SHOCKING: Editorial defund the constables - You Need To See This

Texas Republicans’ longtime demand that cities shrink their budgets ran into a thin blue line last year. Austin called their bluff. The city passed a plan to cut or reallocate about $150 million from its police budget in August following nationwide protests for criminal justice reform—which included calls that cities “defund the police.” In response, state leaders have proposed punishing localities that try to trim their law enforcement finances. Some have even discussed a state takeover of Austin police. No need to sort out the inconsistencies. A liberal city did something, so now Texas Republicans want to do the opposite. 

But what if there was a way to compromise—a solution that didn’t quite make everyone happy but offered a good-faith effort? Activists could shrink the footprint of law enforcement while leaving city departments untouched. Republicans could protect the detectives and beat cops who do real police work while trimming the size of government—and maybe even cut property taxes, too.