We learned yesterday that Democratic presumptive nominee Joe Biden does not support police defunding. That didn’t take long.
Considering that Biden was responsible for the 1994 tough-on-crime bill that exacerbated problems rather than solve them, his rush to rule out defunding should come as no surprise.
It’s interesting that a lot of folks seem uncomfortable with defunding. I would guess that comes from a lack of understanding, and, of course, resistance to change.
Defunding doesn’t mean we drop everything overnight and suddenly find ourselves in some kind of ‘wild, wild West’, every person for him/her self. No, it means reallocating funds to support people in the ways they really need help, so that crime and distress are not such prevalent realities for so many people in the first place. It also means developing a new vision for the kind of policing we really need and want in our communities, and then making that happen, too. It also means rejecting a form of policing that does not serve our population well.
It’s a radical step toward making actual systemic changes. And it showcases other areas that need radical overhaul. Our mental health, education, and health systems are not so great, nor are they equitable. All of them need reform. Plus, defunding forces us to look at the fundamentals of meaningful work for a meaningful wage, secure housing, and availability of nutritious food.
We’re talking about basic respect for each human being.
But back to Biden. He’s got a lock on the nomination. He’s doing well, by doing nothing, in recent polling against Trump. It’s pretty sad commentary that this is what we’re down to.
Biden may be a familiar, perhaps friendly-looking face, but take a serious look at his record in terms of peace, justice, and equality. This is a candidate that has authored legislation that has hurt people of color, among others. He is another candidate who has allegations of sexual assault and harassment against him. His cognitive abilities are seriously under question. His engineered rise to the forefront has alienated many progressive voters, perhaps for the long haul. And he has made no effort throughout the campaign thus far to instill confidence or enthusiasm, hat tip to corporate donors.
Folks, we can do better than this.
We should not be surprised that there is actually a movement afoot. Believe it or not, a March Against Biden is set for June 27. These are not Trump supporters. Nope, these are voters who fear a loss to Trump because Biden is such a demonstrably lousy candidate. They are all about finding a better candidate. Check out @BidenMarch on Twitter.
Dems, are you listening? It’s not too late. We really could have a decent candidate if we put our minds to it.
We are witnessing firsthand the power of the people in the ongoing protests. Things are changing in our society entirely due to the people’s fearless and persistent demands right now. Another thing we can absolutely demand is a better candidate, not just a perhaps-lesser evil. One actually worth voting for.
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I’m very disappointed he is the candidate. It’s like John Oliver said, we have to choose to be shot in the head (Trump) or the leg (Biden). I’m not happy with the shot in the leg, so even though I hope he wins, we have to be united to demand strong systemic reforms.
Yes! We need to keep the pressure on to bring about the changes that need to happen. Thank you for reading and commenting. 🌷
I was for Bernie but anyone is better than Trump. Trump has fascist inclinations, is destroying freedom/democracy, puts kids in concentration camps, has slept with a Hitler book next to his bed, cuts Disability and Social Security… and is Putin’s puppet who is NOT environment-friendly. Don’t waste your vote.
I understand and appreciate this point, but we should not be deluded about the actual amount of overlap that exists in so many areas between candidates and parties. Much of the difference is just a matter of style. 🌷
Well, nobody — and i mean nobody — can come close to the fascist, dictatorial, narcissism that Donald tRump exhibits. He recently praised the National Guard by writing that they were like his beloved SS! Biden is far from perfect but he is a million times better than that f.p.!
Nancy, do you think the “lesser of evils” is a function of the political party system we have? For example the Primary elections? Why would the establishment rally around a candidate when there are better alternatives? Is it a political calculation or Dems out of touch with reality?
Sad to say, I suspect that it is actually a function of the system. And even if it’s a matter of the Dems being out of touch, they are not motivated enough to address it which means that they are okay with losing – which in turn means they don’t see themselves as having that much to lose. What do you think? And can I call you Terry?😊
Yes, I think it has to go back to basics like community organizing. With the George Floyd movement being a prime example. But our political system has a high barrier to entry. Meaning without a party organization‘s support, independent candidate has little chance. Right now the two major parties dominate. And yes, I have been called worse, but you can call me Terry. ;o)
Lol, Terry. I really think we’ll see the rise of a third party and some good candidates, at least I hope we will. Maybe for 2024. 🤞 At lot can happen between now and then, though.
Yup – unusual time calls for unusual measure. And five months is a lifetime for politics. We shall see.