Democrats Shift Rhetoric on Police

[comradebillyboy]

Washington Post: “Thirteen months after the police killing of George Floyd sparked an impassioned movement in the Democratic Party to rein in police departments, a surge in homicides has prompted a shift in the opposite direction. Democrats are scrambling to make new investments in policing and seeking to project toughness on crime, even as they continue pushing for police reforms and alternative means of deterring crime.”

“Now in control of the White House, Congress and most big cities, Democrats have struggled to contain the deadly violence this year, which is expected to worsen as the summer progresses. They are facing a barrage of criticism from Republicans, who are portraying Democrats as soft on crime as part of a coordinated strategy for next year’s midterm elections.”

“These trends have alarmed Democrats at all levels — from the White House, where Biden recently delivered his first major speech on fighting crime; to voters, who are rallying behind crime-focused candidates in early primaries; to U.S. House members who are bluntly warning liberal colleagues to tone down their attacks on law enforcement.”

https://politicalwire.com/2021/06/27/democrats-shift-rhetoric-on-police/

[David__77]

1. And it is the work of activists to fight to observe, document, control the police.

And, where needed, to ensure their control through the civil and criminal justice system.

Removal of special liability protections should be mininal point of agreement.

[Klaralven]

4. Without liability protections, police don't have the power to arrest people

We give police the power to lay hands on suspects, put them in restraints, and convey them to a police station.

If done by an ordinary citizen those actions are assault and battery, as well as kidnapping.

So the question is one of degree. What actions of the police are protected and which are not?

[nycbos]

2. No they aren't shifting rhetoric.

They are just saying loud and clear that "defund the police" is not in the part of the platform.

[StarfishSaver]

5. As they've been saying all along

[nycbos]

7. Not loudly enough.

We didn't push back hard against the BS and it cost us seats in 2020. It cost us houses and more Senate seats. If we pushed back harder we might not be relying on Joe Manchin for everything.


We were able to win the senate races in Georgia because both Ossoff and Warnock pushed back against the lies.

Anyway I'm very glad they've learned their lesson.

[comradebillyboy]

10. I'm not convinced that the people

pushing the “defund the police “ nonsense have learned much of anything.

[nycbos]

12. I am not either.

The usual suspects are still yapping about it despite the fact that it's overwhelming unpopular, including with voters of color who they sell this as a justice issue for. I can't name them in this reply though because I would probably get banned from posting. A majority of Democrats however have learned they have to distance themselves from them is what I am saying

[StarfishSaver]

13. It doesn't matter How loud you yell the truth if people are intent on lying about you

There's nothing any Democrat could say that can overcome the Republican lie that "Defund the Police" represents a party position.

[nycbos]

14. In the New Mexico special election...

... The Republicans try to make the election about "defending the police"

The Democratic candidate pushed back hard against the BS and one by a larger margin than the President.

If keep responding to the BS less people will believe it.

[StarfishSaver]

16. One race does not prove your point nor does it obviate mine

Last edited Sun Jun 27, 2021, 11:20 PM - Edit history (1)

[nycbos]

17. No doubt.

I wasn't saying one race proves anything I'm saying maybe we could use what happed as a lesson.

Obviously there are other factors at play.

[JohnSJ]

6. +++. Political suicide if they did push that

[empedocles]

3. Many Dems learned from 2020 elections

[Hortensis]

8. "Social media does not pick a candidate. People on Social Security pick a candidate." Eric Adams

This isn't news to older, thoughtful Democratic voters or leaders.

Unfortunately, much of the GOP-serving media pretend the opposite is true, ignoring long electoral patterns otherwise, presenting noisy social media themes as representing most Democratic voters.

In 2016 leftists on social media hit their phony "corrupt corporatist Hillary" theme incessantly, and the media obliged. In 2020 it was phony Democratic enthusiasm for "socialism" and "defund the police." Whatever serves to keep the wealth-serving party in power, and Democrats defeated.

[betsuni]

9. +1

[nycbos]

11. Check on this article on the NYC mayoral primary.

Eric Adams ran a campaign put on middle class and working class people of color. His message was about public safety. Some of the more progressive candidates like Maya Wiley who talked about "reimagining public safety" appeal more to young white professionals.

A message to progressive is that most people of color aren't buying what someone of them are selling.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/26/nyregion/eric-adams-mayor.html?fbclid=IwAR2sNgLIPuXO9JKoGeVcRYWM2C24WPJCenAZThn9SUP3El7o4ZFf21iHsC8


For the record I am not the biggest fan of Adams not because of his mixed record on policing, but because he seems to be the type of person who changes his message based on which ever way the winds are blowing on that particular day.

[Midnight Writer]

15. The bottom line is that citizens want to know with certainty that if they call 911 someone will come

[WhiskeyGrinder]

18. Giving cops more money is not reform.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

19. House passes George Floyd Act as Democrats avoid 'defund the police' clash

The House passed George Floyd Act does not provide for defunding of the police because this is a stupid slogan that helped the GOP win a number of races that the Democrats should had won in 2020

Link to tweet

But the debate over legislation turned into a political liability for Democrats as Republicans seized on calls by some activists and progressives to “defund the police” to argue that supporters were intent on slashing police force budgets.

Though this bill doesn’t do that, moderate Democrats said the charge helped drive Democratic defeats in swing districts around the country last November.

“No one ran on ‘defund the police,’ but all you have to do is make that a political weapon,” said Teas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar.

Republicans quickly revived the “defund the police” criticisms before the vote. “Our law enforcement officers need more funding not less,” Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Wis.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

20. Democrats have begun advocating more police funding.

The autopsy report held that defund the police was an effective weapon in the last election

Link to tweet

These trends have alarmed Democrats at all levels — from the White House, where Biden recently delivered his first major speech on fighting crime; to voters, who are rallying behind crime-focused candidates in early primaries; to U.S. House members who are bluntly warning liberal colleagues to tone down their attacks on law enforcement.

“ ‘Defund police’ is a phrase that I wish had never been uttered,” said Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.), who ran the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee when Republicans picked up 13 House seats over the two-year 2020 election cycle. “We’ve got to do a better job of talking about what we do want to do.”

A post-election analysis from House Democrats concluded that the “defund the police” slogan, embraced by Black Lives Matter protesters, gave Republicans an effective weapon in the last election, even though most Democrats, including Biden, consistently rejected the message. Republicans are continuing to produce ads featuring the slogan, depicting angry protesters and blaring sirens as they seek to tie rising crime to police overhaul efforts......

But for now, the strongest anxiety is voiced by Democrats who worry that the impassioned voices of the few in their party who embrace “defund the police” will drown out the far greater number who don’t.

“I think it’s critically important that we explain this in a way that doesn’t label us in a way that is inaccurate,” Bustos said.