Chicago Cries Out for Safety

November 7, 2023 By E.J. Smith - Your Survival Guy

By Rex Wholster @ Shutterstock.com

The Chicago Tribune is begging the city’s new mayor, Brandon Johnson, for help with its crisis of crime. The editors of the paper remind Mayor Johnson that “There is no more important job for a big-city mayor than public safety.” They write:

Progressive politicians in recent years seem to have lost sight of that. We’ve heard plenty of brusque dismissals of traditional anti-crime methods. And lots of talk about focusing instead on the root causes of crime.

Chicagoans, are beginning to lose patience.

In West Town and Logan Square last week, a coalition of 10 community groups called on Mayor Brandon Johnson and police Superintendent Larry Snelling to crack down on armed robberies and carjackings plaguing the area over the summer and into the fall. They called, among other things, for Johnson and Snelling to meet with residents.

No commitment so far. Asked about it, Johnson told Block Club that “There’s work to be done.” He went on, then, to say, “We’re going to continue to work with the Police Department and the full force of government to address this dynamic, just like we’re addressing every single other dynamic in the city of Chicago.”

And therein lies a key part of the problem. Mr. Mayor, this isn’t a “dynamic” akin to “every single other dynamic.” It’s not a second-tier issue.

Johnson’s budget adds modestly to investment in more cops, and he’s called consistently for more detectives to try to improve Chicago’s woeful clearance rate on the most serious crimes. Homicides are down year-over-year, which is modestly good news. They remain way too high.

But what’s afflicting the public now is rampant armed theft, making it increasingly unsafe to walk neighborhood streets. Robberies are up a mind-boggling 57% so far this year. Many of those are armed robberies.

No, Mr. Mayor, this isn’t just another headache you must cope with while zealously pursuing your agenda of hiking taxes to fund more social programs. This is the job. It may not be the job you would prefer to do, but there isn’t anything more important on your plate.

Action Line: Americans want safe neighborhoods and steady tax rates. Johnson isn’t giving the people of Chicago either one. If you live in a troubled city like Chicago, maybe it’s time to look for a better America. Start your search with Your Survival Guy’s 2023 Super States. Then click here to subscribe to my free monthly Survive & Thrive letter, and be among the first to receive updates to my Super States map.

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E.J. Smith - Your Survival Guy

E.J. Smith is Founder of YourSurvivalGuy.com, Managing Director at Richard C. Young & Co., Ltd., a Managing Editor of Richardcyoung.com, and Editor-in-Chief of Youngresearch.com. His focus at all times is on preparing clients and readers for “Times Like These.” E.J. graduated from Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, with a B.S. in finance and investments. In 1995, E.J. began his investment career at Fidelity Investments in Boston before joining Richard C. Young & Co., Ltd. in 1998. E.J. has trained at Sig Sauer Academy in Epping, NH. His first drum set was a 5-piece Slingerland with Zildjians. He grew-up worshiping Neil Peart (RIP) of the band Rush, and loves the song Tom Sawyer—the name of his family’s boat, a Grady-White Canyon 306. He grew up in Mattapoisett, MA, an idyllic small town on the water near Cape Cod. He spends time in Newport, RI and Bartlett, NH—both as far away from Wall Street as one could mentally get. The Newport office is on a quiet, tree lined street not far from the harbor and the log cabin in Bartlett, NH, the “Live Free or Die” state, sits on the edge of the White Mountain National Forest. He enjoys spending time in Key West (RIP JB) and Paris. Please get in touch with E.J. at ejsmith@yoursurvivalguy.com To sign up for my free monthly Survive & Thrive letter, click here.

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