The war between California and the Trump administration
keeps ramping up by degrees. It started in earnest when the formerly Golden
State’s governor, Gavin Newsom, petitioned the president for more housing
vouchers last September. At the time, Newsom snarkily averred, “Shelter solves
sleep, but only housing solves homelessness.” This is like saying, “only boats
solve boatlessness” or “only brains solve brainlessness.” Cute, but devoid of
substantive meaning. A truer—and more applicable-- phrase to address the
state’s homeless crisis would be, “You can’t fix stupid.”
Newsom’s
appeal to Trump specifically requested he provide 50,000 more housing vouchers
via two existing programs, while also increasing the value of said vouchers to
offset rising rental costs. Trump’s EPA Administrator, Andrew
Wheeler, responded by demanding California protect its water from pollution
generated by homelessness in the erstwhile Land of Milk and Honey’s largest
cities. Wheeler sent a letter to Gov. Newsom criticizing San Francisco, where
Newsom was once mayor, for routinely discharging inadequately treated water
sewage into the Pacific Ocean. In it, he noted that “Piles of human feces on
sidewalks and streets” pose a threat to water quality and demanded that Newsom
present him with a detailed plan to address the issue within 30 days.
The
truth of the matter is that California’s progressive policies have brought on
all of the state’s major problems. Rent control has proven as effective as gun
control, pushing up costs of real estate dramatically as no one will
build or manage dwellings from which they can’t make a profit. California has
more homeless people within its borders than any other state. It has the
starkest contrast between its poorest and wealthiest citizens. Fecal matter and
used hypodermic needles line the streets of San Francisco and some areas of
other large cities like Los Angeles. Many people have fled the state
altogether.
Nothing will solve the homeless
problem but a return to Judeo-Christian values and the Protestant work ethic,
coupled with an educational system that doesn’t indoctrinate kids into thinking
that their country sucks and their only hope is to take government aid and vote
for Democratic-Socialists. It would also be beneficial if the state didn’t
subsidize, encourage and reward lawlessness while continuing to legalize
destructive substances such as marijuana and magic mushrooms. Oh, and if it stopped
passing out free hypodermic needles for heroine users, they might not end up
littering the streets. Moreover, if it ceases pursuing Venezuelan-esque
policies, it may yet avoid becoming another resource-rich, but utterly failed
state.
That
is the unvarnished truth, or, in military terms, “a no-shitter.”
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