Want to Suppress Crime? Start With Rochester, NY | The American Spectator

President Trump has received a lot of pushback for his use of the military to suppress crime in deep blue cities such as Los Angeles and Washington. Despite the fact that Trump’s efforts have had an impact, the pushback from extreme progressive politicians such as Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has been portrayed as a “resistance” to the “Fascist” Trump; what they are advocating is nothing less than insurrection.

I have said that in The American Spectator before. Insurrection is an act of war; to suppress it, Trump needs to take a page from the great military theorist Carl von Clausewitz, who defined winning in war as imposing your will on your opponent. Merely sending National Guard troops or even Marines to patrol the streets is like applying a gauze bandage to a sucking chest wound. That may staunch the bleeding, but it will take surgery to solve the real problem. (RELATED: Sanctuary Cities Are in Insurrection)

Before Trump takes on a huge problem like Chicago or New Orleans, he should try to operate on a more manageable problem, such as Rochester, New York. It is a much smaller city, but one with similar challenges. Rochester is perhaps more in a state of insurrection than even Chicago. Let’s examine the situation in the last few weeks. If what follows does not constitute insurrection — an act or instance of revolting against a civil authority or an established government — I don’t know what does:

• The city council doubled down on its federally illegal, decades-old sanctuary city status to include LGBQT+ individuals. This is despite the fact that the Feds are not going after these folks, except for pedophiles in their midst.
• A recent ICE raid to detain illegal aliens was broken up by a mob of protesters, and a federal vehicle had its tires slashed. Local police could not assist the Feds for fear of losing their jobs. This, despite the fact that several of the city’s most heinous crimes were committed by illegals.
• Two postmen were recently robbed in broad daylight due to a lack of police presence in the city’s most crime-infested neighborhoods.
• Despite the mayor’s declaration of a state of emergency, the murder rate still exceeds the national average. The on-paper crime statistics have gone down because people have stopped reporting car thefts and vandalism. Even when they are solved, most perpetrators are let loose without bail. Most of the crimes are committed by juveniles who are coddled in a catch-and-release cycle that would not be tolerated in any well-run community

If the Trump administration wants to get control of Rochester’s crime rate, it should declare the city to be in a state of insurrection and impose martial law. The city council — including the mayor — would be placed in federal custody until they agree not to interfere with the enforcement of federal law. New York’s ridiculously lenient bail laws should be suspended, with federal prosecutors and judges brought in to restore the rule of law. Lessons learned there could be applied in larger places such as Chicago, Detroit, Memphis, and New Orleans. (RELATED: Trump’s National Guard Deployment and the Art of the 80-20 Issue)

I have said in this publication that I don’t believe military power would be needed to enforce the federal takeover in Rochester. With the police department under federal control, I believe that the local police would be more than happy to enforce the law properly. I keep in touch with a number of retired and active duty cops, and they are appalled at what has happened to a once proud city. (RELATED: Sedition in Rochester, New York)

The National Guard and the military should only be used in the case of rioting. I don’t think that will happen. Seeing what passes for the city fathers in orange jump suits will likely convince the worst of the city’s thugs — some of whom hold city office — that inciting civil disturbances would be a mistake.

What is the end goal here? Martial Law would be lifted if the city council members agree to drop the sanctuary city status and allow local cops and prosecutors to enforce all laws, not just the ones they agree with. That is the imposition of will on the part of the federal government. The lessons learned from Rochester could then be applied to cities like Chicago. Hopefully, the word would get around. Brandon Johnson and JB Pritzker would be much less inclined to actively resist the rule of law. The Constitution gives state and local government a lot of power, but people like Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee found out that open defiance of constitutional federal authority goes too far.

Trump has made a good start, but much tougher measures are needed. There are blue-run cities with worse crime and problems with illegals, but Rochester’s civic leaders are more blatantly defiant in their opposition to law and order than most. They would make a good example for the rest.