Agencies Losing Drug Money

What a shame. The Missouri River Drug Task Force and hundreds of other similar state and local law-enforcement organizations across the country are a little short on cash. It seems they rely heavily on federal funds (i.e., your tax dollars and mine) funneled to them by way of the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program -- and Congress cut that funding by 67 percent last year.

It's always good news when the unconstitutional use of tax dollars is curtailed. The downside, however, is that over-zealous narcs may try to make up for their budgetary shortfalls by stepping up raids to seize more money and property. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and, as everyone knows, crime has a tendency to rise during economic downturns.