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As New York state and city politicians attack the Department of Homeland Security over cutting the funds NYC gets for anti-terrorism efforts, the DHS has been fighting back by saying that New York City's proposal wasn't well-prepared. The NY Times writes, "Federal officials said yesterday that the city had not only done a poor job of articulating its needs in its application, but had also mishandled the application itself, failing to file it electronically as required, instead faxing its request to Washington." Ha! NY state and city officials say that, in fact, they did electronically submit the application - but you know that there's probably sniping about so-and-so's aide or intern screwing things up. But In fact, NYC, though in the "top 25% of urban areas at risk," was rated in the bottom 25% for the "quality of its application"! Our politicians, though, are saying that the DHS directed money to cities where reelections were coming up in the fall. The Daily News has a feature on Tracy Henske, the DHS official who "signed off on the cuts" - she's from Missouri and Missouri cities got increases in funding!
The united effort to show the DHS it's wrong allows Republican Representative Peter King and Democrat Senator Hillary Clinton to start a postcard writing project, to convince the DHS there, in fact, are landmarks and and monuments in New York City. And Senator Charles Schumer wrote an "angry letter" to DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff, leading Chertoff to say, "Attacking the secretary personally or threatening the secretary is not a way to drive funding decisions in this department or any other department." Maybe Comptroller Alan Hevesi should think about a speech involving Chertoff...
This will mean the city has to find new ways to finance police overtime and potential projects like the "ring of steel" in lower Manhattan. The NY Times has a good editorial about the problem, noting that high population states like NY, California and Texas frequently get screwed over in the process of doling out anti-terror funds; the Daily News damns Chertoff; and the Post lauds Rep. King's efforts to get money for NY; and And to put a cherry on top of all of this, a report from the Public Policy Institute of The Business Council of NY State says that NY State taxpayers pay much more than other states for state and local taxes. We're in a NY State of mind, all right.
Photograph from Bluejake
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Lesson to Mayor Bloomberg (and anyone else who plans to suck up to republicans): This is just another example of the way the right wing works. While they demand loyalty, they don't return loyalty. Bloomberg told us over & over that he only became a republican to get elected, then goes on to become their major donor and bring their convention here, giving them the backbrop for their ridiculous "9-11, fear and terror" campaign, and this is how they return the favor. New York, to the Bush boys, is Liberal, Democratic, filled with "those people"... oh, and Hillary is their Senator, along with that Jewish guy, Schumer. Any New Yorker who votes republican should move away, fast. You're too stupid to live here. You'll walk in front of a bus.
I can hear Chertoff in a couple of months:
"If NYC had filed its application electronically, we would have been able to give them the money they asked for and possibly prevented the nuclear attack on Manhattan. I hope other cities do not repeat NY's mistake."
This administration is run by a cabal of retarded faggots.
not the first the the City filled out applications incorrectly, on time or applying for funds at all.
not surprised one bit.
you expect city workers to follow the maze of bureaucracy themselves? I think not.
So a body set up by Bush is only giving money to their "friends" to help win more influence and is punishing anyone else?
If you didn't think that was going to happen, you need your head tested. Yes, you're Republican and you'll probably just walk in front of a bus.
As for the rest of us, isn't this illegal? If only we had a democracy, we could hold our corrupt government accountable to a higher standard. Where do I sign to secede from this stupid union?
first, darrin, it is ridiculous to think this is politically motivated, as dallas-fw's funding went down and new jersey's went up.
second, this is a pretty good incentive for local governments to be on the stick and make sure their paperwork done properly.
third, what makes anyone think that the money we use to get was well spent anyway? if we're lucky this may keep the nypd from doing nonsensical things like the subway bag patrols or keep tactical teams permanently on patrol in front of the nyse, etc.
actually interlard, if this were the autocratic republic you thought it was, you'd probably already be in the pokey. perspective people!
This is proof that the rest of the country hates us New Yorkers. This 9/11 "united we stand" solidarity is a big, stinking load of BULLSHIT.
That's it. I'm not giving any more directions to tourists. Supposedly they think we don't have any monuments worth giving directions to, right?
where's the address to send additional postcards? i want to carpet bomb these retards with postcards.
Now now, let's not digress into whose dick is bigger, Republicans or Democrats.
The issue at hand is whether New York deserves a 40% cut in terror funding. Discuss.
What's continually interesting (and sad) about this kind of thing is that there's nobody at the wheel. Homeland Security should not be treated like a competition to host a trade show or something. Somebody in Washington, disinterested and accountable, should sit down and figure out where the likely security needs are and simply tell the localities what they're getting, not base allocations on how nice people's cover letters were. This is like basing military policy on applications from other countries not to be invaded. Of course, they might be doing that too.
Lest anyone doubt how many of the "good, churchgoing people" in the "red states" really feel about New Yorkers, this excerpt is currently online at http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/06/01.html#a8537
Strap on your seat belts and hold onto your dashboard Jesus, because the story of how this violent, theocratic video game is being network marketed through pastors and churches only gets deeper and stranger from here.
"A top aide to mega-church pastor Rick Warren is advising the makers of a children's video game in which characters kill New Yorkers while shouting "Praise the Lord." When children tire of converting or killing New Yorkers, they can switch sides and command the demonic armies of the AntiChrist, and kill the conservative Christians. The real-time strategy game, slated for release in October 2006, is based on the best selling series of Left Behind novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. The web site of Left Behind Games states the involvement of Mark Carver on its Advisory Board. This web-based marketing tool also highlights his role as Executive Director of Mr. Warren's Purpose Driven Church. What appears to be going on here is an old-fashioned business practice called "endorsement by association."...read on"
As Henry Kissinger once said: "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean that they really aren't out to get you."
"back to the drawing board. i was aiming for heehaw-ville, nebraska, but now they are armed to the nines! didnt want to do new york again, but now their guard is down"
I loved Shumer's quote about how Bush shouldn't bother with any mpre propaganda attempts at Ground Zero while he continues to screw over New York. It's about time someone called Bush out as the hypocrite he is. I wonder if he did it at a Sunday press conference.
And speaking of asleep at the wheel - where was our Republican Governor in all this? Maybe he should come home from Iowa and protect the state that he still ostensibly leads.
Do any of you actually know anything about security or are you simply measuring everything according to dollars and your massive egos?
And I know one way to clear up some extra money at Homeland Security. Tell the unions to stop filing so many grievances that require an army of lawyers to investigate. The unions lose most of the time or they withdraw the grievances at the last minute. They use the threat as a pathetic attempt to stay relevent.
by Unions, I hope you include
the PBA and Uniform firefighters union.
anyway as sec'y chertoff mentions, no skin off his back and do you know where you get your food and power from,
keep sending those cards, like he cares.
funny though because I thought he made a name for himself in NY.
Hey "grow up all of you," you're no more an expert than any of us armchair security gurus. We're all a bunch of amateurs.
One thing is clear - we can tell who are the real New Yorkers are around here.
Yeah, the police are a real deterrent to terrorism or any crime in a crowded public space such as Penn Station or a parade route. Get two or more cops in the same place and it turns into a coffee klatch - everyone facing the center of the circle with their backs to the world.
Answer this honestly, people: Has Homeland Security done a single useful thing since it was formed? Seems to me that the portrayal of it on "24" as an opportunistic, power-grabbing organization was dead-on. Oh, that's right, we get color-coded alert levels. Talk about useful.
we need more money for blowing off Iraqi's heads. The homeland is secure cause it's "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED"
hey massive ego, tiny penis,
I don't know what makes a "real New Yorker" but I guarantee you I know far more about Homeland Security than you do. Use your blue state "highly educated" brain power to figure out why that might be.
If Pataki and Bloomberg haven't been pulling their weight in DC then what do you call the effort put in by Clinton, Schumer and the 20 other dwarves we sent to the House? You know, our ACTUAL REPRESENTATIVES. Maybe fewer press conferences and more action? If they put in the same effort they put in against Supreme Court nominees maybe we would get somewhere.
We interrupt this blog to bring you breaking news...
New York has no national monuments or icons, according to the Department of Homeland Security form obtained by ABC News. That was a key factor used to determine that New York City should have its anti-terror funds slashed by 40 percent---from $207.5 million in 2005 to $124.4 million in 2006.
The formula did not consider as landmarks or icons: The Empire State Building, The United Nations, The Statue of Liberty and others found on several terror target hit lists. It also left off notable landmarks, such as the New York Public Library, Times Square, City Hall and at least three of the nation's most renowned museums: The Guggenheim, The Metropolitan and The Museum of Natural History.
Sorry, New York. The goal of the Department of Homeland Security is to protect our real national icons. Following is a partial roster of landmarks on the evildoers' hit list that need our full attention...and the amount allocated to protect them according to the latest DHS "Freedom Budget:"
Alexandria, Indiana: The World's Largest Ball of Paint ($12 million)
Niland, California: Salvation Mountain ($16 million)
Alamo Heights, Texas: Barney Smith's Toilet Seat Art Museum ($10 million)
Dedham, Massachusetts: The Museum of Bad Art ($31 million)
Key West, Florida: The Chicken Store ($7.5 million)
Alliance, Nebraska: Carhenge ($25 million)
And Soap Lake, Washington: The Giant Lava Lamp ($143 million)
Thank you, Secretary Chertoff, for seeing through the elitist city-slicker spin, and allocating America's resources where they'll protect our heritage. Nay...our legacy.
I find it hilarious that you guys actually think Chertoff and homeland security is responsible for any of this. Homeland security is just basically a puppet organization set up so that all the ire of fucking up is directed at it and not at the real wishepeople responsible, namely the president and the vice president. Chertoff basically gets paid for a thankless task of conveying the presidents orders. They might as well rename Homeland Security into the "Blame us, hate us, but not Bush" office
Any Federal program with a purpose that uses money as a means to an end (any end) is going to be seen as a permanent entitlement by everyone. "Oh, look, NYC is now going to get millions every year for eternity!"
I thought that for the first few years , NYC should have gotten money to help it in areas where the city had problems. Now we learn that the city will never plug those areas or increase the effectiveness of its programs to a reasonable level and hence will forever see the Homeland security funds as a permanent backup to its budget. That's not how the program was supposed to work.
Now we learn that the city will never plug those areas or increase the effectiveness of its programs to a reasonable level and hence will forever see the Homeland security funds as a permanent backup to its budget. That's not how the program was supposed to work.
[25] Posted by: jmchez
If this isn't the STUPIDEST comment I've ever seen, I don't know what is.
Hullo? How long as Al Qaeda been planning attacks? How long did Bush say the war on terror would last? How much in overtime do you expect NYC to pay FOR THE FUCKING FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S MISTAKES????
Thus endeth the truth.
This is the most ridiculous excuse I have ever heard. It does not make any sense whatsoever to increase assistance to Omaha where the terrorist theat is close to 0, and decrease funding for New York and DC that are always at the very top of the list of potential terrorist targets. I think we should write letters to our elected officials and protest it any way we can.
#25, your comments might make more sense if budgets across the board were reduced. When other, more rural cities and towns are afforded increases in anti-terrorism budgeting, your argument goes out the window.
Try this easy sniff test: which American city/state would you feel LEAST safe living in right now from a terrorism point of view?
Buffalo's funds got cut too, and no one can figure this one out. We're on the border with another country-ok, so its polite Canada, but what about people not so polite, and not so Canadian, who might be terrorists? Eh? And, ok, we're on a river, but every year, the coast guard and local cops find people coming across the Niagara River illegally on boats and even rafts. A few years ago, someone tried to hide inside the wheel well of a bus...needless to say, he didn't make it far, and it was rather messy. And, what about the two major power plants, Adam Beck on the Canadian side, and Robert Moses (boo) on the American side, which aren't all that far from Buffalo? Does Bush like us to have blackouts?
I think he gave this project to Mike "heck of a job, Brownie" Brown.
#21 is classic! I love the internet