We're told: "Her own brother was shot and killed in the seventies. But she says back then crime was targeted toward people who were involved in it. And for the most part, bystanders were left alone. And as time went on, things changed. It was more crime, the stores shut down. But now, especially since the pandemic, she says, it feels like the violence is more random.... and for Sandra, that means more innocent people and even businesses are caught up in it.... She says, after the murder of George Floyd, the police were too lean on crime. She was also frustrated with the DC law that prevented kids from being charged with adult crimes. She was so fed up that she actually wrote a letter to the mayor and city council asking for the National Guard to be sent in.... But the response was, no. The city council couldn't stop it. The police couldn't stop it. The mayor couldn't stop it. So Sandra, too afraid to go outside, hasn't been to a grocery store in two years.... She was listening to the local radio station one late afternoon when she heard the President describe the city as one beset by crime and lawlessness.... It resonated with her."
Seager says: "I did not vote for Donald Trump. I did not. And I don't agree with a lot of things he's doing. But when he decided to bring in the National Guard and the, and the federal agencies, I was happy. First day it was announced, that same night, that I didn't hear gunshots, no shootings, and no stabbing. I saw one car come by and one person walking and that was it. People calm down...."
As for her neighbors, she says: "They are for it, because we realize that no one else is trying to stop the criminals and we all suffer. So with him, he's serious about it and he's not gonna play with them, which is good."
As for those who are protesting what Trump is doing: "Where were they when these children, babies, and toddlers were getting murdered? Where were they then? They didn't protest anything. But now they're protesting. Here's somebody trying to make it safer for us. They protesting them. Delusional."
Posts
119 comments:
Maybe we should all consider giving Scott Adams his cartoon back.
"...murder of George Floyd"
We've tried explaining why things suck to these people, but we'll never be able to understand it for them.
The truth of disparate treatment and outcomes is why rhe mayor warmly, if grudgingly, welcomed the President and National Guard's help.
It’s offensive to discuss this progress in a political way…but…checkmate…
And let's get something straight. You will see a LOT of photos of people protesting Trump's National Guard in DC.
They'll all be white people. They're all being paid to protest.
They are DEMANDING that crime be brought BACK INTO the black community because they hate black people.
They're fucking racist Democrats and have been since Republican Abraham Lincoln took away their black slaves.
They don't have abortion any longer to kill black people, so they're trying to create a situation where black men step into that void to kill OTHER black people when they're not knifing petite white girls to death on the bus, from behind.
I am suspicious of military intervention in cities. I worry about mission creep as smaller and smaller emergencies require extreme measures. There is a long pattern of bureaucracies coming up with solutions that pick off the low hanging fruit of a problem, but ratcheting up endlessly to scale up the results, with diminishing returns. Yet stories like this are good indications that this is not a convenient made up emergency.
I still worry that as in the wars we have gotten involved with, disengaging will be the problem. But I do find this justified.
High Crime is an on-purpose event - allowed by the corrupt demons called the Democratic party.
George "Fentanyl" Floyd syndrome (i.e. respiratory suppressant) is a clear and progressive condition imported from across the blue sea to rich cartels over the border and redistributed by impoverished people under the blue sky. #BabyLivesMatter
The city council couldn't stop it. The police couldn't stop it. The mayor couldn't stop it.
I understand the sentiment that people deserve to get the government that they voted for, but they are still Americans and shouldn't have to live in fear.
DC is a special case, and it's a dereliction of duty that the federal government let it get this bad. In other cities, the governors should be as assertive as Trump is in protecting their citizens.
My concern is the next step. The National Guard, like the police, can arrest and temporarily detain individuals. However, those individuals need to be processed, convicted, and incarcerated for a longer time than Trump will be President. DC is managed by many of the same people who will lie about the dangers there. Those people will be the judges, the prosecutors, and at least half the jury pool. And even if all of these criminals were convicted, I doubt DC has made accommodations for long-term incarceration. (Though ironically, Trump removing all the J6’ers certainly freed up some space, but that’s in federal prison with an even worse Judicial system in DC).
Former Law clerk - 100%
The OLD white leftists are bussed in for the "organic" "protests".
Old White Leftists are all racists. They don't care at all about crime in black communities. The old White left racist Democratics don't care at all about lifting black children out of poverty by allowing them to go to good schools.
It's all been captured on video by ordinary citizens. the Corrupt MSM(D) won't go near that fact.
I'm surprised that the NYTimes would give any publicity to this point of view. Perhaps something is changing in the MSM. Perhaps Bari Weiss really will be put in charge of CBS News.
Democratic Demon Chris Van Hollen(D) supports an illegal alien human trafficking wife beater who like to jerk off to child pron.
Demon Democratic Chris Van Hollen(D) also supports Hamas.
it runs in the family, his mother was a desk officer for Afghanistan,
..photos of people protesting Trump's National Guard in DC.
They'll all be white people. They're all being paid to protest..
My (93 yr old) mom (in Cedar Rapids, IA) proudly told me yesterday, that "people" from her church were demonstrating at ICE events (well, she wasn't quite sure WHERE they were demonstrating at (or WHO, certainly not WHY).
And these people were brought up to the front of the congregation for Praise and Adoration. (it's a United Methodist Church)
So, *i* asked my mom; 'how old were these people?'
and she thought about it for a bit, and said: "um.. in their 50s"
(my mom thinks that *i* am in my 50s (i'm 63), so you get the idea.
I mentioned to her, that in the pix i've seen of protesters, they ALWAYS seem to be elderly white people now.
To which my mom said; "So?"
I guess what i'm saying, is that modern democrats are:
a) women
b) women in their 50s or higher
c) women that see NOTHING unusual about that.
Serious Question: where WILL the democrat party be in 10 years?
Crime in DC slowed - Black community happy.
Corrupt evil WHITE RACIST LEFT, PISSED.
Commentary's Arch Puddington, reminded us how the Times took the side of the drug dealers who were being put out of business by Guiliani's crackdown,
its been 25 years but pepperidge farm remembers,
"I'm surprised that the NYTimes would give any publicity to this point of view..."
Exactly. So was I. That's why I blogged it.
Now, the rest of the episode is devoted to a guy who opposes the National Guard approach and to a family caught up with ICE problems, but I think the NYT was faced with enough opinion like what Sandra Seagers is saying that they felt compelled by principle or self-interest to report it.
I'd like to know how much she represents other people in her area of the city. She claims to be saying what the others around her are saying. And it's very conspicuous that the protesters we saw over the weekend were white people.
Oh.
I forgot to mention this. It really is true that the OLD white left are in a state of sad-f* perpetual mental illness. It's like a Nancy Pelosi rage party in their heads - all day/ all night.
A few weeks ago, at the Saturday Boulder Farmer's Market - a group of OLD White Leftists slowly marched thru the crowd holding up black signs that said various forms of “eeek fascism!”
They didn't yell or scream - I'll give them credit for that. But seriously - there was not a single young person among them. Not a single person of color, either. They were all old and white.
To my delight and surprise, The farmer's market crowd completely ignored them.
SOP. The collective left/ media(D) do all they can to insist we not believe what we all know to be true - and what we see our own eyes.
The city council wouldn't stop it. The police wouldn't stop it. The mayor wouldn't stop it.
Fixed it for Ms. Seaver.
Yah, those old white hippie Democrats don't love black folks the way you do. IITL.
'forthe new people'
https://x.com/DataRepublican/status/1964806557306372217
denial of the nature of the Cartel del Sol/TDA/Sebin alliance,
btw- Black crime on crime/ Black man brutally ambushing and killing an unsuspecting young female - doesn't phase the corrupt universal white left media.
https://x.com/EndWokeness/status/1964511538103923183
"53.8M Views"
Screw the eulogy, that should serve a fitting epitaph for the 'mainstream' media forevermore.
It’s a slippery slope when we let fear outweigh facts.
I don’t dismiss Sandra Seagers’ fear for a second — if I were hearing gunshots outside my window, statistics wouldn’t matter much either. But there’s a difference between honoring fear and governing by it.
The data shows violent crime in D.C. has been falling since the pandemic peak. That doesn’t erase Sandra’s experience, but it does undercut the “lawless collapse” narrative.
Even in rural Mayberry-type towns, one terrible crime can empty the streets and leave people afraid long after the danger has passed. Fear moves with perception, not numbers — and that’s exactly what Trump exploits.
For residents, one quiet night feels like safety. For Trump, it’s a stage for “only I can fix it.”
That’s why protesters aren’t ignoring murdered children; they’re alarmed at federal troops being used as a political prop.
History warns us what happens when leaders claim extraordinary power in the name of “safety.”
Sandra’s fear is real. But using it as an excuse for an unwarranted invasion of a city is something else entirely.
Alternative theory: NYT was doxxing her so she would garner attention from protesters and other enforcers…
WHITE RACIST DEMOCRAITC-SOVIET MEDIA TO NOT CARE ABOUT FEMALES BEING BRUALLTY MURDERED IN PUBLIC PLACES.
Capitol resident (yes i'm using the Hunger Games reference)
So the NYT senses which way the wind blows and they are reporting on some actual facts now. Interesting. Especially the timing.
It's easy to make crime go down. Don't arrest. If arrested, don't charge. If charged, stet or nol pros.. If found guilty, grant probation before judgment. i.e., no criminal record and no documented crime.
As for those who are protesting what Trump is doing: "Where were they when these children, babies, and toddlers were getting murdered?"
Easy answer. They were home in their whitey white super white suburbs, surrounded by other peaceful leftists who also never worry about street crime. Then they got on their DNC/Arabella/Soros funded buses and went to DC to agitate for keeping THAT neighborhood in chaos and death, because they are psychotic. After walking down the DC street once for the cameras they got back on the bus and went safely to their suburban whitey white super white neighborhoods.
I saw that march. Trying to find a brown or black face in THAT crowd is like playing "where's Waldo."
Ronald Ward:
"data" - do show us this data.
That Trump is fixing it - instead of standard Democratic BS lip-service with no action.
Somehow your leftist "data" is superior to the reality on the ground in these Soviet- Soros run Blue cities.
@ also Ronald Ward said:
"Sandra’s fear is real. But using it as an excuse for an unwarranted invasion of a city is something else entirely."
How dare you.
After your fucking corrupt party let crime over-run everything - you have the audacity to disparage our national guard. Real positive results are producing positive outcomes for whole communities.
And right on Q – the leftist loyalist ankle biters arrive. F off.
raymond luxury yacht has nothing, of course there will be resistance, wasn't their resistance against Ness from the usual suspects,
Ron says "falling" but I ask "falling" from what to what? Your "fear vs facts" post would work a lot better if you included, you know, actual FACTS. All you offered was overemotional agitprop: no facts. At least Sandra talked about her actual brother who was actually shot.
Twenty murders a month (roughly) is a problem in ANY town, and in a town that small it's really serious, dumbass.
The best part of this is that the people in these cities are going to know that the rich white democrats that run their cities were lying to them for decades.
where WILL the democrat party be in 10 years?
...emboldened by recent victories?
According to Gemini AI:
Over the last decade, Washington D.C.'s violent crime rate did not decrease overall, with significant increases reported in recent years. While a steep drop is reported for 2024, it followed a major surge in 2023.
Ronald J. Ward said...
It’s a slippery slope when we let fear outweigh facts.
I don’t dismiss Sandra Seagers’ fear for a second — if I were hearing gunshots outside my window, statistics wouldn’t matter much either. But there’s a difference between honoring fear and governing by it.
Who should Sandra believe?
Her lying eyes?
Or should she believe Chuck’s facts. Let us not forget that Chuck is an admitted openly racist scumbag.
oh noes the Bold,
""I'm surprised that the NYTimes would give any publicity to this point of view..."
Exactly. So was I. That's why I blogged it."
It's your blog, but why not showcase sources more who at least try to get things right? Honest journalism today is like the rare beautiful flower in the desert - not to be passed by without a long look.
Sure Peachy, you asked for data, so here it is. According to the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department’s own numbers:
Homicides are down compared with the peak of 2021–22.
Carjackings and robberies, which spiked during the pandemic, have also fallen sharply.
This isn’t “leftist” data — it’s public record, available on the MPD website.
Now, does that mean Congress Heights feels safe? Of course not. Sandra’s testimony shows the fear is real. But citywide trends matter, too. They show that while violent crime remains too high, the “lawless collapse” narrative isn’t backed by numbers.
That’s the distinction I’m making: honoring fear versus governing by fear. Fear spreads faster than facts, especially when leaders amplify it. Using that fear to justify sending federal troops into a U.S. city isn’t the same as addressing crime — it’s political theater.
You’re free to dismiss statistics, but dismissing them doesn’t make them disappear. They’re still there, even if they don’t fit the story you’d prefer.
Ronald J. Ward said...
The data shows violent crime in D.C. has been falling since the pandemic peak. That doesn’t erase Sandra’s experience, but it does undercut the “lawless collapse” narrative.
Chuck conveniently forgets that the DC police union has outed the racist white democrats and their falsification of the crime statistics.
Chuck is just a dishonest piece of trash and nothing has changed.
Ron - the police were forced to alter the data for the corrupt democratic party.
Ron - your BS lecture falls flat.
Crime is real, it was allowed to flourish after George Floyd and all of the Soros DA's that were inserted all over the nation. Crime was allowed to flourish during the Crook Joe Biden years.
Now you devoted leftists are whining because you cannot stand that someone is standing up to it - and making life better for real people.
According to Gemini AI:
Commander Michael Pullium of the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is under investigation for allegedly manipulating crime statistics in his district. According to the D.C. Police Union, he and other supervisors allegedly altered crime data in several ways to make it appear that violent crime had decreased. Pullium denies the allegations and was placed on paid administrative leave in May 2025.
The alleged methods for manipulating the data include:
Downgrading felony offenses to misdemeanors: A former MPD sergeant and whistleblower claimed that officers were directed to reclassify felonies as lesser crimes. For example, a case of assault with a dangerous weapon was allegedly recorded as "sick person to the hospital".
Logging felonies as non-reportable offenses: Officers were allegedly ordered to log violent crimes like shootings and stabbings as a "felony assault". This designation is not a formal reporting category for the MPD or the FBI's uniform crime reporting program, allowing the incidents to be left out of official crime statistics.
Changing incident descriptions: Allegations indicate that supervisors would instruct officers to file reports for lesser offenses, such as theft or an "injured person," instead of more serious crimes like a shooting or carjacking.
So Sandra, too afraid to go outside, hasn't been to a grocery store in two years.
That trend alone should lower crime statistics.
Howard said...
According to Gemini AI:
Over the last decade, Washington D.C.'s violent crime rate did not decrease overall, with significant increases reported in recent years. While a steep drop is reported for 2024, it followed a major surge in 2023.
I would recommend using grok instead of Gemini. Grok often includes necessary context like the fact that the police union has stated that elected city leadership has told them to reclassify emergency responses to events that do not show up in crime rate statistics.
Althouse, I can explain to you why the NYTimes printed this lady's name and story- they hope her neighbors will make an example of her for going off the Democrats' plantation without permission.
But now, especially since the pandemic, she says, it feels like the violence is more random
Especially post the "George Floyd" law enforcement changes.
FIFY
you can care about criminals, or you can care about their victims. it's a zero sum game, so you can't care about both.
Dems only care about the criminals
well the lockdowns and the currying favor with the so called antifa and blm, ruined the city,
Achilles, I hate to quibble with you but Chuck offered NO facts. He said "fear vs facts" but all he offered was fear.
Hands Off Our Killers!
We Love Our Beatdowns!
Chicago Loves Crime: It's to die for.
Keep Our Criminals Safe - Say NO to the National Guard
Mostly Peaceful Chicago Criminals: "The average Chicago crime takes five minutes. Oh sure, it leaves you a bleeding wreck with lasting pain and trauma but c'mon, the criminals are mostly peaceful. Check your privilege, racist.
No To Any Solution.
Chuck conveniently forgets
No he isn’t. He is repeating the same lie he has been trolling for weeks now. It doesn’t matter bringing facts. He doesn’t even know the facts. He doesn’t even acknowledge there has been multiple instances of DC making up their crime statistics for over 5 years.
He’s a troll and will continue to do what he does, which doesn’t require engaging in the truth at all. It only requires repeating himself. He doesn’t care about Sandra or anyone, especially Trump’s, desire to make life better for her and others. He wants to retain the status quo in local DC governance regardless of who gets hurt.
Grok costs money. As I posted above Gemini also acknowledges the manipulation of crime statistics which at this stage is just an accusation but you and I both know that bureaucrats put their thumbs on the scale all the time because ultimately ass covering is their primary duty.
What is the term to describe people who would wish, hope, and even fight for and support NOT reducing crime through Constitutional means?
mentally ill
your enemy
a criminal
a racist
corrupt
It turns out that at least one correct term would be "Democrat politician".
How anybody can vote for one again escapes me.
"Sandra’s fear is real. But using it as an excuse for an unwarranted invasion of a city is something else entirely."
What bullshit. It's not an "invasion".
Well, here we are at last: The NYT podcast showcases a lifelong progressive liberal Democrat voter suddenly recognizing that progressive liberals are 'delusional' in these present times, with their present policies. A red-pilling of sorts, in vitro, as reported by the NYT. That is progress.
Now watch what happens when Trump pulls the troops out and winds down the intervention in a planned and orderly way. It won't be reported, is my expectation.
Now, the rest of the episode is devoted to a guy who opposes the National Guard approach and to a family caught up with ICE problems, but I think the NYT was faced with enough opinion like what Sandra Seagers is saying that they felt compelled by principle or self-interest to report it.
Is the guy who opposes the National Guard approach by any change a Georgetown professor? A Democrat congressional aide? Just asking. (No, I'm not going to listen to the podcast. That's what I rely on you for).
De-Fund and De-moralize the police was real.
It happened.
Crime flourished - as planned.
Now the left lie about that, too.
Trump is mainly showing that it can be done. Picking a fight with Pritzger is a win-win. Pritzger either has to do something equally bold about Chicago, or defend the status quo. And if he does something he will be conceding the correctness of Trump's approach. 80/20.
I suspect that there will be another George Floyd incident that will "energize" the Dems/MSM, but the pendulum has shifted pretty dramatically in the other direction.
Twenty murders a month , 94percert of the victims are black.
What does the kkk call 19 dead black people???
I shared my Curtis Sliwa interview day back a few months ago but something relevant here- I also interviewed Nebraska Brace. He was a character, alderman for the roughest area of Albany cum Hollywood actor- he had a speaking part in Ironweed…anyways when asked about his opposition to the Guardian Angels his answer was a bit winded but boiled down to ‘it makes the neighborhood look bad’. I suspect that’s still part of the motivation for opposition to better policing- a constant visual reminder to voters that you’re a failure…
Howard said...
Grok costs money. As I posted above Gemini also acknowledges the manipulation of crime statistics which at this stage is just an accusation but you and I both know that bureaucrats put their thumbs on the scale all the time because ultimately ass covering is their primary duty.
Sometimes I forget grok costs money. I am paying for more than one AI service.
I am going to recommend paying for some of these things. The amount of power and productivity you gain is insane compared to the price.
You know I agree with you on the “official statistics” issue.
There is nothing more manipulated than government economic statistics.
If you dropped Ronald into this lady's neighborhood to live for a year- after a year of cowering in his row house he would vote for bringing in the National Guard, too.
Dr Weevil: Has something gone wrong with the transcription here? The first sentence of the title of this post is obviously missing a word. It should say "About those people who say crime is [NOT] down in Washington D.C.". It doesn't make any sense as is.
I had the same thought, but then it occurred to me that maybe the reference was to people who claim crime was down before Trump took over.
Has something gone wrong with the transcription here? "She says, after the murder of George Floyd, the police were too lean on crime." Did she say "too lenient" and some white-boy reporter with a limited vocabulary misunderstood her elderly black lady accent and turned "lenient" into "lean"? Or maybe Ms. Seager is the one with vocabulary issues, and has been mishearing "lenient" as "lean" or "lean on" all her life. There are people who sincerely think the name of asparagus is "sparrow grass". Either way, 'lenient' is obviously the word she meant.
Thanks, SeanF. While you were posting I was deleting and editing, after realizing that it was defensible in context, though confusing. Sorry I wasn't a bit quicker. My second point stands.
Most whites don’t care about violent crime because the vast majority of it occurs in poor, urban, black neighborhoods. Chuck represents the majority view wells
National Guard at the Capitol, in DC.
like i've pointed out, the Times is historically bad at this,
I can appreciate concerns about the allegations regarding Michael Pulliam, but the overall numbers remain consistent with DOJ reports and multiple independent media analyses.
This isn’t really arguable, yet many seem to selectively use the idea of manipulated or unreliable crime data as a talking point to justify federal troops in D.C. and other cities.
Whether crime stats are up or down, fear spreads faster than facts — and fear is exactly what Trump is counting on to justify turning a U.S. city into his stage set. That’s why I called it an invasion — not because the National Guard are enemies, but because the federal government is stepping into local streets for political effect.
Weevil, the transcript was surely done with software, so it is possible that lenient was mistranscripted. It is also possible that the lady really did say lean which still makes sense though it is an unusual usage. I go with computer transcript with no editing applied to it.
Via Reddit: A big sign in Adams Morgan, Washington DC.
Adams Morgan is a multicultural neighborhood centered on the happening nightlife scene around 18th Street. The stretch buzzes with eclectic bars, music venues and international restaurants from Vietnamese to Ethiopian, plus late-night pizza and falafel spots. Brick row houses, some brightly painted or featuring quirky murals, are home to independent bookstores, artisan cafes, vintage clothing shops and yoga studios.
Granted. I cant verify the veracity of much intertubes claims.
"but the overall numbers remain consistent with DOJ reports and multiple independent media analyses."
Again, you are completely and utterly full of shit, Ronald. There is no independent source of data on D.C. crime- it is all sourced from D.C. law enforcement statistics- literally all of it. Just because multiple sources, including the FBI crime database use this data doesn't mean they are independent sources for what you are claiming. Stop being stupid or acting stupid- it doesn't work here.
https://www.newsbusters.org/people-and-organizations/michael-barbaro, there are typos in the byline,
Chuck, what is an acceptable level of violent crime in DC?
The best thing I know about the Adams Morgan neighborhood is that 30-40 years ago it had a Lesbian-themed local paper called 'Madam's Organ'. (Get it? It's an organ of the press!)
FormerLawClerk said...
“Maybe we should all consider giving Scott Adams his cartoon back.”
Perhaps you have not heard, but Scott Adams is dying of cancer. He announced it several months ago. At the time, he didn’t think he’d live to the end of summer. IIRC, he has the medications to legally end his life and will do so when things get too bad to endure any more.
https://trendingpoliticsnews.com/beloved-conservative-host-shares-incredible-news-after-terminal-cancer-diagnosis-mstef/
Ronald speaks for Sandra, condescendingly and contemptuously.
So what's new?
If you've got stats - that doesn't mean the statistics actually reflect the reality - especially if you've been told (as the DC police union says) that you cannot report what's actually happening.
Stats can become inaccurate or corrupted when the source accidentally or intentionally leaves out part of the relevant data.
Good lord, it's like claiming computer simulations are the same thing as reality. If you're not vetting the information against what's actually happening (like aerospace simulations must be RIGOROUSLY tested against what happens in reality and the wind tunnel) then it's a distorted picture at best or a warped mirror at worst.
well its like michael mann, has been paying his rent for 30 years,
gilbar @ 8:53
I heard that if you yell "BINGO!" really loud they'll scatter for the busses.
mccullough said... Chuck, what is an acceptable level of violent crime in DC? (And I assume I’m Chuck)
Here are the questions that matter;
What level of crime actually warrants sending troops into a U.S. city?
If action was truly needed, why wasn’t it taken years ago?
Can the isolated opinion of one resident legitimize a citywide military presence?
Why are Republican-led states with higher crime rates not seeing the same treatment?
Why are these same red states with higher crime rates sending their troops to D.C?
Only the most gullible of the goobers can honestly view this invasion through an apolitical lens.
when your city by their own admission is more dangerous than bogota and lima, and you're still doing the 'black knight' game,
"Ronald speaks for Sandra, condescendingly and contemptuously"
It's sad that his main concern is whether Trump gets credit if the lives of D.C residents improve.
Chuck,
The National Guard should have been in large urban cities starting in 1970. You would never accept this level of violence in your affluent White Hood.
mccullough said...
"Chuck, what is an acceptable level of violent crime in DC?"
The acceptable level of violence in American blue cities is the amount that will keep the gangs of minority youth out of their white neighborhoods and killing each other. And keeping the law abiding minorities in constant fear. Thereby keeping them out of the white dominated suburbs.
Those of us here who post in good faith must come to realize that the majority of our usual suspects are racists. Believing that it is the fate of minorities to kill each other and stay out of their(leftist) way.
Oh. And billionaires.
Oh for fuck's sake, Ronald, break crime stats down by cities, not states. We all know what the truth looks like. And I bet I know what you look like.
Tina,
Break them down by neighborhoods.
Bad idea to use military for law enforcement. However, one of the worst things a government can do to its people is to refuse to enforce law and order.
Deploying the national guard to the district of Columbia is easier for the president because of the home rule etc. Why this isn't being done in other states? My guess is that the operation in DC is an experiment and if it works then Republican governors May act to deploy the national guard and some of their crime ridden cities.
I don't agree with this approach but I am not horrified by it. To me it makes a lot more sense for the US government to expand the federal Marshal service and to offer backup to State and local police forces to increase training and recruitment and to get more aggressive at combating the organized gangs and cities that run the drug and prostitution trade.
One thing folks might be forgetting is that if Trump is successful in doing this then all of the powers that he is accumulated for himself will then be wielded by the Democrats once they return the power and they will.
So, some Big City residents will praise Trump for sending the NG because they're sick of the crime. Will they vote new people into power in their cities? Oh no. They're aren't going to change who they vote for. That'd be crazy.
I'm all in favor of NG for DC because we have a lot tourists and out-of-towners. Plus, people who come from other parts of the country to serve in Congress or whatever. Then they go home.
Politically, its good for the R's since it highlights that the democrats love crime. But its not a long term fix. There is no long term fix in the Big Cities, other then demographic replacement. Or brain replacement.
Is it even neccessary to point out how fake all this D outrage over the NG? Biden had 20000 NG troops in DC for 3 months in 2021. Nobody said a word against it in 2021. I'm the only one who even brings it up now.
But y'know when Trump does it, its different. So tiresome.
well those were just potemkin soldiers, except for those that contracted covid,
Tourist return home to affirm USA fascinating fascist
For those bed-wtters criticisng Trump for what he's doing, citing real, potentional and even imaginary dangers: whachoo got that's any better?
I'm reminded of an old Simpsons episode, where Ned Flanders' permissive beatnik family went to a shrink to get advice about correcting Ned's bad behavior:
"You gotta help us Doc! We've tried nothing and we're all out of ideas!"
I dunno. I use Grok and Grok 3 without cost
I’m perfectly fine with acknowledging the fears of Federal troops in the streets and using this situation to create a new, effective campaign that recreates the successful crime suppression of the troops with local law enforcement.
And no, you don’t get to go back to the days of excusing rampant criminality and lack of firm law enforcement by claiming that what we need is more money to address the root causes of crime because we can’t incarcerate ourselves out of the problem.
You're right, Mccullough. Unfortunately, only Chicago has risen to the task of producing an active online network of hyper-local crime reporting, civilian (?) crime stat analysis, and commentary by anonymous police, former reporters, and ex-cop bloggers.
"The National Guard, like the police, can arrest and temporarily detain individuals."
They can detain and turn over to police but they cannot make arrests. And yes, there is a difference.
Bad idea to use military for law enforcement. However, one of the worst things a government can do to its people is to refuse to enforce law and order.
Not as bad as taxing the people to pay for a government that doesn't protect them. At that point, it is just thievery.
US violent crime is absurdly high by developed country standards. That muslim/african immigrant crime rate in some places in Europe thats so outrageous and unacceptable, that drives demands for drastic political change - that is still a fraction of "US normal". Murder rate (per 100,000, 2021-2023) in France - 1.335 Germany - .823 Sweden - 1.147 UK - 1.148
USA - 5.763
Why, rationally, should the US resist demands for drastic action on this problem?
"If action was truly needed, why wasn’t it taken years ago?"
US racial politics.
Howard: "One thing folks might be forgetting is that if Trump is successful in doing this then all of the powers that he is accumulated for himself will then be wielded by the Democrats once they return the power and they will."
Several other commenters have also brought this up.
The problem is that the Dems already had this power and already wielded it. The 2-tier lawfare against Trump and all his allies. Disbarring MAGA attorneys. The massive national guard presence at the Capitol for months after 1/6/2021. The selective use of Guard forces by Dem governors during the 2020 riots. Prosecuting the hell out of self-defenders while doing everything possible to keep career criminals on the streets. Using the IRS against the Tea Party. Refusing to act on a Congressional criminal referral of the President's Wingman.
The Dems have been exercising immense power for years, either actively, passively, or, mafia-like, by just sitting back and knowing that most of the career government thinks like them and doesn't even need to be told.
Trump has a long way to catch up.
Finally, as this is a law blog: Trump for the most part isn't getting new statutes passed. Therefore if courts approve his actions, under our system that means it always was the law. RR, JSM
Ocean: "There is no long term fix in the Big Cities, other then demographic replacement."
I will once again bring up my Postmodern Homestead concept and Janissary School initiative. Voluntary spreading out of disadvantaged urbanites. RR, JSM
Deserves to be bolded:
"Trump for the most part isn't getting new statutes passed. Therefore if courts approve his actions, under our system that means it always was the law."
Crime that occurs without a police report is not counted as crime. That's how crime stats can get fudged by police departments; crime report effort is simply ignored. Here in Chicago, 25% - 30% of 911 calls don't result in police response. No response whatsoever. No report. Caller has to say there's ongoing gunfire, casualties et al, to get response. Get mugged? Tough luck; no police report. Get burglarized? Tough luck, no police report unless you walk into station and demand one for your insurance claim. Chicago also has 311 number for nuisance calls; 30% of phone calls to 311 don't even get answered, per blogsite secondcitycopy@blogsite.com.
Then there's second crime stat issue, when and if charges are filed, the criminal charges are stepped-down to lesser charges. A violent crime, involving gunshots and blood, victim in hospital, criminal apprehended and arrested, and likely released on cashless bail within 24 hours, to disappear and fail to appear in court. Cook County reports more than 25% of cashless bail offenders never show-up for their court date. Why bother, our mayor, fondly known as "Conehead" (google), constantly admonishes his constituents to "not demonize our youth" and "not incarcerate our black men". Meanwhile preponderance of Chicago violent crime is "black on black", reflecting fact that liberal woke political beliefs are not entirely favorable for our black urban population of young men.
Sadly, the "cure" for Big City street crime, such as Murder Capital Chicago, is Singapore-style mandated civility when in public space and outdoors within earshot of public space. Mandated Ms Manners decorum. No tolerance for anti-social behavior unacceptable in 1960. Let's bring Ike back.
Japan uses "kobans", small neighborhood police stations open 24 hours a day, with a rotating staff of 3 to 10 officers. They're attached to larger police stations and strategically located in high-traffic areas such as railway stations. They are also found dotted around residential neighborhoods.
"Officers at koban handle various community policing activities including:
Crime response and neighborhood patrols
Providing directions
Lost and found services
Emergency assistance
Community safety monitoring" All per AI Claude
*****
Knowing police officers nearby gives locals a greater sense of security. Knowing police officers are nearby may discourage potential perps, even in packed urban areas.
Results: far less crime, faster response to emergencies, and a feeling the koban officers are part of the community.
What a concept!
Seager says: "I did not vote for Donald Trump. I did not. And I don't agree with a lot of things he's doing. But when he decided to bring in the National Guard and the, and the federal agencies, I was happy. First day it was announced, that same night, that I didn't hear gunshots, no shootings, and no stabbing. I saw one car come by and one person walking and that was it. People calm down...."
She won't vote for JD Vance in three years, either.
"Crime that occurs without a police report is not counted as crime. That's how crime stats can get fudged by police departments; crime report effort is simply ignored."
That was my experience after a home invasion robbery when the Sheriff's deputy told me he wasn't going to file a report or even write down my statement because I was wasting his time.
“Is it even neccessary to point out how fake all this D outrage over the NG? Biden had 20000 NG troops in DC for 3 months in 2021. Nobody said a word against it in 2021. I'm the only one who even brings it up now.”
Note that both Trump and the chief of the Capital Police repeatedly requested the DC NG, starting on 1/5, but they were blocked by Dem politicians (esp Speaker Pelosi and the DC Mayor) until everything was well under control and many of the protesters had left. Units got within a block or two of the Capital, in plenty of times, then ordered to stand down and not intervene. Then, hours later, with plenty of filming, were ordered to the capital, hours later to do anything.
Which is to say that their presence there, for months afterwards, was purely political theater.
A few people have passed many laws requiring reporting, police taking reports, and pursuing certain types of very serious crimes. We pass laws requiring certain types of investigation of evidence. We have passed laws requiring minimum manditory sentencing and recidivist sentencing. Every half-decade or so, we discover that these laws are just not being enforced. This is very rarely because of a decision made by a police officer, and when it is, there are very simple ways to go over that officer's head to the police executive (sheriff or chief's office) to insist on action, and no limit of reporters eager to smear the rare bad street cop.
Virtually all of the fault lies with police executives, and even moreso the DA and the judges. But it also lies with us: we don't fund nearly enough policing or courts or prisons to address virtually any crime. We don't demand action from the prosecutors or the courts. We're lazy and just blame police. Crime is just a spectator sport for most people, except the criminal lovers, whom we do not effectively oppose. Most on the right are little better than the left. Libertarians are worse than leftists as they vigorously discourage crime control from the Right; so-cons weepily sympathize with offenders far too much. Others lazily point at #metoo excesses as an excuse to avoid fixing our broken, pro-criminal system. Get off your ass and do something. AndrewV, go file that home invasion report. Jesus wept, what if your daughter had been home alone?
AndrewV,
Even more pertinent than Tina's comment is this question: where was your gun? Imagine putting up with the indignity of being defenseless in your own home...
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