Hey-what a concept! The Department of Justice proposes to save money by releasing prisoners and discouraging fugitives from turning themselves over to the law? That will teach those law and order Republicans and budget cutters!

From the Wall Street Journal:

As President Barack Obama finalizes his proposals to increase federal funding for his priority programs, the White House is searching for ways to reduce spending elsewhere in the federal government.

At the Justice Department, officials are considering whether to shorten some federal prison terms and have already shut down a program that successfully encouraged fugitive criminals to turn themselves in.

[...]

So the White House Office of Management and Budget, in discussions with departments and agencies, has proposed numerous cuts that could be included in the president's final budget proposal, to be sent to Congress in February. At Justice, according to internal documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, OMB's proposals include:

-Increasing the amount of time deducted from prison terms for good behavior, which would immediately qualify some 4,000 federal convicts for release, and another 4,000 over the next 10 years.

-Eliminating the Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Gang Intelligence Center, for a savings of $8 million in the next budget year.

-Sharing less of the proceeds from property confiscated from criminals with state and local authorities, and eliminating other funding to local police departments for some operations. The change would reduce spending by $120 million, according to the White House.

Why is it that the government always try to avoid making cuts by threatening taxpayers? When proposals to cut city and state budgets are floated, we are often warned that the lines at Department of Motor Vehicle offices will get longer; that children will suffer; that police and firefighters will be laid off and our security endangered?

How about attrition across all departments, trimming travel expenses, privatizing government functions, bringing salaries and pensions in line with private pay?