How the radical Left turned America's cities into “slums” | Michael Shellenberger interview

[@ThePdeHav]

As a dual citizen, I’ve enjoyed living in California for three long periods of my life. There’s a phenomenon that blights the welfare of homeless down on Skid Row. It’s called Poverty Pimping. LA County allocates $2Billion on the homeless but little of this money reaches them. Corruption is rife. Charities don’t wish to solve the problem because without the homeless their coffers dry up.

[@1neAdam12]

Dual citizen of what?

[@jackwilliams3343]

There is a video called invisible people one could watch if someone is interested in hearing from the actual people living in the encampments instead of an intellectual pontificating on what the see and read

[@billsimms2511]

It’s pretty depressing. Dr Drew volunteered to come in(for NO charge) and help out local committees on how to better fight drug addiction .. they rejected his offer as they don’t want to fix the problem

[@StephenZ827]

Saw a video of the issues in L.A. Venice Beach in particular...they raised millions to help the homeless. The people responsible and holding the funds...bought a $750,000 place near the beach to " study" the issues. After permits, lawyers fees, etc,,,had no money left for the homeless issues.

[@cybrhunk333]

Precisely! And neither the host or the guest put forward the idea of 'Following the Money' to put names and faces to who's profiting from this crisis.

[@jacquescousteau217]

I’ve lived in San Francisco for thirty seven years, I raised a daughter here. Thank God she left in 2007 for college. I’m an old man now - seventy five - . This city is a surrealistic nightmare . All my friends have left this dump in past two years. There’s no laws ! I’m stuck. The stress is overwhelming …

[@justgivemethetruth]

That's just being 75 anywhere.

[@tobyw9573]

Start your own political party.

[@steve4562]

I lived there for 10 years, the 80's, then I moved to the East Bay for another 15 years. Raised two daughters. I left California in 2005 and never regretted it.

[@juleswinnfield6930]

Move closer to where your daughter is....

[@fleadoggreen9062]

Move !

[@meisterlymanu5214]

In Finland, they built a huge shelter and eliminated homelessness. But those who use it must rehabilitate, and take the low level job being offered to them at the end of their stay.

[@benjamincaron46]

It's really sad that in San Fran and LA, the leaders see this problem and they just don't care. I love California, but it's a literal warzone.

[@dostagirl9551]

Here they’d say that was cruel and akin to indentured servitude or the more popular buzzword of low wage “slavery.” Similar to how they constantly want to model the free higher Ed system in European countries but don’t realize it won’t work while they simultaneously try and eliminate all forms of meritocracy. They’d just turn colleges into the chaos that is the public school system.

[@pgroove163]

population of homelessness in the USA is larger than most cities or towns in Finland.. completely different reality..+ 176,000 illegal migrants enter the USA PER MONTH !...

[@Gunalizer]

@@pgroove163 It's intentional. The political class leftists, who are living in the lap of luxury, are using such people to politically target their opposition for irrelevancy.

[@solarman6648]

@@pgroove163 those immigrants work though....lol...at least they provide some kind of service....during the lockdowns when many people were staying at home with their feet up....those illegals in agriculture, meatpacking, slaughterhouses...they kind of played the role of the shadow economy...no stimulus checks for them.

[@VoxLesPaul]

Every presentation I've seen from Shellenberger is thoughtful, articulate, logical and well reasoned. He's a true intellectual.

[@sherriflemming3218]

He definately knows his facts.

[@robertuchman6947]

Someone who performs heinous crimes gets set free but someone who speaks vocally on any of the social media platforms gets chastised or imprisoned

[@frankjoseph4273]

They installed DAs to let people go wild

[@theonewhoknows62]

Yeah, so true.😢

[@sajiretto]

Same everywhere, US, UK, EU, Sweden...

[@HarryManback0]

Most of the time, anyone who provides concrete evidence of how Democrats and liberals are destroying American society just gets censored by social media. We ALL know it's the truth, though.

[@DavidEiden]

and/or shadow banned

[@a.azazagoth5413]

The fact that people are flocking out NYC, San Francisco, Seattle and Portland really demonstrate how little the elected officials have done to make the population feel safe and thriving. The last 4 years have given criminals more rights than the victims of crime. It’s absolutely insane!

[@dannysullivan3951]

Guess what? Still very expensive to live in those places. Nobody flocking to Omaha.

[@sherriflemming3218]

Mild climates with progressive politics enable this.

[@hoboonwheels9289]

They aren't allowed to, in a small city in Alberta recently, Chestomere the newly elected council was working on fixing the fraud and corruption, the provincial minister took them out politically not because the people were unhappy but because they were doing the work they were hired for.

[@DouglasLippi]

The libs (or Progressives as this guy prefers) are happy that regular people are leaving. They want their lib paradise. Until they themselves are significantly impacted by this craziness they will just keep doing more of it.

[@josephthibeault9919]

The Democrats have never found a problem that couldn't become an industry. In chaos criminals rule. This is why politicians love chaos.

[@fallout908]

Its not the 'radical' left I'm afraid, its just the left. These types of 'progressive' policies have been tried again and again and I struggle to find even one example of where they have led to anything remotely good...

[@massspectrician]

This was a very well conducted interview. Nice to see a media company doing a proper job, for a change.

[@mickyday2008]

I’ve been to San Francisco many times and have watched its decline over the years. I don’t plan to return as a result of what it has become.

[@Incornsyucopia]

@Rob Wood It used to be a great place, as was all of California, but not anymore.

[@robzilla730]

Frisco was always liberal but it WAS clean and the cops DID their job.

[@3John-Bishop]

@@Incornsyucopia it was a beautiful place in the past but now too many bums, homeless drug addicts with mental illness.

[@3John-Bishop]

I used to live in the tenderloin in mid 80s..was bad back then.😱

[@Evettecord]

@@robzilla730 the corrupt DAs are the issue instead of the cops

[@jennycurtis4447]

I always struggle with how anyone can look at what is happening in liberal cities and think that continuing with those policies will improve things. And this is not a recent phenomenon. Look at the once great cities of Philadelphia, Baltimore, Detroit. The liberal/progressive policies instituted in the 1960s and 1970s absolutely decimated those cities.

[@hippiebits2071]

TBH I think that today these people are just out for themselves. What may have started decades ago as a legitimate effort to make this country a more hospitable place for everyone is now completely corrupted by completely self absorbed individuals. They don't seem to be in denial as much as they simply don't care how these outcomes impact the citizens. Leftist follow the Left. People on the Right aren't remarkably different in that at times they will blindly support lousy policy as well. The division is probably our biggest problem moving forward...it's entirely replaced common sense. Jmho

[@garybulwinkle82]

the drug stupor they are used to! In the days gone by, they would have been banished from society to their demise. Perhaps the liberals should step up and take responsibility for one of these individuals. Obviously, things are not going to change if society keep coddling these people and their problems!!

[@maaxrenn]

@@hippiebits2071 basically right the group figting is like all that matters anymore

[@credman]

Republicans stand for nothing except cutting social programs to give Kim Kardashian another tax cut. There is no better alternative than the status quo. (Except a Bernie Sanders/New Deal/class-based leftism, which both parties work together hand-in-glove to erase from American politics.)

[@bryanutility9609]

They can’t be reasoned with so we can’t vote our way out. They will destroy us if we don’t find a final solution.

[@maryannerazzo1737]

As a native San Franciscan my heart breaks whenever I drive down nearly any street. There are vagrants and drug addicts in even some of the more affluent neighborhoods. The average citizen lives in fear of a vicious and mean-spirited backlash from the “progressive” far left, many of whom wouldn’t go near either a homeless encampment or even a black neighborhood. They are a real toxic presence in the City.

[@DrBarnes1]

What would that backlash look like?

[@maryannerazzo1737]

@@DrBarnes1 Vicious verbal abuse, name calling, acting out, ridicule, mockery. Does that answer your question?

[@marcodarko6941]

Sticks and stones. No disrespect and not to be mean but People are going to have to learn to stand up for themselves. The alternative, when things eventually get much worse and out of control, being verbally berated and called names is going to be the least of everybody's concerns. Those miscreants only attack in packs and are full of nothing sht and hot air. They are all talk, start banding together and fighting back.@@maryannerazzo1737

[@robzilla730]

Maybe time for citizen patrols or maybe even vi gi lantes. I mean, if the city/ D.A won't let the cops do their job then what??

[@jimbodimbo981]

@@DrBarnes1 it varies, from outright hostility and threats to…social shaming. I witness it often, when I push back.

[@saradustyrose5990]

Trust me I was an addict but now I'm not. I was a liberal but now I'm not. Poverty is Poverty.

[@billrowell2919]

As soon as ANYONE says ""trust me!! I DONT!

[@1995texasaggie]

@@billrowell2919 The words "Let me be clear" are also trigger words for "mierda."

[@billybussey]

I left San Francisco in 2006. I knew all this was coming. I pointed out to my progressive friends that the 'tolerant' left is the least tolerant group I have ever encountered. They ignored me and still do. No one wants to hear this part....it's mostly women who were the most intolerant. They lead the arguments since the 60s and they lead it now. Progressive men in California just fall in line with these women because they want to sleep with them or are married to them.

[@williamtiffee3799]

The "far left" (here in N. Cali) are probably also 80% plus "Cluster B personality" people (including some of my relatives) so it's no wonder that S0r0s and the likes of Joey's choice for "VP" (quite clearly a "narc," herself) along with Willie Brown to Gavi Nuisance, etc. have been SO "successful" in turning cities like SFO into open air cesspools, by intentionally overrunning them with illegal immigration, heavy taxation, drugs and unchecked criminality... after stealing (s)elections and taking kickbacks from funders such as the various mobs, cartels and the CCP... Too bad (for them!) China is about to 'implode' under the weight of their own "corruption," and "reality" will soon catch- up with these criminal politicians, as well as their puppetmasters. Indeed, this state was already a "lost cause..." decades ago! (I've returned, then left, several times...)

[@jackdeniston6150]

Absolutely. Listening to women destroys everything 99 times out of a hundred. Hear them out, and then do what is required. And take the hit.

[@billybussey]

@John Smith At first I moved to Arizona but now I live in Istanbul. When I visit the bay area now I can't stand it. In the 90s it was like a little paradise. Now it's embarrassing. A lot of my friends left for the Sacramento area though. I feel the poison will spread up there too. It's Happening to Phoenix and of course Portland already.

[@mikemiller659]

I Know the type, I've said hello to a few passing buy them..they wont make eye contact & walk on by as U weren't there.

[@elgrigorio1]

The progressives are anything but progressive, and I speak from experience. I'm a libertarian,and I've explained this to my former leftist friends. But they did not ignore me, this is what they would do, typical leftist fashion. They would condescend to me and gaslight me,and then they denounce me and slander me.

[@PInk77W1]

I lived in California for 56yrs. I left in Jan of 2018. In California I was borderline homeless In Texas I’m rich.

[@FindAReason-mi7go]

There is a lot of foreign money in California and they can buy nearly whatever they like. They don't care about who lived there in the past. I was shocked at how many Asian people own properties in Pacific Heights and Sea Cliff in San Francisco. The hippy Haight Ashbury in SF descended into chaos pretty fast, and it surprises me that it has taken 50 years for the rest of San Francisco to go the same way.

[@lolaloliepop]

@@FindAReason-mi7go China has basically colonized most of Africa and California and the Amazon/Brazil and everyone just pretends like it isn't happening. Why the people so obsessed with colonization turn a blind eye to this is evil.

[@sherriflemming3218]

Money laundering thrives in Canada

[@notinthemoodfornames8033]

@@FindAReason-mi7go While C.A is the favorite spot for Chinese international students, and once a place get that reputation it gets the snowball effect of people coming in en mass, often with their families, and reinforcing that reputation, which leads to more people coming... In their defense I want to emphasize that unlike the Londongrad situation (of Putin-controlled oligarchs buying tons of houses in London), the chinese migration to california and many other places in the western world are often driven by relatively ordinary Chinese persons who are trying to flee China as the country descend into further levels of dictatorship (it was more of a oligarchy under previous premierships, and oligarchies, while not ideal, are definitely much much better than dictatorships...)

[@ArmyJames]

I don’t believe it’s quite that simple.

[@albatross5466]

A friend was telling me that due to the criminal element, not many are using mass transit to get into NY city. The vehicle traffic has caused traffic jambs and the criminals are now going up to cars stuck in traffic and robbing them at gun point, but the honest citizen can not legally possess a gun in NY city. Never give up your guns, never give up your rights.

[@Chalk89]

Just had an incident here in Maryland that reaffirmed my thoughts about gun control. Woman had a protective order against a man and moved from FL to MD. Yesterday morning the man found her home, I believe entered against her wishes and a struggle ensued. She gained the upper hand with her fire arm and killed him. She's not facing any charges whatsoever and gets to live to tell her story.

[@ReenieG1UK]

@@Chalk89 so pleased to hear that wokeness did not lead to her being arrested in favour of the perpetrators ‘rights’ 👏🏽

[@justinswingle4714]

DITTO SAN FRANCISCO

[@raibraga2590]

This has been happening in Brazil since President Lula took weapons away from citizens, even though the majority of citizens do not agree with the disarmament made by plebiscite.

[@reggierisk]

Nyc has become 😖.

[@jasonhackenbracht6634]

When left wing policies fail, why do we always want to try to fix things with more left wing policies?

[@JNieckarz]

Name one Leftist policy passed in.the last 20 years...The Biden Democrats are corporatists, right of center domestically and neocons with their war mongering.

[@dontransue9843]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[@hlwebb9877]

A fantastic insightful & well thought out interview that ought to be mandatory listening by all "progressives".

[@terryparenteau1200]

LEFT RIGHT LIBERAL CONSERVATIVE.MSM TALKING POINTS THAT DIVIDE.AMERICANS CANT FIGURE THIS OUT.TOO STUPID.

[@robtempe]

The Telegraph is Right Biased based on story selection that strongly favors the right and Mixed for factual reporting due to poor sourcing of information and some failed fact checks. It is owned by British oligarchic twin brothers, Barclay brothers. They are similar to American Oligarchs the Forbes family. Do we really want the 1% of the world to do our thinking for us??? They have one goal in mind. To maintain their power and money they need to brainwash the masses to keep the system going they put in effect in supposed democratic systems. WE CANNOT HAVE A DEMOCRACY AND BE RULED BY THE 1% AT THE SAME TIME. It is as simple as that.

[@kbanghart]

Except that this video is simple garbage published by the Reich Wing, and Trump supporters eat it all up because they are so simple-minded and cannot think for themselves sadly.

[@bonbon5418]

I think they should switch their name to regressives really

[@anitapaily2610]

All thanks to his former boss Soros. I am Amazed that Americans are so indifferent and keep voting for the same party election after election. I guess they deserve what they voted for.

[@cliffc2546]

that is the problem in CA, that it is effectively a 1 party state. There is no dialectic. CA has engineered an electoral system that will keep the current power structure preserved in amber for a long time.

[@JohnDoe-yf8ek]

@@cliffc2546 demographics

[@RatatRatR]

California governors are Republican as often as they are Democrat.

[@ElementZephyr]

It's a one party state and anyone who tries to present a different point of view or solutions are threatened with bodily harm and property destruction by a vigilante political movement.

[@VapeFBV]

He literally referred to soros as a philanthropist.. That's a nice way of saying he dumps billions into groups and policies that destroy and rot these cities.

[@danstewart3962]

The term “Regressive” would better describe the character of the community leaders.

[@simonbagel]

I'd go further. Their ideals border on primative.

[@shanetay7389]

@@simonbagel maybe we'll luck out with a primitive zone (not autonomous) it is aggressive progressive u'd have to know dem history to see how its democratic. hope things get better.

[@bweaver760]

The depravity in the governing leaders pushing bad leftist policies is causing these Democratic Party run cities downfall! Democrats are the makers for terrible leaders!

[@lucienfury2606]

Batshit crazy is a better term

[@debralynnpaxton5238]

I said the same, "Regressives".

[@syddog44]

I visited LA in 2018 and I was shocked by the amount of tents and crazy people wondering around everywhere. I've never seen so many marquee cars, Rolls Royce, Lamborghini, Ferraris etc, but never seen so many homeless people either.

[@mdaniels6311]

It is the epitome of American capitalism.

[@danielvizzerra4071]

​@@mdaniels6311 no it's the epitome of American wokeism.. California is as left as it gets buddy..

[@randibass7558]

(wAndering around ...wOndering what to do today)

[@MaxAbramson3]

I worked out of LA in the Aughties, and things were already getting bad. I went back around 2018, and it was like something out of Escape From LA.

[@jazzywayz9773]

@syddog44 that is the beauty of the far leftist politics of L.A.; this is what they want, extreme rich (the party and those afiliated with it) and the poor. Also, look who has politically controlled the city for the past 30 years or so, not just the mayor but city council people, courts, etc. It is overwhelming far leftists from the dem party

[@sdmytrenko]

Lived in SF for 33 years but retired to another state in 2013...Went back a few years ago and was shocked how the city was now unsafe...told "don't park your car in the city it will get broken into" saw a guy in an alley deficating and shocked! Thanks for this article.

[@mikemiller659]

People have been craping on SF since 1997 when I whitnesed it, it was on the sidewalk in daylight.

[@stevecibolo7725]

I was shocked also, after returning for a visit, Most of the Citizens in denial. Lived in all the West Coast Cities for years.

[@warfarenotwarfair5655]

Democrats should not be allowed to leave! They need to live in the utopia they created!

[@brindlekintales]

> saw a guy in an alley deficating Defecating.

[@MusicMan3]

This guy has an agenda and is pushing his own misinformation as well. I personally visited LA San Francisco and NYC for months this year. I barely saw any homeless or literally no crime. Of course there is crime just as always. The internet and videos just make us see more of it. The coronavirus part is probably true I didn’t get a vaccine. But we have to question this guy as well he is making money to push these narratives. As for climate change narratives I think is a good thing it’s free to live off of energy from the sun and makes our air healthier. Hence Elon Musk trying to push electric cars and solar panels.

[@connorisawsome8440]

Here in Canada we are experiencing all these problems in Toronto and especially Vancouver. All of the reasons this guy talks about apply to our situation as well. I live in Toronto and I started seeing homeless encampments in the city parks in 2020. (I honestly don't recall seeing encampments before 2020, but that's just my experience) It's getting worse all the time. The homeless are getting more aggressive, more entitled and more belligerent and there's way more of them then before. We're not as bad as San Francisco, but man oh man are we heading there. I'm planning on moving back to the country soon. I know where this is going.

[@kellyalbertson3699]

That's a shame we went on holiday for 2 weeks in 2012 in Toronto and loved it...ld be afraid to go to Canada now as well as any country...can't even trust my own now...shameful these countries use to thrive on tourists can't imagine what's coming across the borders now l know what's coming here and that's down right scary

[@LouisPaquette]

That's definitely the case in Vancouver. What's really alarming in the frequency of random violent attacks taking place all over the city - not just in the bad hoods such as the Downtown East Side. We're seeing a few of these each day now. Along with worse violence resulting in murders. And what to the leftist elites do? Deny anything is happening and give themselves fat raises while patting themselves on the back all the while.

[@janinewetzler5037]

A majority of the homeless encampments in 2020 sprung up from homeless shelters limiting entries into their facilities to accommodate the COVID19 mandates of social distancing. Those have mostly been removed now.

[@robtempe]

The Telegraph is Right Biased based on story selection that strongly favors the right and Mixed for factual reporting due to poor sourcing of information and some failed fact checks. It is owned by British oligarchic twin brothers, Barclay brothers. They are similar to American Oligarchs the Forbes family. Do we really want the 1% of the world to do our thinking for us??? They have one goal in mind. To maintain their power and money they need to brainwash the masses to keep the system going they put in effect in supposed democratic systems. WE CANNOT HAVE A DEMOCRACY AND BE RULED BY THE 1% AT THE SAME TIME. It is as simple as that.

[@robtempe]

"The Red State Murder Problem": The six states with the highest per-capita murder rates all voted for President Trump in 2020 - as did 8 of the top 10. In Trump states, the rate was 8.20 murders per 100,000 residents. In Biden states, the rate was 5.78 murders per 100,000 residents. While the murder rate has gone up in Chicago and Detroit and Philadelphia, all run by Democrats, the murder rate has likewise gone up in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; in Fort Worth, Texas; in Fresno, California; and in Miami, Florida. Every one of those cities is run by a Republican mayor and overseen by a Republican governor. Jacksonville, Florida, is known as the "murder capital" of the Sunshine State - and has had a Republican mayor for the past six years. Fort Worth survived its most violent year in the past quarter century in 2020, with a murder rate that nearly doubled from the previous year. Betsy Price has been the city's Republican mayor for the past 10 years.

[@lalaboards]

2 nd gen LA here . Born and raised in Hollywood . What the Democrats have done and how they did it is unforgivable . Our city officials are in the pockets of the drug cartels . They cry climate change when they can’t even keep their own Cities clean .

[@lemsip207]

@Phil Silverman One Democrat I blame though is Clinton for starting those wars and sending so many to fight those wars who got killed, maimed or returned with PTSD. He was also a neo-liberal and cut welfare.

[@1neAdam12]

Left wing, Right wing, same bird. All politicians are puppets of the international banking cabal.

[@AskRemy]

democrat politicians are tyrants and their followers are complete morons.

[@3John-Bishop]

These fires 🔥 👌 are not available for free 😢 homeless people need to pay for sidewalk space, tax the tents also.

[@nathanbosley76]

@@AskRemy Absolute truth.

[@shawnibrown8734]

I fled N. California because it became unbearable. Ironically, this guy Michael Schellenberger is the son of two of the best Psychology professors. I attended their classes and worked for them at the biofeedback lab. He comes from an amazing family. I would love to see him grow in popularity and share his advice on family matters.

[@donaldbiden1920]

Why? This guy is ridiculous and speaks complete gibberish.

[@johnschuh8616]

We have abandoned religion and science for psychology. But it is seems incapable of giving us the answers we need.

[@linmal2242]

@@johnschuh8616 Well, that is not really true; psycology is useful for mentally ill persons, whether through drugs or schizo or other problems, like poor diet, alchoholism etc. What is lacking is discipline, both of the individual and of the authorities !

[@HerWanderlust]

@John psychology is a useful tool with many flaws, just like science (or rather, the way humans apply it) has flaws. All of these elements can be beneficial if we are mindful

[@benbunyip]

If I was in California, I’d be giving him a chance. Public services like psychiatry are important, but family & community are probably the reasons religion was significant help to people. I heard, “the opposite of addiction is connection.” Looking after my own brother who is mentally ill. I think this is true.

[@willardmusick1187]

Open drug scenes vs. homeless camps a much better description as to what's going on. Our mindset is so sloppy now, we're generally OK with this.

[@Marinealver]

False dilemma Thing the establishment relies on as they select the worst candidates.

[@PianoBangBang]

Except it isn't an open air market, there is a large difference

[@PianoBangBang]

@@SA-5247 what is this "trash free culture" your referencing lol, wonder bread and 1950s jello molds??

[@fin1131]

All by design, this current crop of politicians, for the last 30-50 yrs serve a globalist master, and not their voters

[@laneybop1728]

Michael Shellenberger speaks TRUTH from a caring and compassionate and knowledgeable place! I think many of us would like to help out in our neighborhoods and cities - but don’t know where to begin! I think many of us can feel better knowing we are not alone in this major problem! It’s also nice to hear someone hopeful again!

[@feduppatriot7647]

This man went from woke to awake to reality , very well spoken to the reality of things in our society.

[@constancemiller3753]

I'm glad someone who speaks thier language can talk to them. Radical left people need to hear what thier ideas are doing to human beings stuck under thier policies.

[@jeffmoore9487]

The vid is nonsense. Normal people are driven out of cities by housing costs. It's happening all over the world in the wealthy countries.

[@austntexan]

I'd like to know how many years he was funded by Soros to remove the legislation the penalized drug use. He pretty much set in motion the exact thing that is now plaguing every large American metro.

[@robtempe]

The Telegraph is Right Biased based on story selection that strongly favors the right and Mixed for factual reporting due to poor sourcing of information and some failed fact checks. It is owned by British oligarchic twin brothers, Barclay brothers. They are similar to American Oligarchs the Forbes family. Do we really want the 1% of the world to do our thinking for us??? They have one goal in mind. To maintain their power and money they need to brainwash the masses to keep the system going they put in effect in supposed democratic systems. WE CANNOT HAVE A DEMOCRACY AND BE RULED BY THE 1% AT THE SAME TIME. It is as simple as that.

[@robtempe]

According to 2019 FBI data, seven out of ten states with the highest per-capita rates of violent crime voted Republican in the 2020 election. In contrast, seven out of ten states with the lowest rates voted Democrat. However, the District of Columbia had the highest rate despite voting blue. The FBI cautions against using any one demographic marker to draw conclusions about the causes of crime, which they describe as manifold, complex and often “not readily measurable.” Cited variables include: Population density and transience. Poverty. Education levels. Racial and ethnic makeup. Family cohesiveness. Strength of law enforcement. Youth concentration. Climate.

[@noahmosher6543]

I work at a non-profit organization with recovering drug addicts, and I've heard many times that they couldn't quit until the judge told them they could either go to rehab or jail.

[@MikeinVirginia1]

That is called "the jumping off point." I also deal with recovering addicts and alcoholics and know that well!

[@gussampson5029]

Most of them relapse even with the threat. No one can get better until they WANT to get better. That's true no matter what your affliction is. Though hopefully the threat of jail helps them finally see that they've reached rock bottom.

[@andrewmckeown6786]

This guys voice is super important!! Glad he is getting lots of press👍

[@africkinamerican]

It is incorrect to label these left-wing policies as "libertarian." Libertarianism is not libertinism. It demands not just personal liberty, but full personal responsibility for the consequences of one's choices.

[@azmike3572]

Aren't Libertarians also for small government?

[@petrosianus]

@@azmike3572 Libertarians are for small government. Leftists/liberals are for large governments so they can affect their agendas through coercion

[@JeffTheGent]

Exactly! 👍🏾 I’m a new subscriber to the “a frickin american” channel, and yes, libertarianism - which I began to embrace more than 20 years ago - is very different from libertinism.

[@deathlarsen7502]

If it was libertarianism that means an honest citizen can go clean up the ACT in the street and just go start mowing down and cleaning up the mess there's a janky harassing people blown away so this isn't libertarianism if it is it means we could have wild west Justice and that would clean up the mess

[@samhirst2830]

The drug policy that the West Coast states have implemented is very similar to what Libertarians have advocated for. Libertarians just want to go even further by making it legal to manufacture and sell.

[@ThePdeHav]

In San Francisco a group of Christian businessmen are locked in legal battle with the city hall there. They wish to build modest homes for the homeless but refuse to pay the bribes.

[@miamiman196]

Please elaborate.

[@publiusovidius7386]

That's not the fault of progressives as Shellenberger falsely claims, but of the neo-liberals (and the real estate industry) who actually run the city and the state. Shellenberger misses the point entirely. He's just trying to cash in on the "own the libs" cash cow narrative like Haidt and McWhorter--or else he's genuinely stupid.

[@geraldkaczmarek626]

@@publiusovidius7386 , Agreed and exactly what's happening here in New Orleans. Gentrification has created a huge problem with the real industry industry, and the natives.

[@cius2112]

@@publiusovidius7386 so progressives didnt do it they just support it and promote it. Yeah we know.

[@laszlokiss483]

@@publiusovidius7386 It is though because progressives vote blue no matter who, they are ruining CA to own the reps lol literally cutting off their own nose to spite their face and the mental gymnastics to revert back to the cringe that is advocating for a reactionary ideology that has died out long ago in communism/socialism is truly awe inspiring.

[@andrewhaycox]

The victim obsession is strikingly similar to vulnerable narcissism

[@Dana-pq7ke]

Yes!

[@ciaran4579]

It's not just the left-wing, it's the Democrats. It's the same in Ireland and the UK, left-wing party strongholds are usually the most degradated

[@jones2277]

i've been saying this for years. people act like homelessness is about joblessness. it's not. people whom we see on the streets are not just down on their luck; they are addicts or mentally ill. they have alienated themselves from every connection or relationship because of serious issues. putting them in a shelter or giving them some money won't fix the problem. they need serious treatment

[@ironhammer4095]

Agreed but who was it who cut the money for mental health? It wasn't the "radical Left". This guy is practicing lazy thinking. Sure the "woke" left are a bunch of idiots but so are the right wing.

[@jones2277]

@@ironhammer4095 absolutely.

[@keremcagintv]

Exactly!

[@stevens1041]

Nailed it

[@geoffreyharris5931]

Many of them are criminals too.

[@JackJackJack123]

What I can’t understand is why the people who claim to be compassionate continue doubling-down on the policies that created so much destruction and suffering.

[@mysticaltyger2009]

They can't admit they are wrong. It's like belonging to a cult.

[@crazycatlady7295]

@@mysticaltyger2009 That's actually a great analogy-----I have a friend who is for all these insane policies-------- he can't see the forest for the trees!!

[@incurableromantic4006]

Loyalty to the woke cult over-rides everything. The only acceptable response to failure is to double-down on the failed policy.

[@duraosunda]

Let me guess... they´re left wing.

[@rerite2]

@@mysticaltyger2009 -- Collective narcissism.

[@janealan2142]

Singapore doesn't have an illegal drug. What they have is capital punishment. Consequently their country is safe, civil and stable with a flourishing economy.

[@CheerfulAzaleaFlower-vd6nh]

Exactly

[@lowrydan111]

One party state. California voters get what they deserve.

[@maximusthemerciful9452]

@RED PILL PORTAL they voted for the morons in charge.

[@adamlynch6954]

Oh like voting republican would accomplish anything... They have no agenda for these issues

[@lauriegriffin1835]

That is precisely why I left

[@justinbetland9792]

The new right-leaning Liberals want to live in clean and safe cities, but don't like the regressive feeling of voting for conservative candidates. It must be hard to reconcile spending all that money to become an educated progressive, only to realize that dear old conservative dad was right all along.

[@jamesbong7852]

Dear old conservative dad preserving extreme capitalism was the catalyst for this third world state.

[@bumblebee9337]

@@jamesbong7852 Aka old economy Steve?

[@aclark903]

@@jamesbong7852 San Fran hasn't had a conservative GOP Mayor since 1964 but keep blaming conservatives & "extreme capitalism", James, that'll work..

[@georgewagner7787]

Wrong. My conservative dad worked his way up from poverty, became a minister and ran a homeless shelter. He taught the teens what he had learned: work hard, save your money, get married and put down money on a house. I am ill and the money he left me still helps me.

[@publiusovidius7386]

lol. It was Reagan era policies and neo-liberalism that created the mess in the cities. Not progressives. Dear old conservative dad was always wrong. And he still is.

[@williamkinkade2538]

Bring back mental institutions many homeless people are mentally ill.

[@janealan2142]

Yes, I'm 75 years old and I remember when we used to have mental health hospitals that dealt with all the different types of mental illnesses from the depressed up to the criminally insane. There may have been some abuse in the treatments back then, like shock therapy, but psychology and psychiatry have come a long way in the past 70 years. 🤗

[@susanegittins6258]

​@@janealan2142Only if those who NEED the structure and literal controlled environment receive that care. It's been thrown away.

[@cornpopsrazor5375]

Mentally ill.....usually because of their drug addiction.....just facts.

[@jamesgreenlee518]

As are many politicians.

[@rigelb9025]

I think a lot of asylum seekers would be delighted.

[@markpiersall9815]

Compassion is one thing. However being too tolerant leads to Enabling bad behavior.

[@hoboonwheels9289]

True compassion helps people not allows people to harm themselves and others.

[@csaracho2009]

People are wise here...

[@djshuman]

It is a real estate scam where they (who is they, investors?) use homeless people to drive down property values. Then they buy up all the cheap property. Then they clean up the homelessness, rebuild and sell the property back at a huge profit.

[@DrCruel]

It's not about tolerance. It's about using homeless drug addicts to force tax peasants out of their homes on the cheap, then gentrifying the neighborhood into premium rentals so the Democrats become filthy rich. They became notorious for using the strategy in NYC.

[@yppisme]

I miss when SF was a city with a caring community. I’ve lived in New York and San Francisco and left both cities. It’s not safe in either city. I’ve moved on and don’t even go visit either cities.

[@guyinoakland]

same.

[@jazzywayz9773]

Look at who has controlled both cities politically for the past 30 years or so ...

[@gregs.2679]

The Republican Party in Texas and other free states must organize welcoming committees to warn newcomers from California not to vote for the same types of politicians who turned the main cities in their home state into the sewers that they felt they had to flee.

[@jamesbong7852]

Charitable Republicans 😂😂😂

[@michaeldengg]

@@jamesbong7852 .?

[@foro6102]

Oh yeah because there aren't any homeless, drug and violence problems in Houston and Dallas..

[@michaeldengg]

@@foro6102 Much much less than San Francisco. Plus San Francisco had nowhere near as many homeless and druggies until recently.

[@canofbeer2397]

Texas is garbage.

[@ContinentsEdge]

I, a lifelong Dem. have lived here for 82 years and this city is no longer recognizable. My home is on the western slope of the city where I live, fairly securely, surrounded by my law abiding Asian neighbors, but for how long ? I no longer go downtown and being an elderly frail woman do not feel safe. I now believe that one party governance is not healthy. There has been no watchdog party in opposition for many decades. The Democratic Party of SF projects itself as compassionate, but an exaggeration of compassion in any sphere of life (eg parental) is dangerous and profoundly unwise. I see little hope for this city.

[@lourdesdelapena1852]

Jesus mercy Mary help !!!🙏🏻❤️🙏🏻

[@vickiegibson2920]

So sad that progressive democrats have destroyed their cities.

[@Lilac914]

I believe people nowadays are suffering from total collapse of morale… the drug use, homelessness, crime, gangs… it all roots from life devoid of any purpose or meaning.

[@geoffreyharris5931]

We have anomie and nihilism.

[@jazzywayz9773]

People need spiritually and/or a sense of purpose, goals, beneficial things to aim for. The society is sick psychologically

[@espada9]

Of the 10+ friends I know who have left California over the last 5 years (including myself) ALL are either politically conservative or Libertarian, none of these people are progressives or Democrats. So some states are going to have a net gain of educated law abiding small government business owners and tax payers.

[@conniesheraw4702]

Good

[@spackar2720]

I am an independent democrat, and I want to leave California. The main thing keeping me here is my job.

[@peredavi]

Sad case. I spent time in San Francisco in 1984 and Seattle 1985-1988. Perfectly decent large cities then. Some panhandling,especially in Seattle, but not awful bad. I think the USA is in serious trouble. This problem is a symptom of serious disease in the body politic. I moved to northern Great Plains and have a wonderful life. Nature will take it’s course,eventually.

[@McK9999]

It's been a war of subterfuge.. a new opium war in reverse.. this time China flooding the U.S.

[@lisareiter5368]

The Chinese are making fentanyl and lacing other drugs with it. It's very addictive and dangerous. This is a drug war.

[@luissantiago8446]

Your diagnosis is accurate. The rot and decay is deep-seated and inculturated. The progressivism pushed and promoted in urban areas, have turned them into social incubators for leftist agendas. There's a reason why these cities present a stark contrast to what they once were before the late 60s to what they are today. But yes, the overreaching culture has a lot to do with it.

[@stanw909]

Only the cities run by Democrats have these issues. Nothing new, just bigger in scale.

[@srfrg9707]

The West is in trouble due to the overshoot of resources, mainly of oil. The entire economy is based on the concept of growth. Global growth is over since Saudi Arabia's oil reached its pic between 2006-2008. Fracking gave the US some time but not quite near the real needs. The end of cheap energy means the end of the middle class type of economy. Of course the plutocracy knows that since Meadows report and prepared itself to deal with the unrest. Among what they did was promoting idiocracy, woke culture and race issues. Along with strategies to digitally monitor everyone with their consent.

[@edwardlobb931]

Drug addicts are "trapped" within the cities where they easily feed their addictions. This is huge, because it creates "pipelines" that link cities, like Houston to St. Louis, New York to Minneapolis, etc. Each enclave is a "service center" which supplies an enormous radius of smaller cities and towns. A pattern similar to slime mold.

[@cybrhunk333]

Simple, dismantle the drug networks, from farm (or lab) to the street -- all of it, production, transportation, financial institutions, wholesalers, corrupt functionaries, street level dealers, all of it. Now, with all this money being spent on a 'drug war', why hasn't this been done? Lol

[@lstj2979]

At times leaders had programs to give homeless or addict a couple hundred dollars and a bus ticket out of their state.

[@oldsalt8011]

Sanctuary Cities

[@lisareiter5368]

They still do that. My City in Tennessee gets homeless from other places because we provide housing and services. Build it and they will come.

[@ralphholiman7401]

@@user-ex7qx4pv2u , yeah, but why is the drug trafficking and addiction problems so much worse in some places? It has to be different policy in the different places.

[@lildebbieyvonne]

It's not the police that releases them but the courts.

[@AmritBirdi]

Been watching this happen over the last number of years with disbelief. Nice to see it getting some honest mainstream coverage

[@kbanghart]

So glad to live in a blue State without the crazy right-wing policies

[@xjmmjbnqfstjdijoj2044]

@@kbanghart enjoy your paradise on earth

[@kbanghart]

@@xjmmjbnqfstjdijoj2044 Amen

[@wildmercuryfilms]

15:17 The reason they’re choosing LA is THE MILD WEATHER. Same with Austin and San Diego. It’s THE WEATHER. Yes: It’s ALSO the INSANE LEFTWING LAWS, but the #1 reason is THE WEATHER. LA is full of soft-hearted people. LA attracted soft-hearted people because soft-hearted people are attracted to MILD WEATHER. The soft-hearted people created the soft-on-crime laws that created this HOMELESS CRISIS. Tough-hearted people live in cold places like Nebraska. Tough-hearted people create Tough Laws that prevent homelessness. Plus: Homeless people do not want to live through the cold winters of Nebraska.

[@susansmiles2630]

Plus, no sane person wants to live in Nebraska.

[@Sartorious420]

Of all the voices examining the progressive troubles in San Francisco and beyond, Shellenberger most accurately gathers, properly analyzes, and makes the most sensible conclusions from all the data available. His voice should be the loudest and most listened to by those with a desire to solve these problems.

[@highroller-jq3ix]

+BucknerSanFrancisco Actually, his invocation of this "radical left" boogieman undercuts the whole presentation and just makes it feel like more partisan propaganizing.

[@Sartorious420]

@@highroller-jq3ix Yeah, I can see the point of view with this interview. This is probably the 10th interview I've watched with him and can say his focus on who to blame for the problems (which he calls the "radical left" at first but really is "Progressives") in this video probably has more to do with the primary vote a few weeks ago for Governor. Other videos I have seen are more solution-focused which is the most important. I've lived at Turk and Hyde for the last 6-7 years which means I see firsthand the depth and nature of these problems as well as somewhat successful and plenty of failed plans to address them. He really nails cause, effect, and best-chance solutions based on my experiences.

[@Bvic3]

@@highroller-jq3ix Well yes. He's pointing the finger at those who created the problem. We've seen 60 years of "drugs are cool" advertisement from the radical left especially from SF and LA. It's not a coincidence that those end up becoming giant drug slums half a century later. That being said, the right is also to blame. Right wingers want social cohesion + economic individualism. The left wants social individualism + economic cohesion. What we got is individualism + individualism which leads to misery.

[@quatervois7966]

The problem is, the powers that be don't want to solve these problems. In fact, they helped to create them....and many are profiting from this awful situation.

[@r2dad282]

@@highroller-jq3ix Doesn't the message go down easier when it's a former Lefty proposing these solutions? He's got the right CV. Maybe Progressives are really just regressive.

[@1crunchy2]

Wow...this guy has the facts and common sense. My hero.

[@hockeystick73]

It's worth noting that the US government is funded by and aligns with Capital, its policies reflect this relationship, decline in the US is the result four to five decades of Neoliberalism, which over time will only worsen, as more policies are created which funnel money upwards, away from ordinary people and towards the ruling class. Without radical change, this decline will continue along with the associated social problems such as addiction.

[@lalaboards]

That’s it !

[@jokerpilled2535]

But “radical change” is called domestic terrorism by the ruling elite.

[@jayveebloggs9057]

jeez what was going on before then... capitalism of course ... what is your solution then?

[@Evettecord]

@RED PILL PORTAL he’s Jewish. Hes too on code to fully wake up

[@publiusovidius7386]

Exactly. This "blame the progressives" nonsense is a cash cow for these authors. But it has nothing to do with reality. It's neoliberalism and the Reagan dismantling of government services that are at the root of the problem. Shellenberger is just another dishonest "reluctant liberal" who trashes progressives for profit. Like Jon Haidt and McWhorter.

[@maxprize829]

The tag line of this book should be - “How progressives are trying to destroy western society”.

[@lilmoe4364]

No, it should be "My conclusions are a load of tripe"

[@DAN_ZEMAN]

@@lilmoe4364 what are yours?

[@kentimmins9171]

They are fast succeeding

[@tractordamage5272]

@@DAN_ZEMAN I would assume, like most indoctrinated 'Woke' narcissists, his answer is: "I am narcissistic, so NO CRITICISM of my tribe is allowed, just like my fellow 'Collective Narcissist' cultures, BLM and Islam...whose narcissism I relate to".

[@DAN_ZEMAN]

@@tractordamage5272 what do ya know, Marxist friendly KZbin has not displayed your comment. It’s visible in email and outside thread but not here when I click into thread. This is why idiotic little commies feel so venerated in their delusional naive world view. And the best thing is they think KZbin, google and Goldman Sachs are in their side because they’re ‘right’. The delusion is truly phenomenal to behold. But hey, let’s paint our faces blue and yellow, get our booster shots and wait for the next establishment narrative we’re supposed to agree with to surface through the prism of tribe controlled mainstream media..

[@astolatpere11]

One party rule in california has resulted in progressive hell.

[@adamlynch6954]

Oh please as if republican states like west Virginia Louisiana are any better

[@justinelliott3529]

@@adamlynch6954 I work in West Virginia, some places are actually nice

[@alastor8091]

@@adamlynch6954 yes actually. Alot better. Especially since the leaders there don't have free reign to do whatever they want.

[@adamlynch6954]

@@alastor8091 that's laughable... I'll take Malibu, Newport beach over west Virginia any day

[@mariannefaulkner3445]

Pelosi and puppet Biden imported voters as voters from border immigrants. Biden pelosi harvested voters from border immigrants all at USA taxpayers citizens millions of dollars in expense as they issued stimulus checks from Dominion. It appears in funding the immigrants and transporting around USA they infect pelosi devastation thru out the country Also registering to vote?????? I am trying to find out more from congress Do know pelosi and puppet biden are a disaster.

[@Beef_Supreeeme]

Same story in New Zealand. 10 years ago shootings in Auckland were almost unheard of. After a few years of a soft 'kind' approach to gangs and crime we now have almost daily shootings and ram raids.

[@ReganMarcelis]

….do not feel so bad, this is my city, I feel like crying every time I see it and worse since BIDEN, way worse, and we even are a BLUE town but vote Republican a decent percent considering…. 8 years of OBAMA pounding on the first American city of Philly, the city of brotherly LOVE and this is the end result... SAD, FIX IT! ...yet we still get this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sKKvhaaOeZeWftU

[@Beef_Supreeeme]

Update: the police minister was just removed from the role due to the explosion in violent crime. Looks like their diversity hire didn't work out.

[@rigelb9025]

It sounds like Auckland, NZ has become just like Oakland, CA. And I guess their 'diversity' hire was very effective in increasing the diversity of crimes that were committed­. And as a police minister, he should indeed be getting more exercise. (joke)

[@josephanderson7237]

Sorry to hear this. I had actually thought of visiting there with the hope that NZ would be a good place to live.

[@katadam2186]

1990’s Auckland was a dream

[@mikeballard8404]

No addict can be forced to quit. What worked for me ( drug addict for 30 years ) was being locked up in a single jail cell with a King James Bible.

[@haleyguthrie3113]

That is exactly what we do in Alabama and most of the south actually. Which is why we have huge budgets go to our jails.

[@davidanderson6055]

That's fantastic. I was not a drug addict, but made a lot of dumb decisions. I got locked up with a King James Bible too. I never went back. Some changes have to take place within.

[@313-v9k]

@Rosy Baroness exactly, loved Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance.

[@onefortheroad6186]

I was in the whole waiting for a bail review hearing. It continued getting postponed due to the snow. I was in so much pain from withdrawals and I was hallucinating.

[@crazycatlady7295]

@@313-v9k That was such a great book!! Gotta love J. D. !!

[@gregjames9875]

The mayor in LA is a Democrat. Of the fifteen city council members 14 are Democrats and 1 is an independent. The Police Chief is hired by city leadership. The DA is a Democrat. The AG is a Democrat. The issues LA is having are not racial. They are cultural, and are nurtured by the Democratic Party. The most recent Republican mayor of LA served from 1993-2001. The mayor of Milwaukee is a Democrat. All 15 of the city council members are Democrats. The police chief is appointed by city leadership. The AG is a Democrat. The DA is a Democrat. The issues Milwaukee has are not racial, but they are cultural. They are also the fault of the Democratic Party. The most recent Republican mayor of Milwaukee served from 1906-1908. In NY the mayor is a Democrat. Of the 51 city council seats 46 are held by Democrats. The AG is a Democrat. The DA is a Democrat. The Police Commissioner is appointed by the mayor. The issues NYC is having are the fault of the Democratic Party. The most recent Republican mayor of New York City served from 1994-2001. In Columbus the mayor is a Democrat. All seven of the city council members are Democrats. The police chief is appointed by city leadership. The AG is a Republican. The DA is a Democrat. The struggles Columbus is facing are not racial, but they are cultural. The are also the fault of the Democratic Party. The most recent Republican mayor served from 1992-2000. The mayor of Austin is a Democrat. The Democratic Party hold 9 of 10 seats of the city council. The AG is a Republican. The DA is a Democrat. The police chief is appointed by city leadership. The issues Austin is having are the fault of the Democratic Party. The most recent Republican mayor of Austin served from 1988-1991. The mayor of San Diego is a Democrat. Eight of the nine seats on the city council are held by Democrats. The AG is a Democrat. The DA is a Democrat. The police chief is appointed by city leadership. The issues San Diego is having are the fault of the Democratic Party. The most recent Republican mayor of San Diego served from 2014-2020. The mayor in SF is a Democrat. All eleven Board of Supervisor members are Democrats. The AG is a Democrat. The DA is a Democrat. The issues SF is having are the fault of the Democratic Party, due to the culture it nurtures. San Francisco's most recent Republican mayor served from 1956-1964. The mayor in Oakland is a Democrat. All 8 members of the city council are Democrats. The police chief is appointed by city leadership. The AG is a Democrat. The DA is a Democrat. Oakland's issues are the fault of the Democratic Party. The most recent Republican mayor of Oakland served from 1993-2001. In Philadelphia the mayor is a Democrat. The Police Commissioner is appointed by city leadership.. Fourteen of seventeen of the city council are Democrats. The DA is a Democrat. The AG is a Democrat. The issue in Philadelphia is not a racial issue, but it is a cultural issue. They are also the fault of the Democratic Party. The most recent Republican mayor, in Philadelphia, served from 1941 to 1952. In Chicago the mayor is a Democrat. The police Superintendent is appointed by city leadership. The DA is a Democrat.. The AG is a Democrat. 46 of 50 Aldermen are Democrats. Four are Independents. The issue in Chicago is not racial, it is cultural. They are also the fault of the Democratic Party. The most recent Republican mayor of Chicago served from 1927-1931. In Baltimore the mayor is a Democrat. The city council president is a Democrat. 10 of the 14 city council members are black. The city council members are all Democrats. The police commissioner is is appointed by city leadership. Baltimore's AG is a Democrat. The issues in Baltimore are not due to racism. The issues are due to culture. They are also the fault of the Democratic Party. The last Republican mayor of Baltimore left office in 1968.

[@LadyOaksNZ]

Unbelievable Aptitude! I'm in New Zealand and watching from afar . btw this is happening IN EVERY COUNTRY... including NZ.

[@gregjames9875]

@@LadyOaksNZ More. The mayor in LA is a Democrat. Of the fifteen city council members 14 are Democrats and 1 is an independent. The Police Chief is hired by city leadership. The DA is a Democrat. The AG is a Democrat. The issues LA is having are not racial. They are cultural, and are nurtured by the Democratic Party. The most recent Republican mayor of LA served from 1993-2001. The mayor of Milwaukee is a Democrat. All 15 of the city council members are Democrats. The police chief is appointed by city leadership. The AG is a Democrat. The DA is a Democrat. The issues Milwaukee has are not racial, but they are cultural. They are also the fault of the Democratic Party. The most recent Republican mayor of Milwaukee served from 1906-1908. In NY the mayor is a Democrat. Of the 51 city council seats 46 are held by Democrats. The AG is a Democrat. The DA is a Democrat. The Police Commissioner is appointed by the mayor. The issues NYC is having are the fault of the Democratic Party. The most recent Republican mayor of New York City served from 1994-2001. In Columbus the mayor is a Democrat. All seven of the city council members are Democrats. The police chief is appointed by city leadership. The AG is a Republican. The DA is a Democrat. The struggles Columbus is facing are not racial, but they are cultural. The are also the fault of the Democratic Party. The most recent Republican mayor served from 1992-2000. The mayor of Austin is a Democrat. The Democratic Party hold 9 of 10 seats of the city council. The AG is a Republican. The DA is a Democrat. The police chief is appointed by city leadership. The issues Austin is having are the fault of the Democratic Party. The most recent Republican mayor of Austin served from 1988-1991. The mayor of San Diego is a Democrat. Eight of the nine seats on the city council are held by Democrats. The AG is a Democrat. The DA is a Democrat. The police chief is appointed by city leadership. The issues San Diego is having are the fault of the Democratic Party. The most recent Republican mayor of San Diego served from 2014-2020. The mayor in SF is a Democrat. All eleven Board of Supervisor members are Democrats. The AG is a Democrat. The DA is a Democrat. The issues SF is having are the fault of the Democratic Party, due to the culture it nurtures. San Francisco's most recent Republican mayor served from 1956-1964. The mayor in Oakland is a Democrat. All 8 members of the city council are Democrats. The police chief is appointed by city leadership. The AG is a Democrat. The DA is a Democrat. Oakland's issues are the fault of the Democratic Party. The most recent Republican mayor of Oakland served from 1993-2001. In Philadelphia the mayor is a Democrat. The Police Commissioner is appointed by city leadership.. Fourteen of seventeen of the city council are Democrats. The DA is a Democrat. The AG is a Democrat. The issue in Philadelphia is not a racial issue, but it is a cultural issue. They are also the fault of the Democratic Party. The most recent Republican mayor, in Philadelphia, served from 1941 to 1952. In Chicago the mayor is a Democrat. The police Superintendent is appointed by city leadership. The DA is a Democrat.. The AG is a Democrat. 46 of 50 Aldermen are Democrats. Four are Independents. The issue in Chicago is not racial, it is cultural. They are also the fault of the Democratic Party. The most recent Republican mayor of Chicago served from 1927-1931. In Baltimore the mayor is a Democrat. The city council president is a Democrat. 10 of the 14 city council members are black. The city council members are all Democrats. The police commissioner is is appointed by city leadership. Baltimore's AG is a Democrat. The issues in Baltimore are not due to racism. The issues are due to culture. They are also the fault of the Democratic Party. The last Republican mayor of Baltimore left office in 1968. The mayor of Cleveland is a Democrat. All 17 members of the city council are Democrats. The police chief is appointed by city leadership. The AG is a Republican. The DA is a Democrat. The issues Cleveland is having are not racial, but they are cultural. They are also the fault of the Democratic Party. The most recent Republican mayor served from 1980-1989. The mayor in New Orleans is a Democrat. All 7 of the city council members are Democrats. The DA is a Democrat. The AG is a Republican. The police Superintendent is picked by city leadership. The issues New Orleans is having are not racial. They are the fault of the Democratic Party and the culture it nurtures. The most recent Republican mayor of New Orleans was elected in 1870. The mayor of Nashville is a Democrat. The vice-mayor is a Democrat. All of the city council members are Democrats. The DA is a Democrat. The AG is a Republican. The chief of police is appointed by city leadership. The most recent Republican mayor served from 1859-1860. The mayor of Memphis is a Democrat. The city council is entirely Democratic. The DA is a Democrat. The AG is a Republican. The Chief of Police is appointed by city leadership. The most recent Republican mayor served in 1982. The mayor of Chattanooga is a Democrat. Eight of the nine city council members are Democrats. The AG is a Republican. The DA is a Democrat. The Chief of Police is appointed by city leadership. The most recent Republican mayor served from 2001-2005. The mayor of Houston is a Democrat. Eleven of the 16 city council members are Democrats. The DA is a Democrat. The AG is a Republican. The Chief of Police is appointed by city leadership. The most recent Republican mayor of Houston served from 1978-1982.

[@sofly7634]

Wow Sent us to school

[@martyncuer7141]

This guy is now having "buyers remorse" on his own beliefs and value system. Could it be that he is getting older and wiser?

[@blokcomNativeFaces]

Hart to say. A lot of these progressives never really leave the Left because there is always something from their "previous" progressive belief system that still lingers on.

[@justinbetland9792]

@blokcom Exactly. They want to live in clean and safe cities, but don't like the regressive feeling of voting with the conservatives. It must be hard to reconcile spending all that money to become an educated progressive, only to realize that dear old conservative dad was right all along.

[@jamesbong7852]

@@justinbetland9792 - Extreme capitalism is the real root of the problem, conservatism preserves that dire state.

[@monsterb0x]

@@jamesbong7852 free market economies have lifted more people out of poverty than any other economic system.

[@maryannerazzo1737]

@@justinbetland9792 Very well said!

[@pauld9561]

We've saved the lives and culture of our grandchildren. I once lived and thrived in a safe, working class big city neighborhood. Those spaces do not exist anymore.

[@helenvarner5787]

The people who really love the city, will stay and fight for what's right. God Bless the people who voted out the school board members. A step in the right direction. 😃

[@Oscarphone]

A very, very small step.

[@MonicaRodriguez-ub5lq]

Exactly those who love their city will stay and I had a chance to move to Las Vegas but I didn't because I have goals in my city of San Jose California

[@maaxrenn]

@@Oscarphone as they all start

[@mfrass830]

Nothing to fight for anymore. Libs are destroying everything.

[@MonicaRodriguez-ub5lq]

@@mfrass830 the fight is not over☝️☝️never say anything like that

[@markelam3242]

I'm a little older but I remember when San Francisco was a beautiful city. It's a shame to see it now. 😕

[@robtempe]

"The Red State Murder Problem": The six states with the highest per-capita murder rates all voted for President Trump in 2020 - as did 8 of the top 10. In Trump states, the rate was 8.20 murders per 100,000 residents. In Biden states, the rate was 5.78 murders per 100,000 residents. While the murder rate has gone up in Chicago and Detroit and Philadelphia, all run by Democrats, the murder rate has likewise gone up in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; in Fort Worth, Texas; in Fresno, California; and in Miami, Florida. Every one of those cities is run by a Republican mayor and overseen by a Republican governor. Jacksonville, Florida, is known as the "murder capital" of the Sunshine State - and has had a Republican mayor for the past six years. Fort Worth survived its most violent year in the past quarter century in 2020, with a murder rate that nearly doubled from the previous year. Betsy Price has been the city's Republican mayor for the past 10 years.

[@PlumbNutz]

It was something else, the most beautiful city in America.

[@dead_or_alive2649]

Born/raised just across the bay from SF and it’s been a disaster and in decline for many decades. The writing has been on the wall practically my whole life. That’s why most of the sane people have moved. Failed liberal/progressive policies and the voters that keep electing them, year after year. Anyone ever heard of Pelosi?

[@ktloz2246]

Liberal adjenda in the USA 1 flood the US with illegal immigrants knowing we do not have the housing to accomodate all these people, which in turn raises house prices since there is not enough to go around. 2 Let the criminals out of jail so now we have a homeless problem and a drug epidemic 3 Demand that the people pay more taxes to fix the homeless problem and housing problems. And all the while blame capitalize as a failure.

[@skipperx5116]

I am 78 years old and I think he was in congress when I was born.

[@chirelle.alanalooney8609]

That's what kills me about those Communist Demoncrats! They call themselves progressive, which is in fact, the Total Polar Opposite of exactly what they are! If anything, THEY ARE REGRESSIVE !!!! And that is exactly what they should be calling themselves instead !!

[@chirelle.alanalooney8609]

THE REGRESSIVE COMMUNIST DEMONCRAT PARTY !!!!!!

[@lilmoe4364]

Ever heard of capitalism?

[@jenniferlawrence2701]

Inevitable result of a cavalier social attitude towards drugs.

[@D-Fens_1632]

They got it half right, "let's not put them in jail, instead offer trearment." Well they did the first half, but most of these people don't want treatment. It needs to be forced.

[@highroller-jq3ix]

@POOKIE Yup, the wing nut drug war was incredibly effective.

[@highroller-jq3ix]

Your assessment is the inevitable result of horrendously bad critical thinking.

[@ronaldreagan-ik6hz]

No. It’s a voting blue problems

[@TTSSYF23]

@@highroller-jq3ix It's true that the "drug war" was a money making operation and didn't have enough nuance to navigate the problem, BUT, that doesn't diminish the fact that drug use has massive negative societal costs and huge personal costs for millions of people. I

[@honestlee3435]

There used to be many asylums for the mentally ill, where they were cared for, and trained to one day live on their own. We need to bring them back.

[@charlesnorwood6804]

I live in a part of Canada where two large psychiatric hospitals were closed (By a left NDP government). The patients weren't cured, most were just set loose with a hearty handshake and a "good luck, don't forget to take your meds!" from the government. Mayhem ensued and continues, 20+ years later.

[@dianblum5406]

In 1963 Community Mental Health Act pushed responsibility for mental patients from the federal system to the states and decentralized community centers. Of course, never adequately funded. 1965 The U.S. Congress established Medicaid and Medicare. Mentally disabled people living in the community were eligible for benefits but those in psychiatric hospitals were excluded. By encouraging patients to be discharged, state legislators could shift the cost of care for mentally ill patients to the federal government. In California in 1967 Governor Reagan signed the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act that ended the practice of institutionalizing patients against their will, or for indefinite amounts of time.

[@mdschaeffer]

Reagan, with all of conservative wisdon (piching pennies on the populace to enrich the fascists) got rid of the saylums, and made those folks the responsibility of the POLi-ce. Its why we handle the mentally ill like inmates

[@sdmytrenko]

So true. My cousin who was a vet and mentally ill was turned down by the Palo Alto vet hospital because he wasn't "psychotic"...he died at Market street & 3rd two months later.

[@jorndoff2002]

In the US they were closed during the Reagan administration. The growth of homeless started during his run but exploded during covid.

[@oliveoil7642]

Moderates and Conservatives have left California because they’ve given up and don’t want any part of the craziness there.

[@lilmoe4364]

Wow, so there are no moderates or conservatives in California anymore, propaganda eater?

[@mysticaltyger2009]

That describes me pretty well.

[@dannybruff]

People are leaving New York city and the mayor is buying the vacant properties

[@skymagenta8758]

who is the mayor? - maybe a bit dopey to buy now, why not wait for the crash. btw these people always talk about mental health, drugs, police; but the subject of real estate is never mentioned, in conjunction with these 'home' less.

[@offwiththefairiesforever2373]

Lol , typical 🤣 drop the price of real estate and buy it .....

[@offwiththefairiesforever2373]

@@skymagenta8758 yes.....

[@awedbyhiswonder]

That's the plan Drive out the owners ND reap the profits

[@1neAdam12]

✡Blackrock✡ is buying the real estate. They're buying up the entire US.

[@UniqueStranger]

I like how he consistently refers to San Francisco as "San Fransicko." Haha!

[@iche9373]

Because he is an ableist

[@iche9373]

@Cheryl Richard why not San Franhysterical

[@davemartino5997]

Which is in commiefornia

[@iche9373]

@@davemartino5997 ,says Captain Right-Wing.

[@davemartino5997]

@@iche9373 says ignorant demtard muppet

[@ryanlemmers5300]

Michael Shellenberger is one of the most “red pilling” thought leaders out there. Love his Ted Talk on the horrible environmental degradation caused by renewables.

[@lisareiter5368]

He's had an interesting past, working for George Soros. Instead of switching from progressive to liberal, I wish he became a Christian so he could see the spiritual dimension to this problem.

[@carolinecorman1716]

@@lisareiter5368 Anen ❤️

[@auturgicflosculator2183]

@@lisareiter5368 Hideous -arrogance- belief. Not a useful comment on my part.

[@ienn5398]

@@lisareiter5368 Amen 🙏

[@sgtpppr]

Environmental degradation caused by renewables. Wow. I assume the degradation caused by big oil is understood in this discussion. Drug use...and specifically SF, has a number of reasons. Many outcasts find themselves here because of the area's reputation for acceptance. The current tech industry's take over has made getting on ones feet unreachable for many. Some of the first businesses pushed out were nonprofits that had been created to help. Defecation on the street....public bathrooms used to be a thing. "Porta potties all over the city " ? Well, not exactly. Increased crime rises with income disparity. This is perhaps the greatest cause of this explosion of skid row.

[@susanmullaney9359]

Many homeless people in San Francisco have severe schizophrenia while the de facto U.S. public health policy is to leave them to their own devices which amounts to homelessness.

[@jamesbong7852]

When a country has trillion dollar penal & arms industries, that's a failed country right there.

[@cliffc2546]

Why don't the municipalities having the problems deal with them? What's the hold up? Why is it strictly a federal problem? The voters in the municipalities either do not GAF or maybe they're waiting on Uncle Stupid to come up with a plan that will make the problem worse, as he always does.

[@cliffc2546]

@@jamesbong7852 Source? Hey, put down that Bong!

[@Evettecord]

@mary carver our big pharma created a lot of the drug addictions…

[@vd1721]

Unintended consequences of an ACLU lawsuit that claimed that Mental Health facilities were unlawful detainement. The postulated people with issues would be beter of with their families and controlled by medcine and doctors. Except some of these issues are beyond the control of family resounces nad they would be better off in Mental Hospitals than on the streets. NOw some people who were just dumped in Hospitals back then are better off at home IE Down syndrome an so on, but this is the unintended cnsequences of blanket decisions over precise application of ideas

[@huwzebediahthomas9193]

Broken society from top to bottom. No wonder these people have given up and want to forget.

[@jamesbong7852]

@D Legionnaire a few slaps makes your day, eh.

[@russelltroost4680]

Just as long as it's not the Liberals fault. I think this whole thing misses the point.

[@lisareiter5368]

I can't believe Michael Schellenberger still calls himself a liberal after all these years of ineffective policies. Perhaps it's how he lives with his past foolishness. At least he is a truth teller and reports honestly on this tricky problem. His term "so-called homeless" is very honest.

[@lilmoe4364]

Who are "these people"?

[@HurricaneJD]

Yep the way we run our society today is not sustainable. Money and greed will destroy humans

[@spackar2720]

There is nothing compassionate about allowing people to live on the streets. It is not compassionate towards the homeless people, and it is not compassionate towards society as a whole.

[@robertasirgutz8800]

The problem started, and I can only speak to New York, where I live. When State run mental hospitals were closed, the consequences were disastrous. No discharge planning was considered, and large numbers of people who needed support systems, had none. The mentally ill were not on meds, and had no place to go. I believe this was the beginning of the "homeless" crisis, and the collateral rise in crime and addiction.

[@Wise101]

Almost like they wanted chaos

[@robertasirgutz8800]

@@Wise101 the chaos was unintended, but they did it anyway.

[@Wise101]

@@robertasirgutz8800 that's debatable

[@robertasirgutz8800]

@@Wise101 There's no debate on that. It's not the only reason, but it's contributory without a doubt.

[@angelarich8455]

But that’s not the only problem especially when no one can be psychologically healthy with modern life with too much stress

[@lovetolearn881]

The guest is unfortunately still steeped in progressivism. Hopefully he can become a bridge between left and right and eventually fully open his eyes to the cruelty of taking peoples personal agency away from them.

[@lilmoe4364]

He's a biased hack. He can't become anything else

[@lc1695]

Great interview! He's right that we not only need police but community support in ending crime and all the other horrible conditions.

[@joemeyers4131]

I have seen how small towns go down with crime and neglect. The CA one I am in was very safe and no locking doors at all in 80s and 90s. I lived in 40 yrs . I watched it happen . Now we got a few knifings near my area ..

[@cindybogart6062]

Sadly, every city is like that. It’s such a negative , depressing, environment.

[@melaniehoyt7607]

Even in Beverly Hills the sidewalks are filthy.

[@RickDanner]

your so pretty

[@jamesbong7852]

⬆Pretty vacant

[@melaniehoyt7607]

@@jamesbong7852 let’s compare vacant GPAs and IQs.

[@boogitybear2283]

Nice! They are getting what they asked for.

[@rje4242]

@@melaniehoyt7607 He calls himself Mr Bong. I'm pretty sure his IQ is entirely Bong ( and hopefully only Marijuana ) related.

[@asianamericanadvice6016]

Bravo to this man! I come from the same philosophical roots. The Left, used to be my Left, has lost its mind.

[@christopherarmstrong2710]

Nice profile pic of Bruce Lee & son Brandon :)

[@javaskull88]

As a single woman, I won’t even visit a big city anymore due to safety concerns. They have been absolutely ruined.

[@Fckyourfeelingsboo]

By democrats. The most dangerous cities all have one thing in common, they were all ran into the ground and controlled by democrats

[@bobhsohi704]

Being ruined is a sad fact and a true one

[@nlor1724]

I live in Oklahoma and it’s a red state and the drug used here is out of control.

[@coopergates9680]

Crime, poverty, and infant mortality are probably up too, and GDP per capita not so great.

[@showmestateofmind883]

There's a drug 'culture' that is much different now than when it began in the 60's because the people and the drugs being used are different. Once someone succumbs to that lifestyle, and this is true for prostitution addicts, they become just as incapable of leaving that environment as quitting their addiction. They have completely succumbed to their addiction, lifestyle, and 'community'. The only way to get these people out is interdiction, incarceration, or hospitalization, or some other form of intervention

[@chicnoir29]

Well people weren’t smoking crack or shooting fentanyl back in the 60’s. Those drugs are much harder to move away from.

[@iche9373]

Well who was that who privatized the health economy system that no one can afford it? The neoliberals. Mental health illness are especially caused by the food industry selling ultra-processed foods that makes people sick and obese.

[@darrenwithers3628]

The solution is a proper welfare system.

[@susanmullaney9359]

He mentioned the mayor of SF declaring a crackdown on homelessness a few weeks ago. It was in response to widely publicized break-ins and theft from upscale clothing stores on Union Square. (Not in response to his book.)

[@pauleckersley6132]

I think he means that people of influence are getting a handle on whats happening n whos causing it. Where as they didnt know what was causing it before.

[@geraldarnoult]

be carful with that becouse those crimes are more likely criminals, not the homeless

[@kimwiser445]

The Mayor that has ignored the theft in other stores until it happened in the higher end stores.

[@geraldarnoult]

@@kimwiser445 I don't believe the mayors feel that way crime is crime, IGNORE?

[@jamesbong7852]

@@geraldarnoult - it's a fact that the lower the socio economic group, the higher the crime rate, it's just that some refuse to see it, let alone begin to tackle the problem.

[@ShadyRonin]

This guy 100% gets it. I lived in California for many years up until recently, and can confirm that things have been going off a cliff in slow motion and the descent is only accelerating. This guy also suggested some really good solutions, also on his recent Joe Rogan interview. People need to listen to this man!

[@jeffmoore9487]

In developed countries the workers move out, the rich move in. It's normal capitalist chaos.

[@raxxtango]

LISTEN TO JOE ROGAN?? ...OK. THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND ADVICE FROM A NITWIT THAT TAKES ANIMAL DE-WORMER FOR A RNA VIRUS.

[@lilmoe4364]

No, people need to listen to unbiased sources and reason for themselves, not listen to this turd

[@kenyapressley6706]

this guy is full of info and full of racism.

[@kenyapressley6706]

Brian Fottrell 1 month ago I'm a native San Franciscan, born in 1967. Mr. Shellenberger seems like a man who has awakened from a stupor to finally realize the realities of life in a place that was once a truly beautiful sight. The problem is that his solutions are filled with the same problems that ruined the city in the first place. He is mis-identifying a number of the problems that led us to this, and his solutions are what he thinks are innovative, new ideas, with little focus on older ideas that worked. Good observations, poor analysis.

[@briansmith3480]

Shellenberger is the voice of our blip in time. He is an introspective mirror of rationality. God bless him. I pray people will start to soften on their dystopia and come around to seeing things past their ideologically imposed beliefs they have been blinded by.

[@saskiasnyder7983]

Great interview. I’m going to have to read the book. I’m so fed up with the BS going on in California. I live in San Diego and the progressive cancer has finally taken over our beautiful city.

[@johnlea3597]

Just leave. It felt great!

[@bobrown582]

john lea fleeing is likely the only option. Any state that is mass mailing out ballots to every name on the voter roll isn’t conducting fair elections. Residents won’t be able to fix anything through voting

[@PianoBangBang]

The book is full of misinformation and BS

[@RatatRatR]

What is unfair about mailing people ballots?

[@oldsalt8011]

Tell it to Hollywood.

[@jamesrumsey]

Calling George Soros a philanthropist is like calling a butcher a veterinarian.

[@PianoBangBang]

How so? I dislike billionaires but he has funded many good causes

[@McK9999]

@@PianoBangBang He's an absolute cancer.. do your own research

[@kham6006]

@@PianoBangBang like what

[@InspectorGadget923]

@@kham6006 For starters, he made his fortune by crashing the British Pound. He continuously pours money into shell companies as a means of skirting election contribution laws in order to get his friends elected. Through his elected friends he pushes policies that have a track record of hurting the very people they're supposed to help, per this video.

[@8kaddee8lumpkins]

These people are right - He is much worse than cancer. So deceived we have been - by SO many people and things . Especially those in power and in control of OUR institutions.

[@rkgaustin]

The US did have a state mental health hospital network until the 1980s when the ACLU closed most of the facilities with no plan in place for what to do with the patients. The system then simply dropped them off in the cities many of which had a practice of giving them a free bus ticket to California.

[@jamesmcpherson8599]

I wonder who was governor at that time 🤔

[@Evettecord]

Yep, so true

[@sharonkeller8367]

In the 80s it was Ronald Reagan who cut the funding for the mental health services and hospitals, many people were just turned out on the streets.

[@Evettecord]

@@sharonkeller8367 because the ACLU and the media riled up everyone and they put pressure on Raegan to do so. They played on everyone’s heart strings and made it seem like every person in a mental institution was being abused. They also lied and said that the mentally ill would receive treatment outside of the institutions. That didn’t quite happen

[@earthstick]

Britain did the same during the same era, Thatcher in the 1980s. They call it care in the community.

[@goodyeoman4534]

"Addiction"? That implies that these people are victims and have no agency over themselves. They choose to take drugs, they choose to smash car windows, they choose the commit violent crimes against law abiding people.

[@davemartino5997]

Some didn’t “ choose” to get hooked on opioids that doctors said it was safe . Not speaking for all these fools in SF but addiction in general .

[@goodyeoman4534]

@@davemartino5997 It's always a choice. There is no such thing as "addiction".

[@rigelb9025]

@@goodyeoman4534 I guess 'addiction' is basically chronic repetitive desire of a very specific nature. And yes, it can be curbed.

[@goodyeoman4534]

@@rigelb9025 If it exists, how do people stop.

[@nycjordi]

Very important conversation about social conflicts that we need to address in the US (urgently - I live in NYC and I see it every day) but it's truly difficult to talk about it and not being identified as a "right-wing white fascist" lacking the required minimum of "politically correct" language-understanding. We need to face it with a very open mind, beyond party lines and overall bsing language.

[@jamesbong7852]

I guess the big question is to ask how it has become like that, but that can be a can of worms that some refuse to even consider opening.

[@gailalbers1430]

open mind yes ; that’s needed and apparently some radical solutions, like it or not - starting with health care- many of the problems discussed by this weirdo are failure of a global health problem. I see this guy as an aimless whiner and help rejecting complainer. He is not knowledgeable of what the homeless are really dealing with-and what drove them to become homeless. He really has the nerve to basically imply “ People have to give “something in return”; a lot of those people don’t have anything at all. Why someone line him gets book contracts is questionable. He is a middle class clueless male Karen . A white entitled man , who is mentally so far removed from the reality of the poor & sick or mentally ill. He says he was left leaning ??? He is the poster boy for the completely out-of-the-loop white middle class and really shows up more like a law-and-order victim blaming snd shaming faschist. Do sad to see yet do educational. The consequence of a liberal milieu??? no; the consequence of the economical oppression, where the working poor don’t get health care snd when they get sick no help getting off the street. It’s the consequence of the abandonment of education and fair jobs. It’s the consequence of run-away capitalism. He’s another dangerous idiot.l think blaming the victims of this unfair unequal system and blaming the left who just does not have enough support to make some really helpful changes and is facing constant sabotage by people line him , who really are do clean, well groomed snd soft spoken and spouts this nonsense to people like him who eat this absolution up ; a very shallow simple minded analysis . it’s frightening ; this can only lead to civil unrest. This is not compassion .

[@krissipowell9358]

@@jamesbong7852 he is blaming progressive citizens when the problem was created by corporations. Minimum wage would be $25 per hour if women had not entered the work force. I think wages should reflect human worth. $7-9 is the degradation of worth.

[@Thornbush434]

nyc, I disagree. Being "open Minded" is what got us here. Closed minded intolerance of drug pushers, vagrancy is the sane approach that always has worked in the past. Doing the same "open minded" conversation with drug addicts is the definition of insanity. In addition, what happened to the war on drugs? Where is all of this supply coming from? What the hell is the DEA doing? Dealing? An open Southern Border is a major traffic route that the government is turning blind eye to and pretending immigration laws do not exist is all ok. If the feds can't follow the law, why should anyone else? 100000 thousand dead from addiction is the result. Time for hard fisted enforcement.

[@Umbigfella]

H.ğhghhjujg

[@luisaroman7108]

Why I give a "like" to this interview and why we should buy his books as a statement of solidarity with the author and what is right ✅

[@robost8040]

California native born and raised in LA County, all my grandparents came to California in the 1920s. I have spent considerable time in the Bay Area. It’s horrible in both regions, but in general, things just get worse and worse here, it’s a nightmare.

[@SamWattRock]

I'm a SF 49er (born there in 1949), was at SF State during the "strike," but rode the PC boom in the late 70s and early 80s. I had had enough in 1998 and emigrated, first to Nevada for a dozen years, and now to Texas for a dozen more. Despite my great-grandfather settling there during the gold mining days, driving a stagecoach, being held up by Black Bart, and running a thriving dairy operation in what is now miles of sagebrush following the drought of 1929, .... despite all that history, I will never go back.

[@julieritchie3373]

It's impossible to understand how the citizens accept what their eyes tell them and reconcile that with their 'progressive' views. Can't they see the system failing?

[@Trumblocity]

Michael is telling some hard truths.

[@Marinealver]

I remember being in India in 2004. When the concrete jungle of Seattle came up around 2010 it reminded me of being back there. Now I'm not sure I even left.

[@georgeshelton6281]

I also just haven't warned everyone that, Texas isn't even New York or Chicago Illinois.

[@theAraAra]

While Indian streets are quite chaotic and dirty, things have gotten much better since 2004. Seems like San Francisco is progressing in the reverse direction.

[@tacitus7408]

Essentially this guy is reaping what he sowed. He still, however refuses to accept that the changes he worked for failed and led to today’s situation. His work against policing and incarceration is directly responsible, but he refuses to acknowledge that.

[@philtimmons722]

Yeah, MS has a long-term BS problem. Even when he has stuff right, he seems to get it wrong.

[@bavarian11]

He does acknowledge it and has for a few years. Listen to his older interviews!

[@lawsonj39]

The policies described here aren't progressive; they're corporatist.

[@lalaboards]

They are progressive . Progressive -ism Socialism ,Marxism does not work . The propaganda around LA is all Marxist sorry to burst your bubble.

[@monsterb0x]

It's progressive utopianism and refusal to accept reality and impose boundaries on people that need them.

[@Kamfrenchie]

@@lalaboards I'm not sure any historical socialist or communist encouraged the use of drugs. Iirc the soviet union did further women right, but was really anti homosexual

[@bruhbruh2290]

all the big tech billionaires enforce the progressive policies, the irony.

[@smellthecoffee5314]

@@Kamfrenchie good post

[@hollywoodartchick]

One thing we are up against in CA is that the housing is entirely unaffordable (a recent calculation determined you'd have to make $42/hr to be able to get into a 2 bdrm apartment). A lot of the people who are on the street started out as apartment dwellers, not necessarily addicts, but once they were on the street, they started drinking/using to cope with the circumstances. We have to have not just shelter for those who are in crisis but housing that working people (including minimum wage earners) actually could afford. That would keep a lot of people from falling into this mess, but it would also give those trying to rise above it a bridge out. It's not likely that someone can get clean while they are still living among the most depraved and lost souls. Maintenance of sobriety will include a home they can afford. We just don't have that waiting for them once they make the decision to clean up.

[@RobertMJohnson]

quit making excuses

[@richardraymond878]

@@RobertMJohnson I recommend supplying lethal dose Fentanyl to all addicts. One clean up , problem solved. It'll scare the shi@ out of anyone thinking of dropping out

[@carlfrye1566]

Sure, it's not the fault of Democrat city political leaders, never is is it?

[@mikegalvin9801]

It's true it is insanely expensive to find housing in The City and many have increasingly long commutes to work there. But let's be honest. Nobody becomes actually on the street homeless to the point where there are no friends and family willing to let them sleep on a couch without being seriously involved in substance abuse and/or seriously mentally ill.

[@Hankyjane]

MOVE. There are nice mid size towns with jobs and decent homes or apartments. Or mobile homes. But decent.

[@georgehill6726]

Profound examination of huge problems of our times. Michael is a thoughtful and wise man. Not enough like him around sadly.

[@stephenmellor5783]

@@jimbodriver1015 Yup.

[@darrylnelson2399]

I, HAVE, 3 WISEMEN, I ADMIRE~HE'S ONE OF THEM~NEVER, JUDGING, IF HE'S A CHRISTIAN, REPUBLICAN, OR~THE, STEP DAD, WISE UNCLE~WE, NEEDED TO HEAR~" ADOPT~A~WISE MAN"OR A SURROGAT, ROLE, & LISTEN, ABSORD, ~DITCH, SPONGE BOY BOB~~CARTOONS~

[@michaelweber5702]

Michael Shellenberger is doing a great job of explaining his position ... And he does make a lot of sense ...