During this election season, the most frequent attack you hear from Republican candidates is that Democrats are soft on crime. Elect Republicans, they say, and rid the country of crime. Think again. Let’s review the facts.
A study released from Third Way found that per capita murder rates in 2020 were 40 percent higher in states that voted for Donald Trump than in those that voted for Biden. The study also found that eight of the 10 states with the highest per capita murder rates in 2020 voted Republican in every presidential election in the century.
Next, Republicans repeatedly have opposed gun control, allowing people who should never have access to weapons to acquire them. Soon after he became president, Trump rolled back an Obama-era regulation and made it easier for people with mental illnesses to purchase guns. Several Republican candidates running for office propose ways to weaken gun laws if they get elected. Florida Senator Marco Rubio voted against the bipartisan Safer Communities Act which was the first new legislation on gun policy to pass Congress in roughly three decades. And most Republicans are against raising the legal age to purchase guns to age 21. Many of the recent horrific shootings have been done by males under the age of 21. (Remember Texas Senator Ted Cruz’s solution for reducing school shootings—lock all but one door and post guards at schools.)
In addition to an uptick in gun-related crime, hate speech has become mainstream, courtesy of Trump and many of his hand-picked Republican candidates. It is not their country, it is your country, they say. Rants against Jews, immigrants, and minorities in general, encourage violence and motivate others to assume that such acts are justified. Multiple studies have indicated that crime is much more rampant from right-wing extremist groups—Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, and others–than from left-wing extremist groups such as Antifa. Data shows that right wing groups are more dangerous and much more active.
Finally, let us not forget that many of these so-called “law and order” candidates encouraged the attack on the Capitol on January 6. Some marched with them. Some helped organize the insurrection. And then there was Missouri Senator Josh Hawley’s famous fist-pump to the perpetrators who killed police, chanted “hang Mike Pence,” wore swastikas, smashed windows, and desecrated the Capitol. On many occasions, Trump has called these perpetrators patriots, and he has promised to pardon them should he get re-elected. Tough on crime, you say?
Democrats are not soft on crime. In the coming days until the mid-term elections, Democrats must do a much better job of changing the narrative and communicating their positions to voters. Some Democratic candidates, like Florida senate candidate Val Demings, are starting to discuss solutions to reduce crimes such as community funding intervention initiatives rather than simply echoing their Republican opponents’ claims that they will be tough on crime. Democrats must continue to do so. It will be a crime if they do not.
Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of a federal human capital practice at an international consulting firm. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, piano, gardening, and nature.
Howard McCoy says
“In the coming days until the mid-term elections, Democrats must do a much better job of changing the narrative and communicating their positions to voters.” I totally agree. The hypocrisy within the Republican Party on this and many other issues is amazing. Thank you, Maria.
Patty Heaps says
“And if all others accepted the lie which the Party imposed — if all records told the same tale — then the lie passed into history and became truth.” – George Orwell, 1984
(No police were killed on January 6. )
What a weak and disingenuous argument. How you can draw a correlation between states that voted for Trump to an increase in crime is perplexing. No one talks about violent states – they talk about the cities because that’s where the bulk of the crime is happening and are so often under Democrat leadership, many who called to Defund the Police. We all watched Antifa and BLM pillage and burn cities in the summer of 2020, but the Oath Keepers are more active and dangerous? Kamala Harris called for more “in the streets” and supported bail efforts for those who participated. Maxine Waters wanted her voters to “Get in their faces – let them know they aren’t welcome.” Major cities across this country are on track to record the highest homicide numbers ever – Proud Boys? If these groups are so active and dangerous, what is it that they are doing because if they were the problem, the MSM would cover it 24/7. Instead, they spend their time trying to downplay reality. What’s the use of even more gun laws when so many criminals today aren’t prosecuted for the ones already on the books. Close to home, squeegee kids are allowed to continue to harass and intimidate drivers because it’s a form of panhandling tied to free speech. We watched a man plow his car into a Christmas parade, killing six, after being released on an extremely low bail after running over his girlfriend. Let’s not forget the guy who tried to burn down his girlfriend’s house and even he was amazed that he wasn’t in jail! There are too many instances to list
Crime is too high on the list of voter concerns for the narrative to change at this point in the game. How many times have we seen criminals profiled after their latest encounter and wondered why they were on the street? Social workers are not the answer. Prosecute violent criminals. There are a numerous gun laws already on the books – follow through on them. When I was a kid, if you murdered someone, you went to jail, usually for the rest of your life. Look at those in these cities who aren’t prosecuting criminals and the letter beside their name.
Deirdre LaMotte says
If Republican led states and the GOP in Congress agreed to sensible gun laws
(As Blue state leaders have continually begged for), this would be a non issue.
Easy peesey. Get rid of guns, lower gun violence.
But, where would the GOP get all their $$$$
if not from the gun manufacturers???
Want to end most gun violence? Vote Blue!!!
Patricia Heaps says
Tell me you know nothing about guns and gun laws without saying you know nothing.