The girl-half of Philly Confidential meant to post this message a few weeks ago, but for some reason your two favorite bloggers never post as often as they should.

Do you remember when the FBI released their latest crime statistics?
The report stated that the national homicide rate had increased yet again.

CBS and ABC news aired segments on the FBI data, and both networks mentioned Philadelphia as the prime example of an American city overwhelmed with violence and murder.

CBS threw out an interesting statistic: Ever since President Bush took office, there has been $2 billion worth of federal funding cuts to state and local law enforcement agencies.

Wait a minute.
PC assumed that the Bush administration was big on national security and making Americans feel safe at home. So what’s up with Washington pulling money away from first-responders? Aren’t these the same first-responders hailed during the 2004 election season, when it seemed that every other Republican stump speech was tied to 9-11?

Then we read this from the NYT:
Many criminologists and law enforcement officials are debating whether the violent-crime data signal a significant national trend. In a report, “A Gathering Storm — Violent Crime in America,” the Police Executive Research Forum, a professional organization of police chiefs, warned last year that violent crime increases were “the front end of a tipping point of an epidemic of violence not seen for years.” Among other factors, the chiefs blamed a decline in federal spending for a decrease in crime prevention and community policing programs and for a dip in police staffing.

And then we met Bush’s Drug Czar in North Philadelphia and listened to him say this:

When asked about recent federal funding cuts to Philadelphia's law-enforcement efforts, Walters said, "Juvenile crime should be treated by the state and local authorities."
He acknowledged that "the federal government has a small part of this," but urged communities to use resources already in place.

Can someone please explain this contradiction?
How can the White House preach security and then sit back and watch violent thugs take hold of our neighborhoods?
Are the conspiracy theorists on to something?