Holiday Shopping in Liberal Cities

Floor Speech

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Mr. BURCHETT. Madam Speaker, this holiday season, most Americans are using the conventional shopping method. They choose their item in the store and pay for it at the checkout.

However, this year, others are going with a different approach: smash and grab robberies. Thugs are ambushing stores, breaking windows, and destroying store property, then walking out with all the merchandise they can carry. Robberies at pharmacies and retail stores are on the rise this year, mostly in liberal cities like San Francisco, Chicago, and New York City. There is a clear pattern here.

Store robberies are up in Democrat-run cities that push defund the police agendas and refrain from punishing criminals in the name of equity. Criminals in these cities figured out there is no consequence for busting up a Gucci store and walking out with thousands of dollars of merchandise.

For example, in California, people can steal up to $950 worth of merchandise without being charged with a felony. Many looters in California cities who get arrested are quickly released because they don't even have to pay bail.

Unfortunately, many Democrats are willingly ignorant of this trend. They even attribute the rise in smash-and-grab robberies to the coronavirus or deny the problem exists at all. They keep pushing their antipolice, procriminal policies, and it is hardworking businessowners and employees who end up paying the price.

Madam Speaker, I always remember what my parents told me: Let's not close the barn door after the cows have already left.

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