How You Can Tell It’s Election Season

As voters head into the November midterm elections, crime is one of the leading issues on their minds. Unprecedented levels of violence and disorder in urban areas mainly controlled by Democrat politicians have these voters nervous. I bring up Democrats because for nearly the last decade, it was high-profile Democrat politicians like Maxine Waters, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Ilan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Ayanna Pressley and Cora Bush who have led the charge in cop hatred and cop bashing. Even Joe Biden stood silently by. His silence was tacit approval. It was this cabal that led the chorus in calls for defunding the police and even abolishing the police, and it has had an impact.

Numerous law enforcement agencies have had their budgets slashed considerably. The LAPD, NYPD, Milwaukee, St. Louis and Chicago Police Departments all suffered millions, tens of millions and in the case of NYPD, a billion dollars in budget reductions, leading to personnel cuts. There is an indisputable correlation that the constant political bashing by these politicians has led to record-setting rises in violent crime in areas that they represent. In other words, the areas that rely on effective policing the most are suffering the most in terms of victimization. Poor people end up being a byproduct of this defunding movement. These are the people these same liberal Democrat elite politicians claim to represent. Really? If that is their version of compassion, then no thanks. They can keep it.

In Milwaukee and Chicago, children struck and killed by gunfire is up precipitously. Auto thefts in Milwaukee are at record levels. To a middle-class family, having their car stolen is not just a nonviolent property crime, it’s a big deal. They often don’t have a second car nor do their insurance policies include a replacement car until theirs is located and returned. A middle-class family’s car is used to take their kids to school, go to a doctor appointment and to the grocery store. Elites like those politicians previously mentioned don’t have to worry about their car being stolen. It’s no big deal, they arrogantly conclude.

Recently Democrat U.S. Rep. Cora Bush was driving in a car in Washington D.C., another area ravaged by violence, and it was struck by gunfire from an errant bullet. She freaked out, saying, “Any act of gun violence shakes your soul”. Oh really, Cori? This is the same woman who called for defunding the St. Louis Police Department, an area she represents. The St. Louis Police Department budget has been cut by $4 million, leading to the elimination of 98 police positions. She went on a CNN program and said she absolutely supports defunding police all the while spending a reported $70,000 for additional private security. When confronted about the expenditure on private security, she asked, “You would rather I die”? She went on to say that, “I have private security because my body is worth being on this planet.” Yes, folks, this is the arrogance of a Democrat elitist. Safety and security for me but not for thee.

People in these crime-ravaged communities endure this kind of random violence on a daily basis. In Milwaukee recently a 12-year-old girl was struck by a bullet in the chest and killed as she helped her mother unload groceries from their car. It was reported that her mother had previously complained to police about stolen cars in their neighborhood. Businesses in Milwaukee are beginning to complain that the crime, violence and disorder are making to hard for them to attract customers. That affects their bottom line. Customers are not going to frequent areas where crime is out of control. And another thing. These businesses employ people, so jobs are lost if they close or move.

So here is my point in setting this background. Most of these same cop-hating Democrat politicians are trying to make voters believe that they never supported defunding the police. I kid you not. They are hoping that voters are either stupid enough to believe them or will have a case of amnesia as they go to the polls to vote. One poll I saw said that 67% of voters going to the polls say that out-of-control crime is the top issue for them. In other words, crime is on the ballot. That is why Democrats are scrambling. They know it’s judgment day. A candidate for the U.S. Senate in Wisconsin, Mandela Barnes, who when in the state legislature supported defunding the police, now says that saying he did is a lie. Unfortunately for him, there is video and audio tape of him saying this. He still maintains he does not support defunding police. Yes, he does. What he means is now that it affects his statewide electability, he wants a do-over.

Here is my message to all these defund the police Democrats seeking election or re-election: You own this. You meant it. It worked. You are not running away from this. I won’t let you. There is ample evidence available of you supporting defunding efforts. All someone has to do is put your name and the words defund the police in a search engine and it populates with major news stories of you saying it. You need to be made to drag this around up to Election Day hung like an albatross around your neck. The Black candidates will try playing the race card to get me to take back what I just said because I referenced “hung around your neck”. Problem is that I am Black, and that dog won’t hunt this time. Not here anyway. It’s our turn now.

Sheriff David Clarke Jr. is former Sheriff of Milwaukee Co, Wisconsin, President of Americas Sheriff LLC, Board member of the Crime Research Center, author of the book Cop Under Fire: Beyond Hashtags of Race Crime and Politics for a Better America. To learn more visit www.americassheriff.com