"Defund the Police" - Another Republican 'Big Lie' Talking Point

[homersapien 11,373]

Republicans have a new strategy: Blue Lies Matter

Opinion by

Dana Milbank

Columnist

June 29, 2021 at 5:46 p.m. EDT

 

 

Republican leaders have developed a new strategy for ousting Democrats from their majority in Congress: Blue Lies Matter.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) falsely tweeted Friday: “The ‘Defund the Police’ campaign — endorsed by Democrats — has decimated our law enforcement. … When Republicans are in the majority, we will FUND the police.”

Rep. Elise Stefanik (N.Y.), who with McCarthy’s help ousted Rep. Liz Cheney (Wyo.) as Republican Conference chair, falsely tweeted Monday: “Dems’ manta [sic] ‘Defund the Police’ was one of their top policy messaging points in 2020.… GOP has always supported increasing funding for police!”

The rank and file have followed their leaders down Mendacity Lane. Rep. Jim Banks (Ind.) said on “Fox News Sunday” that “Joe Biden is being held hostage in the White House by the Squad and the radicals in the Democrat [sic] Party who control their party, who have spent the last year stigmatizing one of the most honorable professions in America, in our law enforcement.”

By midday Tuesday, a dozen House Republicans had tweeted messages about Democrats defunding the police.

How, then, to explain the latest “legislative scorecard” from the National Association of Police Officers, a group claiming to represent a quarter-million officers who endorsed President Donald Trump’s reelection?

McCarthy, Stefanik and Banks all scored 57 percent, and some of the back-benchers piling on Tuesday — Reps. Ken Buck (Colo.), Jody Hice (Ga.), Mo Brooks (Ala.) — scored a paltry 43 percent on NAPO’s pro-police scorecard.

And the Squad? Democratic Reps. Ilhan Omar (Minn.), Rashida Tlaib (Mich.) and Ayanna Pressley (Mass.) all scored 86 percent. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) scored 71 percent. Where it really counts, all four members of the Squad are more pro-police than their Republican critics.

The pattern continues when looking at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California (80 percent) and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland (86 percent), compared with Minority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana (50 percent). Rep. Thomas Massie (Ky.), one of 21 House Republicans to vote against giving medals to the police heroes of Jan. 6, scored 33 percent.

Things are a bit more even in the Senate, although Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont (80 percent) bests Republican Sens. Tim Scott of South Carolina and Ted Cruz of Texas (both 60 percent) and Rand Paul of Kentucky (a perfect zero).

The reason is simple. Democrats, at least at the federal level, have been the ones funding the police. The 2019-2021 scorecard is based on votes on health care, pensions, covid-19 relief, bulletproof vests, victim compensation and policing reform. There’s not yet a scorecard of votes in the new Congress, but police groups favored the American Rescue Plan covid-relief legislation, which Republicans uniformly opposed, and President Biden wants to pump $300 million more into the COPS community policing program, which Republicans have long opposed.

Few Democratic voters support defunding the police. Seventy-two percent of likely Democratic voters in New York City’s mayoral primary agreed that there should be more police officers on the street, an online poll last month by NY1 with Ipsos found. Only 20 percent disagreed.

Biden himself rejected “defund” calls during the presidential campaign. Arguing for the $350 billion in aid to states and municipalities contained in the covid relief legislation this year, he warned on at least three occasions that such funds were needed because police officers were at risk of losing their jobs.

Contrast that with McCarthy, who, well before opposing this year’s relief bill, voted against funding for the COPS program in 2015, 2014, 2012, 2011 (twice) and 2009.

Or contrast it with Banks, who was challenged on “Fox News Sunday” by host Chris Wallace: “You voted against that package, against that $350 billion, just like every other Republican in the House and Senate. So can’t you make the argument that it’s you and the Republicans who are defunding the police?” Banks tried to change the subject.

Or contrast it with Stefanik, who opposed the legislation that is now funding cops in her district. The Watertown (N.Y.) Daily Times reports that the city is using funds from the American Rescue Plan to reinstate four police positions that had been cut because of a budget squeeze.

Certainly, there has been a serious spike in violent crime over the past year. Undoubtedly, the justified demands from the left for policing reform, and the popular backlash since the murder of George Floyd, have taken a toll on police morale. But for every Tlaib rashly demanding “no more policing,” there’s a Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) refusing to shake hands with the Jan. 6 police hero who was beaten unconscious and suffered a concussion and heart attack.

Democrats ought to be saying, as Biden aide Cedric Richmond did on “Fox News Sunday,” “Republicans are very good at staying on talking points of who says defund the police, but the truth is, they defunded the police.” Unlike GOP leadership, the numbers don’t lie.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/06/29/even-squad-is-more-pro-police-than-these-republicans/

[DKW 86 7,423]

Truth dont matter, its all in the messaging, The Reps are in fact getting the messaging to work for them. 

"If you have to explain, you are losing." 

[jj3jordan 2,053]

Unless you live under a rock, you know that numerous democrats in congress and state governments have indeed called for defunding the police. 

[homersapien 11,373]

3 hours ago, jj3jordan said:

Unless you live under a rock, you know that numerous democrats in congress and state governments have indeed called for defunding the police. 

Can you list them?

[jj3jordan 2,053]

10 minutes ago, homersapien said:

Can you list them?

You are the master of google/paste. But I'll help you because I care.

Joe Biden

Kamala Harris

Vanita Gupta

Marty Walsh

Kristen Clarke

Val Demmings

Nancy Pelosi

Maxine Waters

Ilhan Omar

Cori Bush

Jim Clyburn

Joe Kennedy

AOC

Ayanna Pressley

Jamaal Bowman

Rashida Tlaib

Karen Bass 

[SaltyTiger 7,803]

6 hours ago, homersapien said:

Republicans are very good at staying on talking points of who says defund the police, but the truth is, they defunded the police.

So police are wanting a share of the pie because violent crime is rising in our democratic controlled cities and you use it to claim the opposition is at fault about left wing activists ideas which have been supported by democratic leadership……typical and shameful Brother Homer

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/police-want-share-pandemic-relief-funds-activists-find-offensive-n1269494

The Biden administration has said the money should be used to help bring the pandemic under control, replace lost government revenue, support households and businesses, and address inequalities in public health and local economies. But the rules provide a lot of leeway, and cities are eyeing everything from vaccination outreach to arts grants. With violent crime rising in many parts of the country, police have made the case that they need some of the money, too.

[autigeremt 6,616]

Good luck with this crew. 

[homersapien 11,373]

20 hours ago, SaltyTiger said:

So police are wanting a share of the pie because violent crime is rising in our democratic controlled cities and you use it to claim the opposition is at fault about left wing activists ideas which have been supported by democratic leadership……typical and shameful Brother Homer

 

Don't know what article you read but the one I posted is about the actual record of supporting law enforcement as determined by law enforcement organizations itself.  Unlike Republican leadership, the numbers don't lie.

As for how current funds associated with emergency covid spending are allocated, that's a totally different subject. 

And considering that much of the country is still under-vaccinated and thousands of people are financially destitute (see "eviction"), the proportion of funds immediately allocated to law enforcement is certainly debatable in terms of how many people are in desperate need are affected and how many people are saved from dying from Delta, compared to the increase in crime in "Democratic cities".

Shame on you for obfuscating the topic and ignoring the real choices that need to be made on a different topic. And then using that obfuscation to make an ad hominem attack on me. 

**** you.

[homersapien 11,373]

And regarding your statement:

...."left wing activists ideas which have been supported by democratic (sic) leadership"

That is a straight out lie. Presumably you are talking about the phrase"defunding the police".  Democratic leadership does not support such a thing.  Stop lying.

 

 

[homersapien 11,373]

22 hours ago, jj3jordan said:

You are the master of google/paste. But I'll help you because I care.

 

You lie.

The "leaders" of the Democratic party, some of which you list above, do not support "defunding the police".   

To prove otherwise, quote these actual leaders saying as such.

 

 

[SaltyTiger 7,803]

20 minutes ago, homersapien said:

And regarding your statement:

...."left wing activists ideas which have been supported by democratic (sic) leadership"

That is a straight out lie. Presumably you are talking about the phrase"defunding the police".  Democratic leadership does not support such a thing.  Stop lying.

 

 

Of course they say no to it since realizing it is unpopular. Could cost them votes

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/15/defunding-police-an-idea-most-democrats-dont-want-to-talk-about

You posted a record of voting on bills that perhaps contained some police funding. What was included that republicans voted against.

You should be ashamed of your sign off with ****.  Nothing more than a display of anger.

[homersapien 11,373]

2 hours ago, SaltyTiger said:

You should be ashamed of your sign off with ****.  Nothing more than a display of anger.

That's my natural response from being confronted by a passive-aggressive wimp like you.

Deal with it.

[CoffeeTiger 5,108]

3 hours ago, SaltyTiger said:

Of course they say no to it since realizing it is unpopular. Could cost them votes

Yes.....This is how a Representative Democracy is supposed to work.

So we're admitting that the Democratic party doesn't embrace the defund the police movement like the GOP and other posters on here claim they do? 

 

3 hours ago, SaltyTiger said:

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/15/defunding-police-an-idea-most-democrats-dont-want-to-talk-about

You posted a record of voting on bills that perhaps contained some police funding. What was included that republicans voted against.

 

Who knows? McConnell and McCarthy have been pretty clear that their primary goal is to ensure Biden and the Democrats do not get to pass any legislation period. Policy and outcomes are all secondary to that goal. 

[SaltyTiger 7,803]

59 minutes ago, homersapien said:

That's my natural response from being confronted by a passive-aggressive wimp like you.

Deal with it.

“ Passive aggressive wimp” like me is a moot point. The response illustrates anger, hate, and insecurity

Defund the police was and is a left wing activist slogan/idea and the liberal Democrat progressives pander to these groups. Do not hand me the whiney  “ we actually mean reimage” bs.

[SaltyTiger 7,803]

28 minutes ago, CoffeeTiger said:

Yes.....This is how a Representative Democracy is supposed to work.

I agree Coffee

 

29 minutes ago, CoffeeTiger said:

Who knows? McConnell and McCarthy have been pretty clear that their primary goal is to ensure Biden and the Democrats do not get to pass any legislation period. Policy and outcomes are all secondary to that goal. 

Yep

[augolf1716 21,153]

27 minutes ago, SaltyTiger said:

“ Passive aggressive wimp” like me is a moot point. The response illustrates anger, hate, and insecurity

Defund the police was and is a left wing activist slogan/idea and the liberal Democrat progressives pander to these groups. Do not hand me the whiney  “ we actually mean reimage” bs.

 

[DKW 86 7,423]

6 hours ago, homersapien said:

Presumably you are talking about the phrase"defunding the police".  Democratic leadership does not support such a thing.  Stop lying.

No, they are just being tarred and feathered with it since before the 2020 Election. Its why they lost 13 HOR Seats

[jj3jordan 2,053]

10 hours ago, homersapien said:

You lie.

The "leaders" of the Democratic party, some of which you list above, do not support "defunding the police".   

To prove otherwise, quote these actual leaders saying as such.

 

 

Put your master googles citation to work. It will save me some time. Then get a job as a fish hook baiter.

[homersapien 11,373]

Using Republican and Fox News standards of what Democrats stand for, Republicans want to defund the military.

"After Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, recently defended the academic study of critical race theory at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Laura Ingraham vented: “Why is Congress not saying, ‘We’re not going to give you a penny until all of this is eradicated from the military budget? Nothing.’” She is asserting, in essence, that the military should be defunded if it doesn’t share her latest culture-war mania."

Edited July 2, 2021 by homersapien

[homersapien 11,373]

18 hours ago, SaltyTiger said:

“ Passive aggressive wimp” like me is a moot point. The response illustrates anger, hate, and insecurity

Defund the police was and is a left wing activist slogan/idea and the liberal Democrat progressives pander to these groups. Do not hand me the whiney  “ we actually mean reimage” bs.

No, you telling me that by posting an objective and essentially factual post was "typical and shameful" was a moot point that illustrated anger, hate and (most of all) insecurity.

If you want to discuss the merits of the article, do so.  Just lay off the adhominem sniping - or at least spare it until you have a substantive reason.

 

Edited July 2, 2021 by homersapien

[homersapien 11,373]

18 hours ago, SaltyTiger said:

Defund the police was and is a left wing activist slogan/idea and the liberal Democrat progressives pander to these groups. Do not hand me the whiney  “ we actually mean reimage” bs.

Yeah, the exact same way that staging a military coup to overturn our democracy is a conservative Republican slogan/idea:

"This weekend, former Trump National Security Adviser, Michael Flynn, called for a military coup against the U.S. government. He argued that, just like what happened in Myanmar, our military should seize power and overthrow our democratically elected government. We should all be alarmed when a former presidential appointee so blatantly turns his back on American democracy."

https://time.com/6053336/michael-flynn-coup/

Haven't seen any serious discussion about that on Fox News, or even this forum.

Edited July 2, 2021 by homersapien

[homersapien 11,373]

17 hours ago, augolf1716 said:

 

That's "shameful and typical" of you Golf. 

Stick to posting music.

Edited July 2, 2021 by homersapien

[homersapien 11,373]

11 hours ago, jj3jordan said:

Put your master googles citation to work. It will save me some time. Then get a job as a fish hook baiter.

My intention is not to save you time.  My intention is to make you actually prove your assertions.  (A fool's errand, I know.)

[homersapien 11,373]

16 hours ago, DKW 86 said:

No, they are just being tarred and feathered with it since before the 2020 Election. Its why they lost 13 HOR Seats

I guess the moral here is to censor any fool who associates themselves with the Democratic party.  Especially considering Fox News has an unlimited supply of tar and feathers.

[homersapien 11,373]

22 hours ago, SaltyTiger said:

You posted a record of voting on bills that perhaps contained some police funding. What was included that republicans voted against.

You should be ashamed of your sign off with ****.  Nothing more than a display of anger.

You didn't even read the article, did you?  (Hint: the underlined parts are actually links to support the statement.

From the article:  "Contrast that with McCarthy, who, well before opposing this year’s relief bill, voted against funding for the COPS program in 2015, 2014, 2012, 2011 (twice) and 2009."

Edited July 2, 2021 by homersapien