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House Dems’ Failure on Police Funding a Golden Opportunity for GOP—If They’ll Take It

Posted on Thursday, August 18, 2022
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by Shane Harris
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72 Comments
Police

AMAC Exclusive – By Shane Harris

After House Democrats nearly lost their majority in 2020 thanks in large part to their association with the “Defund the Police” movement, the party has once again punted on police funding legislation less than three months ahead of an election in which public safety looks to be a top concern for voters. Yet remarkably, House Republicans do not appear to be seizing the political opportunity.

In a letter this past June, 30 vulnerable incumbent House Democrats urged Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her leadership team to bring forward several pieces of legislation that would increase funding for law enforcement “no later than when Congress returns from the July 4 district work period.” As violent crime continued to run rampant throughout the country, this group of Democrats pleaded with Pelosi to give them “the opportunity to show our constituents that we are addressing crime in our communities.”

But following passage of Democrats’ reconciliation plan last Friday, the prospects for passing any sort of funding for law enforcement ahead of November 8 look slim at best. As members turn their full attention to their re-election contests, it is increasingly unlikely that any major legislation – particularly on topics that divide Democrats like support for police – will pass before Election Day.

Although it initially appeared in mid-July as if there may be some momentum to pass the police funding bills, which would have provided expanded access to federal dollars for local police departments to hire officers and update training and equipment, it was quickly snuffed out by members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), who threatened to vote against the legislation if Pelosi brought it to the floor. While the CPC has mostly eschewed any direct mention of the “Defund the Police” movement in recent months (with notable exceptions such as Missouri Congresswoman Cori Bush) they have nonetheless remained opposed to any sort of increased funding for law enforcement after many left-wing city governments gutted their police departments in 2020 and 2021.

Following the Senate’s passage of the so-called “Inflation Reduction Act” (IRA) earlier this month, there was renewed optimism that the House could take up the issue when it returned from August recess to pass the IRA. However, the CPC and a number of members of the Congressional Black Caucus killed those hopes once again, with Pelosi announcing in a letter to House Democrats that “our focus must remain on passing the IRA, as conversations continue on finding consensus for a robust public safety package.” In an interview ahead of the IRA vote, CPC Chair Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) said that increasing funding for law enforcement “would be a very, very divisive thing to do” and would amount to “snatch[ing] defeat out of the jaws of victory.”

Those comments are unlikely to sit well with endangered incumbents like Abigail Spanberger of Virginia and Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, two organizers of the June letter. Spanberger was one of the most vocal critics of Democrats’ support for the “Defund the Police” movement following the 2020 election, and has worked to boost her law and order bona fides ahead of a tough re-election battle against former law enforcement officer Yesli Vega. (It should be noted, however, that Spanberger and other self-described pro-police Democrats reportedly accepted campaign contributions from an anti-police super PAC.)

Thus far, however, neither Pelosi nor any Democrat has publicly pushed back on Jayapal’s comments – further making clear who wields the most influence in today’s Democratic Party. Moreover, while Pelosi and President Joe Biden have stated on several occasions that they want to “fund the police,” Democrats will now likely face voters after two years of unified control of government without having passed even a single measure directly aimed at boosting law enforcement funding – even as they spend hundreds of billions of dollars on expanding the IRS and instituting onerous new environmental regulations.

But despite this golden opportunity, Republicans have largely failed to press the issue. While city officials and far-left prosecutors have rightly borne plenty of criticism over rising crime, congressional Democrats have mostly escaped scrutiny for their failure to provide badly-needed resources to local police departments.

Meanwhile, crime has continued to spike in most major cities as police departments have struggled to retain officers. In Portland, Oregon, the homicide rate has surged more than 200% since 2019 even as the city’s police department has more than 100 officer vacancies. Los Angeles is short 650 officers. In New York, major crimes are up 37% this year, while the NYPD has also seen major staffing shortages. As crime increases in cities, it’s also leaking over into the suburbs and even rural communities – key areas Democrats will have to do well in if they hope to retain their majorities.

Barring an unexpected turn of events, it looks as if Democrats’ attempted about-face on crime may have already fizzled out. For a party that is already perceived as too radical and out of touch with the concerns of ordinary voters, that’s bad news for them just a few weeks ahead of when voters will head to the polls.

Shane Harris is a writer and political consultant from Southwest Ohio. You can follow him on Twitter @Shane_Harris_

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A Voter
A Voter
1 year ago

The GOP fails because while they talk a good line, in real action they more often than not fall far short on their promises. We have more politicians than we need. What we need is real leaders. Most republicans are part of the same deep state that we often attribute to the democrats.

jocko
jocko
1 year ago

REPUBS ARE A BUNCH OF CHICKEN ASS PIMPS AFRAID OF THE CANCEROUS libs

MidFLMitch
MidFLMitch
1 year ago

Democrats + Biden provide 87,000 new IRS agents and -0- for school security. That’s all you need to know.

Theresa Coughlin
Theresa Coughlin
1 year ago

The members of the defund the police crowd all have one thing in common: They have paid for their own private ARMED security. As long as they’re protected, they couldn’t care less about the rest of us. As for their about face about increasing police funding, talk is cheap.

Rich
Rich
1 year ago

You don’t need regular police in a communist state, plus we will now have 87,000 more I.R.S. agents. Just another name for the brown shirt black boot thugs that will rule the party. Everyone should be so proud, especially the states where crime is escalating.

Robert Zuccaro
Robert Zuccaro
1 year ago

It doesn’t matter when people vote out one idiot and elect another in their place! Look at NYC: they get rid of DeBlasio and elect Adams. They outed Cuomo and end up with Hokel. People vote brand name Party over principle. I don’t look at midterms as a sure thing until the day after… not enough ppl vote while too many stupid ones do!

Bruce Parker
Bruce Parker
1 year ago

If these Democrats really wanted something passed to benefit Police they would have threatened to vote no on any bill that didn’t have it. They have the votes to do their destruction but they need them all so a few holdouts would get lots of traction. Very little ethics on that side.

Rik
Rik
1 year ago

The Socialist/Communist element of the so-called Democratic Party decided to reveal itself with the “stealing” of the last Presidential Election! . . . That’s right, I’m saying it boldly and out loud! . . . If “these” Commies ARE ALLOWED to STEAL this NEXT ELECTION TOO, America will NEVER EVER AGAIN be Of the People and For the People! . . . And the People become slaves to be dominated and pawns to dictators! I, for one, don’t want to die without fighting them!

Wayne
Wayne
1 year ago

There is NO valid reason for Congress to be involved in funding our police (with our money). If we want police protection where we live, we should vote to tax ourselves to pay for police. Expecting someone else to pay for it is asinine!

Enuf Said
Enuf Said
1 year ago

Folks, I don’t like to say this BUT–as complacent as Americans are, these type of things must continue right up to mid-terms. Remember 9-11- week after churches–FULL. Less than a month later, what happened?

GTPatriot
GTPatriot
1 year ago

You can always count on the repubs to blow a good campaign issue. As stated already, Trump is the party’s only viable spokesperson and will not miss a chance to tell us all that the dums want to
eliminate our police forces which they do. All the other repubs are fighting to see who can the
nicest guy while dem phonies like Manchin blow smoke up our ______ and vote with Biden.
The repubs need to hire a good high school president campaign manager. Campaigning is not what repubs do.

Margaret
Margaret
1 year ago

I’m not hearing much from the Republican side. Don’t they have a leader other than TRUMP. I like Trump and would vote for him again, but his absence has created a significant vacuum in the Party. The good Republicans are govenors and too busy. Not one of them is speaking up very loud. Not sure the Republicans can pull it off on Nov.8th. God help America if the Republicans do not know what to do.

Dave
Dave
1 year ago

I respectfully disagree. This is about a federal takeover of local and state police. First, Dem’s defund the police all around the country. Second, wait for the inevitable surge in crime. Third, introduce federal legislation to fund local police thereby gaining federal control. The Republicans are right not to back this bill.

Bruce Ford
Bruce Ford
1 year ago

I was 2/3 through a comment to add to the Amac discussion when Amac pop-up number 10 finally cut me short and sent me to a sign up page that deleted entirely what I had typed. This is a effed up commentary vehicle! It’s very disheartening to a feeble old guy who is interested in adding my voice to the issues relevant to Amac discussion. I’ve been interrupted 3 times in typing this one.

Soli
Soli
1 year ago

Here we go again the party of missed opportunities!

I am not going through this nonsense again with any party. If they don’t do what we ask or ultimately tell them what is important to us as constituents, tax payers, parents, veterans and patriots I will sit out this election.

Funding our security and police forces are their sole responsibility what could be more important.

I will be watching this issue very closely and determining where the votes go and will act in kind in November.

David Millikan
David Millikan
1 year ago

DEFUND the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

Kevin
Kevin
1 year ago

Never underestimate the ability of the GOP to lose an election.

anna hubert
anna hubert
1 year ago

Not enough will stir from their comfy couch

Jeb
Jeb
1 year ago

Isn’t it about time to start hearing from the GOP? Concerned they think they can just slide through the midterms…

mark
mark
1 year ago

There are already enough DemocRat run states and even cities , that did not change the voting laws at all from 2020 , so as far as the Republicans are concerned we cant win back what counts in this nation ,, the real bad thing is the word ,,coast,, thats what the Republican voters did in 2020 instead of going to the polls and im so afraid it will happen again in the midterm elections ,,, PEOPLE WE DONT HAVE THIS WON WITHOUT YOU GOING TO THE POLLS IN PEARSON,,,

Philip Hammersley
Philip Hammersley
1 year ago

Instead of financing 87,000 new IRS toadies who will be auditing the middle and lower class, they should have financed 87,000 border patrol agents to stop the INVASION of our country! Billions wasted and NO reduction of inflation in sight.

Charles
Charles
1 year ago

The GOP Had better get their head out of you know where , & start playing hard ball , other wise they will not get the votes they need to recapture the Congress. WAKE UP & Smell the ashes of a once vibrant Nation That has now become a total disaster.

PaulE
PaulE
1 year ago

Based on the information that has leaked out about McCarthy’s meeting with Elon Musk and a group of major Republican donors, I don’t expect the Republicans running for Congress to pick up on this issue and try to take major advantage of it ahead of the midterms. We’re pretty much already seeing what the Republican campaign strategy is going into the midterms. The vast majority are counting on coasting to victory by essentially committing to do very little in terms of specific, substantive deliverables. All most Republicans running for Congress are promising to do is conduct endless hearings and investigations, which at the end of the day accomplish nothing of real substance. No meaningful changes are made as a result of these hearings. No repeals of bad Democrat laws, policies and regulations occur. Just a lot of worthless, televised dog and pony shows where members of the administrative state avoid answering any meaningful questions and then go back to working to undermine the republic on a daily basis.

All one has to do is look at the history of the Republican Party in Washington over the last 50 years. With the exception of both Reagan and Trump, both of whom were NOT your typical Republican “Go along to get along” type, the Republicans in Washington have delivered precious little in terms of meaningful change. At best, they have occasionally slowed the progress of the Democrat agenda for a few months or a year or so. So think of them as speed bumps on the road to socialism.

The establishment wing of the Republican Party in DC has to be constantly prodded by a strong Republican President to get anything of substance done. Just look at the number of times both House and Senate Republicans have “walked across the aisle” in the last 19 months to help Democrats pass totally horrible legislation impacting this country in a negative way. That is their default mode of operation without strong leadership to rein them in. Even with a strong Republican President constantly prodding them, the default response from most congressional Republicans is to try and obstruct or water down any substantive change of a positive nature.

Boz
Boz
1 year ago

The GOP wiII muff it, it’s what they do.

Rik
Rik
1 year ago

The Communist Democrats DO WANT a “Police State” BUT they prefer a MILITARY POLICE STATE!!!

Evelyn Dodd
Evelyn Dodd
1 year ago

Funding without reform of the judicial system would serve no purpose…..catch and release, and no bail etc would defeat the whole idea

jocko
jocko
1 year ago

THE STUPID REPUBS WILL SCREW IT UP AS USUAL

William C Smith
William C Smith
1 year ago

“Remarkably…” the GOP seems never to “…seize the political opportunity.” Between now and election day would be a good time to review every political opportunity seized by Republicans over the past twenty years when they attained the majoriity in either, or both, houses of Congress. They seem to be prolific foot-draggers, seize no opportunities and let time pass with very few notable accomplishments. Writers and other observers gleefully note their attainment of “do-nothing” status.

Patriot Will
Patriot Will
1 year ago

Republicans should be hammering home the message that Democrats usually defund and underfund the police who are needed to help keep the criminals in check. Often the Democrats ignore the many innocent, law-abiding citizens who are being brutalized and killed by the violent thugs that are taking over control of many of the Democrat run cities. The Democrats often have more sympathy and empathy for the sufferings of the illegals who flood into our country with extra conflicts and problems in areas that are already saturated with stress and chaos, while the Marxist progressives coldly pretend that everything is well under control. This is all being done to hasten the demise of our Constitutional Republic form of government.

James Thompson
James Thompson
1 year ago

The Federal Government doesn’t want localized police! They want a national police force that they control! That’s what DEFUND THE POLICE is all about! Controlling the population!

Veteran
Veteran
1 year ago

When you commit crimes the way the Democrat Party Organized Crime Syndicate does then of course you want the police defunded. Since they now have total control of our federal government and are using it exclusively for their purposes against the people of the United States it should be defunded, it’s the only way left to combat crime on a national level.

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