Donald Trump is failing to admit good news as he prepares to enter the White House for the second time — because it conflicts with his message of fear and anger, an MSNBC columnist wrote.
Violent crime — specifically homicide — has seen a dramatic plummet in recent years, wrote Paul Waldman.
And, while Trump is expected to take undeserved credit for low unemployment, dropping inflation and a booming stock market, Waldman expects he won’t say a word about the crime dip.
But, he added, Democrats can’t let that happen.
“The reasons Trump won’t tout declining crime have to do with the way he uses fear and sets Americans from different kinds of places against one another,” Waldman wrote.
“But while it may be understandable for his critics to throw up their hands in frustration, it would be a shame if they let Trump get away with fooling the public on this score. Trump can be a successful propagandist, mostly because of his audacity and persistence — but not always, and not nearly to the extent he’d like us to believe.”
Trump’s longtime messaging is that crime is out of control, the nation’s cities are hellscapes and only he can end the “carnage.”
“Back here in reality, much of the recent news about crime has been highly encouraging,” wrote Waldman.
“Boston has recorded only 24 homicides in all of 2024, the fewest since 1957. In San Francisco, which conservatives often describe as emblematic of urban decay, there have been only 34 homicides, the fewest since 1960. Detroit had fewer homicides in 2023 than in any year other since 1966, and this year’s total will be even lower.”
“ … That’s good news for all of us — except for Trump.”
And now, he wrote, Democrats have to start using it to score points against him.
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“So perhaps it’s time Democrats started making more noise about the places that have succeeded in reducing crime — not just to cheer, but to get people talking about which policies worked and how we might prevent future increases in crime rates,” he wrote.
“Unfortunately, this isn’t a topic Democrats generally like talking about. They know that most Americans usually say crime is rising even when it’s falling (or at least that’s what they tell pollsters). And Democrats are always afraid of being called “soft on crime,” even when their policies succeed.
“The first step to getting over their own fear is to understand that Trump doesn’t have magical powers of persuasion. His message will never change; he’ll always say that in American cities, “you can’t walk across the street to get a loaf of bread. You get shot. You get mugged. You get raped.” But he makes ludicrous claims on many issues, and most people don’t believe them reflexively. Even many of his own supporters think he exaggerates for effect.”
