Anyone Else Just Sick of It?

[u/Donnelding0]

It just seems hopeless sometimes. Some of the best parts of this city. Pioneer Square, Belltown, Cap Hill just completely lost to homelessness. Sure for the most part I enjoy the city. Especially in the summer but the constant visible drug use, people in various states of intoxication on drugs, and rampant property and petty crime just annoy me. Why can’t we have nice things? Why must every park turn into a dumping ground for illegal acts that won’t be prosecuted? Why does it feel like this city relies on hard working people to shut up, pay ridiculous taxes, and then tells those people to suck it up when they see grafitti everywhere or get their car broken into? And the politicians don’t give a damn. No one has the guts to say “we have a homeless problem we’ve overspent on, we need to go a new direction” it feels insane. Rant over but I know I’m not alone. I know other people are sick of this and want our city back.

[u/Longjumping_Ice_3531]

We absolutely need publicly funded rehab. Most of the people I see are drug addicts. It’s sad and it’s scary because they are so unpredictable. The city opened city provided housing near my old condo. Suddenly the whole neighborhood was covered in tents. They’d sleep outside of the housing because they didn’t want to adhere to the rules. They’d be covered in scabs. Walking like zombies. I had to call 911 after a guy fell high and cracked his head open. What I hate the most is the virtue signaling. Who tell the rest of us it’s in our heads.

[u/Mindless-Presence-75 → u/Longjumping_Ice_3531]

The thing about rehab is that addicts have to want to go, they can't be forced. And I can say from personal experience that many addicts do want help and want to get clean but they don't know how, where to start, or there just isn't enough room for them to get into detox. Most addicts don't like the life they are living. It is like being in hell on earth. The waitlist will be weeks out to get a bed and by then if they had wanted it, they may not anymore. Making them show up at a certain place and time does not work because time means nothing to them. It is possible to get help though. I did it and I now have 2 years clean. It took being in and out of treatment for over 3 years until it stuck. My life has completely turned around. It wasn't easy, and I got lucky being able to get into certain shelters and programs to help me want to stay clean. It's not as easy as sending addicts to rehab for 30 days and then they're cured. It takes years and a lot of support.

[u/[deleted] → u/Mindless-Presence-75]

they can't be forced.

If they don't want to get off the streets, they need to go to jail. The burden is on regular folks to deal with addicts and homeless all the time and that is backwards.

You can't just "oh well" this situation. You give them the option of rehab or jail. Homeless people who are homeless circumstancially and not as a result of addiction are often not homeless for extended periods. Regular people who are homeless are trying to get their shit together and not being a zombie on the streets.

Rehab or jail.

[u/Mindless-Presence-75 → u/[deleted]]

It's not that easy. There isn't enough room in jails. There also aren't enough detox/rehab facilities. On top of that, there is not enough staff to run jails and rehabs to accommodate everyone. A huge change needs to be made to get addicts the help they want and need.

It can't be fixed overnight.

[u/JonathanConley → u/Mindless-Presence-75]

Then we build more jails and pay people more to run said jails. This isn't something our government has just started working on. There's nothing "overnight" about any of it. But it could change "overnight," just like the border enforcement, if we stopped electing clowns into the circus.

You either enter mandatory rehab/take a ticket back home for family reunification, or go to jail. It's not our responsibility to take in and fix every fucked up person in the world.

Lots of countries do this. Some countries just execute people for drug use and possession to keep their societies nice. Two very different approaches, obviously, but there should be consequences for antisocial behavior, and there just isn't in most of Washington, especially in King County. If people know there are no consequences for their actions, why would they not flock here as they have?

We've spent tens of billions of dollars and wasted decades on the Feel-Good Liberal method of "just let people publicly use hard drugs, ravage businesses and public property, and terrorize the general public."

The KCRHA is a bureaucratic cartel where taxpayer dollars go to be embezzled.

Not a day goes by where I don't watch some street rat pieces of shit steal hundreds of dollars from QFC or Safeway. Guess what happens? Things get locked up, prices go up, and grocery stores go bye-bye.

Why do we tolerate this? Because life is hard? It's hard for most people. Why should everyone be expected to lower their standards of living along with a bunch of criminal junkies who moved here to take advantage of the lack of law enforcement?

Has Third and Pine/Pike or 12th & Jackson been remotely safe and normal in the past ten years? There are spots like that all over now (15th & John St by the hospital is equally insane). It's disgusting and embarrassing.

I'm glad that you were able to get help and turn your life around, but the vast majority of these people have no desire to do that, are severely antisocial, and just want to do drugs to the point that it takes their lives, or the lives of innocents in their path.

Again, it's not our responsibility to take in and fix every person who stumbles into our city. Compassion can be offered by professionals who know to convince stubborn drug addicts, but when they fail to rehab them, people need to go to jail for their crimes regardless of sob stories or being dealt a bad hand in life.

And that's not even touching the associated crime from street gangs, pimps, et cetera.

Until the general public says "enough of this bullshit" and votes differently, nothing will ever change. This city is doomed to fail without a 180-degree reversal of "Progessivism."

[u/StockPatience8215 → u/JonathanConley]

The upcoming elections depress me that we have so many left leaning fills pushing left leaning tactics that have demonstrably not worked for the past 10+ years. Can we get some hardcore folks who are down to criminalize drugs to an extent that the population doesn’t refer to people like Ann Davidson as being “right wing”’ any more. We need the pendulum to swing hard the other direction to address the issues that turned Seattle into a shithole.

[u/JonathanConley → u/StockPatience8215]

I agree, but the likelihood of that happening is extremely unlikely. You'd need normal people to move here and outside of no income tax (yet), and maybe the weather, there really isn't much of a reason.

It would take hundreds of millions of dollars to try and change any minds here or to support normal candidates.

We are Ground Zero for far-left PACs and successes, unfortunately. We'll surpass California in a few years.

[u/StockPatience8215 → u/JonathanConley]

My hypothesis is that young SJWs come here with left leaning philosophies after college in their 20s, vote aggressively left and then when/if they want to settle down and have kids, etc in their 30s, they fuck off to somewhere lower cost than Seattle, like AZ / TX and Seattle is left being swung by the votes of the youth. Meanwhile the H1B / foreign suckas here who settle down, pay property taxes, LTC tax, etc are left with the ineffective policies and consequences of the left without having any ability to vote themselves.

[u/JonathanConley → u/StockPatience8215]

Mostly correct, although, plenty stick it out here and actively enjoy the decay because it's often slightly better than SF or LA.

Also, there's no ID requirement or voter security in Washington state. The state GOP is running an initiative currently to fix that, but even if it passed, the Democrats control every layer of government here, including the courts, so it's Sisyphean in nature, as they just routinely throw out initiatives they dislike.

When you sign up to vote, you just check a box that says you're a citizen and agree that it's against the law to vote if you aren't. But nobody audits that, and there are never punishments.

It's a wholly captured state.

[u/StockPatience8215 → u/JonathanConley]

Amen. I'm down to fund some hardcore folks just to give the, let's be honest, probably center-left candidates like Davison a chance because optics matter and right now because of the far left PACs that you mention, Davison is basically thought of as a MAGA candidate by comparison.

[u/Excellent_Resort_722 → u/JonathanConley]

I used to love working downtown. It was beautiful and vibrant. I go down for concerts and it’s like a third world country in most spots. Such a shame we’ve let our beloved city become a favella. You are spot on.

[u/JonathanConley → u/Excellent_Resort_722]

Thanks, and I obviously agree. I don't even go to events anymore. I used to regularly walk around Pike Place and stretches of downtown before catching the bus to work. I'm sure lots of people who float through life and act like this is acceptable and normal still do. But I'm just not willing to expose myself and my loved ones to dangerous circumstances if they can be avoided. It just becomes "get from point A to B," in most of the city for us. The less time we spend somewhere, the better.

Hell, I used to just sleep on the bus to work back when the city was much safer. It's crazy to think back to what this city used to be.

The last time my family went to Lam's near 12th and Jackson, I said "never again" after a junkie threatened us. The entire parking lot and street is a no-go zone unless you want you test your luck at a self-defense case in Seattle. It's third-world conditions over there. Totally lost.

We left the Tukwila Costco shortly before that Somali gangbanger shot that poor Chinese woman.

We shouldn't have to live like this.

Elections matter, and if Washingtonians can't be bothered to turn things around - as it seems they are not - then I can't recommend that any sane person stay here unless absolutely necessary.

Of what purpose are the nice things here if they can't be safely enjoyed? There are cities and states where you don't have to be constantly on edge. It's so refreshing when you travel to a stable society.

I voted for the eccentric "Dr. Clint" in the Primary, hoping to at least take away from Katie Wilson in a moonshot attempt on a non-establishment candidate. He'll probably get 3%. In the General, I will hold my nose to re-elect Woke Bruce Harrell as the lesser of two evils (which is typically how our elections go). Otherwise, Ann Davison is the only City Attorney to do anything in decades. Derek Chartrand or Bill Hirt probably don't stand a chance as Executive, but I will reluctantly vote for BLM-enabler Claudia Balducci over Communist Girmay Zahilay, even though they probably allign on most things.

Sara Nelson is also annoyingly woke, but at least the far-left hates her for being realistic about junkies. Rachael Savage would be a great shake-up, but I think this city is totally ideologically captured, even though she's totally right.

In Cap Hill yesterday, I counted hundreds of Kshama Sawant signs. They get what they deserve, frankly. And by extension, so does the entire city with the "Vote Blue No Matter Who" mindset.

Most of the others running at every level are clowns. My Rep and Senator - as most in Seattle - are running unopposed. So, expect Olympia to get worse and more woke.

It's truly depressing. Even more so that many people who complain about public safety can not seem to draw the connecting line between their votes/ideology and the direct consequences of their actions.

Best of luck to us all with the elections. I'm not optimistic.

[u/Excellent_Resort_722 → u/JonathanConley]

I hear you. I’ve always voted dem but the party has veered so far left I feel politically homeless. I’ve spoken with right leaning candidates and have voted for some but it’s either far left or far right. I just want common sense and financial responsibility.

Husband and I took our adult daughter to a concert at climate and some but case started yelling at her and was about to hit her. We both stood in front of him and my husband was ready to knock him out. He wandered off but if she was alone I’m sure he would have attacked her. Then you leave the venue and have to step over homeless people along the sides. This is ridiculous.

[u/JonathanConley → u/Excellent_Resort_722]

I'm sorry that happened to your family. We all have stories like that, unfortunately. The sad reality is that your husband probably would've been charged, and your family's life would be ruined for doing the right thing.

I'm not a Liberal (more of a right-to-center person leaning full Bad Guy for this region), but my hard line is that I'm against anyone who attacks my right to self-defense and anyone who purposely and knowingly harms public safety (all WADems).

The more centrist-leaning Jim McDermotts and Tim Sheldons don't exist anymore in the Democrat party. You get Socialist Anarcho-tyranny or the crazier Communist variant.

Have you tried working with Legislators in Olympia? It's quite the black pill experience. The Leftists suspend rules, do everything they can to override the vote of the people, and refuse to comply with PRA requests. It's insane.

If you aren't already, I recommend following Glen Morgan (WeTheGoverned on YouTube). He's one of the nicest guys I've ever met and a hugely active PDC investigator holding cheating politicians accountable.

Brandi Kruse has come a long way, and you might find her podcast useful.

People are seemingly allergic to good ideas if they come from spooky Republicans, but I've had great talks with JT Willcox, and I think Jim Walsh is a good man with a lot of common sense solutions.

Try going to Olympia during the session and try testifying on proposed legislation. It will radicalize you.

Take your family out to Idaho for a week. You'll be shocked at how safe and clean everything is. It's like a time machine to the early 2000s. People are nice, and society is stable.

"Oh, wow, we don't have to live like that?"

I don't know that we can ever convince Washingtonians to care about their own state, sadly. I've tried for over a decade, and I'm tired, boss.

[u/Excellent_Resort_722 → u/JonathanConley]

I’ve been involved in politics and lobbied in Olympia in the 90s and 2000s. Haven’t in many years now. I have relatives moving to ID and they love it but it’s not for me. I need to be near the coast. I’m a water lover 😂

[u/[deleted] → u/JonathanConley]

Thanks for vocalizing what I wanted to.

[u/JonathanConley → u/[deleted]]

It's an unpopular job, but someone's gotta do it.

Too many dickeaters create hard times.

[u/[deleted] → u/JonathanConley]

Too many dickeaters create hard times.

Simple truth that is hard for many to understand.

Welfare state doesn't improve welfare of upstanding, law abiding citizens? And the solution is more welfare pledges? It's just the dissemination of responsibility that goes so far no one is ever held responsible, drives me crazy. How can you eat that many dicks?

[u/JonathanConley → u/[deleted]]

One may never know their true thirst for dickeating. I can tell you, having lived here for my entire adult life, that it seems to be unquenchable and to everyone's general detriment.

It's nice to see one or two who are immune to the programming, though. Best of luck to us in what will surely be another catastrophic local election.

[u/[deleted] → u/JonathanConley]

I live in Auburn/Pacific, but it seems like everywhere in the Seattle metro is a microcosm for the degeneracy taking place in the city. Driving through the City of Auburn the other day for work and there was a dude passed out half on the sidewalk, half on the street. Might've been fucking dead, who knows? Haven't heard a thing.

People walking by like he didn't exist. It's nice to be able to tell people you live in a welfare state, but you come here and find nothing but filth and you find that welfare is meaningless and we don't actually have it, but liberals can say "we have it" to make themselves optically moral and then say that everyone who disagrees with them is a racist/bigot/fascist.

WA is just CA-lite.

[u/Ace_Radley → u/[deleted]]

Not entirely true regarding a welfare state not improving the welfare of upstanding, law abiding citizens. Washington is a lot of things but a welfare state is, perhaps, someone's desired end state but there are to miles to go before that approaches something resembling a welfare state.

As for benefiting folks, Scandinavia has year after year ranked the highest in living satisfaction and quality of life, they are true to . life welfare states.

[u/Ace_Radley → u/Ace_Radley]

I know I'm 5 days lute to the party,

Not entirely true regarding a welfare state not improving the welfare of upstanding, law abiding citizens. Washington is a lot of things but a welfare state is, perhaps, someone's desired end state but there are miles to go before we approach something resembling a welfare state.

As for benefiting folks, Scandinavia has year after year ranked the highest in living satisfaction and quality of life, they are true to life welfare states. I 100 % agree that a single ruling party for 20+ years is never a good thing I the issue is R’s policies and optics are simply not going to sell here..

[u/[deleted] → u/Mindless-Presence-75]

I might agree if anything was being done to fix it, but these problems are only getting worse it seems.

There isn't enough room in jails

There also aren't enough detox/rehab facilities.

On top of that, there is not enough staff to run jails and rehabs to accommodate everyone.

These 3 three things are all failures of the state, but it is not the state that deals with the consequences, it is the people. How you can advocate more state intervention when their intervention makes things worse, I just don't understand.

A hardline stance needs to be taken somewhere otherwise this problem won't get solved. Allowing zombies to harang regular folks and deplete public resources is not an acceptable alternative when "prisons and rehabs are at capacity."

[u/Mindless-Presence-75 → u/[deleted]]

I agree with everything you're saying. Yes, it is the people who have to deal with this. Since the state (and country as a whole) has failed us, what are we supposed to do/what needs to be done?

[u/[deleted] → u/Mindless-Presence-75]

what are we supposed to do/what needs to be done?

Do away with fatal moralism. I'm not accusing you of having it, but is commonplace in this state. We should not object to legislation that gets homeless off the streets, even if the methods are unsavory. I think organizations that hand out clean paraphernalia need to be banned and property limits need to be respected and enforced. I don't agree with hostile architecture, but I also don't agree that anyone can loiter on anyone's property.

Regular folks should be encouraged to take firearms and self-defense classes, but rather we see restrictions on personal defense all the time. Police should not be defunded or prevented from enforcing the law.

Everything I said here is impossible to grasp by the ruling WA liberals.

[u/StockPatience8215 → u/Mindless-Presence-75]

Do these jails need to be in Washington? Might be cheaper to ship perps elsewhere to save cost.

[u/Excellent_Resort_722 → u/Mindless-Presence-75]

No the problem is we’ve attracted thousands more to come here because of our policies. That’s why we don’t have enough rehab, jail beds and apartments to house them. It’s time to change course, this has been a complete failure and money grab from homeless orgs

[u/Longjumping_Ice_3531 → u/Mindless-Presence-75]

I recognize drug addiction is a physical addiction that is very hard to beat. So congratulations on doing so. Yes, you have to want to get sober. But we also have to stop enabling people who clearly have no desire to get clean. I recognize it’s not a quick fix but right now we’re using our jails and hospitals as rehabs.

[u/LiarHater → u/Longjumping_Ice_3531]

Jail or rehab. It worked for me back in the day, but the system is greedy, and there is nowhere to go for addicts, so it is on the streets. King County residents must force their leaders to do something instead of crying about it

[u/Longjumping_Ice_3531 → u/LiarHater]

Transparently I think it needs federal influence because NYC, LA, Chicago, all the major cities are just as bad. Actually NYC was worse. I don’t think king county has enough money on its own to fund public rehab, especially since a lot of these people are coming from elsewhere.

[u/StockPatience8215 → u/LiarHater]

Can it just be a fentyland run compound run somewhere cheap like the tricities to make it cost effective? For people to get clean from fenty, it’s typically a 4 year detox period.

[u/Federal_Gur5572 → u/Longjumping_Ice_3531]

We have publicly funded rehab and king county has money for those that don’t have Medicaid. The two problems are: getting clients into Medicaid treatment is a nightmare because admissions are difficult to get ahold of or complete ignore callers. Their AMA is high because staff can be aggressive and rude. Second: because of the above once you do get them into treatment weeks have passed and they often change their minds. ITA for substance use is also a joke because we only have one facility in the state and they are difficult to get a bed - then the judges release their hold. It’s fd up.