From the people who brought you “Defund the Police,” prepare yourself for … “Throw Billions at the Police!”
“The Capitol Police on Monday announced a multi-pronged plan to expand its operations,” journalist Glenn Greenwald informs, highlighting that “the force intends for the first time to create a permanent presence outside of the Capitol.”
Instead of police defending the national Capitol, the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) goes national.
“The Department is also in the process of opening Regional Field Offices in California and Florida,” announced the USCP news release, “with additional regions in the near future to investigate threats to Members of Congress.”
Plus, USCP declared it is “moving forward along a new path towards an intelligence based protective agency.” After being unprepared to defend capitol doors from a mob back in January, the force now morphs into yet another “intelligence” agency.
Does that make it the 18th such agency? 19th? Umpteenth?
USCP’s spread throughout the country is made possible by $2 billion in additional funding passed two months ago by the very narrowest of House margins, 213 to 212.
But what about 2020’s Democratic push to “defund the police”?
Three Democratic members of “The Squad” did vote with all Republicans against this expansion of the Capitol Police. Yet, three other Squad members — Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D‑NY), Jamaal Bowman (D‑NY), and Rashida Tlaib (D‑Mich.) — simply voted “present.”
Had even one said “no,” super-sizing the budget and role of the Capitol Police would have failed.
“No more policing, incarceration, and militarization,” Rep. Tlaib tweeted last year. But she was “present” for $2 billion more.
“Defunding police means defunding police,” Ocasio-Cortez once declared. “It does not mean budget tricks or funny math.”
What about funny voting?
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
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