Is ‘Defund the Police’ a major political mistake for Democrats?

In the wake of George Floyd’s death, there is a call across the country to “Defund the Police.” Chris Cillizza explains why the slogan could be dangerous for Democrats and detract from the calls for reforming police departments, demilitarization and re-allocation of resources for community building.

SOURCES AND FURTHER READING:
Is 'Defund the Police' a massive political mistake?

Minneapolis City Council members intend to defund and dismantle the city's police department

Biden says he doesn't support defunding police

CNN Poll: Trump losing ground to Biden amid chaotic week

Democrats offer sweeping police reform bill

Top congressional Democrats steer clear of 'defund the police' rhetoric

Trump Uses ‘Defund Police’ as Weapon Against Biden

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I was named "best dressed" in 7th grade. That, along with being CNN's editor at large and author of the daily "Point" newsletter are my proudest achievements. Look for me here every Tuesday and Thursday to find out what’s really going down in politics.

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Writer: Chris Cillizza
The Point team: Leigh Munsil and Allison Gordon
Editor: Steven Sevilla
Producer: Arielle Sacks

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82 comments

  1. The wording feels somewhat too extreme, they want to divert overly funded police fundings to other social projects that proved to be efficient crime deterrents in the long run such as education. But “defunding the police” makes it sounds like they want all police to lose their jobs and that is not a good idea

    1. Democrats can screw up a message like no other. They are the worst at pleading their own case…they can’t get out of their own way most of the time.

    2. Black Lives Matter is a Marxist institution. WE MUST DEFUND black lives matter and Metoo. I think its time for the great American patriots to rise and protect our country. the left is shredding our country and nobody is doing anything to defend it. Next think they will be tearing uo our flag and replacing it with a black fist.

    3. Public funding of social programs isn’t a crime deterrent. Education doesn’t improve communities it just gives people from those communities a means to leave. They would need private investment to create actual employment opportunities by either having employers set up shop and hire locally or investing in business owners from that community, that’s the only way you’re going to create an environment where a good education can contribute to the community. However, nobody is going to invest if they believe their assets won’t be protected by law enforcement so defunding police still won’t help.

    1. @Grim Reefer You’re supporting A party that is controlled by Satanic pedophiles , literally .

  2. I’m sorry. I’d like to believe you but the chant is not “Audit Department Budgets. Audit Department Budgets” – Nice try though.

    1. It doesn’t matter what media anchors think “defund the police” means. What matters is what the lawmakers who chant it believe “defund the police” means. And in Minneapolis, citizens will be without a police in 12 months, having to call their social worker for home burglaries. That’s the only definition that matters, because it will come with real life consequences, not a youtube comments debate.

    1. @Dale Anderson is that a new term for you in Russia or in 4chan world? Is that all you got? Stupid is as Maga does.

    2. It will be Interesting to s@@ how many Illegitimate Interracial African American children are born in the next 9 months that the Gubment will surely have to support…. Facts!!

    3. @Brainjock covid 19 only happens in democrat states , same with these riots . Dems are illuminati CIA operated

    4. Crypto Bunny Now America has another political correctness, Floyd issue. But the deaths of more than 100 thousand Americans in the pandemic seem totally forgotten. Their lives matter as well!

    1. @Stone Cold Yes, liberals and their coward/bully “lowlife always looking for an easy target” companions – the Trump cultists. That sums up Chokehold Mitch and the GOP rather nicely: Bully/Cowards looking for an easy target. The politics of projectile vomiting.

  3. “Defund the Police” is down right stupid! I can only assume y’all don’t remember the 80’s and 90’s with the gangs, drugs and mass killings. The police were very much under funded.

    1. NYPD BUDGET =
      THE ENTIRE MILITARY BUDGET OF UKRAINE
      LAPD BUDGET=
      THE ENTIRE MILITARY BUDGET OF N KOREA
      ………. #Defundthepolice

    1. Black Lives Matter is a Marxist institution. WE MUST DEFUND black lives matter and Metoo. I think its time for the great American patriots to rise and protect our country. the left is shredding our country and nobody is doing anything to defend it. Next think they will be tearing uo our flag and replacing it with a black fist.

    2. @NDFOOTBALL WE MUST CANCEL THE POLICE – ITS RACIST AND PRACTISING GENOCIDE AGAINST BLACK FOLK

    1. Ask one of the progressive anti cop mouth breathers here on msnbc to name one victim of black on black crime in Chicago last weekend.

    2. The Tigress well that’s sad if you cant see the difference , hope you have a lovely time in your lawless city 🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪
      Orange man bad

    3. @Y Liu Great point- over 100,000 American deaths due to an unfair global pandemic, many not even allowed to have a funeral for the family, let alone a Cinderella coach with white horses.

  4. “America is like a healthy body and its resistance is threefold: its patriotism, its morality, and its spiritual life. If we can undermine these three areas, America will collapse from within.”
    – Joseph Stalin
    “The easiest way to gain control of the population is to carry out acts of terror. The public will clamor for such laws if their personal security is threatened.”
    – Joseph Stalin
    “Ideas are more powerful than guns. We would not let our enemies have guns, why should we let them have ideas.”
    – Joseph Stalin
    “If the opposition disarms, well and good. If it refuses to disarm, we shall disarm it ourselves.”
    – Joseph Stalin
    “Education is a weapon whose effects depend on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed.”
    – Joseph Stalin
    “Print is the sharpest and the strongest weapon of our party.”
    – Joseph Stalin
    “How do you expect the Germans to revolt when they don’t even dare walk on the grass?”
    – Joseph Stalin

    1. Everything the left does is from the commie playbook. These ppl can’t be trusted ever again

    2. @Primordial Fantasies I have president Putin here and he says it wasn’t him. Trump keeps begging the G7 to let Russia come back.

    3. @Michael Okay chuvak, whatever you say bratukha.

      I don’t really speak Russian. But I did walk past a Trump rally once.

    1. Vikings ahead of trump and all the polls. dildo. He even cried that he was going to sue CNN for being among the ones that have reported it.

    2. @Matt Russillo Like Hillary was ahead of Trump and was 100% sure winning the election, but guess what…

  5. Is that a barricade like a wall I have seen around that autonomous zone ? Are police not American citizens? Don’t they have the right to patrol the public areas? They pay taxes also 🤷‍♂️

    1. @Jock Young “peaceful protesters” – are you serious? These are armed thugs that are extorting businesses and a self proclaimed warlord has taken over because he has the most guns.

    2. Arnold Swarzenegger said that when you talk about climate change, a lot of people hear “culture war”, and they tune out. But when you call it POLLUTION, more people listen.

      If you call the current movement a battle against racism, a lot of people hear “culture war”. They make it about politics and tune out. If you call it a struggle to end POLICE BRUTALITY, more people will listen.

      Yes, the brutality is largely feuled by racism, but cops brutalize whites, too. We can and should demand legislation to end it. You can’t demand an end to racism or legislate it away. It’s a matter of STRATEGY.

      If you demand to DEFUND the police departments, you will be called an anarchist liberal, and you create conflict between the cops and the public. Aren’t we trying to bring the two together? Those crying “defund!” will say, “But what we mean by ‘defund’ is RESTRUCTURE”. Well, then just call it RESTRUCTURING. Strategize. Think.

    3. @bcknight727 lol.. 3 Apaches and problem solved… but the governor hasn’t even heard about it.

    1. @nevermore from past Wrong,,CNN is well known for twisting facts and words since 2016 kiddo..Your just another clueless liberal inbred kiddo.

    2. Yeah, yeah, I know. You hate everything CNN broadcasts, and then when you occasionally like it, you still insult them by saying it’s rare. Idiot.

  6. You all leave some buildings for November, because you need something to burn in November when Trump gets reelected.

    1. Youtube Veterinarian I don’t think so. After trump secures re-election… if leftists gather and start burning stuff… they’re going to discover why 2A was created.

  7. Libs you’re wasting your time. You bozos have gone so far off the deep end that no one except loons take you seriously.

    1. They are not even liberals no more brother, they are extreme far leftist that believe that evil is good.

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