This is one of those blog posts that writes itself — free government-provided, taxpayer-funded alcohol for homeless alcoholics — but first I had to confirm what I had heard was correct. Let me launch into it.
Homelessness is not a pretty picture, especially in California and San Francisco. San Francisco claims it is now enjoying a 10-year low in homeless sleeping unprotected on the streets.
That statistic is subject to a lot of conjecture and ridicule, but meanwhile the stats for California writ large are an increase of 30,000 homeless. Even the governor admits to that.
So, what are the facts, Big Red Car?
OK, the State of California has spent $20,000,000,000 — $20B — on homelessness in the last four years and the number of homeless is going up.
Governor Gavin Newsom touts California as being a “model for the nation” but why?
In addition, a recent audit of the California homeless spending found there is zero accountability as to what that $20,000,000,000 was spent upon — California ordered this audit and they oversaw it. How can $20,000,000,000 go unaccounted for?
What’s going on in San Francisco, Big Red Car?
One of the problems in San Francisco — one of the greatest cities in America — not unique to that city, is that a great number of homeless persons are alcoholics.
Alcoholism is a disease. Alcoholism is a disease. Alcoholism is a disease.
The City of San Francisco has been conducting a program wherein they provide vodka, wine, or beer to alcoholics to put them into an environment wherein they are “docile” and not a threat or danger to society.
Yes, the City of San Francisco is treating alcoholism — alcoholism is a disease — by giving the alcoholics alcohol.
Really, Big Red Car? Alcohol to alcoholics?
Yes, dear reader. The city has a facility with 20 rooms — half reserved for specific minorities because DEI, right? — and they serve alcoholics vodka, wine, and beer but limited to a couple of shots, a couple of glasses of vino, or a couple of beers.
The program spends $5,000,000 per year which ciphers out to $250,000 per bed or $3,846.15 per night.
FFS, look at those bloody numbers. They could rent a suite at the Fairmont Hotel for less than $3,846.15 per night. The Fairmont Hotel would comp the mini-bar, put extra toiletries in the bathrooms, and let you steal the bathrobe for that price.
The program is run out of a hotel owned by the City of San Francisco in the Tenderloin district, but no info on how much that cost to acquire.
What are the results, Big Red Car?
Well, as it turns out, alcoholics like getting free vodka, so the City of San Francisco has had no challenge getting alcoholics to take free alcohol. Surprised? Never saw this coming.
One small problem is two shots of vodka is not enough. What homeless person, an alcoholic mind you, is going to swallow a couple of shots of vodka and call it a night? Honestly, that’s not even a respectable pre-game for a problem drinker.
Isnt’t there some medical issue, some ethical issue here, Big Red Car?
One would think that giving alcoholics alcohol would tip toe up to and cross some medical ethics line or two, no?
Apparently not. The City of San Francisco is giving sick people more of what makes them sick. Do they expect them to get better?
No, of course not, they expect them to become more docile.
Bottom line it, Big Red Car, headed to pickleball
Fair play to you, dear reader.
1. The State of California has an increasing problem with homelessness and cannot account for $20,000,000,000 spent on the problem
2. The City of San Francisco is running a free vodka, wine, and beer operation to the tune of $250,000/bed/year.
3. All of this is funded with taxpayer money.
4. Governor Gavin Newsom thinks this is a model the rest of the nation should follow.
But, hey, what the Hell do I really know anyway? I’m just a Big Red Car. Can I please have a couple shots of 10W40, the good stuff?