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Despite a growing number of Democrat-run cities being overrun by homeless populations, the party continues to struggle with the basic concept that when government subsidizes an action it only ensures more of that action, and in their benevolent quest — with other people’s money — to allegedly help the downtrodden, they ignore the reality that drug addiction and mental illness account for a large percentage of those living on the street.
Or, in the case of New York City in the wintertime, on subway cars, not that this dissuaded U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., from responding to a tweet from former NYPD commissioner William Bratton highlighting the problem of homelessness on NYC subway trains, blaming Democratic leadership for the “mess.”
“You know why NY’s ‘recovery’ isn’t happening? This photo today on the E Train at 6:45am at 42nd & 8th says it all. Why should working people & tourists be subjected to this? How’s it fair to those who need services? Imagine the cops’ frustration with no support to deal with it!” Bratton tweeted.
In a follow-up tweet, he said: “The new Mayor & Police Commissioner have their work cut out for them trying to fix this mess our political leadership & DAs have created by tying the hands of the NYPD. We fixed this 30 years ago when Eric Adams was a Transit cop. It’s going to be a lot more difficult in 2022.”
The new Mayor & Police Commissioner have their work cut out for them trying to fix this mess our political leadership & DAs have created by tying the hands of the NYPD. We fixed this 30 years ago when Eric Adams was a Transit cop. It’s going to be a lot more difficult in 2022.
— Bill Bratton (@CommissBratton) December 22, 2021
Ocasio-Cortez couldn’t leave well enough alone, countering to say all that’s needed is to throw more money at the problem — Amsterdam News reported in April that homelessness spending more than doubled under Mayor Bill de Blasio, from $1.2 billion in FY2014 to $3.5 billion in FY2020, rounding out to about $58,000 for every homeless person. In fact, the city has an entire agency in place to deal with the issue, the Department of Homeless Services.
“Of course they’re frustrated. It’s not policing’s job or purpose to address housing, provide healthcare or counseling, or solve the reasons people sleep on the subway. Maybe if we shifted some of that $11B/year spent on robo dogs to housing services we could get somewhere,” the self-avowed socialist Democrat tweeted.
Fittingly, given AOC’s stance toward police, the $11 billion figure she cited is the NYPD budget. Keep in mind, according to Amsterdam News, there were almost 56,000 people using homeless shelters in the city each evening in January and another 4,000 homeless living on the streets, with the problem only getting worse since then.
Ocasio-Cortez ignored the facts driving homelessness to instead shame Bratton.
“Also, “why should working people be subjected to this?” — 1. Homeless people often ARE working people, veterans, and/or disabled 2. Why should THESE folks be subjected to unnecessary homelessness in one of the richest cities in the world where 1000s of apartments are vacant?” she tweeted. “It’s truly frustrating that Dems & GOP alike water this down into some non-evidence based electoral boogey monster. Nobody wants to live with these conditions, yet nobody wants to challenge the systems and decisions creating them. Don’t complain if you want more of the same $.”
It’s truly frustrating that Dems & GOP alike water this down into some non-evidence based electoral boogey monster.
Nobody wants to live with these conditions, yet nobody wants to challenge the systems and decisions creating them. Don’t complain if you want more of the same $.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 23, 2021
She concluded with an attack on Bratton as a former law enforcement official, tweeting: “I truly will never adjust to how normal it is in our country to completely dehumanize people once they fall below a certain income. This is a fmr police commissioner talking about ppl like furniture or animals when his job ostensibly was to protect them too. Telling on himself.”
I truly will never adjust to how normal it is in our country to completely dehumanize people once they fall below a certain income.
This is a fmr police commissioner talking about ppl like furniture or animals when his job ostensibly was to protect them too. Telling on himself.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 23, 2021
Seizing the moral high ground to lay the problem on the altar of government rather than at the feet of those who have a long history of bad decisions is a Democratic trademark that for some, draws to mind socialism.
Here’s a quick sampling of responses to the story from Twitter:
it’s called socialism
— Sil Beaberry (@SBeaberry) December 24, 2021
Homeless in Los Ángeles is also a problem but unless you are in the weeds of this environment you would know that some of the people do not want help. They do not want to follow rules, stay sober or refuse counseling. How do help those who refuse it?
— Andy L (@BigAndy82) December 23, 2021
We talk about the homeless like they are victims – The majority of them are homeless because of poor choices they made in their lives. Drugs, alcohol, etc. It’s sad yes, but I didn’t put them there. If they tried they could be in a better place. It’s a hard road, but possible
— Paul Kawalerski (@PKawalerski) December 24, 2021
NYC HPD gets millions from HUD, the people working in the offices get paid huge amounts of money while outside people are living in boxes
— Joseph VR777 (@JosephRuggiero4) December 23, 2021
I really don’t think the issue is about housing rather than institutional mental health counseling and the lack there of.
— W A L K (@Righteous13) December 24, 2021
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