Posted on 12/12/2023 1:09:42 AM PST by Libloather
San Francisco Supervisor Dean Preston claimed the city’s homelessness problems were “absolutely the result of capitalism,” and it was “counterproductive” to arrest people openly doing drugs.
Preston’s District 5 includes the Tenderloin District, an area known for its open-air drug market. Nearly half of the city’s homeless population lived in this district in 2022, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
The Democratic Socialist supervisor argued his district was particularly affected by homelessness because of the country’s economic structure.
“I think what you’re seeing in the Tenderloin is absolutely the result of capitalism and what happens in capitalism to the people at the bottom rungs,” the local leader reportedly remarked in a new documentary by the UK outlet, UnHerd.
“The biggest driver of why folks are on the street is because they lost their jobs, income or were evicted from their homes, usually for not being able to pay the rent. So you have major landlords literally causing folks to lose their homes, and real estate speculation making it impossible for folks to find an affordable place to live,” he reportedly said in the interview.
Preston disagreed with the city’s “inconsistent” approach to arresting drug users and sweeping homeless encampments, arguing this was “completely counterproductive” and made things worse.
This method “has not made our city any safer. It’s actually made it less safe. It increases overdoses,” he claimed.
The city leader downplayed concerns by many local residents and business owners about the encampments and rampant drug-dealing in the area.
“I don’t think every instance of poverty or addiction or behavioral health issue is a safety threat to someone walking by. I mean, there’s a lot of people who are doing things that are very harmful to themselves on the streets, who aren’t necessarily a safety threat,” Preston remarked.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
It’s partially about money because if the problem were to be solved, the grift, taxes and tax write-offs would dry up.
No more wonderful PR pictures and opportunities.
We have homeless because they want homeless.
“Economics plays almost no role in homelessness.”
You are prtially right there. Economics is only a part of homelessness. And all the other things you mentioned are not the cause of homelessness, but the outcome. If economics plays no part, then how can a person survive like they do without an economy making life available. If everyone was the same and used everything they receivied, there would be nothing left for the homeless. No food, no money, no clothing...nothing to have. But it is our economy which is stronger at the moment than a true communistic way of life that they survive. What you see is the failure of the economy to have them own a home and have a job to fend for themselves. But that is their decision. “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime” Or feeds himself. They just don’t want to learn. And that’s another topic.
wy69
otoh - Soft capitalism allows the homeless to live off the generous out of control government purse IE the forced theft of taxation dollar not used to secure the safety and security of the tax payers.
Love you too...Merry Xmas FRiend.
Anti-capitalists? The Marxists and Leninists. The National Socialists. The Soviet Socialists. The Sino-socialists. The Khmer Rouge. Liberation theology socialists. Baath Party in Iraq and Iran. So many sister beliefs in anti-capitalism that the list continues well beyond there.
And, as we see, American Democrats now, showing their true colors.
Damn right, if they weren’t able to mooch from the capitalists, the homeless would have to get jobs.
When a democrat suffers, I feel a great sense of pleasure.
More please! /spit
“San Francisco...the only city in America where dogs step in human feces”
Preston seems to be using the same drugs he is complaining to others about.
Homelessness you see all over this country under bridges in tents etc is because state mental hospitals were discontinued. Democrats ran on how people shouldn’t be locked up (just as they are now turning dangerous criminals out).
So much worse to have the drug/mentally ill living as we all see now. Imagine they could actually at least have a roof and food, a bed even though they would be under lock for the safety of themselves and others.
Better to make the mental hospitals carefully run than just shut them down and turn them out.
I know a couple who choose to live in a homeless camp. They had a home but returned to their homeless lifestyle.
It is time we went full Pinochet.
To be honest with you, that is not a bad idea.
Form the homeless into chain gangs to clean up the poop in the streets and do cleanup in general.
YOu may be on to something there sister.
I see no harm in making the home;ess c;lean up their own waste.
BUtt then we woulkd be the ultimate fascists according to Dean Preston.
I see no problem pressing them into such a gang for 90 days , no drugs, live in a barracks , three squares a day. Work theoir asses off.Promise to do ot all over again if they are found later to be living on the streets of FranSancisco.
I reckon there would not be anymore homeless problem in the city.
I bet the drug cartels have Preston on the short bribery leash.
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