Defund the police & fund more effective programs - Richard Wolff

Summary

The script discusses the 'defund the police' movement, arguing it's not politically damaging despite concerns. It contrasts this with conservative slogans like 'defund the IRS' and 'defund the government,' noting their effectiveness. The speaker challenges the high spending on policing ($115 billion) compared to the CDC ($11 billion), suggesting reallocating funds to address social issues like mental health and homelessness more effectively.

Takeaways

• 📢 The 'defund the police' slogan, associated with Black Lives Matter, emerged prominently in 2020 and was not detrimental to the Democratic Party or the movement.
• 🔍 Some people, including former President Obama, criticized the slogan as politically risky, but the speaker argues it was not harmful.
• 💡 The concept of defunding is not new; conservatives have used similar slogans like 'defund the IRS' and 'defund the government' without significant negative impact.
• 💰 The speaker suggests that reallocating funds from policing to other areas could be more effective in addressing social issues.
• 📊 The speaker provides statistics showing that the amount of money allocated to policing in the U.S. has increased over the last 30 years, regardless of crime rates.
• 🚓 The speaker questions the prioritization of police funding over other areas like public health, citing the CDC's budget as significantly lower than that of policing.
• 🏥 The speaker highlights the disproportionate spending on policing ($115 billion) compared to the CDC ($11 billion) and the EPA ($9 billion).
• 🔎 The speaker points out the stark contrast in deaths caused by murder (under 20,000) versus those from Covid-19 (300,000), questioning the logic behind the current budget allocations.
• 🏠 The speaker suggests that reallocating funds could be used to address issues like homelessness and mental health, which are often mishandled by the police.
• 🌐 The speaker references other countries like Finland, which have lower policing costs and fewer issues with homelessness, suggesting alternative approaches could be effective.

Q & A

What slogan is associated with the Black Lives Matter movement and emerged from the killing of African Americans by police?

The slogan 'defund the police' is associated with the Black Lives Matter movement and emerged from the killing of African Americans by police forces across the United States.

How did the 'defund the police' slogan affect the Democratic Party's support in the 2020 election?

Despite concerns about the slogan being politically dangerous, it did not destroy support for the Democratic Party or the Black Lives Matter movement in the 2020 election.

What was former President Obama's stance on the 'defund the police' slogan?

Former President Obama was upset by the 'defund the police' slogan and argued that it shouldn't have been used.

Can you provide examples of other 'defund' slogans that were effective in recent years?

Two other effective 'defund' slogans in recent years include 'defund the IRS' by conservatives who were angry at taxes, and 'defund the government' by those who argued for less government funding.

What does the term 'defunding the police' actually mean according to the people pushing for it?

For those pushing 'defund the police,' it means reducing the allocations to the police, not dropping the funding to zero, as they argue that it's not an effective way of dealing with social problems, including crime.

What is the relationship between the increase in police funding and crime rates over the last 30 years in the United States?

Over the last 30 years, there has been no one-to-one relationship between the increase in police funding and crime rates, as crime has fluctuated regardless of the amount of money allocated to policing.

How much money was spent on policing in the United States in the most recent year for which statistics are available?

In the most recent year for which statistics are available, the total amount of money spent on policing in the United States was $115 billion.

Compare the amount of money spent on policing to that spent on the CDC in the same period.

The amount of money spent on policing ($115 billion) is significantly more than what was given to the CDC ($11 billion) in the same period.

How does the number of deaths from criminal murder compare to the number of deaths from Covid-19 in the United States?

In the United States, under 20,000 people were killed by criminal murder, compared to 300,000 deaths from Covid-19 in the same year.

What are some alternative uses for the money currently allocated to policing, as suggested in the script?

Some alternative uses for the money currently allocated to policing include funding mental health counselors and addressing homelessness through problem-solving initiatives.

What is the situation in Finland regarding policing and homelessness, and how does it compare to the United States?

Finland has almost no problem with policing and very low outlays for it because they do not permit homelessness and find housing for everyone, which contrasts with the situation in the United States.