Why Do You Think That?

In a recent conversation with a friend of mine who is a Democrat she said something to me that really got me to thinking.

On the TV there was a story about “defunding the police.” She looked at the news clip and said “why are we talking about that, no one is serious about defunding the police.”

With a furrowed brow I had to ask “what are you talking about?” She shook her head. “No people with actual say in these things are serious about that.”

“What about New York,” I asked, “they cut a billion dollars from their budget.” I knew there were other examples but that was the one that came to mind. The reaction was disbelief. Like they didn’t really do that. Like she simply couldn’t believe that. Isn’t really happening.

And that’s troublesome. An intelligent person who is frankly more focused on work and paying bills has it in her head that these things aren’t happening. Yet they are.

Over the weekend in our nation’s capitol city leaders are struggling with the results of defund efforts. Over 200 cops have quit or retired when the city council last year voted to cut millions from the budget and invest it in “other programs that do not involve law enforcement.” Homicides in the last year are now at a 16 year high.

Baltimore last year cut $22 million dollars from their police budget under pressure from activists. Predictably crime, already a major problem in that city, spiked up and now city leaders are looking to put $27 million back into the budget.

Los Angeles last year cut $150 million dollars from their budget. The stupidity of this should be apparent on its face, but apparently not. The mayor has already had to backtrack and is looking to restore at least $50 million of that back now.

A quick google search lists several other cities who have cut budgets: Portland, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Seattle. How can anyone not see and understand that this IS happening. It IS serious?

We know why – the media narrative wants you to believe it’s the right thing to do. It’s the humane thing. Less racist cops is the answer, and cutting the budget solves that somehow. More “social programs” and counselors on the streets, and the money should come from the cops.

I’m not sure what’s more stupid – the idea that this line of thinking helps anything or the fact that there are folks out there who have no idea it’s even going on. Frankly both things bother me a great deal.