I give the P-I deserved, ah, crap, sometimes but they can do good reporting. Like today's story about fancy public restrooms downtown. The grand pissoirs are overflowing with drug deals inside or in front, and too often the intended toilet users use the public way instead. Shades of Vancouver. Blame therapeutic public policy; and ongoing police understaffing - see here and here. (Council Member Peter Steinbrueck wants more cops, but has no funding plan). Two words: budget reform. Aesthetes moving into glittering new downtown condos - and the Opera Wing of the Democratic Party - understand the array of "isms" which make people homeless, or drug-dealers or street-crappers. The rest of us? Not so blessed. So unless we work there, we'll let them and the touristas have downtown all to themselves.
Posted by Matt Rosenberg at October 05, 2006 08:18 AM | Email ThisDems are deluded about what they offer the american public. Well, here's what it is: Higher taxes and punishment if you dare try to earn a higher wage next year, sympathy for terrorists, and all the politically correct victimhood you can('t) stand. they offer nothing but words and silliness.
Posted by: Misty on October 5, 2006 08:31 AMBoth of us were amazed at the stench emotting from the sidewalks during the warm summer days, constant litter, open drug dealing, and insults and intimidation hurled at us as we walk to and from the Market.
Five/six weeks ago His Honor and The Chief were fixing steaks for the homeless in front of the Millionaires Club. Wonder if they do the same for all who've moved in and pay the taxes? If anyone thinks parents will move school-age childern into this downtown they've lost all logic.
East-side looks far more attractive...
Posted by: TedS on October 5, 2006 08:43 AMIn the case of San Francisco, that was the last straw. Hizzonor sent the police in with riot clubs and shields (and bulldozers) and picked the lot of them up, and they we told (while in jail) that if they didn't want to be nice, they really weren't welcome in hiz fair city. Being street people became very unpopular with the Law Enforcement Community and San Francisco ceased being a haven for this human refuse - they went to Seattle (seriously). And San Francisco's livability improved enormously.
The fact is that street people *want* to crap in the street. The entire "thing" is the expression of power by violating social norms. That seems to be what Seattle's leadership can't or won't understand.
At least its consistent. Street People or Terrorists, the idea that there may be people in the world with differing, and disturbing motivation patterns to theirs is very upsetting to the Ds. It frightens them, so they simply refuse to beleive it. In the meantime they take what was one of the most beautiful cities in the world and trash it as a sacrifice on their alter of denial.
Posted by: Bruce from Redmond on October 5, 2006 09:13 AMWe need to decrease the services to the homeless (like free apartments for drunks, steak dinners, and tent cities) and require 6 hours of community service each day the homeless person expects a meal and bed. Provide one way bus tickets to any city Greyhound services for those who don't want to do anything in exchange for food and shelter. $700,000/year will buy a lot of tickets.
Posted by: Burdabee on October 5, 2006 09:18 AMViolent Muslims coming at us? The Left says we need to be more tolerant and suppresses any free speech that might further incite.
Minority admissions low for WA Universities because of cultural indifference? The Left says we need to subsidize matriculation with affirmative action.
Some people content to enter the workforce at minimum wage? The Left says that we need to raise minimum wage because someone ought to be able to live well without any skills or value add to our economy.
Bums pissing in the streets? The Left erects fancy pissoirs.
It just goes on and on with apologies and politically correct justifications, etc. And so it's no surprise that as it was during the middle ages, now again, sewage is flowing freely in our streets.
That's the plan. The Left wants the overall direction of human achievement and self reliance to go backward in progress and time.
for all the reasons Jeff 10 stated--soft on crime, personal responsibility not stressed, tail groups wagging the dog, throw more money at the problem. i knew these would be disasters when first installed--gut feelings and knowing Seattle politics.
keep appeasing the wrong parties--see where you wind up? put the toilets on the Mayor's/councilmenbers'home streets or in the lobbies of the downtown highrises where the liberals live. watch how fast things change.
i support more cops, but in Seattle it's like adding more soldiers with empty rifles to a battle theatre. if you want to fund more cops, cut some city departments like diversity, immigrant aid, sister cities and other fluff bureaucracies.
Posted by: jimmie-howya-doin on October 5, 2006 11:39 AMNIce work. I think that over time, the real folly of the Left Leaning Urbanization strategy will begin to be exposed. It's going to be RightFlight and a lot more when the current urbanization trend runs its course. Especially if the left is allowed to continue with the Pay Toilets, Expensive Bum Housing, etc. At some point, they end up ghettofying enough of Seattle that a real exodus begins. Add to that more lax personal responsibility, a dwindling tax base as boomers retire, a growing shortage of cops and appeasement that leads to more terror in the dense urban centers and you can literally kiss a lot of people goodbye as they head out to the safer suburbs.
Posted by: Jeff B. on October 5, 2006 02:10 PM
+
700k per year for cleaning a self cleaning unit
Anyone see a problem with that?
If not you should run for the democratic office of King County Councilperson.
You would be a perfect candidate!
Posted by: GS on October 5, 2006 09:23 PMAnd these are the same people designing your vote by mail, and a 10+ Billion dollar tunnel to bring more cars into Seattle (gee I thought they wanted cars out of Seattle).
Watch your Nickels Work!
Posted by: GS on October 5, 2006 11:00 PM
(Although this WAS a no-brainer from the git go - a major DUH! Even the nit-wits could see this coming. So, who voted for these, again?
Posted by: nekid inda periwinkles on October 6, 2006 01:43 AM(Or, you can just go before you leave home.)
***Frequent users may be issued a PACE sticker, which will allow them to bypass the security screening process. In order to obtain a sticker, applicants must pass a background check and provide appropriate documentation.
Posted by: Peggy U on October 6, 2006 12:49 PMnow for the cost--Seattle imposes yet another "Secure Flight Blue Ice initiative" property tax assessment--a painless 30% and it's "tested" over 20 years.
Posted by: jimmie-howya-doin on October 6, 2006 07:43 PM