Ron Sims announced more details of his Ten-Year Plan to end homelessness in King County:
In 10 years, [Committee to End Homelessness co-chairman Dan] Brettler said, he hopes residents will be able to say, "King County used to have a homelessness problem. It no longer does, and every man, woman and child" who needs shelter can get it.Which of course would only ensure that other communities would export their homeless to King County so we can shelter them at our expense.
Here is my Solomonic solution for homelessness: Merge Sims' Ten-Year Plan with the "Diversity Camping Program". If the homeless can be persuaded to camp in state parks instead of on city sidewalks we will have solved both problems.
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at July 12, 2005 10:09 AM | Email ThisIt WOULD be a beautiful park if it weren't a daytime campsite for transients and addicts.
No- feel free to park your van there and work on it for 2-3 days.
Posted by: Andy on July 12, 2005 10:17 AMThe Committee to end Homelessness has a built-in incentive to do no such thing, because it would mean the end of their existance, and they simply won't do that. What government agency has ever terminated itself?
Posted by: Jason on July 12, 2005 10:31 AMUnfortunately they won't do this. It really seems to work well when they do it in a town about to host the Olympics or the Democrat's National Convention.
Posted by: Mark D on July 12, 2005 11:10 AMSo, just building *shelters* will solve their homelessness for the short, or the long term? Has this been tried before, and if so, where did it work? Sims is right--people who have a free place to live are no longer *homeless*--but perhaps their lack of homes is not exactly the problem.
Perhaps we need an alternative, that makes just as much sense as this one by Sims: refuse to aid the homeless in any way. This won't cost anything, most of them will leave, and then the problem will be solved!
But why does government always feel they are the answer? These self-righteous politicians should spend more time and money in their local churches where the solution is better than in government.
Posted by: swatter on July 12, 2005 11:42 AMHow long has Sims been in office? Eight years?
OK. So, NOW we're going to deal with the homeless - with a 10-year plan that took eight years to dream up.
Posted by: jimg on July 12, 2005 11:47 AMWell, yeah... Sims exported it here via Tent City.
And getting everybody under a roof is not an achievable goal when the many of supposed targets of this policy are either mentally ill (and should be in a mental hospital) or want a "homeless lifestyle" (which is largely the population of Tent City that began with a way to house protesters at the WTO riots).
Posted by: Unicorn on July 12, 2005 12:24 PMThe book does a great job comparing the help people received before Government programs and the help they receive today. Not only was the help people received much better before the Government stepped in, it allowed those receiving help to keep their sense of dignity.
Once the freeloaders leave my part of the region to Sims country, we can take care of the homeless that don't want to be homeless. Those are the ones I care about.
BTW, don't you want to know why Sims had his election department open up the voting registration to the Courthouse address?
Posted by: swatter on July 12, 2005 12:39 PMHOBO's for SIMS 2005!!!!!!!!
Ron needs to sign up plenty if there are enough pi$$ed off people in KingCo to dump his fat, sorry A$$!
Oh and Jim, if you are reading this post....
Jim you ignorant slut!
Which of course would only ensure that other communities would export their homeless to King County so we can shelter them at our expense.Trouble is, they already import themselves... some cities see their bum numbers grow, some see them dip. Seattle draws them because we don't ask for personal responsibility. Posted by: Brian Crouch on July 12, 2005 01:23 PM
Sure there are some of them who fell into a bad state honestly and just need a push to get out, but building shleters everywhere only encourages the rest who are lazy to relax and enjoy their worry free lifestyle. Heck they are being provided wtih fitness club memberships, hot meals, etc.
This is socialism, plain and simple. Short term shelter by private non-profits is one thing, but outright public subsidy for shelter with an admitted ten year plan is socialism.
One more reason to vote against Sims.
Posted by: Jeff B. on July 12, 2005 01:27 PMWe have enough animal urine & scat. Don't need more help from free-roaming humans. I want pine needles, not hypo needles. We will have created a legion of the proverbial garbage dump begging bears tapping on our windows for a marshmallow as we drive in the parks. How about some homeless guy unzipping your tent for a handout as you snooze under the stars?
I say put them in tent cities WITHIN a mandatory 100 yard boundary of any registered city/county council member's address. Poof--problem gone. Have public officials "adopt a waif" and see if they will walk the talk when it's THEIR property & safety.
Posted by: Jimmie-howya-doin on July 12, 2005 01:43 PMI believe I just heard on the news that the Seattle City Council - led by Drago has just decided to let the homeless camp out in the first floor of the new Seattle city hall - wow - tax dollars really put to good use there -- Drago - Drago-ing for the homeless vote -- that way they can all register to vote with their address at city hall - wow way to go Drago - you really suck - hey -- set up your damn camps in skid row and under the viaduct where they belong -- if you really have to use tax supported newer structures -- use the damn stadiums -- hey Seattle and KC A$$holes - set up your homeless camps in the north lot of ringy-dingy stadium - AND THE STADIUMS THEMSELVES -- let the real taxpayers get their moneys worth -- You may even begin to love the smell of puke and urine in the morning -- and lysol and pinesol at various times all the rest of the day -- reinstate fortafied wine sales in skid road -- why make the poor alchys move out to find their fixes - Thunderbird and Wild Irish Rose for all -- get the needle exchanges up and running - should be one on every corner of downtown Seattle - a methadone clinic on every block - get with it Seattle and KC -- let's turn Seattle into a combo of needle park (Zurich?) and downtown Amsterdam -- hey party - party - party - 24-7 !!!!
It’s so easy to sit here and bitch and moan about what someone wants to do to correct a problem but man its difficult to come up with the strength to do something about it other then lazily post on this board. It would be nice if all of you pos(t)ers here would just shut up once about the high horse you seem to ride and maybe actually do something about the problem. “I don’t think out-of-sight out-of-mind” was in the Gospel, but that’s probably just what you do on Sunday because it’s the current in-thing to do.
It’s so easy to sit here on this board and type a response, but how many of you actually do something in your life everyday to make things around you better? You’re the same people that probably think you don’t get paid enough at work, you work too long, etc, etc. We got Men and Women across the Atlantic fighting for America and the right for all of you to have a place and forum where you can openly give the middle-finger to those less fortunate then you, and you believe that’s a right and not a privilege when I bet 90% of you have never fought for and defended any of the “rights” you have.
You know what; I bet 90% of you who have posted on this board have never went to bed at night wondering where you’re going to get the next month’s rent or tomorrows dinner. Yet your experiences are sufficient to condemn those who have.
You’re right, there are exceptions, and I’m sure I’ll hear from the couple that actually post on this board, but give me a break, at the end of the day, when I read a string like this, my generalization is easy, you all are a bunch of arrogant, a-holes. We're going to need a new political party soon because, in the good nature of the Republican's they'll only be looking out for themselves, eventually every Republican will run for President and vote for themselves, and No democrat will eventually be smart enough to get elected....at least not without the help of king county officials.
That's why we work!
Posted by: mike on July 12, 2005 03:51 PMInteresting. That's the first thing I thought of about you when reading your post.
You "sit there" and spew your holier-than-though attitude - while accusing others of doing the exact same thing.
How's the view from the ivory tower?
Posted by: jimg on July 12, 2005 04:37 PMI'll be right back, I think one of "them" is at my door, I better not give him money, cause he'll just spend it on booze anyway.
Did you hear you can purchase wine over the internet now and get it delivered?
Posted by: James on July 12, 2005 04:45 PMYou're chokin me up, dude!
There goes a tear....and another!
Oops, I was wrong...it's just the onion I'm choppin up for my salsa...
Posted by: alphabet soup on July 12, 2005 05:34 PMhey--give back your 'James' name button--we Jim's are not pleased; you need some good home training; This James in not insensitive, just wise to the scamola of public dependency programs that ask nothing of recipients in return;
Blame (or guilt-out) everyone & those who work. Avoid charities or shelters that make you change your harmful ways. Heard of too many shelter workers who confirmed this--when it's time for soup, we're there; when it's time to clean up our act, we're gone;...and yes--I do give to many charities--ones that demand and get RESULTS;
It's *always* time for soup!
Posted by: alphabet soup on July 12, 2005 06:56 PMObviously not, because one of its most basic points is that shelters are not a key part of the plan.
For those of you who aren't already sure that you know all the answers, however, here's the plan:
A Roof Over Every Bed in King County: Our Community's Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness
(And for the others, I'm sure you can find a few lines in there that you'll enjoy mocking, which will make you feel still better about yourselves.)
Posted by: Bruce on July 13, 2005 12:09 AM"This James in not insensitive, just wise to the scamola of public dependency programs that ask nothing of recipients in return;"
I never endorsed the plan nor those currently in place, I merely was astonished at how the responses to this string went from "Sim's plan is flawed" to "we shouldn't help out the homeless". Its obvious the current plan isn't working, and its obvious that there will always be those homeless that take advantage of the system, but if helping out means some just take advantage of the program, i'd rather that then the attitude on here that we might as well not help out at all because some will take advantage. That just hurts those that truly need it. It's too bad that we've obtained the wealthiest society on this earth and there are people who truly think like those that have posted on this board...I'm sure there are those on this board that give to charities, and that's great, but that's not my complaint, its people that choose to be-little those that are trying to at least solve a problem (politically motivated or not) yet offer to suggestions or actions of their own, they just come off worse then those they're criticizing.
Let's take the new meglaplex Generalissimo Ron wants to build for himself and his election staff and house the county's homeless there.
After all, shouldn't Sims be able to witness firsthand the fruits of his labor? And just think, Dean Logan will be able to verify that yes, indeed, so-and-so on the voter rolls is in fact a live person. All he'd have to do is walk outside his office and ask.
Man, sometimes I amaze even myself :)
Posted by: steve_dog on July 13, 2005 10:17 AMExample--dump a tent city in your yard with little you can do and nothing expected in return from tent beneficiaries--can they all be totally bedridden and not able-bodied? Example--pass laws without your ability to have a voice or initiative powers. Why do the homeless have a superior claim on public property with no responsibility back to taxpayers who paid for that property?
Private charitable giving is good--from generous folk to the needy BY CHOICE, and usually demands effectiveness. Government handouts are not good--from taxpayers to the needy by FORCE. It perpetuates the needy condition returning nothing to the taxpayer to balance out the financial pain or damage to public areas. Therein is where the anger you perceive in the posts resides. Everything in life is not quid pro quo, granted, but there needs to be more responsibility for effectivness with handouts.