If they would pretend for a moment to actually be invested in small business they pretend to care about, they wouldn't also screech and rage any time a criminal gets shot. Taking advantage of a gap in the market only works if the profit is greater than the loss - if shooting thieves was treated like it is in red rural areas, that would work. But in blue cities, the victim is punished for defending themselves.
if shooting thieves was treated like it is in red rural areas
Red rural areas mostly don't have to deal with thieves. Maybe the odd tweaker, but not what should be functional human beings who instead choose to loot stores.
If they would pretend for a moment to actually be invested in small business they pretend to care about, they wouldn't also screech and rage any time a criminal gets shot. Taking advantage of a gap in the market only works if the profit is greater than the loss - if shooting thieves was treated like it is in red rural areas, that would work. But in blue cities, the victim is punished for defending themselves.
Red rural areas mostly don't have to deal with thieves. Maybe the odd tweaker, but not what should be functional human beings who instead choose to loot stores.
That's partially because there are very few repeat offenders after they get rapidly dehydrated.