(Daily Caller)—While crime rates may be going down around the country – if you believe the FBI’s latest crime statistics, anyway – in the nation’s capital, crime continues to rise.
The city is on pace to record the highest number of murders since George W. Bush’s first term, and carjackings are skyrocketing. It’s the soft-on-crime policies promulgated by the District of Columbia government that’s responsible for this crime wave, and everyone knows it.
What can be done to restore law and order?
A comparison of crime in the District of Columbia in 2023 versus crime in D.C. just a year earlier is instructive. In 2022, there were 182 homicides; as of Nov. 15, 2023, there were 243 homicides, representing a 34% increase.
In 2022, there were 1,839 robberies; so far in 2023 there have been 3,075, a 67% increase.
In 2022, there were 3,109 motor vehicle thefts, compared to 6,142 in 2023, a 98% increase. And while there were 485 carjackings in all of 2022, as of October 3, 2023, there were already 753 carjackings, a 55% increase.
Statistics can be dry. Sometimes stories can convey the truth with more impact.
Late one evening just a few days ago, a federal agent fired at three people seen breaking into a car parked outside a home in Georgetown, one of the more expensive neighborhoods in the nation’s capital. Federal agents don’t regularly fire their weapons to prevent crimes like auto theft – in fact, Department of Homeland Security guidelines prevent agents from firing warning shots or shooting at a moving vehicle in an attempt to stop someone fleeing the scene of a crime, even when the automobile in question is owned by the federal government, as this one was. (In fact, in this case, the vehicle was part of the Secret Service protective detail assigned to guard President Biden’s granddaughter, Naomi Biden.)
An unoccupied vehicle outside the president’s granddaughter’s home isn’t the only vehicle attached to a prominent Democrat politician to be the object of a crime in the nation’s capital, though. Last month, Texas Democrat Congressman Henry Cuellar was carjacked outside his apartment building in Washington’s Navy Yard neighborhood, an upscale residential area revitalized by the construction of Nationals Park, ballfield of the city’s MLB franchise. (Cuellar was unharmed, and his car was found a day later a few miles away.)
Ideas have consequences; so do actions, even if it sometimes takes time for the effects to become evident. In this case, the District of Columbia Council took actions that sent clear signals about crime, and the consequences have become evident.
First, in the summer of 2020, in the wake of the George Floyd demonstrations, the council voted to defund the police by cutting the police budget. Last year, the council enacted the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Act, which heightened scrutiny on police officers and made it easier to fire them – an anti-police law so bad that majorities in both houses of Congress tried to overturn it.
Then, in November of 2022, the council voted to “modernize” the city’s Criminal Code. That “modernization” (read: “softening”) eliminated virtually all of the code’s mandatory minimum sentencing requirements for violent crimes, even as it drastically reduced maximum penalties available to the courts.
Moreover, the revisions established the right to a jury trial for most misdemeanor offenses, which would have overloaded an already crowded court system and reduced the resources devoted to prosecuting the more serious felony cases.
Even D.C.’s exceedingly progressive mayor, Muriel Bowser, was aghast. She vetoed the bill, but the council overrode her veto.
Not surprisingly, with an underfunded, handcuffed police force and the softening of the penalties attached to serious crimes, crime spiked. See statistics above.
Enter the U.S. Congress, which resides in the nation’s capital and has a stake in the matter – in fact, Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution grants Congress the power “to exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever” over the capital city. Despite the fact that Democrats control the Senate, and might have been expected to run political cover for the all-Democrat D.C. city government, both houses of Congress passed legislation overturning the criminal code revisions promulgated by the D.C. Council – and on March 20, 2023, President Joe Biden signed that overturning into law.
But the crime rate still soared. Apparently, criminals believe the mood in D.C. is still “soft on crime,” despite what the president and the Congress did to reverse the softening of the city’s criminal penalties.
So now the Congress is considering an even tougher action – three Republican Congressmen have introduced H.R. 5195, the Seat of Government Act. The new bill would repeal the 1973 D.C. Home Rule Act, which created the District’s current government, and would, thereby, return full control of city government functions to the Congress.
With a Democrat in the White House and a Senate controlled by Democrats, it’s hard to see how that bill could successfully run the traps and become law.
Of course, that’s what the soft-on-crime crowd at D.C. City Hall probably thought about that bill the president signed back in March, too.
Sound off about this story on The Liberty Daily Substack.
Jenny Beth Martin is Honorary Chairman of Tea Party Patriots Action.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
