Trump Uses 'Defund Police' as Political Weapon Against Biden

[denem]

Source: Bloomberg

President Donald Trump is seeking to tie Joe Biden to activists’ calls to “defund the police” in an attempt to paint his likely 2020 opponent as weak on crime and vilify Democrats pushing for police reform, even though Biden hasn’t embraced the slogan.

Two weeks of protests over the death of a black man in Minneapolis police custody have Trump on the defensive and are giving Democrats an opening to pursue curbs on law enforcement supported by their diverse base.

But Trump is trying to turn the defunding demands into a political liability for Biden and grab the support of voters alarmed by scenes of protests, along with law enforcement groups that have been traditionally popular in the U.S.

“The ‘Defund the Police’ movement is growing in Joe Biden’s party and he is forced to own it,” said Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh. “Police organizations have noticed that Biden has abandoned them as he moved far to the left to appease the most radical elements in his party.”


Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-08/trump-uses-defund-police-as-political-weapon-against-biden

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Link to tweet

Rick Wilson was onto this yesterday, warning of a right wing trap.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100213561559

[Jamastiene]

1. Yet, no one bats an eyelash when they actually constantly defund the schools.

Gee, I wonder if there is a connection between constantly defunded schools, overly funded militarized police with crackpots training them they need to be killers and "predators,"* and how many Republicans there are in this country and how Trump's approval ratings are still way too high.

*See John Oliver's latest show about that crackpot that teaches police that.

[IronLionZion]

3. Ironically if they adequately funded schools

we would see less crime across the board

[tulipsandroses]

5. Great point. Or healthcare, mental health in particular

I work in mental health and I am constantly annoyed with the way politicians use mental health as a political football when it suits them. Mass shooter - mental health. -
But then where is the money to take care of the community's mental health to avoid these tragedies? And by the way, most people with mental health issues are not violent. But if that is what they want to go with as to why gun violence is a problem. Well where is the money to address it?
Why are we that work in community mental health having to do more with less?
Nobody gives a rat's ass about funding cuts to these programs. But the military and police. Yup. Lets shove billions of dollars their way while cutting other essential services.

[FarPoint]

6. Bravo

Excellent point... Defunding our public schools...which actually supports racial suppression!

[ArizonaLib]

12. Correct! Also, increase in gun sales

Kids get mowed down in schools. Republicans send thoughts and prayers with blocked legislation.

[samsingh]

2. traitor trump will try to use everything against biden the majority of which will be made up

stuff and lies.

[louzke9]

17. IF TRUMP.....

Can deny any responsibility for the spread of COVID19 in this country, Biden does not have to take blame/responsibility for the "Defund the Police" movement. Sorry Donald, you're barking up the wrong tree!

[cstanleytech]

4. Speaking of crime didn't Trump get into hot water over some sort of scam university

or something?

[brooklynite]

7. How many people here will be angry when Biden doesn't adopt the slogan?

Because he won't.

[still_one]

10. You are right, he won't. Governor Cuomo and most Democrats do not also

www.google.com/amp/s/news.yahoo.com/amphtml/yahoo-news-you-gov-poll-most-americans-say-race-was-a-major-factor-in-george-floyds-death-but-opinions-on-protests-are-split-193951336.html

Asked whether they would back cuts in funding for police departments, 65 percent of Americans said no. Just 16 percent said yes — a number that held steady across party lines, with Democrats at 16 percent, Republicans at 15 percent and independents at 17 percent.

[ArizonaLib]

14. Officers should be paid well, and it should become a sought after job by educated, smart

people with critical thinking skills - not opportunity for the least skilled of the workforce to manage everyday behavior in the country's communities.

[groundloop]

32. Damned straight. We don't want to 'defund' but rather deescalate.

And to that end, yes, police departments need to be able to attract better, more intelligent candidates.

[LuvNewcastle]

13. If he adopts that slogan, his lead will

evaporate overnight. He can talk about reform and maybe re-allocation of resources, but he can't say that police departments should be defunded, and certainly not abolished. Americans would see that as crazy talk.

[louzke9]

19. BIDEN IS TOO SMART....

To fall for a "Trump Trick". They are so obvious! Biden will either be asked about this by the press or he, himself, will breach the subject. Biden will have a rational comment and won't be harmed by this.

[Kahuna]

40. Exactly. Defund the Police is a gift to the GOP and trump. nt

[LisaL]

27. And he shouldn't.

Talk about reforming police, not abolishing or defunding police.

[Blasphemer]

31. Not me. I expect him to follow Obama's reform-centric approach... nt

[bucolic_frolic]

8. The best way to defund them is just never call them

The public is turned off at this point.

And it is btw a long stretch from reforming law enforcement tactics to conform with ethical and legal methods, and "defunding" the police. Trump is going out on a limb here with his latest desperate grasp for anything that might save his sorry record.

[ebbie15644]

9. Should not call it "defund the police"

most people are mad at what the cops are doing but would not want no police and this is what this says even though not what is meant by it

[empedocles]

16. Absolutely. Dems, right on the substance, lose here on the labels, - once again.

[dreamland]

11. Defund Police -is a misleading phrase, better to use "Police Reset"

To use the word "defund" is to imply there is no support which is not true. We support the institution for which it was built to protect the people but the actions and psyche of the men and woman in the police departments needs a reset button back to the days of when they were first graduates of the academy. These officers are now playing a real-life "Call of Duty" rather than actually following their true call of duty which is to serve and to protect. TrueAssRump knows what's he's doing here, we need to get our message clear.

[ebbie15644]

18. I like this

[louzke9]

21. WAR GEAR!

Police access to war gear warps police psyche. They think they are at war with the citizens of this country. Wearing camo, kevlar and masking their identity makes police feel immensely powerful, incites them to use excessive force.

[johndaly]

33. "Police are broken! FIX the POLICE!!!"

or "Help the Police!!Stop BAD COPS!!!" / "Serve and Protect!" / "Toe THE LAW, not THE LINE!" "Black and Blue... LIVES MATTER!!!"

But slogans are optics and I am hoping that many are starting (or stopping) to see through the optics of hatred and division.
The issue is militarization of governance. Enforcement of all kinds is now militarized. Even the Dept. of Education has a SWAT team...why? War is not a human value.

My 2 cents, hope my slogans don't trigger anyone...

[not_the_one]

15. Words matter.

I hate it when people with good intentions harm their own cause, because they don't think their "wow this would be a good idea" through.



They have handed the turd and his enablers a clear, succinct, short sound byte ad that will be played over and over and over. And those less informed than we, may believe it.

SO stupid.

[RobinA]

35. Absolutely

Second thing I thought when I heard this idea, after, Gee what a dumb idea, was, Way to make points for the Trump team!

[area51]

38. +1 n/t

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

20. For the sake of accuracy - find a better word. No one is suggesting defund, disband and then stop

there. What is the goal or end result we are after? Thats how it should be framed and packaged/sold to those even on the liberal side who are skeptical.

[louzke9]

22. SO SAYS.....

The man controlled by Putin!

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

23. How bout "reinvent?" De-militarize? I totally get it has to be something more then just reform or

revise, but the single word "defund" is not accurate either.

I've heard phrase "defund and reinvest," can the public handle more than one word???? Its a two step process.

Of course the problem really is with lazy media -- there was a bunch of articles in our local rag referring to "anti-police" protests. I guess I wasnt the only one who wrote them chastising them for how inaccurate that was cos the articles were revamped within hours to refer more correctly to police BRUTALITY and racism. Instead they used the phrase Black LIves Matter demonstration.

[LisaL]

26. Reform.

[Lonestarblue]

24. Poor choice of words.

Defund makes it sound as though the police departments are being eliminated. A WaPo writer explained the thinking behind this plan, which is not eliminating police but making some significant changes. Whoever is behind this “Defund” movement needs to change their word now. They are only handing Trump a weapon because many people will not read past the word.

[LisaL]

25. It was pretty obvious that he was going to do that.

[Bayard]

28. RE-TRAINING

Simple, and desirable. Then weed out the rotten apples--including higher up's that don't get with the program.

[inwiththenew]

29. It wouldn't surprise me if Russian bots were behind this

Reform, rebuild, retrain, and whole host of other words are better than defund. Defund the police sounds like some sort of anarcho libertarian masturbatory fantasy.

[Lulu KC]

39. Thank you!

Just typed the same thing.
It was skillfully planted.
Damn it.
Kill it, Joe! Kill it!

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

30. ON THE OTHER HAND, the value of demanding abolishment then makes the

demands for real and substantial restructurinng and demilitarization of police seem more reasonable in comparison! And thus more likely to come to pass.

That's how that works!

[onetexan]

34. won't work, Idiot. America has already seen what u really are- a fraud, a liar and a pychotic freak.

[duforsure]

36. He's trying to start a fight with Biden

Rather than doing anything meaningful against police brutality. trump incites police to be violent and brutal , especially towards minorities. trump is a racist.

[Baclava]

37. Totally predictable, America is still 60% white, stoke the fears of roving gangs coming for suburbia