Absolute bigly proof that conservatism causes homelessness!!!!!!!!!!!

Stalker and our other Trumptards have reposted various pieces of alt-right internet propaganda that supposedly "shows" that when liberals "run" cities, there are homeless problems.

As it turns out, one of the doctored photos (a street with piles of trash) that Stalker posted to supposedly show how bad the problem was in San Francisco--wasn't taken in San Francisco at all! In fact, it was taken in a conservative city over two thousand miles away! The bozo who took the photo wasn't aware that there was a clue in the photo that made it possible to tell where it was actually taken.

Turns out, there are several idiot Trumper assholes who do nothing but travel from city to city, "volunteering" for street cleanup projects--and then they secretly take photos of piles of trash that were gathered by the volunteers. They post those photos with captions like "SEE?? (City X) is a liberal trash pile and full of filthy homeless!!!!" One recent such photo was a single used and discarded syringe--which "PROVES (City Y) IS FULL OF DRUG ADDICTS!!!"

Now, I've tried to refute the logic of such posts and our Trumptards who recycle them, but now I'm thinking--why not use Trumper logic myself? Fight fire with fire!

These are the top five conservative cities (among those with 250,000 or greater population):

1. Mesa, AZ

2. Oklahoma City, OK

3. Virginia Beach, VA

4. Colorado Springs, CO

5. Jacksonville, FL

And here are links to five local news sources reporting the horrible homeless problems in those conservative cities (same order as above):

https://www.eastvalleytribune.com/news/mesa-police-take-new-approach-to-homeless-people-downtown/article_9d02205c-02e2-11e9-b039-873b38005d64.html

https://oklahoman.com/article/5633101/homeless-population-increases-by-8-percent-in-oklahoma-city-survey-says

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/virginia/articles/2019-12-17/virginia-beach-asks-for-publics-help-in-homeless-count

https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/local/colorado/2017/12/30/colorado-springs-burgeoning-homeless-population-persists/992783001/

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/sheriff-urges-calls-about-homeless-issues-downtown

Read any of these news stories about the out-of-control homeless populations in these conservative cities and how local authorities are struggling to address the problem!

Obviously, cities run by conservatives have huge homeless problems! I will be posting pictures of trash heaps very soon, and you can rest assured that each photo will be of a conservative trash heap!

Cities with the Most Homeless

That data set shows that cities with large populations have large homeless populations! Who woulda thunk it!

The only stat that would matter is incidence of homeless, on a per capita basis.

To compare: Mesa, AZ, the most conservative city on my list: homeless population, 3,200 (per US government statistics, as of 2019)

Population of Mesa, AZ: 496,401 as of 2017--let's assume 3% annual growth and say it's 520,000 as of 2019

Incidence of homeless: roughly 0.6% of the population

The smallest "city" on the list you provided was San Jose/Santa Clara/Santa Clara County. The number of homeless cited for 2019 was 7,254. (I chose the smallest city for comparison purposes, though even so, it's four times larger than OKC.)

Population of Santa Clara county, as of 2017: 1.938 million. Let's assume the same growth rate, 3%--so, 2.052 million (2,052,000).

Incidence of homeless: roughly .035% of the population.

Now, as DonDiego is, though a Trumper, one of the more reasonable persons here, he might see what I'm talking about: that a large "liberal" city (San Jose) actually has a much lower rate of homelessness than a large "conservative" city (OKC). San Jose is four times the size of OKC but only has twice the homeless population.

This is simple analysis of the data, rather than posting some internet garbage and screaming MAGAMAGAMAGA. For that reason, our Trumptards won't like it (and will poop out the usual barrage of insults). But I hope DonDiego might let go of any preconceived politicized notions he may have.

If anyone would like to take the time to compile three sets of comparative statistics: overall population, homeless population as a percentage of overall population, and conservative or liberal leanings (based on voting records) for all of America's major cities, that would be very interesting. I strongly suspect, based on what I've found so far, that the actual statistics would put the lie to the conservative meme that liberal cities have gobs and gobs of homeless. The truth may very well be the exact opposite: in such cities, the incidence of homelessness is considerably lower. I might do that research myself. It wouldn't have any ideological taint--just census numbers and voting records.

I welcome rational discussion on this important point, but I'm sure that much of what I'll get is Trumptards calling me crazy and a liar--without making any kind of coherent argument.

Kevin Lewis writes:

"Now, as DonDiego is, though a Trumper, one of the more reasonable persons here, . . ."

Stop it !  Stop it !

Poor old DonDiego's reputation will be ruined !

I just think its funny the conservatives brag about how awesome the economy is....and then point to all the unemployed, homeless people.

"But while many organizations already provide services, and the city’s homeless population has decreased by roughly 40% in the last decade, the future will have serious issues if there are no changes made, officials said."  This from the article concerning OK City, OK.

So, here I am willing to discuss what is revealed in the articles that Kevin kindly posted for us to review.  I wonder if Kevin even read these, since four of the five articles described actions being taken to help the problem, actually rather upflifting reading.  People do care and take action.   I was unable to access the fifth one as it required that I sign up for their paper. 

I was particularly pleased to read of change in approachs and actions to help homeless people in Mesa AZ.   Everyone should read this one.  Police policy moving from arrests to providing service.   Court systems moving from incarceration to getting folks sheltered and then assisted in getting traction, getting back on their feet.

The headline regarding OK City stated an 8% increase in "homelessness", from 2018 to 2019, based on a Point In Time Count" which is taken yearly.  The article pointed out that the 2019 point in time count, a one night event, was taken on one of the coldest nights of the year, when "unsheltered" people typically file into shelters, warming stations, etc., where counters get their data.   Actually, I thought it was a small number and probably doesn't represent the full extent of homelessness in this major city.  Grants to cities to address homelessness require data, thus the "counts."  There may have been other counts to support getting more funding.   Then the above quote about a 40% decrease in the last decade.  Naturally, this article and others like it can be read/interpreted in different ways.  And can be confusing.

Anyway, Kevin, thank you for providing these links.  I am glad to read about people and programs addressing homelessness anywhere.    Everyone knows this is a terrible, complex problem everywhere, whether in the top or bottom of statistical representation.   One question is, what is anybody, conservative or liberal, doing to help?   

Folks, take some time to read those articles.

Edited to remove unflattering thing I said about Kevin.  LOL.

Candy, I did read all of the articles. In particular, it's obvious that the homeless problem in OKC is much worse than the official statistics say, because no shelter count was done on one of the coldest days of the year--so there was a severe undercount. So if anything, I understated the difference between there and San Jose.

It's quite possible, therefore, that the actual rate of homelessness in OKC is three or four times that of San Jose. Another article, which I didn't post a link to, traces the problem in OKC to the oil boom of the 70s and 80s and subsequent economic decline.

I generally provided those links to a) support estimates of the homeless population in those cities (and for numerous reasons mentioned in the articles, estimates are all that is available) and b) yes, to show that homelessness is a difficult problem that is prevalent in virtually every major city, not just liberal cities as the conservative propagandists want us to believe.

As to what is anybody doing to help, I can tell you that most cities, liberal or conservative, truly are trying to help rather than just arresting people or running them out of town. I'm actually much more concerned with the ideology and politics behind the homeless problem. A LOT of people would rather see them "disappeared" and would turn a blind eye to exactly how. I've read this rhetoric in rich enclaves like Silicon Valley, supposedly "compassionate people" places like Salt Lake City, and places with actually a lot of cheap housing like Detroit.

A common theme is that so many of the homeless not so long ago had jobs, places to live, and all the usual middle class stuff, and it took just a couple of bad breaks--or a couple of bad decisions--or some combination of the two--to reduce them to living in their cars--or on the street. Our country has a pretty pitiful social safety net and rather than improving it, the ruling party is diligently weakening it.

So there but for the grace of God go I, or you, and that's why Boilerman's belittling of the plight of the less fortunate and Stalker's stupid-shit political propaganda make my blood boil. We're NOT a compassionate people, taken as a whole. I think part of that might be the American "rugged individualist" horsecrap, or should I say horsie crap, ethos. We all need each other. But there's a LOT of poison in today's politics that spreads the idea that anyone who needs help is a pathetic loser and doesn't really deserve any aid.

And Candy...I don't really give a flying poop whether anyone says unflattering things about me or not. As the messenger, I'm used to being shot at. (That said, thanks for redacting whatever it is you originally said :).)

Kev, t'wasn't that bad.  Just another pot stirer, more of which we do not need. 

Well, I'm not the first person to bring up the topic--Stalker with his doctored photos, and a couple of our other Trumpers, have been tooting their attacks on "liberal-run cities" for some time now.

San Francisco in particular has been a Trump target (and thus, a Trumper target) because it--and California as a whole--has told Trump to go hang. He can't stand that.

I do support compassion and services for the downtrodden, even if it DOES reduce billionaires' incomes by 0.003%.

And to return to your metaphorical image, if you don't stir the pot now and then, all the scum floats to the top. See: the White House and the Senate.

Only 1 city has a poop patrol & map & it is san fran. 

Kevin can pretend but that is the reality.