Thanks Governor Walker, Statewide Budget Cuts forcing communities to hire Private Police Officers.

Perhaps someday we'll have to pay directly for police services to our homes and neighborhoods, and only if we can afford it. If we can't...well, some fire departments are already insisting on payments upfront to save your house from burning to the ground. Now that's what I call freedom and liberty. No reason to be nervous?

WPR: La Crosse is developing a new community policing program, with one of its officers paid for privately – a funding model that's new to Wisconsin … two new community police officers have an office in a former residential home in central La Crosse. From there, they’ll patrol their beat by foot and bike. The city's tight budget has prevented the switch, until now. 

According to the Wisconsin Professional Police Association, the number of police officers in the state has dropped over the last five years because of funding issues. Executive Director Jim Palmer said privately funding public safety could become a trend. 

Romney-not-so-smart...teachers, police and firefighters need federal dollars too.

Michael Eric Dyson, filling in for Ed Schultz, spells out just how out of touch, and blustery Mitt Romney has been in lately about downsizing government. He apparently doesn't know how much the federal government helps states nationwide fund our teachers, police or firefighters.

Dyson picks Romney apart.

Police accuse officials of Blackmail!! Threatened with Huge Hikes in Insurance Costs.

Nothing like a little turmoil to make government run "real" smooth like...

With Scott Walker's "tools" of division, we're now seeing the fruits of his poorly thought out attack on labor, by those that are willing to push the limits of decency.

Hudson Patch: Wisconsin police and firefighters are calling blackmail over the actions of local governments under Gov. Scott Walker’s controversial collective bargaining law. Officials with the state’s biggest police union, the Wisconsin Professional Police Association, told the Associated Press that its members are being threatened with health insurance cost hikes if they don’t pay into their retirement funds—an ultimatum the WPPA said is tantamount to blackmail.

“These employers tell their officers that unless you agree to pay this, we will make health insurance nearly unaffordable for you and your families,” said WPPA executive director Jim Palmer. The WPPA has filed with the state’s Employment Relations Commission, challenging the legality of the budget provision. 

First Responders apparently not the Responsibility of the Federal Government.

The Senate Republicans filibustered Obama's attempt to put fire fighters, police and teachers back to work, by saying it smelled too much like another failed "bailout." Of course the bailouts were actual loans that have, in many cases, been paid back. It was never just given away, without any accountability, and was successful at preventing another great depression. 

Sen. Mitch McConnell said it was a states issue. But was it really?

"The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) ran this television ads in several states in support of $35 billion in funding to help pay for staffing at fire and police departments across the country as well as at schools — that includes $1 billion in funding to protect firefighters' jobs. The IAFF estimates that 15,000 firefighter and paramedic jobs have been lost or are threatened due to lack of funds.

Here's what Republicans fought against funding:



Here's Sen. McConnell and Obama's back and forth on the issue: