Obama to cut slain officers program almost in half

WTOP.com ^ | May 7, 2009 | DEVLIN BARRETT

[KeyLargo]

Obama to cut slain officers program almost in half May 7, 2009 - 5:15pm By DEVLIN BARRETT Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration wants to cut almost in half a benefits program for the families of slain police and safety officers.

The president's proposed budget calls for cutting the Public Safety Officers' Death Benefits Program from $110 million to $60 million.

Justice Department budget documents say the reduction is being made because "claims are anticipated to decrease" because the number of officers killed in the line of duty has been decreasing.

The proposal is being made just days before Attorney General Eric Holder is expected to attend ceremonies in Washington honoring slain officers.

"It makes us kind of nervous. While we aren't panicking, it certainly has increased our concern, coming a week before National Police Week," said Suzie Sawyer, executive director of Concerns of Police Survivors, a group taking part in next week's events.

Sawyer said as long as the number of police and safety officers killed doesn't increase too much, the amount of money offered in the budget could be enough. And she noted that in the past, the government has found more money for the program when it needed more, such as following the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.

The program pays benefits of more than $300,000 to the survivors of a safety officer killed in the line of duty.

There were 133 police officers killed in the line of duty last year, the lowest amount since 1960, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

The group said killings of police officers are up 21 percent so far in 2009, compared to the same period the year before.

[KeyLargo]

Gee how nice of Obama to do this for upcoming NATIONAL POLICE WEEK

http://www.nleomf.com/NPW2009/

[al baby]

OBAMA HATES COPS

[DoughtyOne]

Justice Department budget documents say the reduction is being made because "claims are anticipated to decrease" because the number of officers killed in the line of duty has been decreasing.

If that's the case Obama wouldn't have to take any action at all. The outlays would reduce on their own.

This guy is one vile bastard, and his Justice Department is in lock step with him.

[EyeGuy]

There are tons of things the government should not be involved in, and I am for huge reductions in government, but in making cuts this program should be among the absolute LAST to go.

[jeffc]

Umm . . You know . . I actually kind of agree with this. But only in the context that this is really a States Rights issue. I am for lowering the money the feds collect and disburse from and to us poor citizens, and the states to do their duty.

Look at it from the state view. Are the states saying they don't have to take care of their own because the feds are doing it? If the money has to be filtered throught the feds, you know some is grafted off to some porkbarrel things.

I say the closer the money stays to home, the more power the citizens can exercise over how it's used.

[peace with honor]

BO has to GO

[sasafras]

So we can screw the ones who protect us yet give billions and trillions to the bankers, corporate lawyers, lobbyists, and the racists ACORN, LaRaza and the NAACP?

Seems fair doesnt it /s

[genxer]

Don’t fall for it. He’s cutting stuff like this so everyone cryes and complains and then he says see see i tried to do something but you can’t without hurting woman, children, cops.

[anoldafvet]

This fits right in with the program to make injured military pay for their war injuries. This guy really hates the USA.

[mountainbunny]

I disagree.

The very last place the federal government should be is in local law enforcement.

[Tax-chick]

Are the states saying they don't have to take care of their own because the feds are doing it?

Probably. It happens with lots of what should be local or state expenses.

[antiunion person]

You know, in my humble opinion, instead of cutting the budget for the men and women who have died in the line of fire, why doesn't Obama, in all his brilliance, cut the benefits for politicians. As it stands right now, when someone, a politician, serves for only 4 years and gets voted out, that person gets a retirement for rest of his life. Let them start putting money out for their co-pays when receiving better medical care than those, us, who pay for it. Let Obama cut out all the fringe benefits politicians get while supposedly servicing for us. Let the politicians take a 60% cut in pay and do what most working Americans are now doing, cutting their budgets, in order to survive.
If I remember correctly, they are supposed to be working for us, not us for them.

[Diogenesis]

"There are terrorists, willing to kill Americans, who are more worthy."

[Salvation]

He is asking for trouble.

I’ll wait for all the police to boycott their local offices. (Not that they would really do it, but I’d sure like to see them speak out against Obama somehow.)

[alloysteel]

This is always the scheme used by the “authorities” that want to show that taxes may be cut - but it’s gonna HURT you. Cut the more visible programs, like the public contact sector, while preserving the back-door and institutional distributions that are NOT on visible display.

Transparency is not this regime’s greatest strength.

[Future Snake Eater]

I was kind of thinking that myself, but the federal government does NOT hand power back, it confiscates and centralizes. This sounds like a real cut in a worthy program, not a needed decentralization.

[Pontiac]

The proposal is being made just days before Attorney General Eric Holder is expected to attend ceremonies in Washington honoring slain officers.

Obama has a tin ear (politically).

Eric Holder had to have been happy when this announcement was made knowing he was going to this ceremony. (I bet he had some really kind words for his ONE)

[Tax-chick]

I agree with your analysis. Local governments pull this all the time, too. “We can’t cut the budget without eliminating police! What, my brother-in-law and my latest baby-momma in six-figure makework jobs? How did that happen?!?”

[Cicero]

I would be all in favor of cutting fed grants to the states. But it should be accompanied by tax cuts, so there is more money for the states to pay for it themselves. Of course that ain’t gonna happen.

The best place to start would be to abolish the Department of Education. But that CERTAINLY is not going to happen.

[atomic_dog]

Call me a strict constructionalist but can someone explain to me where in the US Constitution it is allowable for the US Government to pay benefits or provide money for benefits to be paid for a local law enforcement officer killed enforcing local laws?

Don't get me wrong, I am all for it and would donate money to such a fund in my state. But according to the Constitution such funds must be provided by the states. We need to stop allowing the Constitution to be hijacked in the name of feel good programs or "for the children's sake."

It's kind of funny that this may be the only thing The One has done that actually has some basis in the Constitution.