The Night Beat: A New York Welcome For Obama
The Night Beat: A New York Welcome For Obama
Obama In New York || BP "Gnaws" ||
WNBC's Jonathan Deinst is reporting that President Obama is expected at 1 Police Plazatomorrow afternoon to thank the troops for their excellent response to the Times Square bombing attempt. This event is not on the White House schedule.
He may not be welcomed very warmly. The Department of Homeland Security provided a courtesy notification to lawmakers today about the latest round of homeland security grants. The DHS' Transit Security Grant Program will give NYC $111 million, down 27% ($42 million). The Port Security Grant Program includes an additional $33.8 million, a cut of 25% ($11.2 million). Chuck Schumer and Peter King are outraged.
Now, these cuts were made before the Times Square attempt. They represent MORE money over zero. But the city uses the predictability of the funding stream to plan its budgets for the next year. Tough choices have to be made; the DHS is giving out less money overall this year, and New York got money from the Recovery Act for security. That said, the nation's top target gets just over 11% of the funding. Because of Faisal Shahzad, the city itself decided not to cut 900 police officer positions. But it's cutting firehouses. (By the way: if the FDNY and urban policy interests you in any way, please read this book.) In any event, Obama's walking into something of a hail storm tomorrow, even if NYCis getting $47 million more in 2010 than in 2009.
Obama is said to be beyond livid at BP and about his government's own inability to contain and mitigate what he realizes is an environmental catastrophe of near unimaginable proportions. Says an official: "It gnaws at him." If you want to get as angry as POTUS, read this series of articles byBrentin Mock of TheLensNola. Problem is: there's really not much the administration can do, because its technical capacity is limited -- the tragedy is that big. In the near term, expect more money and more people. Note: Rep. Henry Waxman hinted on MSNBC tonight that BP "may not survive" the combined financial/PR crisis that has resulted. ... The administration sent a letter to the Hill tonight asking for an oil spill supplemental, which would make more money available more quickly.
WNBC's Jonathan Deinst is reporting that President Obama is expected at 1 Police Plazatomorrow afternoon to thank the troops for their excellent response to the Times Square bombing attempt. This event is not on the White House schedule.
He may not be welcomed very warmly. The Department of Homeland Security provided a courtesy notification to lawmakers today about the latest round of homeland security grants. The DHS' Transit Security Grant Program will give NYC $111 million, down 27% ($42 million). The Port Security Grant Program includes an additional $33.8 million, a cut of 25% ($11.2 million). Chuck Schumer and Peter King are outraged.
Now, these cuts were made before the Times Square attempt. They represent MORE money over zero. But the city uses the predictability of the funding stream to plan its budgets for the next year. Tough choices have to be made; the DHS is giving out less money overall this year, and New York got money from the Recovery Act for security. That said, the nation's top target gets just over 11% of the funding. Because of Faisal Shahzad, the city itself decided not to cut 900 police officer positions. But it's cutting firehouses. (By the way: if the FDNY and urban policy interests you in any way, please read this book.) In any event, Obama's walking into something of a hail storm tomorrow, even if NYCis getting $47 million more in 2010 than in 2009.
Obama is said to be beyond livid at BP and about his government's own inability to contain and mitigate what he realizes is an environmental catastrophe of near unimaginable proportions. Says an official: "It gnaws at him." If you want to get as angry as POTUS, read this series of articles byBrentin Mock of TheLensNola. Problem is: there's really not much the administration can do, because its technical capacity is limited -- the tragedy is that big. In the near term, expect more money and more people. Note: Rep. Henry Waxman hinted on MSNBC tonight that BP "may not survive" the combined financial/PR crisis that has resulted. ... The administration sent a letter to the Hill tonight asking for an oil spill supplemental, which would make more money available more quickly.
(The Atlantic)
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