In leaked recording, Biden says GOP used 'defund the police' to 'beat the living hell' out of Democrats

Well ... he's not wrong.

It definitely was, and is a poor slogan, when the overall idea was more to reform, diversify and de-militarize the police.

One thing Trump did effectively was to use simple and "catchy" phrases like "Lock her up" that his base of bases could easily understand and use for their focus. Make America Great Again", only for some and only those approved.

G̶O̶P̶ democrats used 'defund the police' to 'beat the living hell' out of Democrats

Yep. And unfortunately many on the left embraced the stupid idea.

Busted!

I’m happy he won but he’s an old fool. Always has been.

I do not get all this whining and hand wringing. at worse it was a push. MLM and defund the police actually brought in voters.

Well, more than 70 million US voters didn't vote for Biden, but they agreed with him on this

I blame AOC and far lefties for this.

Biden is absolutely right.

What happened to the House? What happened to taking the Senate? " Defund the Police" certainly had a lot to do with it.

and almost 80 voted for him, what is your point R8? Stop looking at the glass as half empty.

Any number of our witty DL intellectuals could have created a catchier political slogan.

When you have to explain a slogan, you've already lost.

These leftists and Marxists are so stupid. Apparently, none of them studied Marketing 101.

R2, I agree with your assessment, except I don't agree that slogans like "lock her up" are somethng we should be copying. Maybe you didn't mean that exactly, but most chantable slogans are, imo, stupid. "How many kids did you kill today?" hurt LBJ, but I thought it was despicable and of course it enraged the god-fearing militarists.

Forget slogans and educate people with informative signs and speeches. Nothing worthwhile can be said in such few words.

The problem was the dems let the repubs define what defund the police meant. Dems are the worst campaigners. They have a hard time landing a blow to their opponent.

Ironically, "Serve and Protect" would have sufficed.

LOCK TRUMP UP! LOCK TRUMP UP!

I've talked to many people about real or imagined crime situations, and no one ever says, "I'd call the cops". They always say, "I'd grab my Colt 45 blah-blah…".

So what are the police for when no one would even call them? Is it just welfare for ex-military-types?

Biden isn't smart but he did get this right. Defund the police??? What moron thinks the citizens would indorse this.

[QUOTE] The problem was the dems let the repubs define what defund the police meant.

R15 you fucking stunod that’s why it sucked as a slogan! You shouldn’t have to explain shit! It should speak for itself! If you don’t actually mean “Defund the Police” then you shouldn’t fucking use it as a fucking slogan!

Stupid Fucking Wokesters: DEFUND THE POLICE!

American Citizens: Hey, I don’t like the idea of defunding the police.

Stupid Fucking Wokesters: Welll, I uhh, don’t actually mean “defund the police,” what I really mean is...

[quote] dems let the repubs define what defund the police meant.

Trying to pin this on repubs is pretty lame. It means just what it says, Ask AOC.

Yeah, this is going to make me become a republican. I've been so torn. Im going to SCOTUS and demand my ballot be recast for Trump. I want Rudy and Chris Christie as my counsel.

[quote]dems let the repubs define what defund the police meant.

While I don't want to blame all democrats for the nonsense of activists, it's not like the republicans had a hard time defining what it meant and then attaching it to democrats. We handed them the biggest softball ever. There are not a whole lot ways to define "Defund" other than the withdrawing funds.

If you're just gonna hand republicans easy shit, what do you expect.

[quote] While I don't want to blame all democrats for the nonsense of activists, it's not like the republicans had a hard time defining what it meant and then attaching it to democrats. We handed them the biggest softball ever. There are not a whole lot ways to define "Defund" other than the withdrawing funds.

[quote] If you're just gonna hand republicans easy shit, what do you expect.

Thanks, Boris. Duly noted. The clarity you have provided can not be measured.

What's the point of this? He's absolutely right...

Defund Police = Fewer officers = More crime.

See Minneapolis. They got what they wished.

This thread will be crosstriked very soon. Any bad comments about Democrats are prohibited here.

[quote]Thanks, Boris. Duly noted. The clarity you have provided can not be measured.

Yes, that's right... because acknowledging that the progressives and the activists fucked us over with a bunch of crazy that scared white people who may have voted for us, makes me a Russian bot. That's smart. Real smart.

[quote] That's smart. Real smart.

Mensa smart, perhaps.

The majority black area of Minneapolis is frankly pissed with the bougie white area that started this shit. They're the ones who are going to suffer from crime, not the North Face radicals. Again, it's whites patronizing and knowing what's best for everyone.

Defund the police! But wait until my neighborhood gentrifies first! 🤡

Why does Biden always use violent analogies?

R30, The woman who demanded 'no mo police" to the mayor in that viral video sure looked black to me.

Blacks gotta take some responsibility sometimes..

Whereas Republicans have no problem speaking out against other Republicans, Democrats are too cowardly to do it, even though it was a Democratic who had the original Sister Soulja moment. Democrats should have condemned any Democrat who expressed, “defund the police.”. Even now, it’s the slogan that’s being condemned and not the people who expressed it. How hard is it to condemn AOC and people like her? Sometimes you have to choose sides.

Joe's right!!!

The far leftists are nothing but Russian and GOP sponsored Trojan Horses inside the democratic party.

They need to go, Dems need primary these assholes. Kick AlwaysOnCamera, Tlaib and Co out of the party!

[quote]The problem was the dems let the repubs define what defund the police meant.

The slogan is unmistakable and stupid!

BLM handed Joe Biden the Presidency. However, there are many law enforcement officers that HATE trump and this Republican administration. There are plenty of police officers and law enforcement people that are not racist, that despise RACIST Policies. It is good to reach out to all those who want change in police departments and law enforcement agencies.

Earlier today:

Minneapolis delivers on its George Floyd promise to defund police and wipes $8m from force's budget: Shootings DOUBLE and carjackings are up 331% on the year as it's revealed 160 disgusted cops have now quit or taken leave

The city has been plagued by soaring violent crime since then - with homicide, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, theft and arson all up on last year's figures.

Police have recorded 532 gunshot victims this year as of last Thursday, more than double the same period a year ago. Carjackings have also spiked to 375 so far this year, up 331 percent from the same period last year. And violent crimes have topped 5,100, compared with just over 4,000 for the same period in 2019.

Around 160 officers are said to have resigned or be on leave from the force compared to the start of the year. That is partly due to officers claiming post-traumatic stress disorder from a summer of unrest — with more preparing to leave amid retirements and poor morale, reports say.

Dems didn't lose seats in the House because of Defund the Police, but because Republicans turned out in droves to vote AGAINST Trump.

The Lincoln Project that you all praised to high heaven was designed to make sure Repugs didn't just stay home, it was meant for Repugs to get out and vote against Trump but FOR all the downballot Repug candidates. And it worked.

I'm not saying Defund the Police was a good slogan because it absolutely was not, and Biden is right to say it was so bad it basically handed the GOP a solid attack point on a silver platter, but we took a beating in Congress in large part because of the Lincoln Project.

He's 100% right. Look. I was telling these assholes to stay home. Do economic boycotts but don't be out in the street demonstrating because he wanted us to do that. There were paid thugs, who went out and committed acts of vandalism including setting fires. Trump used all the visuals in his scary ads claiming Joe would defund the police. It was pure 1968 Nixonian, right out of a Roger Stone playbook. And there were cops involved too. If a real investigation was conducted you would see that all roads lead to Trump it was part of his strategy . The other argument that scared the crap out of people was the whole "Joe's gonna shut the country down and ruin the economy!!! You'll lose your job..." It worked. Small business owners, hourly workers terrified.

Thanks for the Daily Mail rightwing propaganda, R38. Odd that you didn't include a link. Can't imagine why.

Anyway, yes, I'm sure reducing the budget by $8M yesterday is what caused crime to increase months ago. We all have time machines so your claim makes perfect sense.

"However, there are many law enforcement officers that HATE trump and this Republican administration. "

Oh honey no.

[quote]Defund Police = Fewer officers = More crime.

Which is why the WINNER of the Presidency could see past this and WIN the Presidency without letting it hurt the Democratic party. So shut the fuck Boris, you lost. LOSER.

[quote]Look. I was telling these assholes to stay home.

Delusional. You're in no position to tell an entire movement what to do. What a crazy thing for you to even say.

Most activists know that there are police and government infiltrators, there have been since the 1950s at least, so they didn't need you to tell them.

It's insanity to blame the people who are peacefully protesting for what the agitators, infiltrators and criminals are doing.

It's also really interesting that there are actual far-right Boogaloo Boys in FBI custody for killing cops and trying to blame BLM, yet Datalounge is flooded with people saying it's BLM and leftist protesters to blame.

I tend to think that George Floyd died because Trump wanted riots.

Agree with Biden. It was a stupid ass slogan.

Oh please R44, don't be so obviously naive!

What is your source on that, R38?

Conservative media has be so quick to point out the rising numbers in Mpls, without noting that crime is up EVERYWHERE because of COVID. It is also imperative to note which crimes are increasing some, like rape, have actually decreased given the situation.

Here's the thing: Change is always going to be difficult. But nothing about this year needed to be as hard as it was. NOTHING. Competent and compassionate leadership would have abated a multitude of sins. But the problems of Mpls are well documented by the former mayor and others. That particular force (like Louisville and NYPD and a few others) is rotten to the core and desperately in need of a purge.

It is a wonderful city and I wish them all of the best. It didn't need to be this way...it really, really didn't.

And yes, R45, I strongly believe that will be proven as well--that the word was out among less honorable officers to provoke incident to benefit this administration.

George Floyd's death also aided in ending Amy Klobuchar's primary campaign.

Make no mistake, republicans play DIRTY. I hope all of this will be uncovered one day in the not too distant future.

I agree.

R49, Floyd died 3 months after Klobuchar ended her camapign. The only reason she stayed in as long as she did was to split Pete voters in New Hampshie and make way for Biden in the remaibgg contests

I'm sure the " Defund the Police" was the bright idea of young white liberal women ( the SJW crowd), who can just hide out in their parents' home and inundate social media daily with their diatribes about how life is unfair to the blacks, until it's time for them to go to their family condo in Hilton Head.

Progressives had no problems getting elected. Rep. AOC and Rep Ihan Omar both won their elections. Seems like the American people likes progressives. In surveys, they are deemed more trustworthy too.

Tailor made, boutique House districts R53, Let AOC and any of that Squad try to run in another district or statewide or nationwide.

AOC has one of the most liberal districts in the country; it would only be shocking if she DIDN'T win re-election.

Klobuchar was still a potential VP candidate.

AOC and the Squad can only get elected in the most far left districts in the country that are aberrant from the vast majority of the country. They can’t even get elected to statewide office.

No R49....no.

George Floyd was killed on May 25th, long after the primaries were really over. His death caused Klobuchar to ask Biden to remove her from VP consideration.

Of course the media loves AOC. She's Bernie in a young, pretty, female package. But the only thing she is good for is helping Republicans raise money and giving the Bernie types someone to worship, since Bernie is more or less over. She is outside of the mainstream of typical democrats.

Is "duh" the correct word to capture the sentiment. I'm convinced some GOP voters decided to stay home because Trump's craziness was too much even for them. I don't think they would have been Biden voters, but Trump et al. stoked a primal fear among some with all the defund talk. Even though protesters in S. Louis were unarmed, that crazy couple that came out brandishing was a galvanizing point for people who are eternally fearful of change and crime. And by crime, to them it's synonymous with blacks.

In other words, irrationally fearful stupid people turned out to vote in DROVES on defund the police ONLY when they likely would have stayed home otherwise. This wad the time of Trump calling dead or injured vets, or anyone who joined the Armed Forces "losers" and it was reported he only paid $750 in taxes on a couple of occasions.

Trump has played on people's fear for decades. Of course, without "defund the police, Biden might have won an isolated red state or two and picked up bigger margins in AZ, PA, GA etc.

The time machine comment is so lame. Hundreds of cops quit well before the stupid city council voted to defund the police. Minneapolis has been enjoying the fruits of this inane movement.

Yes the corporate media is setting up AOC to be the new Hillary/Pelosi witch that will scare off middle America and keep us from any kind of an equitable economy. This is why we can't have nice things.

[quote]The time machine comment is so lame. Hundreds of cops quit well before the stupid city council voted to defund the police.

My whole point is that the Daily Mail is trying to say crime is up because of the $8M reduction in funding, but that's a lie: cops were quitting and crime had gone up LONG before the funding was reduced.

Which you yourself just said! So stupid. I hope for you're sake you were drunk when you posted that.

Activists do want to get rid of the police. You really need to talk to the far Left. They’re not joking.

[quote] His death caused Klobuchar to ask Biden to remove her from VP consideration.

Huh?

It was a stupid slogan because of the way it sounded " DE-FUND THE POOOOL-EISE"

George Floyd's death lead to Klobuchar being criticized for previously declining to prosecute the officer who killed Floyd, when the officer was involved in a previous case in 2006 that also lead to the death of a suspect, R65.

That criticism and publicity lead to her asking Biden to remove her name from VP consideration.

[quote]Activists do want to get rid of the police. You really need to talk to the far Left. They’re not joking

You mean far right don't you? They are the ones always targeting government, and actually do it. Oklahoma City Bombing ring a bell?

[quote]The majority black area of Minneapolis is frankly pissed with the bougie white area that started this shit.

R30, when the majority of the Minneapolis City Council stood in Powderhorn Park and made their proclamations on that stage last summer, there were black leaders of black neighborhoods on that stage standing in support of the stated demands. It was a moment of true unity against the establishment. The very establishment that has been blocking progress for too long. Yes this is a Black Lives Matter issue, but it also became "The People" vs "The Establishment". Not just minorities. So many white people woke up and stood up for the first time this year. Some of us have been used to these Democrat neolib stall tactics. They put these obstacles in the way of needed change. They stall with this "change takes TIME!" bullshit, which is progress being stalled by complex procedures, paperwork, endless committeeing, reviews, putting things through notoriously slow institutions, like our court system. The left is sick of it. And that includes me 😈😘

Cable TV had plenty of commentators, and some anchors and reporters, uttering repeatedly, the phrase "defund the police" last summer and early fall while also showing pics/video of arson, looting, and street clashes.

Such rhetoric disturbed older citizens in particular, including African Americans.

Tom Perez/DNC and Democratic Congressional leaders at the time, failed to deliver any reassuring political messaging on the matter. Most said zero about modifying the phrase. It was a gift to Republicans who stretched into further lies as a campaign fear tactic.

What Biden said is true.

Klobuchar had nothing to do with the previous case either.

[quote]The shooting took place in Oc. 29, 2006, about a week before Klobuchar was elected to the U.S. Senate. She left the prosecutor's office in December, several months before her successor sent the case to the grand jury for review, she said.

[quote]Klobuchar said she left her role as a prosecutor to go to the Senate before ever reviewing the Reyes case and before it was referred to a grand jury – a practice Klobuchar, and others across the state, regularly pursued in cases involving police-involved shootings. A grand jury in 2007 decided against charges and said the use of force was justified.

But the damage was done. Not sure if she had a shot as VP. I don't think Joe Biden had much of a choice but select Harris. I always viewd AK as a strong presidential candidate, stronger than Kamala Harris, who I liked initially but who eventually was disappointing during the primaries. AK has some flaws, one of them is her not building a strong relationship with Black people, the other one is that she needs to work on her image and her voice.

You're an idiot R69, beyond stupid slogans you have nothing of substance to offer!

R72 you're clearly being willfully ignorant. The movement is the substance. Get on board or get out of the way.

The Dems need to be better at crafting catchy slogans and to outmaneuver, or counter, the Republicans' attempts to control the anti-Dem narrative. The Right wing media will always declare the Republicans' narrative the winner and declare it the truth. Whether it's just a blatant lie or a half-truth, they will always side with the conservative view. No Liberal thought or Liberal pundit will ever change the conservatives' point of view and their way how to access information (Fox News, Breitbart, Drudge Report, conservative forums, etc.). However, what needs to be done is that the Liberal media supports Liberal thought and Liberal pundits and helps to establish a united front of support for each other. The common enemy is the GOP, not each other.

Keep on proving you're stupid R73!

I don't know how that became a response to police brutality against black people. The fact is the biggest victims of black criminals are the black women, elderly and children, trapped in war-torn neighborhood. Sure, cops shouldn't be executing folks even guilty ones but what happens to the vulnerable when you abandon communities to predatory teenagers with guns?

You just don't have a clue do you?

While Biden did win POTUS , many down ticket races were either lost or far closer than they might otherwise have been thanks to a riled up GOP base and others.

That DT actually picked up numbers (if however small) doesn't worry you at all? It should, because it says something about electorate and certainly suggests democrats do not have a lock on things as people like you imagine.

Democrat party has been less of a cohesive group for some time now, and more like fractions of warring tribes. Bernie Sanders beget AOC and her lot who to the dismay of many main line democrats aren't going anywhere. More to the point as we've seen with rise of Ritchie Torres, Bowman and others as of last month's election their numbers are growing.

Even if small in relative numbers to overall democrats the loony left progressive socialists democrats like AOC are sucking air out of the room. Their "defund LE" message in response to BLM created riots, looting and other acts of violence were tailor made to help GOP

The smallest of things can rile up the GOP base. Obama was black, that got a good rise out of them. Should Barrack have lightened his skin and declare himself white to ease the GOP's base mind?

The worst Liberals can do is to base their own actions on whatever will outrage the conservatives and the conservative media the least. Get the Liberal citizens fired up to work and support each other. Let the conservatives drown in their own bigoted muck. Don't give them the power to drag you down with them.

Wasn't it totally convenient that the new left delivered a slogan that most rational people feared was completely idiotic and counter productive, right after riots broke out in many cities, which many people thought were instigated by corrupt cops just doing the GOP's bidding.

He is correct

Also George Floyd’s death led to more powerful demands and expectation that Biden choose a black running mate. Even Klobuchar said Biden had to select a Black woman when she took her name out oc contention.

I’m glad he said this, because it’s true. Stupid slogan, just like “abolish ICE”.

Did the same folks come up with both?

More EVIL on the right, no doubt, but neither side wants for idiots.

The defund the police people say you shouldn’t be stupid and google to find out what they really mean . A slogan should not need google for people to get it!

Concern over pandemic-era restrictions on indoor gatherings, the expansion of the Democratic Socialists of America and a battle over policing drove up Trump’s turnout, according to interviews with voters, candidates and politicians.

"Whereas Republicans have no problem speaking out against other Republicans"

Not in the last few decades - or did I miss something?? Outside of their obvious and rampant cheating, the best thing that Repugs have going for them is that they behave like a cult - no free thinking, everyone on script, no dissention in the ranks, vote like your life depends on it, be loud and obnoxious so that a group of 10 seems like a sea of 1,000. I'm not sure what drugs you are on R34, but time to share them with the group.. That said, I totally agree with you about "Defund the Police". The biggest issue was that the movement did not originate with the party - the origins of the wording dates back to the Black Panthers. What Dems should have done was to CHANGE the messaging before embracing the movement or to not have embraced it at all. I feel that the cause is a noble one, but the messaging could not have been worse - particularly in an election season. Everything about that slogan sound ominous and the movement is hard to explain after being introduced to the ignorant masses in such a brash and poorly worded way. It's not the Fox News addicts and loony Facebookers that we needed to convince - they were already full-on psychos. Independents balked and we never did much to get them back on board. That said, the GOP tampered with votes again like the house was on fire - so who knows if much would have changed.

A nerve has been hit. The extreme liberals who cannot accept the criticism will call you Boris or a troll. If you are a moderate Dem and disgusted by this , just take it as a badge of honor as it show there is nothing else they have to come back with. That said, defund the police is not going away because it is still being pushed hard by AOC and others, combine that with the GOP using the slogan against moderate Dems who will fight to keep their seats in 2022. Defund the police could in fact wipe out the Dem majority in 2022 and that would be very sad indeed.

The problem with the George Floyd protest movement is that there was no clear leadership or cohesive, identifiable agenda. Black Lives Matter is an amorphous, undefined movement with no clear organization and leadership. As such, it’s politically and culturally dangerous, and ultimately, ineffective. Random protestors and Twitter warriors should not be driving the agenda of a serious movement

[quote]Democrat party has been less of a cohesive group for some time now, and more like fractions of warring tribes.

Hey Boris, It's called the Democratic Party, NOT the Democrat Party. If you lived in the US you would actually know that.

Proof Russian Trolls are here on the DL!

[quote]The worst Liberals can do is to base their own actions on whatever will outrage the conservatives and the conservative media the least. Get the Liberal citizens fired up to work and support each other.

I have 3 points on this one:

Point 1: You are correct. Conservatives are going to always find a new democratic bogeyman and/or message to use as their symbol of whatever is scaring white people this week. So democrats just have to tune out the noise.

Point 2: Many progressive democrats and activists are out of touch with mainstream democrats. I even see it here on DL. Anybody who has been paying attention knew that Elizabeth Warren or Kamala or Bernie didn't stand a chance in hell of beating Trump. And I don't care what the polls said about them all being able to beat Trump -- those same polls implied that election night would be over by 11:00 PM est.

The Democratic Party is a big tent. A lot of different groups, similar in some ways... very different in most others. But what is happening now is this trench if forming where you have a lot of democrats, especially in urban blue bubbles who are trying to reshape the party into the social justice, wealth equity, dancing with socialism party on one side and the other democrats who just care about kitchen table issues and keeping the country on a steady, calm moderate path on the other.

I'm not saying that either side is right or wrong, but I know that it's all coming to a head at some point.

Point 3: Woke white people need to calm the fuck down.

WHY IS THIS THREAD NOT DELETED YET? MURIEL, DO YOUR THING.

Just on a PR/marketing level, “defund” is not a good choice and most people are not going to get behind the idea of defunding the police.

Reforming the police, however, is something most reasonable people would agree is necessary. And the use of that word would have made the idea a lot easier to sell. I was baffled (and kind of horrified) that it was being couched that way because it’s just not going to be an acceptable idea to a lot of people just on the basis of that word, which is not even really what anyone expects or even wants to happen.

[quote]The Lincoln Project that you all praised to high heaven was designed to make sure Repugs didn't just stay home, it was meant for Repugs to get out and vote against Trump but FOR all the downballot Repug candidates. And it worked.

Not saying you're wrong, but can you give proof to this?

R92 what proof do you need, the founders are all Reps.

That's not proof R93.

The Minneapolis police budget is in for a slash of $8 million in response to "Defund the Police!". More than 100 police officers have resigned rather than serve as cannon fodder for the left, and violent crime has risen 17% as of September 2020 in low-income areas and 30% in higher-income areas.

The City Council just voted one day ago to slash the police budget by &8 million in response to the demands of the protesters.

Do you think those people are going to vote Democratic in the mid-terms, as the rush to accommodate the latest trendy sociopolitical meme resulted in just what was predicted: a record rise in crime?

Ah, the white liberal left - they never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.

Demilitarize the police would be a better slogan. Or just stop killing people. Detroit has had a problem for years with police brutality driving more criminality that should be a warning for the rest of the country, but the idea that terrorizing people into behaving themselves is such a powerful fantasy governments just can't let go of it, especially with all that cool military surplus equipment the Pentagon keeps handing out.

How about “stop hiring nazis”?

[quote] Demilitarize the police would be a better slogan.

Yes it's only fair to the criminals.

CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man was arrested on a federal firearm charge after law enforcement this week seized machine guns and more than 100 “switch” devices from his home. Each device is capable of converting a semi-automatic pistol into a machine gun.

LEONARD D. JOHNSON, also known as “Scrap,” 32, of Robbins, is charged with one count of illegal possession of a machine gun. Johnson was arrested Monday after agents from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives executed a search warrant at his home. The agents seized five firearms, including three machine guns, and approximately 117 “switch” devices, according to a criminal complaint and affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago.

Scrap seems a reasonable fellow.

The way some people interact with the police it is no wonder they have issues with how they are treated. Not always black and white.

r88, "democrat party" is a meme among a lot of right wing types. Rush Limbaugh and various FOX personalities were using the term over 20 years ago. It has little to nothing to do with the "Russian boris types."

and yes, it is used as an insult towards the Democratic party.

Instead of complaining about his supporters, Biden should take on the treasonous Rethugs. They are the ones destroying our country.

R101 He can do both.

[quote] "Democrat party" is a meme

I think people use it to intentionally distinguish it from the lower case d word, democratic, even though “Democrat party” is incorrect without the -ic.

[quote]He can do both.

No, actually he really *shouldn't* be complaining about his supporters. This man excited no one. He won partially because people just wanted Trump gone and he was the best or only option. He doesn't seem to realize that.

And sorry, AOC was right. The Democrats have zero idea how to defend against attacks. (Other than repeating the truth over and over again but when the media loves a good fight their pleas fall on deaf ears.) If it's not "defund the police" it's something else. It's them turning the word "socialist" into a bad thing. It was them catching Hillary saying "deplorables" that helped propel forward a movement against her. Hell, they just decided Obama wasn't even American and kept up with that birther movement for years. The Republicans used scare tactics and play on the public's stupidity along with the public's reluctance to do research on their own.

Complaining about their supporters will bite Dems in the ass if they keep it up come mid-terms and next general election. He and Obama need to do better at keeping their feelings private about these things.

Biden is older, Pelosi refuses to let go of her power and both are heading a party that's in the middle of a changing of the guard where individuality is thought of as being an asset. The new crop of kids coming in are clashing against the old group and thanks to time the old group will eventually lose.

Trying to appeal to the right won't work but they seem to think it will. I don't want them to lose another election before they learn that.

R104 sounds like Trump.

Trying to appeal to the EXTREME right will not work and trying to appeal to the EXTREME left will not work out well either. Most people in America, from both parties, are interested in kitchen table issues. They want good jobs, lower taxes, and a safe community to live in. The far left doesn't give that impression with defund the police, medicare for all (when regular senior medicare is under financial duress) and other "woke" issues. Biden was never an extreme candidate and his appeal is to the political moderates of the country which is why he won by 7 million votes. He is NOT Trump or Bernie, thankfully for most of us. Biden really embodies a "this is us" candidate as he represents most of America.

No, activists used the term, not politicians and the GOP always linked it with the Dems.

Just like the GOP conflated BLM peaceful protests and riots.

The GOP is just great at that BS and stupid people buy it.

Instead of pretending to be do-nothing moderates, too afraid to stand for anything, Dems need to embrace progressive ideas to win.

[Quote] Trying to appeal to the EXTREME right will not work and trying to appeal to the EXTREME left will not work out well either.

Except when polled, Americans actually agree with “extreme” left ideas. The supposed extreme left is just trying to give workers the rights that Europeans have given their populations for a century

[Quote] I think people use it to intentionally distinguish it from the lower case d word, democratic, even though “Democrat party” is incorrect without the -ic.

the GOP started calling it the Democrat party to purposely make it seem they are not democratic. it was meant as a slur

[Quote] The Minneapolis police budget is in for a slash of $8 million in response to "Defund the Police!". More than 100 police officers have resigned rather than serve as cannon fodder for the left, and violent crime has risen 17% as of September 2020 in low-income areas and 30% in higher-income areas.

Why do we think there’s some sudden link between police resigning and crime rising. Crime is rising all over because of Covid and the dead economy, not because there are fewer cops. Whenever I go to high income neighborhoods, I never see cops around. Their loss wouldn’t suddenly make crime rise.

People having no money is what is making crime rise

R98, and bringing out tanks would have been the best way to arrest this guy??

[Quote] Conservatives are going to always find a new democratic bogeyman and/or message to use as their symbol of whatever is scaring white people this week.

Exactly.

[Quote] But what is happening now is this trench if forming where you have a lot of democrats, especially in urban blue bubbles who are trying to reshape the party into the social justice, wealth equity, dancing with socialism party on one side and the other democrats who just care about kitchen table issues and keeping the country on a steady, calm moderate path on the other.

Except that things like healthcare and students loans ARE kitchen table issues.

And where has decades of “being moderate” gotten the Dems? Loss after loss after loss

The GOP knows exactly what scares white people and intentionally provokes it to try to blame it on Dems.

During the protests there were so many instances of setting things in fire and breaking store windows done by right wingers—all to try to start riots to blame on the left

[Quote] The extreme liberals who cannot accept the criticism will call you Boris or a troll.

What exactly do extreme liberals believe? That everyone should have healthcare, police should stop killing blacks people, everyone needs access to free or cheap education without having to take thousands in loans?

Wow, so scary and extreme!!

Don't the extreme liberals want to defund the police? AOC certainly has doubled down on the concept. That is enough of a no go for most of America.

[quote]What exactly do extreme liberals believe? That everyone should have healthcare, police should stop killing blacks people, everyone needs access to free or cheap education without having to take thousands in loans?

The thing that would push such benign beliefs into extremism is the adjunct belief that people should receive benefits without paying for them. The expectation is that all the money will come from someone else. That's the problem and the thing that makes it unworkable, that people want "free" stuff and don't want to pay for it.

“Defund The Police” doesn’t have some ambiguous meaning; “well what it *really* means is...”. “Nobody really wants to abolish all civil police forces...”

No.

Unfortunately, an extreme idea and sound byte dominated. It didn’t prevent Biden from winning, but it narrowed the margin dangerously.

As intended.

[quote]The new crop of kids coming in are clashing against the old group and thanks to time the old group will eventually lose.

The only problem I have with this statement is they want all of these changes, but are not willing to vote for them. They will take to the streets all summer long, but not march to polls in November.

I say this on here all the time, a lot of you progressives want a lot of free stuff, but you aren't willing to put in the work to get the free stuff. You just want it handed to you or glom on to someone else's hard work to get it. That is not the way it works.

I remember seeing some grumbling on here when it was a foregone conclusion that Biden would chose a woman of color to be VP. And some here thought he was bullied into that situation and that he should have gone with someone else, well guess what... black women do the work. They show up for democrats and overwhelmingly support them every time.

Progressives need to do the same thing. Start fucking showing up. Don't come with your hand out, come ready to work and then you will start getting some of these progressive changes that you want. Just do the basics, FFS.

The Defund the police BELL has rung, you can't unring this bell too easily.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

[quote]The only problem I have with this statement is they want all of these changes, but are not willing to vote for them. They will take to the streets all summer long, but not march to polls in November.

That's been happening for several generations now. That's not a millennial issue. Young people have never really gone out and voted. They certainly didn't during the Vietnam, "don't trust anyone over thirty" era. All these 50 and 60 year old solid voters were once in the same boat, spouting the same philosophies. I don't get where some of you think you have a leg to stand on in this.

[quote]I say this on here all the time, a lot of you progressives want a lot of free stuff, but you aren't willing to put in the work to get the free stuff. You just want it handed to you or glom on to someone else's hard work to get it. That is not the way it works.

No the way it works is that the 1% can do whatever they want and reap all the financial rewards. But let the middle class and poverty level expect ridiculous things like healthcare and a better system of obtaining higher education, and that's deemed completely impossible. And people are deemed as being selfish.

This game isn't working with the younger generations anymore. And that includes the 30 and 40 year olds who do vote and are tired of waiting around for substantial change to occur.

Furthermore, any democrat at this point trotting out the "free stuff" Republican mantra isn't doing THEIR homework. Because you would realize that if these improvements were to occur, that it would stimulate the economy and our country in general, as people would have more money to spend and put money into it.

And while Biden makes some decent points about the use of Defund the Police, his condescending and petulant tone is a turn off. No excuse for that in addressing a constituency that single handedly saved you from having to drop out of the race.

Humble yourself. R104 is right.

If Mayor Pete said that Joy Reid would be calling for his head on a platter.

R123, you made a glaring and erroneous assumption most African Americans support Defund the Police.

BLM to Biden:

YOU OWE US

She is absolutely correct. One of the reasons black people do not participate in the election is because after asking for our votes we are quickly forgotten by politicians because maybe what we need is not consistent with mainstream white folk. We are tired of bei g taken for granted. Even Obama did more for other populations. In fact he not only did little for us under the him the Civil Rights Act was further gutted.

Most of the Jim Clyburn Black Dems are the ones who "saved" Joe Biden and they are not on board with Defund the Police.

It's a perfect divide and conquer strategy.

AlwaysOnCamera says stupid things.

Republicans attack AlwaysOnCamera to keep her in the news.

Democrats have to defend her.

AOC keeps saying stupid things that dissuade moderates from voting for democracs.

It's absolutely no surprise that the guy who started the far leftist movement, Bernie Sanders, has been a self proclaimed democrat hater for decades.

Why can Repubs have hundreds of mouth breathing imbeciles constantly saying asinine and ignorant things and still be considered politically viable, while a Democrats are punished for having two or three Democrats that occasionally say something radical

R130, we’re you born yesterday? Democrats are very radical. They were all over the place demanding the police be defunded.

Can someone PLEASE cut Joe's nape hair?! It is unkempt!

True, r16!

[quote] I think people use it to intentionally distinguish it from the lower case d word, democratic, even though “Democrat party” is incorrect without the -ic.

No, they use it to denigrate the Democratic Party. Pure and simple. Rethugs have deliberately done this for decades. They do not get to rename the Democratic Party to their liking. Is it the Republic Party?

The Democratic Party believes in the democratic ideals of the United States.

Republicans are pretty nasty overall, but I expect the Dems to be able to control the out of control AOC and other extremists. Dems need to tell her to STFU and continue to work on the problems of the country.

The democrat-democratic thing is a meaningless distinction that serves mainly to give disordered types an excuse to go shrill and accusatory.

[quote]but I expect the Dems to be able to control the out of control AOC and other extremists. Dems need to tell her to STFU

Good luck with that, they just got 3 new far leftist wokies in congress.

Stop Police Protection Rackets.

like that better?

Guess what all of you old ass eldergays end up sounding like.

[Quote] but I expect the Dems to be able to control the out of control AOC and other extremists. Dems need to tell her to STFU

[Quote] "If Mr. LINCOLN be elected, he will have to cut off the Abolition and extreme wing of his party; otherwise he will go by the board. Mr. THOMPSON believes that President LINCOLN, being a practical, common-sense man, and an old Whig, would reject the radical Republicans."

Oh, Boom! R139. You go, gurl!

I dislike Biden and even I can admit that he's absolutely right here. Most (reasonable) Black activists don't really want to "Defund The Police". Like I'm sure others here have pointed out already, they really just want Qualified Immunity for murderous officers taken away & for a large portion of the police funding to go towards repairing the broken (high crime) neighborhoods they're policing.

"Defund The Police" is a horrible catchphrase that was used as a COINTELPRO tactic by the MSM to completely discredit and stop any actual movement that may have come from the BLM Protests of earlier this year. And it worked! Just as expected, The Right ran their campaigns on Libs/Blacks wanting a lawless land & to put Cops out of work.

What do you know about "reasonable" black people? Do you know what clueless racists most of you sound like? And stop using "woke" as a pejorative. People woke up to gay rights. Was that something you'd like reversed?

Maybe you just want to sleep through other minorities getting recognized and listened to.

Stop deflecting R143!

" What do you know about "reasonable" black people?

R143, I know because I'm a reasonable Black person! And the reason I used the term "reasonable" was because months ago when I went to different Black Rights Activists [I refuse to use the Soros/DNC funded BLM term to describe everyone fighting for Black Rights] inquiring about the meaning of "Defund The Police", I got a mixed bag of responses.

Some actually felt that we should abolish the Police system because they have failed Black neighborhoods. That's understandable but IMO unreasonable. I don't think that all Law Enforcement is bad and I don't always trust my neighbors anymore than I trust The Police. So IMO, abolishing all Police would be "unreasonable".

Other activists explained to me that "Defund The Police" is simply a way of abolishing the Qualified Immunity for Law Enforcement and taking SOME of the Police funding and investing it back into high-crime, predominantly Black neighborhoods. Until someone lays out a better option for me, I'm more in favor of this approach and feel it's more "reasonable".

Anymore questions?

[quote] BLM handed Joe Biden the Presidency.

Bullshit. Poll after poll shows the economy and the pandemic are what got people to vote.

R145, if you ARE black and not one of the lying bitches on DL who will do anything to win an argument, I agree with your last paragraph. So you're in favor of DTP if it's called something else. That was my point--"Stop Police Protection Rackets" means get rid of police "unions" that block all reform. As for R144, deflecting is what you do as you have no logic nor arguments to offer.

I've posted this on here many times, and I'll post it again. As a black person, in my view, all we asked for was for the police to stop killing us. There are ways to apprehend criminals without putting a fatal bullet in them.

But what happened was a bunch of people decided to attach a bunch of other stuff on to that one important issue and in essence took focus off of the most pressing issue and watered it down so that people with other agendas could benefit.

So the conversation changed from black people being murdered to statues and old movies and diversity in Hollywood and the names of streets and schools and dorms.

And guess what happened, the focus shifted and some of our new allies floated away because while they were horrified by what happened to George Floyd, they didn't think the protests were the answer and they didn't like to be made to feel guilty about liking Gone With The Wind.

Don't get me wrong, I think that there needs to be a conversation about diversity in Hollywood, street names, and statues... but last summer was not the time nor the place for it.

Real change happens slowly. If you force people into a place where they are not ready to go, they are going to resist or vote for an orange monster and those who support orange monsters.

Well said, R148. I disagre that you can't force the issue.

Every major step forward in the U.S. has been because of Abolitionists or Civil Rights protesters or gays or whomever forcing the issue. Non-violently. I didn't like seeing people beaten up in the streets this spring, but the cause was just and it still is. I want Biden to take down the police unions. Policing can't continue in the direction it's going.

R148, you just beautifully pointed out my problem with The MSM and most in The Democratic Party. Every uprising and movement intended to advance Black People is hijacked & watered down by The MSM & The DNC. All while the public is distracted by nonsense (movies, Kim Kardashian in box braids, etc), as if that's what the original uprising was all about.

I used to think that it was all simply a misunderstanding. After it's happened 192,028,028,028 times in my lifetime, it's obvious that this is very much intentional. With that said, a person/organization who hinders and distracts from one's movement/progress while pretending to be an ally is ONE MILLION TIMES MORE DANGEROUS than any Republican or orange-haired pussygrabber could ever be!

[quote]Stupid Fucking Wokesters

R20, use of that expression outs you as a far right troll, from the 4chan/white supremacist/Breitbart/Yiannopoulos crowd.

Bravo, 151.

[quote]The only problem I have with this statement is they want all of these changes, but are not willing to vote for them. They will take to the streets all summer long, but not march to polls in November.

Oh, look! R119 just made a right wing talking point! There are no studies, no proof, no anything that proves that people who march in protests don't vote on issues they care about. Worry about the people who don't speak up at all.

[quote]I say this on here all the time, a lot of you progressives

It's amazing that anyone that things that police shouldn't be able to kill a guy for selling single cigarettes on a corner by crushing him to death with no consequences is too "progressive" or a thing we should have to work for.

[quote] They show up for democrats and overwhelmingly support them every time.

You make no sense. People weren't even necessarily upset that he was going to choose a woman of color, people had issues with Kamala herself who dropped out of the race pretty early on since she wasn't getting black support!

[quote]That's been happening for several generations now. That's not a millennial issue.

I agree with everything in your post R122, I just want to remind people that the oldest millennials will turn 40 next year. Younger people in this case would be Gen Z.

It's what DL has been saying for months. He is not wrong.

Well said R148!

Look. Defund the police is a republican strategy. I just got an e-mail from some fake Democratic group asking me "you have been chosen" to have an online discussion about defunding the police . I live in Georgia. Early voting starts now. I'm watching TV ads saturation level, getting mailers and now this phony e-mail.

[quote]Real change happens slowly. If you force people into a place where they are not ready to go, they are going to resist or vote for an orange monster and those who support orange monsters.

There's no excuse for how anyone could still vote for that clown in spite of a raging pandemic going on that he's done NOTHING to stop.

People voted Trump out, but they didn't go down ballot to give the Dems the added seats in the House they were expecting and the Senate was a big disappointment. BLM protests and multi-city vandalism and destruction by looters was what kept most voters from electing more Dems. MODERATE Dems I am talking about, not the far left extremist Dems from minority districts who automatically get elected because no Repub will ever get elected in those districts, think AOC's Bronx and Queens district.

If the people in the Dem party still cannot figure that out and make some adjustments there will be more losses in 2022. Many more losses I fear.

Some tried to warn y’all not to be cocky about polls and presumptions that the electorate would wholesale reject Republicans. Some liberals and Democrats seem to be very myopic about the vast country outside of Northeast and Pacific urban enclaves.

There a re systemic problems in Law Enforcement. But the way they get fixed is to look at a lot of things. First, the police unions. They are way too powerful, often racist and nuts. Ugly motherfuckers. Second. What is policing? What do we require and expect from law enforcement? Legitimate question. They have to deal with domestic violence. They have to deal with mentally ill people, homeless people, children, etc. Third, training. How a re they trained? Do we include PTSD training? De-escalation training? This is a paramilitary organization. We have to really examine it. Multi layered, many moving parts.

[quote]BLM protests and multi-city vandalism and destruction by looters was what kept most voters from electing more Dems.

In spite of a pandemic that the current occupant has nothing to prevent or stop. Which should have been a much bigger concern in November than rioting that had stopped for months prior to the election. Always an excuse for racism.

[quote]If the people in the Dem party still cannot figure that out and make some adjustments there will be more losses in 2022. Many more losses I fear.

If moderate democrats can't get their shit together and start holding Republicans accountable, what happens will be on them and them only. Unless there are progressives in Biden's cabinet, how does the fault for what his administration does fall on them?

If I was the Biden team, for starters, I would start by telling the honest truth about this Presidents criminal actions concerning this pandemic, even if it offends precious Republicans voters delicate ears. Maybe finally use words like Genocide and Dereliction of duty. You can't help but think that if this had been going on in another country and weren't affecting us, these terms would have been tossed out in a nanosecond by our government.

[quote]First, the police unions.

Democrats would have a hard time going after labor unions of any type.

Since many here don't seem to understand the issue, on NPR today The New Yorker Hour did/is doing a program on this.

[quote] Some liberals and Democrats seem to be very myopic about the vast country outside of Northeast and Pacific urban enclaves.

And they think it's funny

I felt so bad over the summer when I saw that black store owner lose everything to the looting. He was devastated for his life's work was gone in an instant. The looters should have been arrested and charged, but NO they were not.

I knew then and there that the Dem party which was silent on the matter would lose more than win by being the cowardly majority when it comes to confronting criminal looting and vandalism, especially since many were doing it as liberals wanting change. That was painful to watch in so many different US cities. This election showed how people reacted by getting Trump out but not giving the full reins of govt to the Dems.

New Los Angeles DA encourages crime and disorder.

“I recognize that these are big changes, but they are changes that will enable us to actually affect the truly vulnerable,” Gascón said.

“The money bail system is as unsafe as it is unjust,” Gascón said. “The rich can be dangerous while the poor impose zero threat to society.” The amount of money a person has in their bank account does not determine the danger they pose to their community, he added.

New changes announced:

1) End cash bail by January

2) Conviction integrity unit

3) No death penalty

4) Felony charging no longer seeking enhancements i.e. gang affiliation

5) Juveniles will not be tried as adults

6) Use-of-force review board to reopen fatal officer-involved shooting cases going back to 2012!

Californians last month overwhelmingly voted against ending cash bail and voted against ending the death penalty, but the radical Marxist DA is marching forward with his own policy changes against the will of the people.

The Los Angeles police union blasted the DA’s move to end cash bail and called it “disturbing.”

“As homicides, shooting victims, and shots fired into occupied homes soar in Los Angeles, it’s disturbing that Gascón’s first act in office is to explore every avenue possible to release from jail those responsible for this bloodshed,” the Los Angeles Police Protective League said in a statement. “Victims and law-abiding residents lost a voice today while criminals and gang members gained an ally in the prosecutor’s office.”

This jerk from LA makes DeBlasio seem like a tough macho mayor

I felt so bad over the last 50 years as cops shot black man after black man for trivial crimes or no crimes, just suspicion.

R168 Why didn't you do anything about it you twat, you just felt bad for 50 years. Black on black crime has been growing exponentially over the past 50 years, what have you been doing about that? I think you are just full of yourself lol.

As stated above Biden needs to focus on the treason being committed by the Rethugs that threaten the stability of our country.

Biden will concentrate on an Obama type administration. He will not do much for the far left liberals, just like Obama. They might shriek and shout some, but in the end it won't matter to most Americans. Biden and his new admin will be mostly moderates and will want to make things happen to make life better for most Americans. Revenge is not his style and will be limited as not to take away from making improvements in the country. Think infrastructure deal and getting us back into Climate accord, things that will make America stronger and better and moving ahead.

R169, I was riffing off R165's somewhat deflective post.

But you, R169, don't argue the issue. You just fly around this site insulting people who post actual arguments. I think YOU are the one who is full of him/herself and just trolling for kicks.

Bump

R172 you must have psychic powers, such a witty and smart man.

Obama is not going away and he firmly believes that DEFUND the police was a shit piece of rhetoric for the Dems.