One issue that differentiates Republicans and Democrats as we enter the midterm election season is crime. Today, we will analyze the different approaches of the two parties toward crime and its impact on our citizens.
According to its party website, Texas Democrats favor an end to “tough on crime” sentencing, want to transform policing (whatever that means), end cash bail, end “unnecessary” arrests and view our nation’s criminal justice system as inherently racist.
Republican views on crime tend to be much stricter than Democrats. The GOP favors stringent sentencing laws for felons, supports a database for convicted child murderers and believes in stronger victim rights and harsher punishments for certain, especially heinous, crimes. Republicans view stricter punishment as a deterrent to future crime and believe that there are some crimes for which criminals should simply not be eligible for parole. This includes no parole for dangerous and repeat felons.
Despite a stricter approach to crime than their Democrat counterparts, the GOP favors effective rehabilitation programs.
President Trump promoted and signed into law the First Step Act, ushering in significant changes to federal sentencing laws as well as improvements to programs that aim to reduce recidivism. After languishing in inactivity during the Obama years, the First Step Act has helped reduce the severe sentencing disparity between crack and cocaine convictions that was largely based on racial lines and has benefited over 2,000 people with sentence reductions that average nearly six years. African Americans comprise 91 percent of those receiving reductions.
The First Step Act also reauthorized the Second Chance Act that provides $100 million per year to establish and enhance state and local programs that promote successful reentry for people returning to the community after incarceration.
Aside from the successes mentioned, what has millions of Americans concerned is the rapid increase in crime rates over the past year. Liberal prosecutors across the country have overseen significant crime waves in America’s major cities, and instead of reassessing their soft on crime approach are doubling down on their policies.
Leftist prosecutors that received strong financial support from George Soros in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Baltimore and Philadelphia are now seeing the consequences of their actions. Getting rid of cash bail and ending prosecution of a wide variety of quality of life crimes have contributed to skyrocketing crime rates in these cities that are home to over 10 million Americans.
Murder rates have soared, more than doubling in Philadelphia, and breaking records that were already high in Baltimore and Chicago. San Francisco is now considered more dangerous than 98 percent of U.S. cities. California prohibits prosecution of shoplifting under $900 of merchandise. Chain stores are now closing many locations in California cities due to this insane policy.
While the left continues to vilify the USA as an irredeemably racist nation, it is minorities themselves who are victimized most by the increased crime rate. Just under 50 percent of murder victims in the USA are black, with whites at 46 percent. Of the 4.7 million crime victims in the USA each year, close to 25 percent are black, or double their percentage of the national population.
White liberal elites may be able to afford their own private security or live in gated communities, such privilege does not extend to those living in the inner city who suffer from the policies of these effete snobs.
Either we are a nation of laws or we are not. The failure to protect our border indicates a lack of respect for our national sovereignty while the failure to prosecute an increasing number of crimes jeopardizes millions of hard working, honest Americans.
While Republicans show empathy for the victims of crime, Democrats sympathize with those who commit crimes against law-abiding citizens. All one needs to do is look at the statistics to see that, despite whatever rhetoric one may hear from politicians, the above conclusion is clear, obvious and verifiable.
A return to traditional law and order policies is just one change that needs to occur, and soon.
Rich Sena is a local Republican.
Comment
Comments