Day-Old Heroes

On November 8, 2001, President Bush addressed a group of firefighters, police officers, and postal workers in Atlanta about the tragedy and aftermath of September 11:

We have gained new heroes, those who ran into burning buildings to save others: our police and our firefighters….Those who voluntarily place themselves in harm's way to defend our freedom: the men and women of the armed forces.

By last November, the shine was already wearing off their hero medals: the new department of Homeland Security was founded, giving the White House the ability to strip most union protections, including collective bargaining. Today, things got worse for public servants. Military personnel will lose federal school aid for their children--and just in time for war. And seriously underfunded firefighters are lobbying for more money so they can purchase protective breathing gear needed to survive chemical or biological attacks. And more:

Their radios still can't connect with those of police and other rescuers. They don't have a day's worth of training in how to handle a terrorist assault of any kind, let alone the "dirty bombs"--homemade radioactve devices - the men at the top say could be sent our way.

The 2004 White House budget calls for additional $3.6 billion in homeland security funding for localities who would have to foot the bill for these improvements. Local governments and many Democrats say at least $7 billion is needed. (A war with Iraq, by contrast, could cost $50 billion in direct military costs and $200 billion with postwar costs added in--or about $1,550 per taxpayer.) Is this any way to treat our nation’s "heroes"?