Some principled conservative™ from The Bulwark had to weigh in on the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas, and that task fell to Will Saletan, who of course wants “pro-gun extremists” — i.e., Republicans who believe in the Second Amendment — to lose their seats in Congress. Saletan’s piece is all over the place, but what they pulled for the tweet doesn’t make much sense to us. Republicans who accuse the Left of “defunding the police” are helping shooters outgun the police, he claims.
Republicans who accuse the left of "defunding police" are helping shooters outgun the police.
They're abetting crime and undermining law and order. Democrats must take that message to America.
Nothing will change till pro-gun extremists lose their seats. https://t.co/Sd2NeDzqAW
— Will Saletan (@saletan) May 25, 2022
What a surprise that The Bulwark is giving Democrats advice on how to win elections. We don’t know about this take, though:
But it’s time to stop begging. Begging hasn’t worked. Nothing will change on this issue until politicians who oppose any reasonable gun restrictions start losing their jobs.
One reason why these pro-gun politicians don’t lose their jobs is that most of the politicians and activists who support gun laws are liberal. Liberals (a) aren’t very good at understanding or tapping into conservative values that are broadly shared across the electorate. And (b) they don’t have the political intelligence, discipline, or will to pummel their opponents for defying those values.
Conservatives have the skill and the will to create and weaponize wedges. They know how to pounce on a fringey idea—“Defund the police”—and punish all of their opponents for it. They understand that most people fear crime. Most people want law and order. And if you can frame your opponent as a threat to police, you’ll win elections.
It would seem to us, then, that Democrats should stop talking about defunding the police.
That's just silly
— OC and Stiggs (@_Me_Three) May 25, 2022
Wut? Dems were repeatedly saying that themselves and slashed the budgets of many police departments.
The post-2020 riots crime explosion is the sociological trend with perhaps most obvious explanation ever. An unheard of 30% increase in murders. Dems can't run on law and order pic.twitter.com/Pnvx5pLkuQ
— Andrew Syrios (@rios9000) May 25, 2022
It wasn't an "accusation", you were all saying it out loud, and some of your cities voted on it and tried.
You want to defund the police, eliminate protection for the poor and middle-class, and disarm them at the same time, leaving them at the mercy of criminals you encourage.
— Saeger Ryman (@saegerart) May 25, 2022
Ah yes, the party that encouraged the burning and destruction of American cities wants to brand itself as the “Party of Law and Order”
— Man (@BigRedOne5) May 25, 2022
Very dumb tweet.
— Uncle Samurai (@anonymossources) May 25, 2022
Yeah the Summer of Fun has permanently ended any discussion of taking away our guns. Better luck next life.
— Severn (@Severn987) May 25, 2022
Way to make the @GOP sound awesome.
— Urfa Mann (@MannUrfa) May 25, 2022
Will Saletan wants to "bring the heat" 🤣
— Fukushima Breezes (@FBreezez) May 25, 2022
Which police force is "outgunned?"
— Ben "Hawk" Westen (@Ben_Westen) May 25, 2022
10 million new gun owners in America since you started burning cities and defunding police. Yes billions of dollars were stripped from police budgets across the country. If you think those people are going to vote out the pro gun politicians, I have some swampland in FL to sell.
— Brian Jacobson (@BrianHJacobson) May 25, 2022
We still don’t get it. When Republicans accuse Democrats of wanting to defund the police, they’re helping shooters outgun the police? They’re abetting crime and undermining law and order? What happens when the “pro-gun extremists” lose their seats to the defund the police crowd?
Related:
Sen. Chris Murphy says more guns won’t make schools safer (and people have thoughts) https://t.co/l7lZ2DHCx7
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) May 25, 2022
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