Republicans continue to push a narrative ahead of the 2018 midterms that every problem that exists is the fault of Democrats, most often four Democratic women of color in Congress, including a rise in violent crime that began in 2019 when Donald Trump was still the president. On Sunday, Fox News host Chris Wallace reminded Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) that Republican criticism of Democratic talking points hasn’t been reflected in their actions or policies.
Chris Wallace nails Rep. Jim Banks on how hypocritical it is for him to allege that Democrats are the anti-police party while he and all other Republicans vote against legislation providing cities and states with funding for more and better policing pic.twitter.com/1fMMiNIuTU
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 27, 2021
Banks intended to come onto Fox News Sunday and talk about how violent crime rates are on the rise because Democrats have made statements about defunding the police. Never mind that they haven’t passed any substantial policies attempting to do so, Banks is hinging the cause and effect scenario he’s pushing on statements made by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), as well as one by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
Wallace, however, was there to explain to him exactly how “defunding” something works.
“Can’t you make the argument that it’s you and the Republicans who defunded the police?” Wallace asked. After all, Biden offered an American Rescue Plan that would have guaranteed an additional $350 billion in funding for police, but Republicans like Banks have voted that bill down as well as several others that allowed for additional police funding, saying “you and every other Republican voted against this $350 billion.”
Banks, of course, deflected and said the real problem was disparaging things that Democrats said about policing. Apparently, funding the police has nothing to do with how well they function, according to Banks. If you talk nicely about them at all times, they can do their jobs without money.
Twitter wasn’t here for Banks’ reasoning, either. Read some of their comments below: