U.S. Department of Homeland Security hires Fire-Fighters in El Paso

"The Powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the states, respectively, or the people."
- Tenth Amendment, United States Constitution

I saw this story today. It made my head explode. It is the perfect example of our federal government's ass-backwards priorities.

I've written about Federalism and Local Control before.  Put simply, the Federal Government has no business making decisions about the local firefighting needs of any city.  The notion that bureaucrats in Washington D.C. can do a better job than local officials would be comical if it weren't so dangerous.

In his book Fed Up, Governor Rick Perry wrote:

As the saying goes, a jack of all trades is a master of none.  The Constitution commits the federal government the solemn responsibility for keeping our nation, and our citizens, safe from threats foreign and domestic.  This is its primary function.  But, because the federal government has inserted itself into so many aspects of our lives and into so many domestic responsibilities entrusted by the Founders to the states, it can no longer focus on the very duties assigned to it under the Constitution. (115)

Amen to that.

Here's a suggestion for the Department of Homeland Security, if they really want to spend money in El Paso, TX: SECURE THE DAMN BORDER!!!