#TX21: Word Games Notwithstanding, Davis Embraces SUBSTANCE of "Defund the Police"

"'The dogs shall eat Jezebel on the plot of ground at Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her.’
And he opened the door and fled."
2 Kings 9:10

KXAN has an interesting write up about how the APD funding/council saga is playing out around the state. The whole thing is worth a read. But we want to focus on this quote from Wendy Davis:

Davis, who served in the Texas Senate for six years and was defeated in her campaign for governor against Abbott in 2014, said support for law enforcement and acknowledging needed changes in policing don’t have to lead to an and/or conclusion.

She would not second-guess the decision by the Austin City Council to reimagine public safety. Davis said she does not support defunding police.

“I don’t think we have to divide our support in either of these directions in order to accomplish the goals that we want to see,” Davis said.

Those goals — banning chokeholds, ending qualified immunity for officers, and improving training — don’t prevent a community from giving law enforcement the resources they need, according to Davis.

“I can tell you that living in the heart of Austin, literally a block away from downtown, this is a safe community,” Davis said.

“I feel safe here.”

Good grief.  She's certainly entitled to "feel" however she wants to feel.   But, well, if Wendy Davis "feels" safe downtown (it's own dubious suggestion)...she's certainly welcome to come to this author's neighborhood.

But beyond Wendy Davis subjectively perceiving Austin's public safety situation in the most politically self-serving way possible, there's the fact that "she would not second-guess the decision by the Austin city council."

If you're not "second guessing" council, you support the substance of Police defunding.

Any attempt to claim otherwise is the type of word games lawyers play.

Of course, Wendy Davis is a lawyer.

Bottom Line: Deeds > words.