Voters Want More Spending on the Police
Jose Nino
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Since the George Floyd protests kicked off last year, the US has witnessed social instability that it has not seen in decades. Despite the rise in crime, slogans like “Defund the Police” have entered the fore of public debate.
The most radical factions of the Left have been leading the charge in pushing for cutting funding to the police. However, Rasmussen Reports, pointed out that Americans are on a different wavelength with regards to policing.
For example, only 18% of likely U.S. voters that Rasmussen polled support defunding the policing. By contrast, 52% of likely voters support spending more on police. 23% of likely voters are of the view that current levels of police funding are fine.
66% of voters agree with the following statement: “The radical and reckless decisions by some jurisdictions to defund their police forces have had a real and devastating effect on American communities.”
This is a quote from a letter that Republican congressmen Jim Jordan and Kevin McCarthy sent to Attorney General Merrick Garland earlier in June. Only 24% disagree with the letter and 11% are unsure.
The partisan divide on the question of policing is stark. 72% of Republicans want more spending on police, while 38% of Democrats and 43% of independent voters believe that police should receive more funding.
As for Democrats, only 29% believe that police should be defunded. On the other hand, 10% of Republicans and 13% of independent voters believe that the police should be defunded.
71% of Republicans, 26% of Democrats, and 49% of independent voters strongly agree with the statement that “decisions by some jurisdictions to defund their police forces” have had a “devastating effect” on them. 37% of Democrats don’t agree, while 11% of Republicans and 21% of independent voters disagree.
Violent crime has been soaring nationwide since George Floyd’s death last year. The past year has been filled with anti-police protests and close to half of voters believe that the rise in crime is linked to these protests. A lot of this is due to the “Ferguson Effect” where cops have generally relaxed their policing methods out of fear of facing major setbacks to their career, reputation, and life.
Overall, this has created an ambience of uncertainty which has created various vacuums in public order.
Ever wonder why people are starting to take concealed carry classes in droves and stock up on 45 gap ammo and other types of firearms related products? If anti-police sentiments persist, and radical anti-policing measures are enacted, people will have to rely on the Second Amendment and makeshift self-defense groups at the local level for maintaining some semblance of stability.
This is one case where the right to bear arms serves as the ultimate insurance policy against widespread unrest.
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