Trump Threatens to Invade...

[_Chap]

Boring things, facts.

But important, in a dull sort of way ...

Annual murder totals in Chicago by year

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_Chicago



Yup, it's getting worse and worse.

1981-1989 ... that was Reagan. He launches it on its way up ...
1989-1993 G.W. Bush, 1989-1993. And there it goes!!

1993-2001 .. that was Clinton. Well, waddyaknow? Down it came ...

Damn Democrats.

[_just me]

Boring things, facts.

But important, in a dull sort of way ...

Annual murder totals in Chicago by year

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_Chicago



Yup, it's getting worse and worse.

1981-1989 ... that was Reagan. He launches it on its way up ...
1989-1993 G.W. Bush, 1989-1993. And there it goes!!

1993-2001 .. that was Clinton. Well, waddyaknow? Down it came ...

Damn Democrats.

Is there a chart for all gun violence? I'd be interested in that, too.

[_Maksutov]

All kidding aside, what will fix Chicago's problems? What government program is left that hasn't been implemented yet that we can throw billions at to end this cycle of poverty, drugs and crime Chicago?

http://abc7chicago.com/archive/8973798/

January 30, 2013 (CHICAGO) -- Of Illinois' last seven governors, four have ended up in prison.
Rod Blagojevich was governor from 2002 to 2009. He was convicted of numerous corruption charges in 2011, including allegations that he tried to sell or trade President Barack Obama's old Senate seat. He is currently serving a 14-year sentence at a federal prison in Colorado.

Blagojevich was impeached on this date, January 30, four years ago.

Dan Walker, governor from 1973 through 1977, pleaded guilty to bank fraud and other charges in 1987 related to his business activities after leaving office. He spent about a year and a half in federal prison.

Otto Kerner, governor from 1961 through 1968, spent three years in prison after being convicted of bribery related charges.

[_Res Ipsa]

A couple of other facts for context. Chicago did experience a dramatic spike in murders last year. At this point, no one seems to have a good explanation for why. And, even with that spike, Chicago had only the eighth highest rate of murders among U.S. cities. And, even then, the rate has been far higher in the last few decades. https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/ch ... ecedented/

Right now, Chicago is experiencing something with respect to murder that is unique. It isn't the poster child for American cities. It deserves study and serious treatment, not silly tweets from our President.

[_MeDotOrg]

I would like you to imagine if in the first week of his Presidency, Obama had threatened to send Federal Troops into an American City. I doubt if Fox and Breitbart would have quite as sanguine.

So is this:

a. A thoughtful tweet that both succinctly captures the struggle of the Windy City citizens along with their aspirations, and promises a thoughtful and thorough resolution of the problem.

b. A chance to send American Troops into a major American city with no clearly defined purpose.

As to anyone clinging to the fantasy that 'the feds' doesn't mean troops, I don't think he's sending in the General Accounting Office.

[_EAllusion]

I don't think anyone posted it to this board, but the DoJ report on the Chicago PD was insane. It made Baltimore look like child's play, and that already was appalling.

It's hard to know to what extent the Chicago PD being prone to lawless behavior with poor accountability plays a role in the very recent surge in violent crime, but it could be a contributor. A national focus on racial disparities in policing and police immunity coupled with the Chicago PD being a burning dumpster fire might've inspired more people to feel Ok outside of the law, for example.

[_Res Ipsa]

I don't think anyone posted it to this board, but the DoJ report on the Chicago PD was insane. It made Baltimore look like child's play, and that already was appalling.

It's hard to know to what extent the Chicago PD being prone to lawless behavior with poor accountability plays a role in the very recent surge in violent crime, but it could be a contributor. A national focus on racial disparities in policing and police immunity coupled with the Chicago PD being a burning dumpster fire might've inspired more people to feel Ok outside of the law, for example.

Yeah, we haven't talked about it. The summary I read was pretty disturbing. But that's okay, Louisiana's fixed the problem of police abuses by making resisting arrest a felony hate crime. Good thing the police never falsely accuse a suspect of resisting arrest.

[_EAllusion]

I don't think anyone posted it to this board, but the DoJ report on the Chicago PD was insane. It made Baltimore look like child's play, and that already was appalling.

It's hard to know to what extent the Chicago PD being prone to lawless behavior with poor accountability plays a role in the very recent surge in violent crime, but it could be a contributor. A national focus on racial disparities in policing and police immunity coupled with the Chicago PD being a burning dumpster fire might've inspired more people to feel Ok outside of the law, for example.

Yeah, we haven't talked about it. The summary I read was pretty disturbing. But that's okay, Louisiana's fixed the problem of police abuses by making resisting arrest a felony hate crime. Good thing the police never falsely accuse a suspect of resisting arrest.

It's about 160 pages. I read it in my spare time like a novel. The summaries of it capture the big picture. The Chicago PD are poorly trained, lack accountability, are institutionally corrupt, have a widespread racism problem, and routinely use excessive force up to and including killing people with impunity. All to a degree that is sickening.

That didn't start in 2016 obviously. But it's entirely possible that the national focus on police protests combined with the state of the Chicago PD produced a change in citizen behavior at the margins. Maybe not, but it's a viable idea.

It's not the worst thing from the report by any means, but the thing I read that really captured my imagination was this:

We were told by many community members that one method by which CPD will try to get individuals to provide information about crime or guns is by picking them up and driving them around while asking for information about gangs or guns. When individuals do not talk, officers will drop them off in dangerous areas or gang territories. We reviewed a publicly available video that appears to capture one instance of an officer displaying a youth in police custody to a group of individuals gathered in a rival gang territory. The video shows CPD officers standing around a marked CPD vehicle with the back doors wide open and a young male detained in the rear. Officers permit a crowd of male youths to surround the car and shout at the adolescent. The crowd can be seen flashing hand gestures that look like gang signs and threatening the cowering teenager in the backseat. One of the males in the crowd appears to have freely recorded the interactions all while CPD officers stood beside the open vehicle doors. The video does not show any legitimate law enforcement purpose in allowing the youth to be threatened. Residents told us that this has happened for years, with several individuals recounting their personal experiences. A young black man told us that when he was 12 or 13 years old, he and his friends were picked up by CPD officers, dropped off in rival territory, and told to walk home. Another black teen told us that his brother was picked up in one location, dropped off in another location known for rival gangs, and told: “Better get to running.”

That's straight out of The Shield.

[_Jersey Girl]

Chicago?????

If Chicago doesn't fix the horrible "carnage" going on, 228 shootings in 2017 with 42 killings (up 24% from 2016), I will send in the Feds!

I saw that! I also read (I can look for it if you want) that the Chicago mayor or police chief or whomever, WANT federal help to solve their issues. But yeah, doesn't it strike you as Trump going cowboy?

I'll try to find a link for what I stated above.

Okay, here's a link. I had to click on another heading so I don't know if this is going to work.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017 ... /97045356/

Excerpt:

CHICAGO — In the face of scathing criticism and threats of a federal intervention from President Trump, Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Wednesday he would welcome greater federal involvement – and dollars – to help solve Chicago’s surge in violence.

Emanuel’s comments came a day after Trump warned that if Chicago does not stem the violence that has plagued the city, he stands ready to call for federal intervention.

“Chicago, like other cities that are dealing with gun violence, want to partner with federal law enforcement entities in a more significant way than we are today—whether that’s the FBI, the DEA, and the ATF,” Emanuel said. “I still firmly believe that part of that solution is resources to police and resources that can come in technology and that space. Over the years, the federal government when it comes to after school (programs), summer jobs and investment in kids has walked away, while we’ve had to step up and take responsibility.”

Personally, I don't care if Trump IS going to cowboy his way into Chicago, I'd really like to see the tide turn for this city.

[_Res Ipsa]

I absolutely believe they want help. But I don't think saying "Don't make me turn this car around" is helping. And I'm not holding my breath that the GOP Congress is going to send more money. Based on the DOJ report, the police force needs a major overhaul. But that takes $$$ too.

Whatever the cause is of the recent spike in murders, I hope they can figure it out and get it under control soon. On the other hand, overheated rhetoric like the President used today is, in my opinion, counterproductive. From his ABC interview:

DAVID MUIR: Mr. Trump, let's talk about many of the things that have happened this week. Chicago. Last night you tweeted about the murder rate in Chicago saying, "If Chicago doesn't fix the horrible carnage going on I will send in the feds."

PRESIDENT Trump: Right.

DAVID MUIR: You will send in the feds? What do you mean by that?

PRESIDENT Trump: It's carnage. You know, in my speech I got tremendous -- from certain people the word carnage. It is carnage. It's horrible carnage. This is Afghanistan -- is not like what's happening in Chicago. People are being shot left and right. Thousands of people over a period -- over a short period of time.

This year, which has just started, is worse than last year, which was a catastrophe. They're not doing the job. Now if they want help, I would love to help them. I will send in what we have to send in. Maybe they're not gonna have to be so politically correct. Maybe they're being overly political correct. Maybe there's something going on. But you can't have those killings going on in Chicago. Chicago is like a war zone. Chicago is worse than some of the people that you report in some of the places that you report about every night ...

DAVID MUIR: So, I will send ...

PRESIDENT Trump: ... in the Middle East.

DAVID MUIR: ... you mentioned federal assistance. There's federal assistance and then there's sending in the feds. I'm just curious would you take action on your own?

PRESIDENT Trump: I want them to fix the problem. You can't have thousands of people being shot in a city, in a country that I happen to be president of. Maybe it's okay if somebody else is president. I want them to fix the problem. They have a problem that's very easily fixable.

They're gonna have to get tougher and stronger and smarter. But they gotta fix the problem. I don't want to have thousands of people shot in a city where essentially I'm the president. I love Chicago. I know Chicago. And Chicago is a great city, can be a great city.

DAVID MUIR: And if they’re unable to fix it?

(OVERTALK)

PRESIDENT Trump: It can't be a great city. Excuse me. It can't be a great city if people are shot walking down the street for a loaf of bread. Can't be a great city.

DAVID MUIR: And if they are unable to fix it, that's when you would send in the feds?

(OVERTALK)

PRESIDENT Trump: But so far they have been unable. It’s been going on for years. And I wasn't president. So, look, when President Obama was there two weeks ago making a speech, very nice speech. Two people were shot and killed during his speech. You can't have that.

DAVID MUIR: Let me ask ...

PRESIDENT Trump: They weren't shot at the speech. But they were shot in the city of Chicago during his speech. What -- what's going on? So, all I'm saying is to the mayor who came up to my office recently -- I say, "You have to smarten up and you have to toughen up because you can't let that happen. That's a war zone."

DAVID MUIR: So, this is an "or else." This is a warning?

PRESIDENT Trump: I want them to straighten out the problem. It's a big problem.