When New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced a few days ago that she would be deploying 1000 members of the National Guard and State police to perform bag checks throughout the New York City subway system, people were perplexed. The theory goes if the Democrats really wanted to make people safer, they would arrest people who commit crimes and put them in jail, and not for five minutes. What a concept!
But, no. The Democrats aren’t serious about stopping crime, but they are experts at gaslighting and distractions. Immediately, critics saw this for what it is – Security Theatre during an election year. Hochul herself confirmed this during an interview on MSNBC saying, “I’m going to demonstrate that Democrats fight crime as well. This narrative that Republicans have said and hijacked the story that we’re soft on crime, that we defund the police — no.”
Talk about the compulsion to confess! There she is on national television, crowing about how this is a partisan demonstration to restore belief in a false Democrat narrative that everything is just fine, and they haven’t decimated police departments in blue cities, especially New York. But if that’s the case, why is she deploying armed troops into the subway?
The situation itself is absurd—a state play-acting that they’re tough on crime by sending the National Guard into the transportation system with no real power to do anything at all. People can decline to have their bag searched and if so, Hochul says they can’t ride the subway. Really? And exactly how will that be enforced? Does she mean for the presence of the National Guard to simply be a deterrent? Possibly. But that’s a dangerous game for a city where a mob of illegal aliens felt free to attack New York City police officers in Times Square.
There are more rational things the state and city could do—like have the transit cops actually ride on the trains, ticket, and arrest bad people who do bad things. Or end the “no bail” rules that allow, and ergo encourage, criminals to keep on victimizing people and society itself.
But adding more transit cops would cost money; money needed for a super-important new NYPD team with which the city cannot live without– the new NYPD Dance Squad. With priorities like this, people can stop wondering why everything is in such disarray.
One could get caught up in the Orwellian nature of the abject malignant stupidity exhibited by our betters, but there’s something very important revealed by this the deployment of the military to re-establish law and order. In 2020, you might recall an opinion piece published by the New York Times by Senator Tom Cotton titled, “Send in the Troops,” wherein he rationally advocated for the use of the military to quell the “orgy of violence,” including the shooting of police officers, murder, arson, and looting, among other heinous acts of violence unfolding in blue cities throughout that summer of 2020.
Mara Gay, an editorial board member of the paper, tweeted at the time, “Running this puts black people in danger. And other Americans standing for our humanity and democracy, too. @nytimes.” Other staffers joined her condemnation, and the paper surrendered whining that the piece “fell short of our standard and should not have been published.” Two well-respected members of the opinion section were then pushed out of their jobs.
Then lo and behold, fast forward to this week of March 2024, when the same Mara Gay and the same New York Times issued an editorial piece embracing Hochul’s mandate of sending the National Guard into the New York subway ostensibly to stop crime.
This week Gay heaped approval on Hochul’s plan to use the military to deal with urban crime. She wrote, “New York City cannot function without a thriving subway…ensuring that the system not only is safe but feels safe is paramount,” noting that Hochul’s decision was “the right one.” In her genuflection to the genius of using the National Guard in this fashion she noted that if this, “can provide even some psychological comfort, nudging additional riders back to the subways, it could help the system become safer.”
From condemning the use of the military to intervene when civilians and police officers were being murdered, businesses destroyed, and the social fabric was being shredded is now okay with deploying the military in a domestic role when it might get “riders back to the subway.” This should tell you everything you need to know about the left and their loudest evangelists.
It’s funny what an election year does to the left when poll numbers offer up the stark reality that Americans are sick and tired of the left’s putrid scheme to pit us against each other while drowning us in a sea of chronic fear. The astonishing poll numbers are so bad, that even the Democrats can’t ignore the fact that their strategy has backfired. Spectacularly.
The only silver lining for us is Joe Biden and his team of marionettists actually did unite Americans as we all watched in disbelief and repulsion as we reject what they are doing to our nation.
Despite the left’s little gaslighting dance, remember their commitment to chronic fear and division remains. There is something quite ghoulish about having facilitated a collapse of law and order through direct policy decisions, knee-capping law enforcement, while essentially ending criminal incarceration and punishment, only to declare that you are going to save the day by sending in the military…as window dressing.
While it seems like a general schizophrenic episode displayed by politicians and the media, the fact is there is a method to this madness. It reveals the fact that they understand what they’ve done, they know it has made our lives worse, that Americans don’t like it, and they need to pretend that they’re doing something about it. But it also provides a glimpse into the decayed mentality that remains committed to a policy of creating and maintaining fear and social chaos simply for the sake of it, and for the power they imagine it will guarantee them.
Normally, November is just a lovely Fall month. But for our country, we now recognize November 2024 provides a unique opportunity for the decent to say enough is enough.
Tammy Bruce, an Independent Conservative, has traversed a unique political journey that reflects her commitment to principles rather than party affiliations. She joined Fox News in 2005 as a Political Contributor, hosting her show “Get Tammy Bruce” on Fox Nation and providing insightful commentary on various issues for the Association for Mature Americans (AMAC).
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AMAC or AMAC Action.
Funny how the “optics” of Trump using the national Guard during the 2020 riots was so racist but now that Biden has overrun our country with illegals and taken over NYC, suddenly the optics are okay. Nothing to see here folks, move along. It’s gonna be a bumpy ride til the election.
FJB
Trump 2024
Streets and the subway are overrun with criminals but bags are checked by the national guard Logic of a female leftist
It was interesting that the Palestine hamas rioters were surrounding the Capitol during Biden’s SOTU address. Biden was held up and late for the address because of them. They interfered with a Constitutional Congressional legal preceding but nothing was done to them, unlike the J6 protestors. And there were no National Guard troops there!
This is right out of the playbook…allow violence and crime to increase to the extent that the populace will welcome the sight of military troops on our streets (or under them) for our protection.
In 2009, I was visiting New York. My family and I were on a hop-on-hop-off tour bus. As the tour guide was pointing out landmarks and explaining the history of the city, the tour guide also gave praise to Giuliani for cleaning the city up both of garbage and crime. It’s stunning that the voters of New York allowed the city to deteriorate. I will not be visiting New York City for the time being.
We need another Rudy Giuliani in NY. That is when we had law and order there. They are trying to destroy those who have made our country safer and stronger. This is just a show of force to the American people that we can search you without a warrant while the criminals go about freely. This is so they can create chaos and they can then create martial law. It is all about normalizing, the National Guard so we will be used to it when they inflict there will against us.
What a waste of resources. Only an incompetent fool Gov would deploy National Guard to check bags. Instead of re-funding NYPD who is more than capable. Just a show to look like she’s doing something to help Dems
Being born in NYC I follow what goes on there. My parents and many others did the white flight years ago because of black crime. Today when I see on the TV news victims being assaulted, robbed, thrown onto the tracks, etc all I see are blacks committing the crimes. I watched the National Guard on TV down in the subways and they were bothering all whites, businesspeople, all who just wanted to get to work or home. Didn’t see anyone wearing a hoodie or thug type getting harassed. New Yorkers brought this on themselves by being stupid for voting democrats into office year after year.
How often does a person get caught while having whatever they carry deemed illegal and found by a search? How often are assaults perpetrated without weapons? Having “guards” at the entrance but nobody patrolling the subway cars makes no sense, except, of course, if an election is coming up.
Politicians have to promise whatever the citizens clamor for, and personal safety is at the top of the list. The governor chose a high-profile way to show the world she is taking action, but is it legal? New York had “Stop and Frisk” laws, later determined to be unconstitutional because the searches were arbitrary, and violated the 4th Amendment.
The governor says that if you refuse to be searched, you can’t ride the subway. That is public transportation, and nobody should have to give up their right to use it unless they committed a crime.
The Great City and state of NY.; how Wonderful it is to serve as a Sanctuary Wonderland. How proud you must be, to allow the Wonderful violence, peaceful civilians being assaulted, physically abused, Your Police being unable to enfore the Law. Wonderful Wonderland of Disgrace. How many police officiers guard your home there Gov.
Ms Bruce is right on target. But, I’m afraid we are back on the trajectory of the last mid terms. Until the electorate wakes up we are going to have another four years of the same.
Troops on the subway, Airports next, Just like any place in the third world.
But wait! Joke Biden said in his SOTU that crime is down. Whaaaa? Say it isn’t so!
Hochul politician is a business sense moron. Gross misappropriation once again, spending additional millions that was done in Giuliani’s everyday budget.
Tammy you can’t be fooled. I thought this right away. It is all a campaign ploy. And Hochul is so dumb she even has to tell wat her plan is. The dems lie, mandate, scream at the rest of Americans and nothing is their fault. And if this doesn’t work out Trump will be blamed. Today someone said they would love it if Michael became president. Where are their brains. Just because she is a woman? Watch out not all women are equal to the task. Check out their agenda and who is backing them? Destruction of America is part of Michael’s platform.
Bring back MTA Transit police they did a better job than the NYPD.
Isn’t that also illegal having national guard searching bags?
Wait a second! National Guard are stopping people and searching there bags but only by consent.Let’s see are they stationed in Afghanistan, Iraq?Who’s going to tell an armed solider (with a M-16) to f off?How is New York city Totalitarian Democrat Party comrade’s able to suspend your constitutional rights.What happened to your right to be secure in your person and papers, unreasonable searches and detainment or obstruction.I thought New York stop doing the stop and search BS. But now it’s being done by the national guard so it’s ok?Hay isn’t this how the brown shirt’s of NAZI germany got there start?Wake up New York State and city, especially minorities because in the end you are the one’s the Totalitarian Democrat Party comrades are there to enslave or kill.
The left lost their collective minds when President Trump intended to employ the Guard units to address the illegal alien problem.
Now, Hochul, another racist hypocrite, creating the leftist illusion that she’s trying to do “everything in her power” to fix the problem she’s responsible for helping to create … at the expense of the taxpayers and the Guard members. What do you suppose they’ll really have those troops doing? Picking up after all the illegals’ trash and filth and giving the impression of appeasing?
Cant rehire the MTA Police & send NG elsewhere??
I am retired a NYPD officer and remember when we had Rudy Giuliani become mayor. Regardless of your opinion of Giuliani, his directives cleaned up the city by use of the law. He treated the police officers that helped him get elected, and did the actual heavy work, terribly, even giving them an unheard of 0% raise for two years in a row on an expired contract. After that he demanded “give backs” for any raises. All this for the very officers that returned NYC to a safe and beautiful place. So this is not a glowing Giuliani piece. People that moved out of the city, moved back to the city. Businesses and jobs returned and real estate flourished. Even the dreaded subway system became much safer. Crime went to down to early 1960’s numbers, everything was great. Then, Mike Bloomberg came in and things were sort of the status quo. He knew that to keep business and money flowing into the city, you needed people to feel safe. NYC had approximately 20 years of good leadership between Giuliani and Bloomberg and the city was still in good shape. THEN, the train wreck named Bill De Blasio (Real name – Warren Wilhelm Jr) somehow was elected mayor. All he did was divide and destroy and he single handedly undid all of the hard work that was done for 20 years prior to him taking office. He handcuffed the police and let criminals go. He race baited just about everyone and did everything he could to destroy NYC. Now, the mayor of the city is a former NYPD police officer (Captain?) and he has followed the liberal ideology and now has NYC overrun with illegals and crime, some of them even living in the old NYPD Police Academy. They have a former NYPD captain as mayor, yet the crime rate is through the roof.?.? Liberalism is a disease and too many people are blind sheep that simply vote along party lines. Maybe, they should go back to 1994 and see what actually “fixed” the city. If the Stock Market ever leaves NYC, the city will crumble. With the ease of working online and from home, the big bankers probably don’t need to be in NYC anymore. There has to be a sweetheart deals going on to keep them in the City. Even then, if crime and illegals continue to wreak havoc on the city, they too will leave. Then you will see the end of what once was the greatest city in the world. R.I.P. NYC
Mik, The voters didnt vote these people in office; the city for sure. They are part of the Deep State, Rogue, Cheating, Voter fraud mobsters. Dont blame the citizens
Disagree with start of this article, how can you say that the Democrats are serious about stopping crime. That statement is ridiculous & I do not care if you are a Republican or Democrat, why would you want yourself or your grandmother beat up in the subways. Quit with the finger pointing & stop crime everywhere by supporting the police.
If Gov. Hochul really wanted to do something useful with the National Guard, she could send them to the southern border to assist the Border Patrol in controlling the flow of illegal (yes, illegal, not undocumented) immigrants coming into this country. But Hochul hasn’t done much useful since she took office, so why should she start now.
Reminds me of Shore Patrol duty where pairs patrolled to visit bars armed with arm band, web belt and night stick. Care to guess how drunken brawls worked out?
Having the National guard in the subways will do NOTHING to solve the crime problem unless and until the following things are done as well:
!. fire prosecutors such as Alvin Bragg who refuse to enforce the law as written and punish criminals to the fullest extent of law and replace them with prosecutors who are serious about enforcing the laws on the books. and
2. Repeal the bail reform law or at the very least give judges the discretion to consider whether the defendant is a danger to the community when setting bail.
Call the Avengers… Im sure they aren’t busy.
Good article. God bless you Tammy Bruce.
NYC had stop and frisk on place.
Live in New York, get out as soon as possible but leave all of your Liberal baggage behind or you will destroy what you are trying to leave.
ATTENTION!!!
I KNOW I’M IN THERE !!! IF I DON’T COME OUT WITH MY HANDS UP, I’M COMING IN AFTER ME !!!
My idea: Announce a new policy: 1) one dog, one handler on anonymous patrol between the hours of 9 PM and 3 AM between the following stations: 2) Armed officers will be on random patrol at random hours.