Given that not even the pundits and people paid to prognosticate got it right on the mid-terms, I’m hesitant to add amateur analysis to the mix. That said, I do have some thoughts about what yesterday’s elections mean for police and public safety, and where we go from here.
I’d love to hear your thoughts, even if you disagree with me. Our country is based on the embrace of thoughtful, passionate discourse - it’s the way we move forward and succeed. Let’s keep this civil though, please; there’s enough division and hatred in this country. Politics isn’t the world.
Some Good News
Governor Ron DeSantis, who is one of the (if not the) nation’s top defenders of law and order and police officers, won big in Florida. Take a look at the Combatting Violence, Disorder and Looting and Law Enforcement Protection Act he passed into law, and you’ll understand why I say this.
A key component of the law: Striking a police officer during a violent or disorderly assembly is punishable with a mandatory six-month jail sentence. This act not only aids in officer morale, but sends a message to would-be offenders not to abuse cops.
This piece of legislation should serve as a model for the country. Yet most candidates (including those who claim to support law enforcement) have largely been MIA.
Where’s the Disconnect?
Crime was purported to be a top issue this election cycle, yet pro-police and public safety candidates still garnered losses.
I’ve spoken to people deeply concerned about crime, yet who continue to vote for the very same candidates promising more of the same chaos.
Chicago, one of the great American cities (and my original hometown) is being crushed by crime. Yet it is Chicago that propelled Governor J.B. Pritzker into victory. Maybe voters aren’t aware that he signed the Illinois SAFE-T Act, which in part, ends cash bail, and goes into effect at the start of the year?
In Pennsylvania, John Fetterman won the U.S. senate even though he has supported policies that favor criminal offenders, including support of an overly-lenient district attorney and eliminating cash bail.
And New Yorkers (whose major city has experienced a crime surge) elected a governor who accused her opponent of “hyperventilating” about crime. Given the makeup of the New York legislature, I’m not sure how much progress Lee Zeldin would have made in eliminating the state’s disastrous bail “reform” law, but at the least he would have fired the Manhattan district attorney.
So where’s the disconnect? Why is it that people in some of the most crime-infested cities choose to vote for more of the same?
I think part of it is human nature - being comfortable with what you already know and fear of change. It also goes deeper than that.
With exceptions (like National Police Association and FOP), law enforcement organizations are not doing nearly enough on messaging. Even one of my state’s police unions couldn’t even muster up support for candidates who are clearly pro-police.
Why is this?
Additionally, candidates who previously empathized with anti-police sentiment had begun to pledge funding for police. Note: After these same people spent years demoralizing the police! Without pushback from police groups explaining that throwing money at a problem is not a solution, voters (especially those not tuned into politics or policing issues) likely took this to mean that these candidates support police.
Where We’re At in Wisconsin with Pro-Police Legislation
In my state of Wisconsin, Tony Evers will remain governor. To give you an idea of the type of politician he is, after an officer-involved incident that helped ignite the Kenosha riots, Evers had this to say.
“While we do not have all of the details yet, what we know for certain is that he is not the first Black man or person to have been shot or injured or mercilessly killed at the hands of individuals in law enforcement in our state or our country.”
More bad news.
I found two Wisconsin state senators interested in drafting law & order legislation that would, in part, make a prison sentence mandatory for anyone who strikes a police officer in certain situations. Similar to Florida’s law and order legislation.
I’m meeting with one of these senators in a couple weeks and have been working diligently to draft a proposal. Unless Evers has a change of heart, however, I just can’t see him signing this type of bill.
I had high hopes for this bill and what it would mean for our guardians, but it looks like it’s going nowhere. I’ll see what the senator I’m meeting with has to say and will keep you posted.
Politics Isn’t Everything
For my readers who are people of faith, I offer this.
Whether or not you believe in God, Patricia’s underlying message is spot on. Politics isn’t everything. Granted, politics is important in that the policies created impact our lives in very real ways - but it’s not the most important thing. How utterly sad that friendships, families, and marriages are being torn apart because of political differences. How did we get here?
Regardless of where each of us stands on the political spectrum, one thing is for sure: We have got to stop tearing each other down - it’s exhausting and destroying the country. We are after all, one nation, differences and all. Our nation’s founders argued and disagreed with ferocity, yet managed to craft one of our most important documents.
Regardless of how you voted yesterday, please know that you are most welcome here.
For the Blue is a solutions-based initiative. I’m just an American patriot asking questions. I don’t work with any political party and I answer to nobody. For me, the health of the nation, due process (including for police officers), the rule of law, and respect for individual liberties, will always transcend party affiliation. I welcome your thoughts, even if you disagree; though personal attacks will be ignored. You can reach me at fortheblue@substack.com.
Great article! Thank you for summing this up - as a lot of us had similar feelings.
I thought about this a lot today. All I can come up with is that tactically the GOP made two errors: 1) There are a lot of Conservative women who are pro-choice (my wife is one of them) and they are single issue voters until they have control of their own healthcare and 2) Nearly everyone that Trump endorsed - lost. Yes, a lot of us wish that Trump had won in 2020 but we are far more concerned with 2022/2024 than what happened 2 years ago, and he is living in the past. Trump's obsession with 2020 lost the GOP 2 Georgia Senate seats last time and w hole bunch more now. We need to move on. Make America Florida! But for those 2 things - Republicans would have really done well.
Crime is important on the federal and governor level - but realistically, day to day issues in policing has far more to do with local Sheriff's and Mayors/police chief's. There is nothing that the Republican governor of Tennessee can do to make the Democrat mayor of Memphis take crime more seriously.
Great article, love your emails.
My thoughts on why the GOP failed - corruption, uneducated voters, failure to focus their efforts in meaningful locations/races, limited opportunities to flip blue seats red because there weren't as many Democrats up for re-election and people voting for Democrats simply because they don't like Trump.