Crossposted at The Whole Delivery
While the media continues to focus on Obama's stimulus plan not being big enough, despite them themselves concerned about it being too big in February when the legislation was crafted, a hidden story that is slowly emerging right now is how the recession is making people desperate.
So desperate, that they are committing crimes. Dangerous crimes.
The economy made him do it.
That's the excuse an armed robber reportedly gave tellers at a Houston bank as he demanded they empty their cash drawers. According to an article in today's Houston Chronicle, the thief lamented that he couldn't find a job and needed to steal to put food on the table.
"I'm only doing this to eat," the robber said as he brandished a pistol, according to FBI statements cited by the Chronicle. "They're not letting me work."
Now of course this isn't a forum to give these people that do this a pass, or even some sympathy. Because we are all in this together, and they aren't the only ones in the midst of fiscal and emotional struggle. There's plenty to go around.
However, this is the paradigm example for me at how brutal and downright scary it is for some people in this country right now. The police forces on the streets are getting reduced not in finite numbers as crime is scaling up
In anticipation of higher crime, municipalities typically increase the police presence in their communities. But not this time. Cities are cutting their law enforcement forces in order to manage sharp declines in tax receipts. On average, about 63% of agencies cut about 6% of their budget, according to PERF. Many of these cuts took effect July 1 because most major police departments operate on a fiscal year that begins this month.
"The fact that most police departments currently are being asked to make cuts is an indication of how badly this recession is affecting local tax bases," said Miami Police Chief John Timoney in a Feb 2 statement accompanying the survey's release.
This desperation leads to people doing irrational and pernicious things such as this individual, who was thankfully unnamed in the article. It's already humiliating enough to get caught for this, and having your name leaked out could push this guy even further over the edge than he already has gone.
And sadly, it has already pushed others off the ultimate precipice.
(From TWD today, peace)
This makes me think about Bushvilles from Marc in Ca