California Democrats — from mayor's offices, to governor's offices,
to the office of the United States House Speaker — are using
increasingly strong language to describe retail theft.
Thefts in San Francisco are growing increasingly brazen and
seemingly organized at a large scale. Nationally, public polling
indicates potential political vulnerability for Democrats, as a
national poll from ABC/Ipsos this week found that just 36% of voters
approve of President Joe Biden's handling of "crime" generally,
which is down from 43% in October.
Seemingly feeling public pressure, San Francisco Mayor London Breed,
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and California Gov. Gavin Newsom have
deployed tough-on-crime rhetoric in recent days.
“It’s time that the reign of criminals who are destroying our city,
it is time for it to come to an end,” Breed said Tuesday when
announcing public safety measures. “And it comes to an end when we
take the steps to be more aggressive with law enforcement … and less
tolerant of all the bulls—t that has destroyed our city.”
“It’s absolutely outrageous, obviously it cannot continue,” House
Speaker Nancy Pelosi said of San Francisco retail thefts Wednesday.
“There is an attitude of lawlessness in our country that springs
from I don’t know where ... and we cannot have that lawlessness
become the norm.”
Three weeks ago, Newsom also truck a similar tone.
“They’re not just stealing people’s products and impacting their
livelihoods, they’re stealing a sense of place and confidence,”
Newsom said of theft suspects.
“That’s why you’ve got to get serious about it," he continued. "I’m
not the mayor of California. But I was a mayor. And I know when
things like this happen, mayors have to step up.
By way of actual policy, Breed's public safety measures include more
policing in areas such as the Tenderloin and amending existing
legislation to allow law enforcement to access private surveillance
cameras in real time, while Newsom's involve using the California
Highway Patrol to assist in patrols of highly trafficked shopping
areas.
https://www.sfgate.com/bay-area-politics/article/Pelosi-Breed-
Newsom-on-crime-16704428.php