The New York Times has run an opinion column by Mariame Kaba denouncing efforts by Democratic leaders and the media to try to spin the call for defunding the police as just a reallocation of funds and a new set of priorities and a new structure for policing. Kaba wrote “Yes, we mean literally abolish the police.” That opinion piece follows a warning by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., that Democrats and others trying to “repackage” the push to “Defund the Police” Notably, while the New York Times apologized for publishing an opinion piece by a ranking U.S. Senator on the use of federal troops to quell rioting, it has now problem with publishing a column calling for the abolishment of police. As discussed earlier, this is a movement that is moving rapidly to the left and repackaging is now considered counter-revolutionary.
Kaba states what people in the streets has been saying (including rallies chanting “no more cops”) even as some in the media has mocked those who claimed that “defund the police” could actually mean defunding the police or that “dismantle the police” could actually means dismantling the police. Indeed, recently Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender told CNN’s Alisyn Camerota that people who are concerned about their personal safety after defunding police are simply speaking “from a place of privilege.”
Kaba rejects “liberal reforms” from congressional Democrats and Joe Biden including calls for cracking down on police misconduct or ordering reforms: “Enough. We can’t reform the police. The only way to diminish police violence is to reduce contact between the public and the police.” She states that police have always been a “force of violence against black people” dating back to slavery. At a minimum, Kaba wants police cut “in half” because “fewer police officers equals fewer opportunities for them to brutalize and kill people.” For this reason, Kaba explains “We don’t want to just close police departments. We want to make them obsolete.”
She is not alone in this backlash. Seattle Council Member and Socialist Kshama Sawant just called for people “to fight against the reactionary agenda.”She has attacked the “Democratic establishment.”
“At the same time we have to hold the establishments in various cities accountable. This violence against the peaceful protest movement on Capitol Hill was carried out by Mayor Jenny Durkan. And that’s why it’s no surprise that tens of thousands of people in Seattle are calling for her resignation because they reject police violence, they reject police brutality and we want a society that is based on equality and cooperation
….as far as things going awry, I can tell you the only thing that went awry day after day after day since the first protest on May 30th was the police under orders by the Democratic Party establishment and the Mayor Durkan, it was the police making things going awry.”
The disconnect is widening between what actual activists are saying and what the media is reporting and Democratic leaders are hearing. For example, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms assured people that the slogan is simply a “simplified message. . . but I think the overarching thing is that people want to see a reallocation of resources into community development and alternatives to just criminalizing.” That sounds a bit different from “no more cops” and demands to “dismantle the police” heard in these rallies:
As discussed earlier, Democratic leaders have been trying to tap into the energy and numbers of the antifascist movement for years despite its anti-free speech and sometimes violent record. It is now struggling to control this careening movement by simply refashioning its demands in a more a new image. The establishment is dealing with another sharp disconnect. While the media has attempted to re-make the movement to defund into a more mainstream image, polls show 64% of the public oppose the call. It is a dangerous pivot to make in the middle mad rush to the extremes. This is why, during the French Revolution, the journalist Jacques Mallet Pan warned, “Like Saturn, the revolution devours its children.”
Why would any cop want to continue to serve today when their cities don’t have their backs?
Vest their retirement, lay low, and get out leaving the hyenas in the ‘hood to kill each other.
Activists protest against the police, immigration policies, voter ID, and the wall.
They take over a few blocks in Seattle, rename it CHAZ, for Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone. Then they build a wall, require ID to prove residency for entrance, charge businesses protection money, arm themselves with weapons like bats to create their own police force, and frighten away dissenters.
Ironic.
And evidently, you don’t need a permit to own a gun.
Independent Bob – the John Brown Gun Club which is associated with Antifa (if not an actual part) is in charge of border security. They are armed with AR-15s and some have body armor.
Paul, now that’s true freedom. And you can bet neither the mayor nor Inslee will hassle them. That’s it, if If I become a card carrying member of the JohnBrown Gun Club maybe I won’t need a permit or have to go through a background check. Yeah, I never realized I am a closet lefty.
Paul C Schulte is just Making Stuff Up again.
https://www.king5.com/mobile/article/news/nation-world/fox-news-altered-photos-seattle-protest-capitol-hill-autonomous-zone/507-c961134d-85f2-4a0e-9436-b530bbd1d916
David Benson is the God Emperor of Making Stuff Up and owes me forty-five citations (one from the OED, one from the town ordinances and two from the Old Testament), an equation and the source of a quotation, after seventy-nine weeks, and needs to cite all his work from now on. – nice try Meathead, however Fox New was not my source. Tim Pool was my source with video of at least two John Brown Gun Club members and an announcement over the CHAZ PA system saying that the John Brown Gun Club was there to protect them. Ninner Niinner.
Karen, White militia’s in Oregon were trying to pull those same stunts. Maybe people in the Northwest are too ornery?
Here we go again. Another shooting of a black man by a white officer. That is all the Mayor of Atlanta and those who now are protesting, rioting and looting needed to hear. The Mayor called for the immediate firing of the officer. What happened was that police were called to Wendy’s and found a man asleep in a car. They woke him and administered a field sobriety test at which time they attempted to arrest him. He resisted arrest, then fought with two officers, got away from both of them, stealing one officer’s taser. While he was running, he turned and fired the taser at his pursuer. I count at least two felonies, assaulting two police officers and assaulting one police officer with a deadly weapon (the taser). I don’t know about Georgia but in Texas I believe a DA or court would find that the officer was justified in using deadly force:
“A peace officer is justified in using deadly force against another when …the peace officer reasonably believes the deadly force is immediately necessary to make an arrest, or to prevent escape after arrest, if the use of force would have been justified under Subsection (a) and (1) the actor reasonably believes the conduct for which arrest is authorized included the use or attempted use of deadly force.” Texas Penal Code section 9.51(c).
The democrats will use this to pander; Black Lives Matter will use this to raise money so they can funnel it to the democrats and as justification to call for the murder of more police officers; some will use this as an excuse to burn and loot; and the media will get all sanctimonious and nobody will give a flip about whether the Mayor’s precipitous action and the immediate condemnation of the police will cause the next officer to hesitate a few seconds too long and lose his or her life.
honestlawyer – well, they burnt down the Wendy’s so Wendy’s will think twice about calling the cops on drunks in their parking lots.
Paul C– yes, I think Wendy’s got the message. The message that Stacey Abrams sent out was ““sleeping in a drive-thru must not end in death.” Boy that makes it clear that no one was to blame but the police. I wish Stacey had said, “man who fought police and grabbed and fired one officer’s weapon at the officer died as a result.” Language is an amazing thing. I’m sure you’ve seen the T-shirt: “Let’s eat, Mom.” and “Lets eat Mom.” followed by “Punctuation saves lives.”
The only way to endure Abrams is to imagine her jogging.
That’s the first really good laugh I’ve had all day. Thank you!
Yikes!
It may be easier to just close up and not reopen again. Cut your losses.
honestlawyer – two things on that. Wendy’s was going to donate 500k to the cause and this was a black owned franchise. If I were Wendy’s I would not cut that check.
Paul C– Certain elements of the black community like Black Lives Matter scare the hell out of many businesses, democrat politicians and even many people in the community itself because they all know that Black Lives Matter is a collection of thugs, punks and opportunists who are willing, even anxious, to destroy anyone or anything in its way. Is anyone surprised that the victims of this organized crime group are willing to take a knee and pay tribute? I am surprised that Wendy’s CEO stopped with paying tribute. I am surprised they did not order their franchisee to strip naked and walk among the “protesters” so they could spit on him for daring to be a successful businessman.
honestlawyer – BLM is a Marxist front organization that is a cash pay through to the DNC superpac ActBlue. These silly liberals will never be able to give them enough because they always need more.
Paul C– like a friend of mine in deep East Texas said about wealth– more is never enough. Is Black Lives Matter incorporated as a non-profit and if it is do you know what type of 501(c) organization it is? I haven’t taken the time yet to look it up and if you have I won’t.
BTW still no word from Squeeky.
honestlawyer – Black Lives Matters is incorporated in Deleware and has two organizations, both with the same address. I do not think that either is a charity.
If they are for profit then they must have one hell of an income tax bill. The good news is I think they can deduct the cost of gasoline, bricks and matches.
Honets, Paul has been spreading false info that the BLM – which by the way I am not a member of, nor do I support – has been funneling $$ to the Democratic Party – that I am proudly a member of. You can’t trust him. He believes anything he sees on YouTube or that Trump tells him.
Honest, you may not agree with them, but many if not most BLM members are not “thugs” and “punks” but committed idealists.
Here’s one:
bythebook– Then they should not associate with people who call for the murder of police or tolerate those associates who did participate with Antifa in looting and burning innocent peoples’ property or demand apologies from people who dare to say All Lives Matter or who silence anyone who disagrees with them.
Honest, how do you know “they” are? This is from their web page:
“We acknowledge, respect, and celebrate differences and commonalities.
We work vigorously for freedom and justice for Black people and, by extension, all people.”
bythebook– I don’t know how I know that. Maybe Paul got some of his friends together to create this and others just to fool gullible people like me:
Paul C.– come on now, be honest. Did you get some friends together to pretend they were Black Lives Matter and stage this video?
bythebook– my great comeback was messed up by someone inserting a youtube of President Reagan instead of this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQrnEdjQWKI
This is why I never use electronics in a courtroom.
Honest– I agree. I prosecuted a few cases like this and I imagine you have been on either side of the table for them. ‘Physical control of a vehicle’ while intoxicated. Pretty much the same as DUI. I watched the video of the guy fighting with the police and was disgusted with him. You doubtless know that women fight cops during a DUI arrest more than men normally do. They figure they can get away with it. I imagine now every black thug in America figures he is entitled to fight the police. Bet he has a record.
I see below the Wendy’s was torched. Another new entitlement. What has happened to people?
Young – in Arizona he has control of the vehicle, so it is DUI.
Yes, where I was too. A friend in the office had a case where the drunk was asleep at the wheel but the car was stuck in the mud. Was it really physical control when the car was stuck? Fun question but I don’t remember how her case turned out. Never got the like myself.
Young, what does physical control’ of the car mean? A standard car runs on electricity created by the engine. If the keys were not in the ignition then I would assume there is no control over the car. I can’t see sleeping in the car while drunk should, by itself, be a violation of the law.
Allan– Imagine a factory that has a big, dangerous piece of machinery that cannot be operated by someone on drugs or alcohol. A guy comes to work in that condition and takes his place for operating the machine but hasn’t yet turned it on. He is in violation and should be fired. Same thing with a car.
Police sometimes come across drunks asleep in a car, sitting behind the steering wheel. When he rouses himself he ‘has the con’ he is the master of the machine and has actually physical control of the machine, able to start it and run it. That has happened often enough for it to be made a crime.
What if he has the keys in his pocket and is drunk and is sitting on the porch of his home? Probably not a ‘physical control’. If he leaves the porch and gets behind the wheel drunk he is like the factory worker he sits in front of a dangerous machine that he normally operates. Violation.
If you place yourself in a car in the position of an operator you are in physical control and if you do it while drunk you can be arrested even if the car is not moving.
“If you place yourself in a car in the position of an operator you are in physical control and if you do it while drunk you can be arrested even if the car is not moving.”
Young, that seems like a definition where a person could have a reasonable explanation as to why he is sitting in the drivers seat or why he is not in control. I don’t know but it seems to me sitting in the drivers seat with keys in the ignition is a clear line for control but I don’t know how the law sees it.
We have too many laws and too many of them are vague. That causes conflict.
Allan–“it seems to me sitting in the drivers seat with keys in the ignition is a clear line for control but I don’t know how the law sees it.”
That’s pretty clear cut. You will be arrested for physical control while intoxicated and convicted.
I could usually put the state’s case on in a bench trial and rest in less than five minutes and win.
Officer, state you name and occupation for the court.
On did you have occasion to encounter mr. X
Is he in the courtroom and if so where
What were the circumstances of the encounter?
Did you do any sobriety tests
Did you administer a breathalyzer and if so what are the results
state rests
Defendant toast. Easy, easy case. No polemics, waste of time, just the facts.
The reason I provided a reasonable basis to determine when one has control of the car is that I find a lot of laws vague. Vague laws should not exist. A key in the ignition while drunk is not vague. Sitting in the driver seat while drunk is.
We do the police a disservice when we don’t make clear laws.
Your example had the drunk behind the wheel with the key in the ignition. Clear case. If you leave the key in the ignition when you get home and go inside and get drunk you are not in physical control. What if the keys are in the ignition and you are drunk in the backseat and you tell the cop you are waiting for your designated driver to come back? I would have a little trouble proving that case–more information needed.
Basically, if you are drunk and in a position to have immediate control of the car, usually sitting in the driver’s seat, you are in violation.
Young – I vaguely remember Arizona upholding a DUI when the driver was in the backseat WITH the keys. They ruled that since he had control of the keys and he was in the car, he had control of the car.
Paul– That backseat case is interesting. I kind of guessed that could be an outcome which is why I inserted that he was waiting for his designated driver. Designated drivers are good and confuse the situation.
Why did he leave the keys with you?
So I could listen to the radio.
Where is he?
You mean he isn’t right outside? He said he had to pee in the bushes. Maybe you scared him when you stopped.
It’s a battle for the narrative at that point.
It is worse than that.
You can be arrested for drunk driving if you are on a lawnmower.
You can be arrested for drunk driving if you are in a buggy – but not if you are riding a horse.
John Say – last I heard, riding a horse while intoxicated was not against the law in Arizona.
Different states may be different. My remarks are specific to PA.
In PA if you are riding a horse – the horse is presumed to be able to excercise enough control that you can not be arrested for Drunk Driving.
But for some reason when you are “driving” a buggy – the horse appears to be stupider.
Much law makes no sense.
In PA bedroom slippers and eggs have been determined to be deadly weapons.
I am not joking. I wish I was.
John Say – I have seen bedroom slippers with 4 inch spikes, so yes, I would agree they can be a deadly weapon. 😉 Not sure how they made eggs a deadly weapon though, that is reach.
These were ordinary bedroom slippers.
As i recall they were used to choke someone.
Choking someone is a crime. But it is a more serious crime if you use a “deadly weapon” and the PA Supreme Court found that bedroom slippers were sufficiently much a deadly weapon to merit a deadly weapon enhancement.
Just to be clear – no one was getting off. The only real question was whether choking a person with a bedroom slipper is a more serious crime than choking them with your bare hands.
In the egg case teens were dropping raw eggs from an overpass onto police cars.
Again they were obviously guilty of some mischief crime.
But they were prosecuted for attacking the police with a deadly weapon.
And again the PA Supreme Court upheld it.
We have problems like this throughout the law.
Police and prosecutors are constantly seeking to convert jaywalking into a capital crime.
As in the core issue here – if everything is racism – nothing is racism.
John Say – assuming for the sake of argument the bedroom slippers were hard soled, then I can see it. However, I have soft-soled slippers,so I do not see the reach in all cases.
Deadly weapons was supposed to mean knives and guns.
It was also supposed to mean things specifically perceived as weapons that you brought with you to the crime.
The idea being that if you bring a “deadly weapon” with you, you have a duty to think about how you use it.
If you come into a bar and someone pisses you off and you choke them that is less serious that in the bring a gun or knife and the piss you off and you shoot or stab them.
Slippers – hard of soft soled does not meet this.
or put differently why is choking someone with a bedroom slipper more serious than with your hands ?
Part of this is litteral meaning. A deadly weapon must first be a thing that has its primary use as a weapon. Words are supposed to have meaning
Next deadly has to mean something. More than just possibly fatal under unusual circumstances.
The goal of the courts is NOT to broaden the law as wide as possible that is pritty much the meaning of unconstitutionally broad. But to read it as narrowly as possible.
You can not fix broad interpretations by courts.
But the legislature can fix too narrow interpretations easily.
John Say – courts should be like the Montana legislature and meet every other year for six weeks. If you work overtime, you do not get paid.
Maybe, but congress first.
Young– I don’t want to invade your privacy but your background sounds interesting. You always post informed and intelligent comments and now I hear you were a prosecutor. I haven’t quite figured out which box you fit into or whether you fit into a box at all.
At any rate, many, many years ago when I was with the Capitol Police our main problem with traffic or DUI stops was “don’t you know who I am?” That’s a disease in DC. I wish I had been smart enough to use what I heard in a comedy routine when a similar thing was said to an airline ticket agent. The agent’s response was to get on the public address system and announce that there was a man at Gate ___ who did not know who he was. Can anyone help us?”
The other problem we had was when a drunk would “break bad.” If you did not have back up good luck because it would take two and sometimes three men to control them. It looks like that’s what happened in Atlanta. The man “broke bad” and from that point on it was a crap shoot as to whom would come out on top. Unfortunately the man was shot. I never shot anyone but I remember hearing about officers who had being haunted about it for a very long time. In answer to Karen S.’s question about who would want to do this job, that may be the biggest price we pay when all is said and done.
Honest– “or whether you fit into a box at all.”
Probably not.
But thanks for the kind words.
Honest– That’s what I thought, too, the guy in Atlanta broke bad and put good cops in a terrible situation. Stupid to point anything at cops after fighting them, overpowering them, and fleeing a short distance.
Black men are learning that it is okay to fight cops and learning that politicians and the media will take their side. Expect more attacks on police.
Honest– For some good news: a CNN crew that rushed to the scene likely to stir racial hatred was attacked by the mob and their camera destroyed.
Maybe they learned as Richard Pryor did, “thank God there are prisons.”
There is video at this link of the encounter, and some disturbing images of persons concerned with social justice, and presumably the passage of automobiles on the interstate.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8417317/Authorities-Man-killed-Atlanta-police-DUI-stop.html
You know, for a long while, I have felt the Democrat Party was against law and order. They preferentially support those who break the law, and don’t pay taxes over those who follow the law, and do pay taxes. They are biased against the traditional values that statistically lead to a middle class life. That is my observation from the Deep Blue State of CA.
Thank you, Democrat Party, for blasting out the message across all 50 states that this is the truth.
If you vote Democrat in November, you are voting for those who call the takeover of Seattle city blocks patriotic, who excuse chasing cops from precincts, who rush to judgement without bothering with pesky investigations.
Most of all, if you vote Democrat, you are voting against having a viable police force. If you worry about crime, you should be ashamed of your “white privilege.”
I’m sorry, but this is stupid. A cop goes rogue and kills someone. We don’t even know if it was a racist act yet. He’s been arrested and charged with murder. Yet the response is to loot, burn, riot, lay siege to city blocks, and abolish the police. There is a rush to take away as many individual rights as possible. Failure to pledge allegiance to the BLM movement now infamous for refusing to wait for investigations will lead to public humiliation and punishment. Innocent police are forced to humiliate and prostrate themselves in front of black protestors. White skin is guilty. The racism of identity politics.
More and more, disagree with the far Left on any matter and they will try to destroy you.
This is crazy talk. What we would expect leading up to the rise of yet another far Left dictatorship like Che Guevara.
Vote for law and order in November. Vote against the hate, where people on the Left will call those who disagree with them the most vile names on the book. They don’t talk. They attack. Just read your own social media and observe. No dissent allowed.
Karen S– Excellent. There is a palpable fear of Black Lives Matter among whites– not a physical fear, but a fear of having them or one of their followers label you a racist. To so many, that is a fate worse than death. This to me is a symptom of white guilt but it is pervasive among white democrats. I hope the adults will step forward soon before it is too late.
Democrats will do anything for a vote.
One hopes that among these folks it’s that their ilk eats its own.
Ike…….and judging by their cowardice, I’d say they taste like chicken.😊
Good one, Cindy.
It’s a stupid idea made by childish people who are either stupid or evil – wanting criminals to commit crime without punishment, without justice.
Calling mob rioting, looting, and killing “social justice” is part of the language war.
Black men sleeping with black women who they’re unwilling to commit to and really love, but enjoy for sex, such men’s behavior is not due to racism.
It’s bad culture. And acceptance by black women of the bad behavior, which is also not racist. It’s freedom, including the freedom to act irresponsibly. Irresponsible sex means the offspring of such sex don’t have the advantages of growing up with a married mother and father.
Some 77% of black kids have such irresponsible parents.
It’s a tragedy. But blaming bad behavior on racism, instead of bad choices by the people, can not get rid of the problem, even if “racism” goes away. Because the problem is the bad behavior.
There is a simple empirical way to test whether defunding the police is a good idea or not. All those politicians that either directly advocate defunding the police or those giving their tacit approval of it by remaining silent should take decisive action by immediately eliminating all of their OWN public/private security personnel. Let’s see how that works out for them. If they aren’t willing to take those steps, then they should shut up.
What’s that? “Do as I say, not as I do. The rules don’t apply to me because I make the rules.”
Oh, I get it. Never mind.
James– One of the more vocal council members in LA who was screeching ‘defund the police’ was caught having two police officers guarding her personal home 24 hours a day.
James Feldman– I agree. There also is an alternative approach– program 911 to ignore calls form those who have called for or actively supported de-funding or abolishing the police. Or, program 911 to forward the call to the private number of the local Antifa leader.
Honest– I like that idea and hope it happens. LA apparently just retroactively messed with the overtime officers earned during the riots. Let Antifa have a go at city hall and the politician’s personal homes. At this point I won’t be sad.
Young – apparently they can do this under the union contract. However, I thought Garcitti had a printing press in his basement.
Paul C…..we still have not heard from Squeeky…………she is welcome to email Honest.
Cindy Bragg – I would love to read her play. I hope it is a WordPress problem, although I had one and was gone for 3 months.
OY: A bit of Presidential humor
Allan………….thsnk you! Good laughs.
Only children that have never actually had to call the police out of real need would propose such idiocy (and my 26 year-old niece is one). I think the rest of us are smarter than that. I am sorry that dem leadership is so happy to capitulate to the whims of children in favor of law, but that is what we are dealing with. The grown up pants in this country were thrown on the fire right along with copies of Gone With the wind. The rest of us will just have to shoulder the burden and do the right thing.
“If you don’t believe systemic racism is real, explain these statistics”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/if-you-dont-believe-systemic-racism-is-real-explain-these-statistics/2020/06/12/ce0dff6e-acc7-11ea-94d2-d7bc43b26bf9_story.html
Explain these statistics.
Good law enforcement.
ANON– Explain this. New Jersey State Troopers were denounced as racist for issuing more tickets to blacks than to whites.
Then automated speed cams were installed. The robot cameras issued more tickets to blacks than to whites. Same thing happened with traffic cams in London.
Oh the humanity! When will we learn to makes machines that aren’t racist?
Anonymous– I noticed in the article the following people were not invited: “local police chief, sheriff and district attorney [of Dallas county].” Left out was the Dallas City Manager who also is black. These are the leaders of all of the non-federal law enforcement entities in Dallas County and they all are black. My question to the sarcastic WaPo reporter would be what has been done by these black officials to get rid of systemic racism? Of course it’s not just these three. Forty-seven percent of the police force is minority, black (26%) and Hispanic (21%). With all of this power and support, are they saying they are incapable of getting rid of of systemic racism? If they have not been able to identify the racists people or policies and change them, it’s hard to draw any conclusion other than (1) they are incompetent, or (2) systemic racism does not exist and the public is being conned.
I favor #2.
Of course there is systemic racism against whites and Asians in the form of affirmative action, set asides, benefits and special rules. There are black only dorms but imagine the uproar if someone wanted a white only dorm. There are black graduations but imagine the horror if there were a white graduation.
Now there is a push at UCLA and U of Washington for separate, easier grades for blacks. Go ahead. Put the cards on the table and explain why you are holding that hand I say to them. Could it be that they believe, as BytheBook says, blacks are born with inherent disabilities?
I wish someone would take a stand against systemic sexism.
Men make up less than 50% of the population, but more than 90% of total arrests.
Clearly cops hate men.
Typical disparagement treatment hogwash the courts adopted in lieu of intent. Racism explains it only if you discount every other likely reason.
Disparate
Instead of ‘Defund The Police’..
Republicans Seek To Play ‘The China Card’
Fighting for their political lives amid twin domestic crises — a pandemic that has battered the economy — vulnerable Republican senators running for re-election are working to divert voters’ gazes half a world away and make their races a referendum on China. The tactic, party strategists say, is a way for Republicans to avoid defending the president’s handling of the virus, which has been met with widespread public disapproval, and instead offer up an alternative issue that already inspires fear and skepticism among voters.
The strategy comes as hawks, especially Republicans, are ascendant in Congress and jockeying for the role of lead China thought leader, and as national security experts in both parties warn a new era of great power competition between the two nations has begun. And while it is unclear whether an anti-China message will appeal to voters at a time of mounting domestic turmoil, some Republicans believe it may be the most effective message they have.
Neil Newhouse, a leading Republican pollster, said that both private and public polling indicated that Americans, regardless of political affiliation, had markedly negative feelings toward China over issues including trade and technology theft.
“It becomes an easy punching bag for politicians, both Republicans and Democrats,” he said in an interview.
For Republicans in particular, Mr. Newhouse said, the strategy “allows them to go on offense, to be aggressive, to take a strong position.”
The hope, according to strategists advising Senate campaigns, is that China will become a wedge issue, forcing candidates to take a position viewed through the lens of either strength or weakness, and putting America first — as Mr. Trump often frames it — or letting the nation lag as a global leader.
The strategy was devised, at least in part, by Brett O’Donnell, a veteran Republican strategist with ties to two of the party’s fiercest China hawks, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas. In a 57-page memo circulated to candidates in April by the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Mr. O’Donnell outlined a coronavirus messaging strategy that focused on attacking China and largely avoided mention of Mr. Trump.
Predicting that candidates are likely to field questions about whether Mr. Trump was at fault for the nation’s response to the virus, Mr. O’Donnell advised: “Don’t defend Trump, other than the China travel ban — attack China.” The memo was first reported by Politico.
Edited From: “Faced With Crisis And Re-Election, Senate Republicans Blame China”
Today’s New York Times
Interesting article but they probably violated Pravda’s copyright.
Seth Warner — Also blaim the terms of China’s membership in WTO; unreal.
It seemed like such a good idea:
Release all of the criminals who then returned to crimes.
Intimidate or defund the police.
Tell all the white people they are a**hole racists who shouldn’t mind a little looting.
Ask for their votes.
Correction: Demand their votes.
In the absence of leadership and appropriate and constitutional Congressional action, Abraham Lincoln proceeded, unilaterally, to war and suspension of Habeas Corpus to “Save the Union.” President Trump now has the same “duty” and imprimatur as Lincoln to react unilaterally to rebellion and domestic violence to “Save the Republic.”