How Tax Dollars Exchange Hands For Political Favor

I’m calling this one out proper from the beginning gate. A $4 million federal grant has simply been awarded to Pennsylvania by the U.S. Division of Justice Neighborhood Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative (CVIPI), claiming its purpose is to broaden evidence-based packages focusing on root causes of violence and trying to offer assist to victims and communities. On its floor, the initiative sounds well-intentioned, nonetheless, upon additional inspection, it feels lots like a kind of packages used to maneuver cash round to political allies within the identify of public curiosity. 

“Gun violence isn’t only a Philadelphia drawback—it’s a Pennsylvania drawback, and uniquely, an American drawback … But it surely’s an issue we are able to and should do one thing about,” says Pennsylvania Lt. Governor Austin Davis.

Pennsylvania’s hospital-based violence intervention packages (HVIPs) are the important thing focus of the grant. These packages purportedly deploy intervention specialists to hospitals with the intent to have interaction victims of gun violence within the quick wake of an harm, claiming this motion will disrupt retaliatory cycles and tackle violence as a public well being disaster and group epidemic. However what does this all actually imply?

Advocates for HVIPs are fast to level out that gun violence disproportionately impacts communities of colour, however they by no means tackle the disaster as being pushed by the exact same communities. Quite a lot of the hassle is spent making excuses for the selections of those that perpetrate violent crimes, usually treating them extra like societal victims than stating the opportunistic actuality of the prison mindset. 

A ceaselessly cited excuse is the shortage of entry to the assist crucial for restoration and rebuilding, encouraging advocates to argue that federal grants, such because the CVIPI, are capable of establish disparities and supply sources to handle inequalities instantly. If this causes you to query whether or not these packages are merely redistributing your tax {dollars} as a type of socialism cleverly disguised as a public service, cease scratching your head since you’re right. In the event you additionally assume the packages sound like a approach to reward prison conduct by trying to buy votes from explicit communities, pat your self on the again since you’re nailing it. For icing on the hypocritical cake, take into account the kid-glove method proposed right here in distinction to the propensity of the state to criminalize Constitutionally protected actions of law-abiding gun house owners.

Whenever you take a look at Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s document, you’ll see a deeply embedded Biden ally. From his authorized assaults in opposition to President Trump throughout his first administration and within the wake of the “election anomalies” of 2020 to his assist for unlawful immigration, sanctuary cities, gun management and crimson flag legal guidelines which have made him an Everytown sweetheart, it’s no shock to see the Biden DOJ rewarding Shapiro for being a loyal collaborator. 

If Governor Shapiro and the DOJ actually cared to place a dent in group violence, they might spend cash to extend police presence and sources in areas with the very best saturation of violent crime. Moreover, the state would allocate larger sources for prosecuting and incarcerating those that put the group in danger. The reality is that budgetary will increase for legislation enforcement companies and conserving violent offenders off the road is just too tangible a approach to spend cash, bringing what Democrat lawmakers worry probably the most proper to the governor’s doorstep: accountability. Comply with the cash on this one.