Why need bleeder resistors?

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Jim Mitchell" <electrontube-at-sbcglobal-dot-net> 

In a classic tesla coil circuit, the NST is in series with capacitor and 
primary, with the spark gap across the rails of the NST.  Now this means 
that when power is off, the capacitors would be shorted out by the 
secondary of the NST and it would discharge the capacitor right?  Why would 
you need bleeder resistors then?

Regards - Jim Mitchell