The federal government is threatening not to fund the cleanup of meth labs, which are considered hazardous waste sites. Of course people value their genetic composition enough to get sucked into an outcry against federal cuts if it boils down to this. Cleanup requires “specially trained workers in protective suits,” and the waste cannot be landfilled. The article in the Asheville Citizen-Times does not identify the requiring entity, but we may guess who it is.
Whether a local meth lab really constitutes interstate commerce, and whether black market deals legitimately constitute commerce may be discussed elsewhere. Whether the state should fire teachers or clean meth labs, regardless of popular opinion, does pertain to whether or not the state should continue funding centers at universities, corporate welfare, and various museums.
Too often missing in budget discussions is padding, whether to justify existing budgets or promote oneself by demonstrating what is now called “building capacity.” I spoke with a gentleman this weekend who is now retired from a company he praised highly. The only thing he didn’t like was the way it managed its federal contracts. He likened the antics of those who negotiated with the government to “taking candy from a retarded child,” and added, “It’s the same everywhere.”
