49 Comments

I find it hard to shake the notion that this is what it looks like when a civilization decides to commit suicide.

In terms of material prosperity and technological achievement the United States has never been richer. But for whatever reason there is a class of people with a powerful drive for national self harm. That these wounds are all self inflicted rather than stemming from antagonistic forces external to the country--it's madness.

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I recently lived a few blocks from Venice Beach for 3.5 yrs so I feel like I've seen all of this up close and wanted to add my 2 cents:

I feel like what we're witnessing in Cali is the traditional ethos of "Live and Let Live/If It Feels Good Do It" has been supplanted (or augmented) by the more rigid and fundamentalist Woke Victim religion, where all of us are labeled Victim or Oppressor with the former being innocent and holy and the latter being guilty and suspect. (And it's important to recognize that every person with influence in Cali, whether in politics arts journalism social work etc, is either a Woke True Believer or at least pretends to be one).

This is why it's become impossible to say NO to anyone in a recognized Victim class, it is a taboo and blasphemous, and could also be social and/or career suicide, as it might make you look like a conservative/Republican, which is the biggest Cali taboo of all.

Cali is to the Woke Victim Religion what the Vatican City is to Catholicism: there's no getting ahead unless you are a member of the Church in good standing, and every idea and policy has to first and foremost agree with Holy Dogma, with reason or logic or results a secondary concern.

And once a state religion has been established and is safe and secure in power, I'm not sure how or when that ends.

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100K per person per year? I have lived inside the USA and out for considerably less money per year. 25k would get a couple by nicely (safe, middle class) in a few different South-East Asian or South American nations. Mind-boggling that so much money can be spent for so little in the way of results. 50K a year in South Dakota, West Virginia, and several other USA states or counties within, and you're good for sure.

According to a quick search, and this sounds mostly right:

* The median household income in the US in 2019 was $68,703

* The average annual real wage in 2019 in the US was $65,836

Plenty of households getting by -- and some doing it quite well -- on less than 100K a year.

Yes, we need to help "those experiencing houseless-ness." But how can spending so much money per person with so little in the way of beneficial outcomes be morally justifiable?

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As a mental health professional, I simply cannot comprehend how anyone can be on an advisory board and agree with/approve a program like this. This goes beyond government waste and corruption. When you become disgusted with the public policies in California and decide to move, Texas is FULL.

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This is progressivism at it's worst or best I am not really sure. But, you know what? Everyone of the people in power making these horrendous decisions, if up for reelection today, would get reelected. If you don't like what you see vote the MF's out. However, that will never happen and 5, 10 years from now it will be worse.

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I wonder how much a large part of this has to do with contracting out services. If San Francisco was required instead, to hire its own employees to run these programs — thereby removing the economics of the homeless industrial complex — would we see improvement. As it stands, these contractors — much like private prisons — have a strong disincentive at having anything actually improve.

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If you wonder why so many addicts to come to CA, read the excellent "Rehab Riviera" series by reporter Terry Sforza. Excellent. https://www.ocregister.com/rehab-riviera/

Our legislature knows that the ACA and our permissive policies cause more addicts to come here and to enrich rehab centers and do nothing about it. Also, you can watch "Body Brokers" on Amazon which is a movie about this phenomenon. Not only are we tolerating addiction, we are encouraging it and sending people out across the country to bring more addicts here!

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Feb 10, 2022·edited Feb 10, 2022

If Harm Reduction had a clear, scheduled and worked to drug use exiting point, then it may have some 'merit'. However, pro-drug activists misusing faux compassion memes to avoid scrutiny of their failing 'Harm Reduction ONLY' platforms is the policy/practice cancer that must be excised from this sector.

The simple question one must ask of any drug policy platform is this.... Does this policy/practice reduce, remediate or facilitate recovery from drug use - Exiting drug use? Or, does it enable, equip, empower and/or endorse ongoing drug use? Yes, this is a wretched mess, and tough calls have to be made. Harm Reduction is not compassion, it's a cop out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjMD6CE0nx0&list=PLTMqlfT-1C1x7ekCSxIhF6HMjHBqMAK6n

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Is it Hunters new paid position to hand out Crack Pipes to POC?

Equity you know.

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Michael recognizes that there may be a role for supervised drug sites. Ideally, these sites would provide the drugs to users directly, rather than allowing them to use drugs they bought on the street. By providing the drugs, supervised sites can put a dent in the local drug trade. As it stands now, the Linkage Center is actually making it easier for addicts to use drugs they bought on the black market, enriching cartels. This is the problem with establishing a supervised drug site in a stealth manner (as SF has done), rather than as a result of an explicit policy decision open to public debate.

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founding

Fox News just broke the story of Federal Government-funded distribution of crack pipes in poor areas. Bidencide…

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I'm retired LAPD (1980-2000) and lifelong LA resident who moved to Florida last year. In your book and interviews you miss serious fundamentals: 1) rehab's 99% failure rate, 2) the ongoing use of street drugs during "treatment" and 3) the uninterrupted property crimes committed to acquire those drugs. Unless housed and treated in a SECURE facility AND without a significant stake in society, your ideas will change nothing. I researched a real solution during the 1980s that is cost effective, realistic, constitutional, and will reduce costs, crime, AND prison populations. I sent you an email. I can help you fill the gaps if you wish. Good luck.

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At least you admit your naivete. That is rare - good for you. Never make that mistake again. SJW's always lie. They always project, and they always double down.

Always. There are no exceptions.

It's an incredible bit of psychology that all they have to do is call someone a 'conservative', and make people afraid to 'vote republican', and these people can destroy a city, kill people, and get rich all the while.

That's incredible. I'm in NYC, and it's bad here, but not like this. Yet.

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Gavin shut down 12 Step Meetings in person. Non essential…..

Gavi is a globalist demon.

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Michael, why wouldn’t we sue Mayor, DPH, all the contractors involved in violating the State and Federal laws and jeopardizing public safety?

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It breaks my heart to see what is going on in San Francisco, a city that I love dearly. To witness so much suffering, desperation, hopelessness and loss. This is a city in mourning, a city that is grieving and in serious need of help.

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