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Tigercourse's avatar

Not to single you out (and there were many times that I pointed out crime was dropping to people, in the Internet and irl) but that attitude is one of the main reasons we trail on Crime, inflation, and why one of the reasons immigration is so potent for our enemies. When we dismiss these things, rather than providing context and directly blaming it on Republicans, we lose the audience. I still remember Biden's first press secretary almost answering at a reporter asking questions about inflation as inflation started to gain steam. Then they called it transitory, which was political malpractice. Inflation was an actual problem and it should have been acknowledged and laid at the floor of Trump and the Republicans. Crime was actually up in some areas, and it should have been pointed out that it was under Trump that it started rising.

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Tigercourse's avatar

I meant the press secretary was almost "sneering" at the reporter.

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James Trout's avatar

Exactly. As I've said for years, whether we Democrats like it or not, crime IS a genuine concern with the majority of Americans. We Democrats needs to have answers to address that other than "don't be afraid" and "looky looky Red State crime!"

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IggySD's avatar

What do you propose those answers be? Hopefully not further militarizing police forces or increasing their already bloated budgets.

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James Trout's avatar

Sending criminals to prison for starters. Also reforming prison so that when released they are less likely to return. Not to mention banning the box so that when back into society, they are more likely to obtain and maintain well paying jobs, thus making them less likely to return to prison.

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IggySD's avatar

Considering the incarceration rate I’d say we’re already doing a bang up job on your first suggestion. Well, unless they’re rich and white. As for the others, I have to suspect most Dems are in favor of those but I wonder if they might be even tougher sells than police reform. Americans are vengeful, they want to see prisoners punished and suffering, not “reformed”.

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benamery21's avatar

Unless they are rich and white or are cops…

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Oceanblaze17's avatar

Bail reform has proven to be a failure.

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Jonathan's avatar

It's certainly bad political framing

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michaelflutist's avatar

No it hasn't. Putting loads of innocent people in jail for years just because they're too poor to make bail is an outrageous abuse of human rights and act of discrimination. Just because there have been problems with how it's been done and political issues with it doesn't mean it's really ok to hold people for long periods of time without trial.

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Oceanblaze17's avatar

It’s a failure when they constantly release people who shoplift over and over again and don’t show up on their court dates.

Honestly it’s not worth losing an election over those offenders.

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michaelflutist's avatar

I don't think you'll find anyone who thinks people should be allowed to shoplift with impunity, but you seem to think it's perfectly ok for people to be jailed without trial for years just because they can't afford bail. I'm sure, like (other?) conservatives, you'd change your mind if you were arrested and put in jail for a couple of years because you couldn't afford bail. Remember, anyone can be arrested, and many innocent people are jailed.

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TheDude415's avatar

I mean, to the general public your first two points are contradictory.

Prison reform is seen as soft on crime by the same people who believe crime rates are spiking.

I would also argue that "sending criminals to prison" is compatible with also pointing out that violent crime rates are down.

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benamery21's avatar

You have a point on messaging/framing and that also potentially affects the policy approaches used/pitched. Some folks (even here) get confused and think it also necessarily means changing policy objectives to match the reactionaries.

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