html#ixzz0noe5NrPI







http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/05/13/2010-05-13_mr_president_youre_making_our_city_less_safe.html

[me]

Gee no comments from the peanut gallery defending this stupid move?

[Henry Hawk]

That is what I figured would happen........... ...you can hear the crickets

[Palehorse]

You want comments off the top of our heads, with no research or validation for them? Go fish. . .

[Sandy Eggo]

That's not crickets, that's the wind whistling between your ears

[Henry Hawk]

That's not crickets, that's the wind whistling between your ears

ouch!!!!

[The Troll]

That is what I figured would happen........... ...you can hear the crickets

  Henry, you have told us before.  Stop the government from taking our money and giving it to someone else.  It's New York City problem, let them pay for it.  I'm quit sure they, a typical New Yorker would give a damn about us.

[Palehorse]

Gee no comments from the peanut gallery defending this stupid move?

Contact:   Rob Blumenthal / John Bray, w/Inouye (202) 224‐7363 Ellis Brachman / Jenilee Keefe Singer, w/Obey (202) 225‐2771
FY2010 CONFERENCE SUMMARY: HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS
The Homeland Security Appropriations Bill is focused on securing our nation's borders and preparing for any potential disaster. The conference agreement totals $42.776 billion of discretionary budget authority for fiscal year 2010, $2.648 billion, or 6.6 percent, above fiscal year 2009.
Priorities in the bill are focused on five major goals: 1)   Securing our borders and enforcing our immigration laws; 2)   Protecting the American people from terrorist threats and other vulnerabilities, and ensuring the
Department is nimble enough to address future threats; 3)   Preparing for, responding to, and recovering from all-hazards; 4)   Supporting our State, local, Tribal, and private sector partners in homeland security with resources and
information; and 5)   Giving the Department resources to strengthen financial, procurement, IT systems, and other
management tools that it needs to succeed; eliminating or reducing programs that are ineffective or duplicative.
Bill Total
2009 Enacted: 2010 President's Request: House Passed: Senate Passed: Conference Agreement:
$40.128 billion $43.071 billion (includes Coast Guard Overseas Contingencies) $42.617 billion $42.927 billion $42.776 billion

. . .

Homeland Security Grants: $4.17 billion, nearly $300 million above the request, for grants to first responders and partners in homeland security, including:
•   State Grants: $950 million, matching the request and 2009, for grants used to plan, equip and train local first responders to respond to terrorist attacks and catastrophic incidents, including $60 million for Operation Stonegarden.
•   Urban Area Security Grants: $887 million, matching the request and $50 million above 2009, to help high-risk urban communities prevent, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks.
•   Rail/Transit Security Grants: $300 million, $50 million above the request, to protect critical transit infrastructure, including freight rail, Amtrak and ferry systems in high-threat areas.
•   Port Security Grants: $300 million, $50 million above the request, to assist ports in enhancing maritime domain awareness and enhancing risk management capabilities to prevent, detect, and respond to terrorist attacks.
•   Emergency Management Performance Grants: $340 million, $25 million above the request and 2009, for all-hazard grants for state and local emergency managers.
•   Fire Grants (including SAFER): $810 million, $220 million above the request and $35 million above 2009, to help local fire departments address communication, equipment and staffing problems. Of this total, $420 million is for SAFER, as requested, and $390 million is for fire grants.
3
•   Metropolitan Medical Response System: $41 million, $1 million above the request, to help high- threat communities respond to mass casualty incidents.
•   Interoperable Communications: $50 million, matching the request and 2009, for help firefighters and emergency responders talk to each other during a crisis.
•   Emergency Operations Centers: $60 million, $25 million above 2009, to equip and upgrade central command facilities used by emergency personnel during disasters.

http://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news.cfm?method=news.view&id=2648ea03-de5b-4732-94e3-ba73cf63e6d8

This coming from the official report (public access) of the Senate / House Committee on Appropriations, which you can see and read for yourself at the above link.

Now the above being the case, once again we see an example of inappropriate blame being shoveled at the POTUS surrounding the failures of congress and the DHS's "updated" fund rating system. . . The friggin money was there, same as last year, and overall congress passed LESS than the POTUS and WH administration requested. . .

The CNY is squalling as if they are the only city that were subjected to cuts, but the reality is there are a lot of them that got cut, but an even larger number that got increases over what they previously had received. (Including the city of Chicago). None of which is the fault of the POTUS or his administration, but rather that of the DHS itself! 

[me]

The article talks like this is a recent thing though.  You know, one of those we budgeted that much but we're gonna have to cut back on it thing. I realize that's a NY daily news article and not NY times but still if it weren't true how could they get by with saying that in a local paper since those who reside there would know if it were true or not.

[Henry Hawk]

I don't really care who or where the blame is, cutting Anti-Terror funds is wrong.....with the forecasted threat of attack, It will be a tough pill to swollow if we have another "successful" attack in this country...Obama is the leader, and HIS job is to keep ALL Americans safe...

That is all I am going to say about this....

[Palehorse]

The article talks like this is a recent thing though.  You know, one of those we budgeted that much but we're gonna have to cut back on it thing. I realize that's a NY daily news article and not NY times but still if it weren't true how could they get by with saying that in a local paper since those who reside there would know if it were true or not.

Anti-Terror Funding Cut In D.C. and New York
Homeland Security Criticized Over Grants
By Dan Eggen and Mary Beth Sheridan
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, June 1, 2006
The Department of Homeland Security yesterday slashed anti-terrorism money for Washington and New York, part of an immediately controversial decision to reduce grant funds for major urban areas in the Northeast while providing more to mid-size cities from Jacksonville to Sacramento. . .

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/31/AR2006053101364.html

As you can see, this is not the first time CNY has squalled and it is not likely to be the last.

The problem lies within the DHS's rating system which the cities themselves are responsible for providing the statistics for, although that is only part of the problem with their system. . .

As you can see. . . the funding was there and in fact increased by 300 million dollars over the requested amount. The POTUS, congress, and his administration got them the money and it is up to DHS to administer and distribute it. . .

[Palehorse]

I don't really care who or where the blame is, cutting Anti-Terror funds is wrong.....with the forecasted threat of attack, It will be a tough pill to swollow if we have another "successful" attack in this country...Obama is the leader, and HIS job is to keep ALL Americans safe...

That is all I am going to say about this....

Did you have the same perspective in 2006 when the same thing happened?

[kimmi]

Can we even call that a "news" article?  Who is the author?

[me]

Can we even call that a "news" article?  Who is the author?

Michael Daly

[me]

The NY Post carried the story too and you know they are Obama people.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/obama_bombing_attempt_nyc_anti_terror_aP3bWkcJDfhMCrks0MNrqO