Obama's 'defund the police' comments showcase a radical cynicism

[reACTIONary]

Obama dismissed “defund the police” as a “snappy slogan.” Obama’s concern was tactical: “You lost a big audience the minute you say it, which makes it a lot less likely that you’re actually going to get the changes you want done.”.....

Still, as much as Obama may be correct about White anxiety, he is wrong about the supposed toxicity of “defund the police” as a slogan. The people it turns off were unlikely to support the effort anyway, and the phrase carries with it the power to compel attention — and, with it, long-overdue change.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/12/06/obamas-defund-police-comments-showcase-radical-cynicism/

[Frustratedlady]

1. I have to admit I never understood why he used those terms. Sorry.

To me, it sounds like he wanted to take away much of their funds as punishment for their treatment of minorities. It had the same effect I thought it would as soon as I heard the word defund.

I am white and I certainly try not to be racist in any way. I think there were many other terms he could have used. I honestly don't understand, to this day, what he meant.

[patricia92243]

2. Obama is correct.

[Squinch]

3. It's a stupid slogan.

[Budi]

4. No. President Obama's honesty was straightforward & correct

Obama’s concern was tactical: “You lost a big audience the minute you say it, which makes it a lot less likely that you’re actually going to get the changes you want done.”.....

President Obama defined the long term result of protest slogan that had cause & immediate impact, yet because of it's broad undefined wording left interpretation up to the listener, regardless of their race.

It defeated the purpose.

And this broadbrushed statement is flat out incorrect.
"The people it turns off were unlikely to support the effort anyway,.."

No. It turned off the very people who agree that the PD is corrupted, but knew that simply Defunding it wasn't going to solve the problem nor was it realistic.

The slogan, "Defund the Police" was interpreted by many as "End the Police", & THAT was the self defeating moment whan allies were lost.

--------

The 1st Black man who made his way to being elected US President didn't get there by not knowing what he's talking about.

Obama is exactly correct.

If the snappy & broadly interpretable slogan caused the loss of those very solid legislative seats necessary to make the reforms necessary, then the slogan became self defeating.

The righteous protest slogan, " Defund the Police" is what people heard & read at the moment.

The explainations are STILL being told as to what it actually means.
That is the unfortunate consequence & Obama said exactly the truth.

[Tumbulu]

5. Exactly! Nt

[reACTIONary]

6. Obama is exactly correct...

"The 1st Black man who made his way to being elected US President didn't get there by not knowing what he's talking about."

..... and so are you.

[quickesst]

7. if a slogan is created....

.... that needs to be explained over and over again as not meaning what people think it means, then logic and common sense should tell people it was not a smart things to do in the first place.

[patricia92243]

8. Bingo!!

[quickesst]

9. *****

[CaptYossarian]

12. We always make fun of the GOP and their talking points, but

we need a PR firm to run these slogans (that have good intentions) past a varied audience to see what "spin" the other side will put on them. I understand that "Defund the Police"came from a grass roots group, but the DNC should have rushed in with an alternative for damage control. (Remember the Peace-Keeping Missiles?)

I've been in the room with 2 Trumpies and when one said Antifa, they both looked as if they stepped in something. You would expect all Americans would be anti-fascist, but what we learned from the Teabillies in 2010 was that they didn't pass a single class in school.

We need to dumb-down the message and play defense at the same time. A better phrase would be "pro-Democracy". Reagan talked a lot about Democracy not that long ago, so hearing his words in our slogan wouldn't seem so toxic.

The same was true for Global Warming. Using Climate Change at first would have kept idiots from bringing a snowball onto the floor of Congress.

[quickesst]

13. I keep thinking....

.... about how many times kelly loffler used the phrase during her debate with the Rev Warnock. I would rather Democrats not hand repugs talking points on a silver platter. A Democratic response force countering dumb stuff is not a bad idea at all.

[CaptYossarian]

15. As I was typing that post, my mind was thinking about

ad slogans and commercial jingles.

The DNC really is selling a product. We must carry on with that in mind and stop the GOP from bastardizing and spinning our good intentions for their immpral gains.

[quickesst]

16. I agree

Whenever the GOPeepee comes out with an anti-democratic ad, it would be nice to immediately see a counter ad pointing out the deception and idiocy of whatever the GOPeepee presented.

[Hestia]

17. "Climate Change" is a Frank Luntz term to make Global Warming sound benign

He was on video stating such on a Times Documentary (2005-ish) bragging about how he got everyone saying Climate Change, which
I refuse to say. The term did not come from the scientific community.

Same with "-American" - GOP term used to separate us from each other by ethnic terms, instead of using just American.

[JT45242]

10. radical cynicism is what may hold the senate and gain seats in the US House for Repubs

The radical left was to defund the police was all over the Iowa airwaves.

Joni Ernst had a low approval rating and should have been vulnerable. But that slogan and white fright in general pushed the needle enough for the Repubs to take Iowa at the Pres, Senate, and gain a House seat.

We had a great family discussion yestreday -- my sons thought that Repubs don't have the same infighting that Dems do. But we explained that their infighting is always at the Primary level. After the primary, the (r)s will get in line behind anyone. The limit might be someone like Steve King who still one but only narrowly. So, the Repubs primaried him and then won that seat big again.

Dems on the other hand argue even after the primary over policy, purity, etc. It has cost us too many elections.

Allowing the Right Wing of the (R) party to paint dems as anti-police pro-anarhcy candidtaes resonated with the White fear in multiple states that cost us seats in teh house and senate.

I would prefer to 'de-militarize' the police or 'reform the police' . The same problem erupts, unfortunately with things like black lives matter. Right Wing radio has used these statements as a way to fan white fright for years. I know what we mean we say these things, but Obama is correct, if cynical, in that they make great talking points to bring up the boogeyman that fuels the white fear, angst, and pushes voters to the (R) party, vene if it is bad for those voting for it economically.

[reACTIONary]

14. Demilitarize the police sounds good! nt.

[Gothmog]

11. Why 'Defund The Police' Attacks Were So Potent Against Democrats

I personally support reforms to the police. I worked hard and we got a good Democrat elected as District Attorney in my county two years ago and this cycle we got a good man elected as sheriff of my county. Our new DA has made a tremendous amount of difference in my county and I believe that the new Sheriff will also help. However, it is clear that we lost races that we should not have lost Defund the police was used very effectively by the GOP in down ballot races. A good number of races that Democrats should have won were lost due to this issue.

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

The GOP ran a ton of ads using this issue

Sure enough, Republicans saw an opportunity. Painting Democrats as supporters of “defunding” the police became the focus of campaign literature, TV and digital ads, and live televised debates. That forced Democratic candidates to divert resources that might otherwise be used discussing COVID-19 relief, health care or education to be used disavowing themselves from the slogan and otherwise defending themselves.

Out of 31 broadcast TV ads that Trump and other allied campaign groups used to attack Biden and other Democrats for being soft on law and order, 11 spots ― that aired a total of 77,647 times ― explicitly mentioned “defund the police,” according to an analysis Kantar Media/CMAG conducted for HuffPost. And out of 216 Republican broadcast TV ads in congressional races blasting Democrats, 157 spots that aired 103,000 times used the phrase.

I was disappointed to seen Susan Collins re-elected. It seems that Collins was able to use the "defund the police" issue very effectively

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and the GOP’s Senate campaign arm hit her Democratic opponent, Sara Gideon, in a TV ad for links to a “defund the police” billionaire. The basis for the ad was Gideon’s attendance at a fundraiser hosted by an environmental coalition that includes NextGen America. NextGen, funded by liberal billionaire Tom Steyer, supports defunding the police.