Whether our basement-dwelling Democratic presumptive nominee knows it or not, he is under political pressure from at least 50 progressive groups that somehow have formed a cohesive base to lob threats by way of a sternly worded letter. The bold and brazen signatories demand that former Vice President Joe Biden tell the federal government to cease funding local law enforcement and instead funnel the massive bank to education, health care, and community services.
In part, the letter states:
“You cannot win the election without the enthusiastic support of Black voters, and how you act in this moment of crisis will play a big role in determining how Black voters — and all voters concerned with racial justice — respond to your candidacy.”
Ooh. Them there’s some scary words. Let’s face it: Biden can tell them to pound sand and call them all “lying dog-faced pony-soldiers,” and they would still have no one else to vote for on Nov. 3.
A snapshot of the groups barking at the Biden bunker include the Bernie Sanders-inspired Our Revolution, the artful play on words Black Voters Matter, and a handful of Latin American fringe groups. The letter, dated June 11, came to Biden’s campaign office the day after USA Today published a Biden op-ed promoting additional funds for community policing – just two weeks into a nation rattled by protesting, burning cities, and business looting in solidarity against racial injustice committed by the police.
Timing is everything. In this climate, an answer had better be forthcoming.
Whatever Will He Do?
Dodging the ever-mounting calls for a strong stance against racial injustice and white privilege, the white-privileged Biden – with a sketchy history of supporting segregation – has so far refused to respond to the backlash over his police reform plans. Will he be swayed?
Abolishing local law enforcement may sound like a keen idea; in reality, it would create uncontrolled chaos in the largest cities in America.
Liberty Nation’s Kelli Ballard, in the middle of civil unrest in Seattle, gives a chilling account of what will happen if police are drastically defunded:
“Police reform hasn’t been going quick enough, but it takes time. Who will you call when someone is breaking into your house if we don’t have law enforcement? Right now, there are town ‘militias,’ if you will, patrolling streets, carrying guns, to protect small businesses. They do this because local police have their hands full with the looting and rioting. Without police officers, this would not only be an everyday way of life, but there would also be a lot more people taking the law into their own hands.”
Biden has an unparalleled opportunity to tell progressives to “zip it” and to assure folks who like law and order that they should take another look at good old dependable Joe. It may be his best play against the full-steam-ahead locomotive coming ‘round the bend. He may come off as a man of vision and principle without the pandering fears of other old guard Democrats.
But he won’t. He’ll ignore them outright or pander with half-baked promises and tighten his Sansabelt trousers for the long haul fast approaching. At this point, all these groups can do is make their chosen one look even more ridiculous in the eyes of the populace by forcing his hand.
Who else can’t wait until the reparations for black Americans conversation hits the Biden bunker?
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