Language and Politics

I'm astonished at the number of politicians, educationalists, and especially local government officials who use the expression 'delivering front line services'. They are talking about dealing with the public, their students, or their electorate. Don't they realise that the expression is a military metaphor? Front line troops are those who face danger,confronting an ENEMY. Is that how the Ed Balls and Lord Lamings of this world see that part of the public they deal with? Maybe not consciously, but the choice of term is sub-consciously revealing. And even more remarkable is that all these people are supposed to be public servants. They are paid out of our taxes. That's your money and mine. They work for US - not the other way round.