OConnors Right Stand - Bold, Conservative Podcast

00:00
Good Thursday morning, Patriots, and welcome back to O'Connor's Right Stand. I'm your host, John O'Connor, software programmer by day, conservative choose seeker by night. Hope everyone's having a great start to their week. We are nearing that finish line towards another Friday. My week has been very chaotic, especially when there has been a vacation or holiday in there such as Labor Day this week. I joke with my bosses all the time, but I'm pretty serious. Where I work taking a day off is almost punishment because you are slammed in making that day up.

00:29
So it's been some late nights this week, but again, the finish line is almost here. I'm just looking forward to relaxing Friday night and watching On Patrol Live. It is my guilty pleasure almost every Friday and Saturday night. If you're unaware of the show, you've got to check it out, especially if you like the show Cops. The best way to explain it is to take in Cops, live airing it across roughly seven to eight police departments across the nation, jumping from one live event to another, wherever the action is. Then it sounds like your thing, it's

00:59
Airdon Reels Network from 9pm to 12pm Eastern on Fridays and Saturdays. It's a great show, and before I'm asked, no, I am not sponsored by them, but I wish. But in keeping in reality, today we're talking about a tale of two cities and two very different approaches to leadership. We've got Chicago's Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker throwing up roadblocks to President Trump's plan to bring in federal help. While over in DC,

01:28
Mayor Muriel Bowser is finally admitting what we all knew would happen. Federal enforcement works. This is a follow-up to our episode from over a week ago about federal intervention in our cities. The rubber's hitting the road, and the results are exactly what you'd expect when you compare leaders who put politics first versus leaders who face reality. Ready to see what happens when ideology meets reality? The right stand starts now.

02:10
This Chicago versus DC situation isn't happening in a vacuum, patriots. This is part of a much broader pattern we're seeing across America, and every American needs to understand what's really at stake here. What we're witnessing is a fundamental test of whether we can still have a functioning federal system in this country. Can local politicians simply decide which federal laws they want to follow based on their political preferences? Can mayors and governors obstruct federal law enforcement because they don't like the president?

02:41
The Constitution is pretty clear that federal law supersedes state and local law. Immigration enforcement is explicitly a federal responsibility. Local governments can choose not to help, but they can't actively obstruct federal agents trying to do their jobs. But that's exactly what Chicago is doing. They're not just refusing to cooperate, they're actively working to undermine federal operations. Johnson's executive order isn't just symbolic resistance.

03:10
It's creating real operational challenges for federal agents who are trying to arrest dangerous criminals. Meanwhile, other Democratic mayors are watching this situation very carefully. They're seeing Bowser get praised by Trump for her cooperation, and they are seeing the actual crime reduction results in DC. They're also seeing the political backlash Johnson is facing from his own residents who are tired of living in fear.

03:36
This is creating a blueprint for how Democratic leaders can work with the Trump administration without abandoning their principles. Bowser has shown that you can cooperate on public safety while still maintaining your democratic values on other issues. You don't have to choose between being a Democrat and being effective. The mayors who learn this lesson will thrive politically. The ones who stay stuck in resistance mode are going to find themselves in real trouble with voters who care more about safety than sanctuary policies.

04:06
Crime affects everyone, regardless of party affiliation. Looking ahead to the 2026 midterm elections, this whole situation could reshape how Democrats approach Trump and federal cooperation. Bowser is showing that pragmatic cooperation can work, while Chicago's leaders are showing that ideological resistance leads to failure.

04:31
The American people are watching, and they're making judgments about which approach actually protects their families and communities. Results speak louder than rhetoric, and success speaks louder than slogans.

04:45
President Trump has made it clear. He's ready to deploy the National Guard to help Chicago deal with its crime problem. The federal government has been preparing for weeks to launch major immigration enforcement operations, potentially backed by the National Guard troops. But instead of working with the federal government to protect their citizens, what do we get from Chicago's leaders? Complete resistance and political theater. Mayor Brandon Johnson signed the Protecting Chicago Initiative.

05:13
an executive order that basically tells federal agents they are not welcome. The order directs Chicago police not to collaborate with federal agents on immigration enforcement or joint patrols. Johnson said, I quote, we may see militarized immigration enforcement. We may also see National Guard troops. We may even see active duty military and armed vehicles in our streets. We have not called for this. Our people have not asked for this.

05:42
Really? The people haven't asked for help with crime? Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is even worse. He called Trump's plans unhinged and accused the administration of trying to manufacture a crisis and militarize our cities. Pritzker said he won't call the president asking for federal troops, claiming he doesn't need help preventing crime. The arrogance here is stunning.

06:11
These are the same leaders presiding over a city that has been the murder capital of America for 13 consecutive years. But sure, they don't need the help.

06:22
Let's talk about what happened over Labor Day weekend in Chicago, because it perfectly illustrates why Trump's intervention plans are necessary. Over the holiday weekend, Chicago saw 58 people shot and eight killed. That's nearly 20 people shot per day in a single American city. These aren't just statistics. These are real people, real families, real communities being terrorized. And how did Chicago's leadership respond?

06:50
by doubling down on their resistance.

06:54
Trump posted, six people were killed and 24 people were shot in Chicago last weekend. And JB Pritzker, the weak and pathetic governor of Illinois just said he doesn't need help in preventing crime. He is crazy. He better straighten it out fast or we're coming. Pritzker's response, he posted back saying, quote, why don't you send everyone proof of the life first? Either way, Chicago doesn't want you here. Instead of focusing on the 58 shooting victims,

07:24
Pricks chose to make jokes and tell the president that Chicago doesn't want federal help. When your city has nearly 60 people shot in three days and your response is to mock the person offering you help, you've lost the moral authority to govern. According to the White House, for 13 consecutive years, Chicago has had the most murders of any US city. In 2024, Chicago's murder rate was three times higher than Los Angeles.

07:53
and five times higher than New York City. Johnson claims violent crime is down 21.6 % this year and homicides are down 32.3%. But Chicago still recorded 278 homicides through August 31st of 2025. That's 278 families destroyed coming off historically high numbers from recent years. Here's the real kicker. Out of Chicago's 147,899 reported crimes since January 1st,

08:23
Arrests have been made in just 16.2 % of them. That means 83.8 % of crimes go unsolved. When you have less than 17 % clearance rate, you're essentially telling criminals they have an 83 % chance of getting away with whatever they do. That's not law enforcement. That's a free-for-all. Chicago ranks seventh among major US cities in homicide rates.

08:53
But its sheer size means the total number of victims is massive. When you have nearly three million people and a high crime rate, you're talking about hundreds of families destroyed every year. So when Mayor Johnson says his people haven't asked for federal help, maybe he should talk to the families of those 278 homicide victims. Now let's talk about Washington, D.C., because it's a perfect contrast to Chicago's resistance.

09:24
Mayor Bowser was initially skeptical of Trump's federal crime crackdown. She's a Democrat who's been the critical of Trump before. But when the results started coming in, Bowser was willing to admit the truth. At a press conference last week, Bowser said, we greatly appreciate the surge of officers that enhance what MPD has been able to do in this city. She noted that since the federal takeover began on August 7th,

09:53
DC has seen an 87 % drop in carjackings compared to the same period last year. 87 %! That's what happens when you actually enforce the law. Bowser also reported a 15 % decline in overall crime, fewer gun crimes, fewer homicides, and more accountability in the system. She said the federal surge has led to more stops that result in seizing illegal guns.

10:22
That honesty has gotten her in trouble with fellow Democrats on the D.C. City Council, who are attacking her for admitting Trump's approach works. Get ready to see more of that next week. But, Bowser is looking at data instead of politics. An 87 % reduction in carjackings isn't illegitimate. It's exactly what residents want and deserve.

10:47
What makes Bowser's evolution fascinating is how dramatically she changed her approach to Trump and immigration policy. This is the same mayor who called DC a proud sanctuary city during Trump's first term. She used taxpayer dollars to fight deportations and positioned herself as part of the resistance. But now? Bowser has removed pages from the DC website that promoted sanctuary status.

11:13
She said calling DC a sanctuary city was misleading. Her new budget proposal would repeal DC laws that prohibit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. When Trump praised her cooperation compared to mayors like Pritzker, who spend all their time trying to justify violent crime, Bowser didn't push back. What changed? Well, reality. She's watching federal enforcement work and seeing crime rates drop

11:44
when you actually arrest criminals instead of making excuses for them.

11:50
The federal government has clear authority to conduct immigration enforcement targeting gang members and violent criminals. But Chicago's leaders treat this like a human rights violation instead of recognizing it could make communities safer. When Trump talks about using federal resources in Chicago, he's not talking about rounding up law-abiding immigrants. He's talking about targeting gang members, murderers, drug dealers.

12:17
and other violent criminals who happen to be in the country illegally.

12:23
Chicago has been a sanctuary city for years, actively resisting federal immigration enforcement while harboring people who committed serious crimes. Then they act surprised when crime rates stay high. What they're doing is performative resistance. They can't stop federal enforcement. They're just making it harder and more dangerous. When local police won't cooperate, it creates confusion and potential conflicts.

12:51
Attorney General Pam Bondi has made it clear that sanctuary cities could be targets for National Guard deployment. The message is simple. If you won't help enforce federal law, the federal government will do it without you. Chicago's leadership is putting political theater ahead of public safety, while D.C.' leadership learned to put results ahead of a resistance. When Johnson talks about not wanting tanks in our streets or families ripped apart,

13:19
he's using emotional language to distract from the real issue. We're talking about arresting gang members, drug dealers, and violent criminals who happen to be in the country illegally. Johnson and Pritzker would rather fight Trump than fight crime. Meanwhile, Bowser learned that cooperation, eh, gets results. When you actually arrest criminals instead of making excuses, communities do get safer.

13:46
The 87 % reduction in carjackings in DC represents dozens of families who didn't become victims. That's what leadership looks like. Here's the bottom line, Patriots. This situation shows the difference between leadership and politics. Real leaders look at problems and try to solve them. They use whatever tools are available, work with whoever will help, and measure success by results rather than rhetoric. Politicians look at problems

14:16
and try to use them for their advantage. They resist solutions that don't fit their narrative and measure success by how their base reacts. Bowser seemingly is evolving from a politician into a leader. She's putting public safety ahead of political purity. Johnson and Pritzker are stuck in political mode. They're more worried about Trump than crime. The tragic part is that this failure has real consequences.

14:44
Every day, Chicago's leaders resist federal help. More people get shot. More families are destroyed. The beautiful part is that success is possible.

14:56
DC is proving federal enforcement works. Chicago can have the same success if its leaders choose results over resistance. Mayor Bowser's turnaround gives me hope. When she saw that federal enforcement was working, she put aside her political preferences and supported what worked. That's leadership. Again, I will say, next week could be ugly for her, amongst her own party. Just throwing that out there.

15:25
Chicago's resistance gives me concern, grave concern. When leaders reject help their communities desperately need, we've stopped having functional democracy. But I'm optimistic about the long term. Results cut through politics. When crime goes down, everyone notices, regardless of party affiliation. The American people want safe communities more than political theater. They'll support whoever delivers results.

15:54
and reject whoever offers nothing but resistance. Chicago's leaders can learn this the easy way by watching DC's success, or they can learn it the hard way when their residents hold them accountable. Either way, the lesson is the same. Public safety isn't partisan, and results matter more than resistance. Well, that's a wrap for this episode of O'Connor's Right Stand. If this helped you understand what really is happening in our cities,

16:22
Share it with someone who needs to hear the truth. Add me on X at O'Connor Stand and like or subscribe to the podcast. It really helps me reach more patriots. Remember, when politicians choose resistance over results, it's the people who suffer. When leaders choose cooperation, everyone benefits. This is John O'Connor, signing off. Until next time, patriots.