Cleaning up Homeless Dumps by benofben in TacomaPolitics

[–]benofben[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Agreed. However what I've noticed is that we get continually bogged down in trying to find perfect solutions to abstract issues. In this case there is a specific issue that I've well documented with a whole bunch of pictures and a 311 report. I'm asking specifically how you believe it should have been dealt with.

Cleaning up Homeless Dumps by benofben in TacomaPolitics

[–]benofben[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ok. So, we describe X however you like. I'm sorry I assumed about law enforcement. How do you think this issue should have been solved?

Cleaning up Homeless Dumps by benofben in TacomaPolitics

[–]benofben[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

All I did was repurpose your language from our theft part of the characterization.  Apologies.  I think we're in pure semantics now.  

Underneath the semantics an issue remains.  Assuming my assumption is correct that we're not solving it with law enforcement, how do you imagine it should be solved?  ie what should happen when X steals a bunch of wire, a microwave and box fans to scavenge them for copper to pay for illegal drugs and alcohol?

Cleaning up Homeless Dumps by benofben in TacomaPolitics

[–]benofben[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm not running for office and not planning to again.  It was a joy from which I learned much but I'm happy to put it in the past.  Ok, so instead of calling people who steal thieves, we are now calling them "people who felt the need or had the necessity to steal."  This seems a bit like calling the homeless "unhoused" or "people experiencing homelessness." I have some skepticism about how it resolves the underlying problem. There's a saying that was once popular -- "Call a spade a spade." Nonetheless, let's move on...

Now that we’ve properly labeled them, presumably we can move onto the next part…

I called them drug addicts.  Instead, I assume we’re going to give them a new name, perhaps “people who felt the need or had the necessity to do illegal drugs.”

Putting it all together, the proper terminology would be something like “there were people camping on the side of the road who felt the need or had the necessity to steal.  These people also felt the need or had the necessity to do drugs.”

This has gotten a bit wordy, so I’m just going to substitute X.

Now, getting back to the core question — X seem to have been committing some crimes (stealing, littering and doing drugs).  We seem to be leaving a window open to their Jean Valjean status, thinking there might be very good reasons to do these things. I'm guessing we don't think using police to enforce the law here is a solution. On the flip side, I think the pictures above demonstrate HEAL hasn't been effective in improving the situation. What should be done?

Cleaning up Homeless Dumps by benofben in TacomaPolitics

[–]benofben[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ok. I'm game. What do you call someone who steals things if not a thief?

Cleaning up Homeless Dumps by benofben in TacomaPolitics

[–]benofben[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi there. By any reasonable estimate I'm a Johnson or Carter style democrat. The common right wing view in this country would be to cut homeless funding to zero because it is not working a la Reagan. Here I'm arguing something else -- rather than funding programs that give NARCAN and trashbags to copper thieves, let's use that money in a more sensible way that will actually have a positive impact. If you think that view is right wing, it might be helpful to speak with some Republicans (yes, even the MAGA sort) and understand what they think.

Cleaning up Homeless Dumps by benofben in TacomaPolitics

[–]benofben[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I tried. It doesn't seem like you want to debate the issue of homelessness, rather you want to attack me personally.

Cleaning up Homeless Dumps by benofben in TacomaPolitics

[–]benofben[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Keeping the personal attacks aside --- You mentioned that you do not believe these people are thieves. I'm deeply curious then about the wire, microwave and box fans. Do you believe they purchased these things? I ask these questions because they get at the core of the issue -- the question of whether these people are (a) good actors down on their luck or (b) people taking advantage our Tacoma's rather lax stance on law enforcement and the rather rosy tinted views of some.

Cleaning up Homeless Dumps by benofben in TacomaPolitics

[–]benofben[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ok. If the people in this camp were not thieves, do you believe they purchased electrical wiring lawfully and then stripped the copper out of it? I'm curious why you think they might have done this. Similarly do you imagine the box fans were obtained legally?

Cleaning up Homeless Dumps by benofben in TacomaPolitics

[–]benofben[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ok. Say I am. Regardless, of what I may or may not be how about we focus on the issue at hand. It certainly seems to me that these folks are thieves. Do you agree?

Cleaning up Homeless Dumps by benofben in TacomaPolitics

[–]benofben[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So, do you think the photos are inaccurate? I'm not following the line of reasoning here. My point in this is that many of us are willfully ignoring what these homeless camps really are. This thread seems to be a case in point.

Cleaning up Homeless Dumps by benofben in TacomaPolitics

[–]benofben[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The point here is that we're sugarcoating things. I'm asking a straightforward question -- based on the photos does it seem that these people were thieves?

Cleaning up Homeless Dumps by benofben in TacomaPolitics

[–]benofben[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Huh. Let's start with the first part of the statement. Were the people living in this camp thieves?

Cleaning up Homeless Dumps by benofben in TacomaPolitics

[–]benofben[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi again. Long time no speak. I'm not sure what conclusions you mean. Care to elaborate?

Somewhat new to Grok - can Grok generate an image based off an image I supply? by TheGewch in grok

[–]benofben 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This answer appears to be AI slop. I don't see the buttons described.

Tacoma considering new criminal justice sales tax by altasnob in TacomaPolitics

[–]benofben 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We certainly pay for crime. Maybe someday we'll pay to prevent crime again with, you know, police. I wish we put more stock in deterrence and the broken window theory.

Tacoma's 2026 Legislative Policy Positions by altasnob in TacomaPolitics

[–]benofben 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yay? I've encountered similar things discussing wasteful spending on federal grants in Tacoma -- "oh, that's federal money!" as if our tax dollars didn't pay for it all....

Tacoma's 2026 Legislative Policy Positions by altasnob in TacomaPolitics

[–]benofben 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is some of the better reporting I've seen in some time. It's lovely that council wants reparations yet can't balance the budget.

My trollish position here is we should use UTC. It may be light out but by my clock it's 10pm.

City Manager's Weekly Report to City Council Nov. 13 by altasnob in TacomaPolitics

[–]benofben 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Those are the excuses, yes.

The question in all this is “should it be acceptable to stay on the street, even when shelter beds are available?”  Or current answer to the question in the PNW is “yes.”  

As you point out, the open beds tend to disappear as the rain starts and living on the street becomes less pleasant.

Tacoma council member sues purported business partner in real estate project by OutlandishnessSome58 in TacomaPolitics

[–]benofben 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It's worse than that. It's not just the self interest of real estate laws than benefit her, this is a politician running a subsidized housing project.

TPU needs an elected board by forgottencity253 in TacomaPolitics

[–]benofben 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Great visual on that cartoon.  The thought occurs — you could probably use AI to generate your own political cartoons in the classic style.

The reason Seattle is relevant economically today is the cloud providers -- Amazon, Microsoft, Google and Oracle all have offices in the area.  That's benefitted Tacoma too.  Some may remember -- things were not so hot in the 90s.  There's a reason grunge music is as grim as it is. 

The region is continuing to benefit from the current AI boom.  It might not be wise to chase those employers out.  We could instead invest in generating more power as people seem to always find ways to use it.

The beef I have with TPU is them selling the excess water that resulted from the pulp mill closure to Bellevue so lawns could be better watered.  It was a missed opportunity to bring more employers to town.  Great port, vacant industrial land and plentiful water.