“Democrats want to defund the police! That's why crime is up!”

What You Say

Joe Biden proposed increasing police funding. The American Rescue Plan included billions for local law enforcement. 'Defund the police' was a slogan from 2020 protests — not Democratic Party policy. Most cities maintained or increased police budgets. Crime rates fluctuate for complex reasons: guns, poverty, pandemic disruptions, and under-resourced communities. Blaming a chant for national crime trends is simpler than reading the data.