The escalating crime rates in Illinois have sparked a heated debate on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," with panelists urging Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker to collaborate with President Donald Trump to curb the violence.
The call to action follows a surge in crime in Chicago, where the Labor Day weekend saw at least 54 people shot and seven fatalities, as reported by NBC 5 Chicago.
According to the Daily Caller, the show's host, Joe Scarborough, criticized Pritzker and Chicago's Democratic Mayor, Brandon Johnson, for their inaction in the face of the city's longstanding crime problem.
Scarborough suggested a radical approach, saying, "I actually think that J.B. Pritzker should do something radical. I think he should pick up the phone, call the President and say 'you know and I know you dont have the constitutional authority to deploy the National Guard here. But lets partner up. These are the most dangerous parts of my state, we would love to figure out how to have a partnership thats constitutional, that respects the sort of balance of federalism and lets work together to save lives.'"
Scarborough continued, expressing his frustration with the current state of affairs, saying, "Because right now this sort of hey, nothing to see here, moving along. No problem here. Hey Donald Trump, we dont need you and the mayor talking about were gonna protect peoples dignity in our city. Well, protect their lives, thats protecting their dignity."
Co-host Willie Geist echoed Scarborough's sentiments, highlighting that the current violence in Chicago is not an anomaly but a persistent issue. The Chicago Tribune reported that the city's homicide rate in 2021 reached a 25-year high, significantly surpassing figures from the previous decade. WTTW, a PBS affiliate, noted that apart from June 2014, no other June has recorded fewer than 40 murders in Chicago since 1970.
Mayor Johnson, during his appearance on "Morning Joe" on August 26, sidestepped the question of whether he would support an increased police presence in Chicago. Instead, he argued for more "affordable housing" and mental health services as a means to enhance the city's safety.
Both Pritzker and Johnson have vehemently opposed Trump's threats to deploy the National Guard in Chicago, arguing that such a move would violate the U.S. Constitution. During an August 25 press conference, they implored Trump not to intervene in Chicago's crime situation. Johnson further accused Trump of disseminating misinformation about Chicago's crime statistics on August 11, asserting that the National Guard's presence would only "undermine" public safety.
However, if Trump were to deploy the National Guard, he would be adopting a similar approach to the one used in Washington, D.C., which resulted in 1,669 arrests and 168 illegal firearm confiscations, as confirmed by Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Trump, during an August 22 Oval Office event, voiced his concern about the situation in Chicago, stating, "Chicago is a mess. You have an incompetent mayor, grossly incompetent, and well straighten that one out probably next, that will be our next one after this, and it wont even be tough. And the people in Chicago, Mr. Vice President, are screaming for us to come."
Contrary to the narrative that crime rates in Chicago are decreasing, many residents have expressed their fear and insecurity, indicating that they do not feel safe in their communities. This discord between the public sentiment and the official stance underscores the urgent need for effective measures to address the city's crime problem.
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