“Where do we get the vaccine?” — Vicki McKenna

Well, lookie here. Look, look, look who is getting tuff on crime. It’s the Dick and Jane of the Madison Common Council attempting to play Batman and Robin.

Alders Matt Phair and Mo Cheeks, posing for holy pictures. Another press conference, another spray-the-wall with proposals and see what sticks. More word salads of tough talk and noble intentions — but short on specifics.

“Safety is among the top priorities for the 2018 city budget, west side alders Maurice Cheeks and Matt Phair announced Monday, as Madison winds down from a violent summer.” That’s what the Capital Times wrote, swallowing whole.

Shootings in Madison are up 75%; homicides have already tied the annual record, with four months to go in the year.

And how are Cheeks and Phair going to combat crime? Even they don’t know. But it will be through a “public health approach.”

However, “details are unknown at this point” and “all work on a violence prevention approach through the public health department is preliminary at this stage.”

Mayor Paul Soglin has also begun looking into addressing violence through the public health department, though that research is also in preliminary stages.

This follows on the heels of Phair and Cheeks’ 15-point “Focused Interruption” proposal that is heavy on peer counseling and not much else. $50,000 is being thrown at that mound of mush; $400,000 has been budgeted. What HAS worked? Chief Mike Koval’s crackdown on criminals.

Look, look, look: we’re doing something

At least, Madison’s electeds are easing up on their cop-bashing.

Phair and Cheeks voted for $400,000 to examine the Madison police for signs of racism. They have bad-mouthed Chief Koval. Given aid and comfort to  Genele Laird for forcibly resisting arrest after threatening shopping mall employees with a large knife. Voted to keep median strip scammers on busy city streets.

• What good is a liberal-progressive-socialist approach to crime without playing the race card.

Yes, more “racial equity.”

• What good is a liberal-progressive-socialist approach to crime without showering more free stuff on the indigent?

Yes, let’s double housing subsidies to $9 million.

• What good is a liberal-progressive-socialist approach to crime without growing the bureaucratic flow chart?

Yes, let’s create an Office of Violence Prevention that might employ 2 people.

• What good is a liberal-progressive-socialist approach to crime without checking off the economic justice box?

Yes, let’s boost the minimum wage to $15 an hour and more paid family leave.

As for more police? Good luck getting that federal grant, Chief Koval.

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Alds. Maurice Cheeks and Matthew Phair have scheduled listening sessions from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Sept. 6, at Meadowridge Library, 5726 Raymond road and from 10 a.m. to noon, Sept. 9, at 4340 Tokay Blvd.

If they are anything like last year’s, Cheeks and Phair will do the talking and their constituents will be forced to listen.

Tell Cheeks (e-mail here) and Phair (e-mail here) to get serious about crime.

Sign this petition for more police in Madison.

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