"Homeless" Doesn’t Mean What It Used to, but Dems Pretend it Does

The stupidity is breathtaking. Okay, perhaps that’s a bit harsh. Let’s replace stupidity with insanity because that’s what the new LA Mayor Karen Bass is exhibiting—doing the same stupid thing and expecting different smart results. Okay, stupid is accurate.

Stupid happens when people allow radical leftists to take over the Democrats who then take over the language. Control the language, control the conversation. Control the conversation, control the message.

Traditionally, homeless meant a temporary condition, often due to life’s misfortunes or mistakes: loss of job, medical debt, bankruptcy, house fire, domestic violence, etc.

However, the left brilliantly conscripted the word homeless to apply to much more than those situations. People who chose to live on the streets (yes, chose) were called vagrants, bums, and beggars, but these were considered slurs no matter how accurate the description. Then bum was elevated to transient, which was less “offensive” but still accurate.

Next, the socialist left promoted transient to homeless, which implies inherent victimhood. Then they frivolously shoehorned homeless to fit street alcohol and drug abusers, criminals, and those suffering with mental health issues.

Bass, according to the AP, “said Sunday her administration will start moving homeless people from tent encampments into hotels and motels through a new program that launches Tuesday.” Something that led to disaster in places like San Francisco.

As usual, they ignore the police, the most effective arm of government for dealing with street people. Bass said, “But this is not coercing people. This is not ticketing people or incarcerating people. This is moving people from tents to hotels or motels.” That’s part of why it doesn’t work. Mass “homelessness” didn’t just happen; Dem policies created it.

Bass declared a “homelessness” state of emergency, accruing to herself, as Democrats crave, more power.

“Housing First” doesn’t work unless you want a massive wealth transfer to the homeless industrial complex. Then it works flawlessly.

Though she speaks as if her “plan” is different, Bass hasn’t offered anything that differs from others failed efforts. The deluded new mayor told Meet the Press’ Chuck Todd she actually believes, under her policy, LA’s “encampments” could be “eliminated.”

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Steve Pomper

Steve Pomper is an author, freelance writer, and retired Seattle police officer. During his career, he served as a field training officer, on the Community Police Team, and as a mountain bike patrol coordinator. He’s written five books, including The Obama Gang and De-Policing America, and he is a contributor to the National Police Association and a freelance writer for The Tatum Report.

Originally from New England, he’s a Boston sports fan. He now lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife, Jody, a retired firefighter. He enjoys spending time with his adult kids and three grandchildren.