Federal Funding Cut for Successful Anti-Crime Program in Pensacola, FL

People in certain neighborhoods in Pensacola, Florida have effectively been told that terrorists present a bigger threat to their safety and security than local drug dealers. At least that’s the message implicit in the cutting of federal funds for a local “Weed and Seed” program. While billions are somehow found to fund a losing cause in Iraq, less than a million dollars has been deemed too much to keep a program running that had been effective in shutting down drug dealings on local streets.

The Weed and Seed program not only earmarked money for local area improvements, but also to pay for police to work overtime to patrol parts of the city known as havens for drug dealers. Since the funding was cut, unsurprisingly, drug activity has increased once again and the neighborhoods are no longer as safe for children to play in. In addition to losing police protection against immediate dangers in exchange for unconstitutional protection against potential dangers, the loss of the funding for the Weed and Seed program also meant the loss of counseling programs and emergency assistance.

Areas of Pensacola that showing success in fighting back against an enemy which a previous President had declared a war against are now, ironically, losing that war due to another President’s decision to spend billions waging a war declared against an abstract noun.