I’m not saying they’re insincere.
But I do have my suspicions.
Over the last week, a series of Monroe County Democrats have called for an overturn of their party’s statewide criminal-justice reforms, echoing the campaign themes of the Republicans running against them in the November election.
What makes it interesting is the timing. The state legislature – which makes and can change state law – is out of session until next year. That means the Democrats’ newfound love of law and order will be six months old – and probably long forgotten – before the Assembly and Senate are actually in a position to make any changes.
Also interesting is that none of these Democrats – not the county executive, not anybody else – was saying any of these things a month ago, when the legislature was called into special session to address what the governor said was a public safety emergency.
So, when their support for fixing the damage their party had done might have made a difference, the Monroe County Democrats were silent. Now that the door of change is closed, and the season of campaigning has begun, however, they are new and passionate converts to the cause of law and order.
At issue are Democrat initiatives which have eliminated bail for some 90% of criminal offenses – creating a dangerous catch-and-release arrest system – as well as the gutting of parole restrictions, removing most penalties from juvenile crime, taking away restrictive confinement in jails and prisons, and making it harder for prosecutors to introduce evidence against criminal defendants.
It is all part of a years-long decriminalization of crime initiative that has combined with the defunding and vilification of police to render New York and its cities criminal hellholes. In Rochester alone the homicide tally is thundering toward a second consecutive highest-ever year.
After supporting or voting for every one of these poisonous policies and remaining silent as their resultant body count rose, the congressman, county executive, county legislators and City Council members have all now discovered the interests of victims and are calling for change.
I wonder what happened?
It wasn’t the bloodshed. That began two years ago. The combination of Democrat criminal-justice reform and the anti-police protests of 2020 has led to the deadliest 24 months in Rochester history, and not a single Democrat said a single word about it until about a week ago.
Maybe it was the polling.
In May, County Executive Adam Bello spent $33,500 on political polling. In June, Congressman Joe Morelle spent $38,500 on political polling. In July, they both reversed their long-standing positions and came out hard for law and order.
These are two guys who sat cross-legged in the middle of Main Street blocking traffic in a giant anti-police protest in the summer of 2020. These are two guys who have repeatedly and passionately defended the very Democrat gutting of the criminal-justice system they are now criticizing.
Huh.
Paul was converted by the Lord on the road to Damascus. Bello and Morelle were converted by the polls on the road to November.
And maybe they’re sincere.
Maybe something clicked in their minds which now allows them to see that their entire careers they have looked at this issue exactly backwards.
Or maybe they’re afraid they and their party are about to get their asses kicked. Maybe it has dawned on them that the people have a gag point for progressive bull crap.
So, all of a sudden, blue lives matter. All of a sudden, the cops aren’t a racist army of occupation All of a sudden, the Democrats have noticed the mayhem and sorrow their policies have fostered.
And we’re all going to pretend the Democrats who run this state not only know who their Rochester vassals are, but actually care about what they say and will shape state law accordingly.
Yeah, right.
I think this is all a stroke job. I think this is a local political establishment recognizing that it is on the wrong side of the people. I think this is a desperate false-flag operation intended to save a congressman and some state legislators their jobs. I think this is a cynical political ploy which presumes the voters are idiots waiting to be taken in by whatever lie party headquarters churns out.
And I don’t buy it.
If you were pro-criminal in the 2020, 2021 and 2022 legislative sessions – and Monroe County Democrats were – I’m not going to believe you’re anything different in the 2022 elections. Jesus said, By their fruits ye shall know them. And the fruits of the Democrat agenda are the dead sons and daughters of Rochester, slain in the streets and left defenseless by a system tipped in the favor of lawbreakers by the Democratic Party’s lust for progressive anarchy.