“Tough on Crime”: Republicans pin midterm hopes on tired trope.

The midterms are upon us and the Republicans have pinned their hopes on a tried and true fear tactic: Crime. It’s a winning narrative. Always has been. The data paint another picture entirely, however. While in no way excusing criminal activity or minimizing its impact upon individuals, families and society, we need to have an honest discussion about fear mongering and scapegoating. So let’s take a bite out of crime.

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Chapters

Intro: 00:00:04

Chapter One: Dispelling Crime Mythology. 00:01:50

Chapter Two: When All Else Fails. 00:05:08

Chapter Three: Gaslighting. 00:15:35

Chapter Four: Bring it home, Max. 00:21:33

Post Show Musings: 00:24:01

Outro: 00:36:13

Resources

Brennan Center For Justice: What Caused the Crime Decline?

Gotham Gazette: What Is Lee Zeldin’s Gubernatorial Campaign Platform?

Newsweek: New York City’s Most Dangerous Year of Crime Compared to 2022: Analysis

Wikipedia: Demographic history of New York City

News Beat: A Guide To Mass Incarceration In America

StopRecidivism.org: Why Are More States Than Ever Passing Laws For No Cash Bail And Pretrial Detention?

CDC: Homicide Mortality by State

UNFTR Episode Resources

The Clinton Years (Parts One, Two, and Three)

New York’s Casual White Supremacy: Losing the Plot on Hochul & Buffalo Bills.

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