If Democrats want a governing majority again, they must meet voters where they are, not where they wish they were. That means facing hard truths, like the one playing out in our nation’s capital: Even as crime rates fall, many Washingtonians do not feel safe walking through Union Station, shopping on U Street or living in Navy Yard. Folks are tired of seeing deodorant locked up behind plexiglass at CVS. They’re frustrated at finding their car windows smashed and seeing a teenager speed off on a rented e-bike.
To be clear: Trump’s moves to take over the Metropolitan Police Department and activate the D.C. National Guard are unnecessary, wrong and unwarranted, but if officials in the district don’t do something fast, they may give the president and Congress more reason to try to take over even more than they already have.
The Washington Post recently found that 50% of D.C. residents — and the overwhelming majority of D.C. residents are Democrats — view crime as an “extremely serious” or “very serious” problem, noting “stark divides along lines of race and income.”
This is a preview of Anthony Coley's latest column. Read the full column here. |
