Clarke: Change In Baltimore Should Start With ‘Failed Liberal Democrat Policies’

Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke (D) blasted “failed liberal government policies” for miring people in cities like Baltimore in “generational poverty” and argued that change in Baltimore “needs to start in the politics, the failed liberal Democrat policies” on Wednesday’s “Hannity” on the Fox News Channel.

Clarke declared, “with him [President Obama] making that statement about this Congress won’t enact any of his policies, you know, good for them. Because all these failed liberal government policies have done is mired black people in generational poverty, kept their kids in failing schools, chronically unemployed, they can’t find meaningful work, having to live in crime-infested neighborhoods, all under — by the way, I continue to hear the president talk about the economic recovery. Tell that to the people of Baltimore. Tell that to the people in the American ghettos who can’t find work, whose kids have to attend failing schools, who are living in poverty, tell that to them that there’s been — this wonderful economic recovery because they’ve been left behind, Sean.”

Earlier he said, “[Representative] Elijah Cummings (D-MD), as you indicated, he’s been in the Congress for 15 [note: Cummings was elected to Congress 19 years ago] years representing part of the city of Baltimore. Before that, he was in the Maryland House of Delegates for 14 years. Nearly three decades of serving the people of Baltimore, and nothing has gotten better. That windbag stood in that church at Freddie Gray — and God rest his soul, and God bless his family, his surviving family members, but he stood up in that church at the funeral of Freddie Gray and said ‘we need structural change.’ And I looked at the TV set and I said ‘you’ve had three decades to do it and you haven’t done it.’ It might be time for a change in Baltimore, in the Baltimore area, I think it needs to start in the politics, the failed liberal Democrat policies that have kept people mired in misery in the American ghetto.”

Clarke also cautioned that a Washington Post report that Freddie Gray was banging his head against the walls of the police vehicle was “just one piece” and urged restraint until all the facts were in.” He continued, “I stood in utter disbelief last night as the President of the United States, a big swing and a miss…he continues to make some very general comments about the rioting and the looting and it’s wrong, then right away goes on the assault against the American police officer. He said something to the effect that police fraternities have to admit this stuff is not good for them. And I looked and I said what stuff? The facts? The truth? Why don’t we wait?”

Clarke added, “I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that quietly I think he’s enjoying this. And I say that because he’s built a career off of dividing people, alright, creating divisions, stoking animosity.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett