'Defund the FBI'--the MAGA Right's Hypocritical New Slogan

[Nevilledog]

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The Bulwark
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.@saletan: “Republicans would never let anyone defund or dismantle law enforcement. Unless, of course, the people who propose to defund or dismantle law enforcement are Republicans.”

thebulwark.com
‘Defund the FBI’—the MAGA Right’s Hypocritical New Slogan
An overnight switcheroo on ‘defunding’ or ‘abolishing’ law enforcement after the Mar-a-Lago search.
1:43 PM · Aug 9, 2022

https://www.thebulwark.com/defund-the-fbi-the-maga-rights-hypocritical-new-slogan/

Two years ago, in congressional and state elections, Republican candidates accused Democrats of supporting proposals to “defund” or “abolish” police. Actually, although anti-police slogans were widespread on social media and among protesters, very few Democratic officeholders supported these ideas. But Republicans didn’t let those facts get in the way. They smeared the whole Democratic party as an agent of crime and chaos.

Monday’s FBI search of Mar-a-Lago—reportedly in pursuit of classified documents that former President Donald Trump may have illegally kept when he left office—has turned this issue upside down. Now that law enforcement has targeted Trump, conservatives are denouncing the FBI. Some want to defund the bureau; others are demanding its complete abolition. Here are some of the more egregious reversals.

1. Defunding is a gateway to abolition. In 2020, activists on the left wanted cities to shift some money from police budgets to social services. They argued that mental health counselors and other non-police workers could better handle situations previously assigned to cops. Conservatives accused the left of trying to abolish police altogether. Now some of the same conservatives are calling for abolition of the FBI.

2. Defunding is an attack on all law enforcement. In 2020, when progressives criticized police departments in certain cities, conservatives accused them of rejecting law enforcement as a whole. Two years later, the defund-and-abolish movement has indeed moved on to federal law enforcement—but now the people leading the movement are on the right, not the left.

*snip*

[AZProgressive]

1. I have long been in favor

Of focusing resources on high end investigations. Go after those on the top. The FBI does that a lot. Local police handle low level crime and situations that would be better handled by non-police.

[Initech]

2. MAGA: "Liberals are stupid for wanting to defund the police!"

Also MAGA: "DEFUND THE FBI AND IRS!!!!"

[louis-t]

3. Republicans think the FBI is covering for Hillary

and Hunter Biden. That's why nothing came of the investigations. Because the FBI is corrupt. And in the tank for lefties. I had a guy threaten to turn me in... to somebody, because I told him the FBI is traditionally very conservative, law and order guys who take their job seriously. He called my broker and told her I was a radical.

[Haggard Celine]

4. Why is the FBI picking on poor Trump?

He's the most persecuted man since Jesus. I'm sure there are black people out there doing terrible things! Why aren't they investigating them and leaving Trump alone?

[rogue emissary]

5. Add the idiot MTG to this group.

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Marjorie Taylor Greene
@Repeating
DEFUND THE FBI!
8:03 PM · Aug 8, 2022

DEFUND THE FBI!

"Defund the police" By far one of the dumbest slogan I'd seen in years.

This "Defund the FBI" should be chained around the neck of every Republican member.

[Generic Brad]

6. Criminals really hate law enforcement