In a first of its kind, a report from The Heritage Foundation provides a fresh look at the billions of dollars in homeland security grants handed out to state and local governments. The report details the federal, state, and local spending from 2000 to 2007 in 26 states, the District of Columbia, and 85 cities and counties that make up Urban Areas Security Initiative jurisdictions.
Among the key findings:–States and localities spend a lot more every year then the federal government. The billions of federal dollars distributed have had a marginal impact on national preparedness.
States and localities spend significantly more money, have substantially more people, and are in a much better position from which to act.
The federal intrusion into what is traditionally and rightly the responsibility of state and local governments undermines the principle of Federalism laid out in the Constitution, while doing little to keep Americans safe from terrorist attacks or natural disasters.
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The state and local governments may be in the postion to better see what they are spending money on with the use of federal dollars however in my opinion the money being wasted by putting into these areas are more or less feel good money.
I think it is being spent on any thing and every thing and not totally on Homeland security.
The federal government is like a crack dealer and all that they want to do is get the state and locals hooked on the money and then they have us. Sooner or later we eat ourselves from within…
And we should start holding state and local governments responsible with audits or print outs that show everyone where it is being spent.
If the states and locals know better where to spend the money then they should know better where it goes..
Mark, that is a good assumption, but there is a problem with the logic that all states will spend money on our national security especially along the borders. Seems as though, there are some state leaders who don't think we should protect our own borders.
As for spending at State level, it depends on which party is in control. Democrats don't recognize a budget, they create their own as they go along. They apparently never learned how to balance a budget nor do they desire to do so!
This is why we have volunteers such as the "Minutemen", to help aid the Border patrol.
If the Feds keep failing in their duty to keep out illegals, then I forsee the States affected Uniting and taking care of the problem. Pandering to illegal activities under the guise of humanitarism is beyond foolish, it is superiorly costly to American Workers and their families.
The very same type people who have before defended our Constitution agains Tyranny.
Hozro
The Federal Gov't has done a fantastic job of circling the wagons and whipping the oxen to go faster and faster in smaller circles.
The object of this exercise is to spend as much money as possible while showing the least results.
The only way to get off this wagon wheel is, you know it already, providing Billions more to do less and less.
Every day this congress reminds me that governing is secondary to government to them. They don't take this country seriously but they sure take spending seriously.I wish they would wake up and realize that most of them have something missing inside and shouldn't be trusted with any responsibility beyond deciding what to wear. This is all a terrible dream, right? Right?
AFTER THE REVOLUTION IN 1916 RUSSIA, THE COMMUNIST AGENDA WAS TO TAKE OVER THE FACTORIES, THE BANKING INDUSTRIES, INSURANCE COMPANIES,HOSPITALS, ETC.,ETC. FOR THE NEW WORLD ORDER. THEY WOULD DICTATE ALL THE NEW LAWS SINCE THIS WAS A DICTATORSHIP. WHAT WAS LEFT, THEIR NEW LEGISLATURE WAS ONLY ALLOWED TO PASS LEGISLATION THAT WAS PERMITTED BY THE DICTATORIAL REGIME IN POWER WITHOUT ANY OPPOSITION ALLOWED.
SOUND FAMILIAR?
SOUNDS LIKE WE ARE ALL GOING TO HELL IN A HANDBASKET!
America wake up.
Giving tax payers money to illegal immergrants, promoting seculair ideas along communist lines, not being or acting responsible for anything. yep, sounds like we're heading for hell and at 3.2 trillion dollars for 2010 we'll be so busted that we can't even walk to work without be'in taxed.