PARTY-GOERS.
♪
MIKE: JOINING US NOW FOR
REACTION TO SOME OF OUR TOP
STORIES, WE’LL BRING IN OUR
PANEL, FORMER WISCONSIN GOP
CONGRESSMAN SEAN DUFFY AND TALK
RADIO SHOW HOST ARNIE AROUNDSON.
PANELISTS, WELCOME.
>> HI, MIKE.
>> THANK YOU.
MIKE: CRIME HAS REALLY SPIKED IN
SOME PROMINENT AMERICAN CITIES.
PORTLAND, LOS ANGELES COUNTY,
MINNEAPOLIS, ATLANTA AND
PHILADELPHIA, SOME KEY EXAMPLES.
ARNIE, WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO
GET A HANDLE ON IT?
>> WELL, LET’S ALSO REALIZE THAT
WE’RE COMING OUT OF A PANDEMIC
AND IS WHAT WE’VE SEEN DURING
THE COURSE OF THIS PANDEMIC IS A
HUGE SURGE IN THINGS LIKE
DEPRESSION, WE’VE SEEN A HUGE
SURGE IN POVERTY.
AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE NEED
TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO RESPOND
EFFECTIVELY.
AND I THINK WHEN YOU HEAR ABOUT
ISSUES LIKE DEFUND THE POLICE, I
THINK WHAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING
ABOUT IS REIMAGINING PUBLIC
SAFETY SERVICES.
AND I THINK THAT’S ONE OF THE
THINGS WE HAVE TO START LOOKING
AT, HOW DO WE SEND IN SOCIAL
WORKERS, MENTAL HEALTH
COUNSELORS, HOW DO WE SEND IN
COPS, AND IF WE FIGURE OUT HOW
TO DO THAT, I THINK YOU’RE ABLE
TO TREAT THE COMMUNITY AS A
WHOLE AND NOT JUST ASSUME SOME
SORT OF VIOLENT RESPONSE OR COP
RESPONSE.
IT NEEDS TO BE, I THINK, MUCH
BROADER THAN THAT.
AND I THINK ESPECIALLY AFTER THE
PANDEMIC MENTAL HEALTH IS GOING
TO BE KEY TO HOW WE SOLVE A LOT
OF THESE PROBLEMS.
MIKE: SEAN, YOUR THOUGHTS.
>> WHEN DEMOCRAT GOVERNORS KEEP
PEOPLE LOCKED UP IN THEIR
HOUSES, WEARING MASKS, NOT BEING
ABLE TO GO TO WORK, THERE WAS
DEPRESSION.
BUT REPUBLICAN STATES ARE OPEN
AND GOING BACK TO WORK AND
THRIVING.
I THINK THE ISSUE IS NOT
REIMAGINING LAW ENFORCEMENT,
IT’S ACTUALLY DEFUNDING LAW
ENFORCEMENT.
THE PROBLEM9 WITH THE SPIKES IN
CRIME, THEIR NOT HAPPENING --
THEY’RE NOT HAPPENING TO
POLITICIANS, TO THE RUSH AND THE
ELITE.
IT’S THE MOST MARGINALIZED
COMMUNITIES WHERE THERE’S
VIOLENT CRIMES THAT ARE HURT THE
WORST BECAUSE AOC, JOE BIDEN,
THESE GUYS ALL HAVE LAW
ENFORCEMENT AROUND THEM.
IF THEY HAVE MONEY, THEY HIRE
PRIVATE SECURITY TO PROTECT
THEM, AND IT’S THOSE OF US WHO
LIVE IN COMMUNITIES WHERE THERE
IS CRIME THAT GET HURT THE WORST
BY REIMAGINING THE POLICE WHICH
MEANS DEFUND THE POLICE.
MIKE: ARNIE, WE’RE LOOKING AT
THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY ON
TUESDAY OF GEORGE FLOYD’S DEATH
IN MINNEAPOLIS.
ARE YOU WORRIED THERE MIGHT BE
TROUBLE THERE AND PERHAPS
ELSEWHERE?
>> THERE WAS ALWAYS AN SUBSTANCE
ABUSE TO INS GRATE VIOLENCE.
THAT’S -- AN EXCUSE TO
INSTIGATE VIOLENT.
I HAVE A GREAT STORY FOR YOU.
I’M AT A MAJORITY, WAY BACK 10,
20 YEARS AGO, AND HE SAID YOU
KNOW HOW HE PLANS PRISON BEDS IN
OUR STATE?
WE GO INTO THE SECOND GRADE
CLASS AND COUNT THE NUMBER OF
CHILDREN AT RISK.
NO COP IS GOING TO HELP THEM AT
THAT POINT.
WHAT IS GOING TO HELP THEM
EDUCATION.
WHAT IS GOING TO HELP THEM IS
SOCIAL SERVICES.
WHAT IS GOING TO HELP THEM IS
MENTAL HEALTH.
IF WE KNOW AT AGE 7 THEY’LL END
UP IN PRISON, IT’S NOT A COP
PROBLEM, IT’S A COMMUNITY
PROBLEM.
AND YOU’RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT,
WEALTHY COMMUNITIES HAVE
INVESTED IN THEIR EDUCATION,
THIS THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE.
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT POOR
COMMUNITIES, THEY CAN’T EVEN
DRINK THEIR WATER, THEY DON’T GO
TO GOOD SCHOOLS, AND THEY DON’T
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A
JOB.
AS A RESULT A STORY ABOUT A
17-YEAR-OLD THAT JUST SHOT SOME
PEOPLE UP.
WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING WITH A
GUN, WHAT KIND OF MENTAL HEALTH
STATUS DID HE HAVE, AND THEN THE
QUESTION BECOMES HOW ARE WE
RESOLVING THIS.
IF YOU THINK THE COP IS GOING TO
DO IT, THE COP COMES TOO LATE.
MIKE: SEAN, WE’RE UP AGAINST THE
CLOCK.
A CHANCE AT A FINAL WORD.
>> LET’S OPEN UP SCHOOLS SO KIDS
GET AN EDUCATION --
>> I AGREE.
>> AND PICK A SCHOOL THAT’S
ACTUALLY GOING TO AGREE WITH
THEM, AND I AGREE EDUCATION IS
THE PATHWAY TO SUCCESS IN
AMERICA.
IF WE WANT TO STOP VIOLENCE IN
THE STREETS, LET’S ACTUALLY
PROSECUTE THE BAD ACTORS AND PUT
THEM IN JAIL.
>> NEVER WORKS.
>> YOU DO THE -- THAT, NO MORE
VIOLENCE ON THE STREETS.
WHEN YOU LET IT RUN RAMPANT, YOU
GET MORE --