"The Poor" Are Not the Problem

There's a great debate on CityLink over on Nick Spencer's blog. What I think is being missed is a definition of the type of people being discussed. The term "poor" is thrown around, as is "homeless," and as are other terms. In this discussion I believe we are having the preverbal apples vs. oranges debate.

The problem with OTR, the West End, and other urban blighted areas is not "the poor." When I say "the poor" I mean the people who live in little apartments, collect welfare, food stamps, and need the food bank for help, but generally function in society. I don't mean they lead stellar lives, but they are not living on the street asking you for money, not smashing in car windows, not dealing drugs, and not taking drugs. Am I generalizing? Yes. I am going to be called hatefilled and callous? Yes. I am just talking, what I am saying I think points out an important distinction that is causing the discussion to fixate on macro political issues unrelated to the situation.

The people who are the problem are criminals and those not willing (or unable) to get to a level of "resonable" living. These are your drug dealers, drunks, bums, petty theives, sex offenders, and the mentally ill living on the street. If these people have no place to get help, then we as a society are beyond cruel, we are sick. If these people have the opportunity to gain help, but refuse, then they bare most, if not nearly all of the responsibilty for the choices they made and are continueing to make. One simple thing people refusing to live life without help should to be forced to take is that the location of the social services they need will be moved, likely with their place of living, to areas where the society as a whole can best function. Is that fair? It is fair. I do not believe in bending over backwards for bums and drug addicts. I believe in helping them, and for the government to take the leading in providing that help, but not at the expense of progress for the city.

Does this mean we are kicking out the poor? No. A person who lives in OTR, but who need help should be given a fair chance to live where they want to live. This does not mean they have to pay market rate rent because that is "fair" to everyone. That is not fair to them to have to suddenly battle for housing with people with more means. Fair allows those who are making a good effort to get help on terms that they would prefer. Those not willing to make a good faith effort to live within basic socital norms do not get to pick and choose where they run amock.

I feel sorry for the person forced to beg for money. I don't think making their feelings more important then the rest of society. Pandhandlers, drug addicts, and bums have as much responsiblity to the society as the rest of us, and if their only inconvience is to move to Queensgate to have get help, then they will just have to accept it, or then can just not have any help from the society I consider myself a member.

Compasion does not equal coddling. Hate does not equal toughness. Being liberal does not mean that people can avoid responsibility because they want to. If you want to be a bum, you can be a bum, but don't expect to get helping living that way from the government.

CityLink is not a panacea. It will likely be another tool of evangelicals to feel good about themselves, which can be fine, but at the same time they lock in the poor to exposure to their religius dogma as the ticket to getting assitance.

I have no solutions. I believe that there will always be poor people and there will always be bums living on the street, that is a fact of life in a capitalistic democracy. We shouldn't try to force a common solution on both groups, and shouldn't lump the groups together in our discource nor in our actual policy making.

The issue of the West End develpment is something almost seperate from the CityLink issue. I don't see West End development happening, at least not on the potential scale that OTR has with the school for performing arts plans on Central Parkway. The West End may indeed suffer if this social service center goes in. The NIMBY stance is one that I rarely agree with, and in this case I make no execption.

This is Disturbing

This is not the type of thing I would link to normally, but this happened here in town. I don't want to know exactly. I could have drive by, and I would just prefer to keep this type of crazy thing out of my mind on that direct a level. These things are back ground noise when they happen 4 states away. When it could be 4 miles or 4 blocks, then it gets creepy.

Boehner House Majority Leader?

Will Ohio's John Boehner become the next House Majority Leader? Last time Boehner was mentioned this much in the news, he was allegedly part of the coup d'etat against Newt Gingrich. Will it be Blunt or Boehner?

Lawsuit

Someone is getting sued over this, and someone is going to be issuing a beefy settlement.

Great Bengals Season

Tough game today, but an overall great season for the Bengals. I hope everyone stays positive and gains a little civic pride.

Pre-Post Mortem

The recent announcement from the Cincinnati Post on another round of buyout to employees has been played up by WVXU, including even audio quotes from an employee of the Paper, local Newspaper Guild President Bob Driehuas.

Greg Flannery has dire views on the Post, and believes the Post may not survive the JOA.

Sinnard Running Again

"Centrist" Democrat Jeff Sinnard is running as for the Ohio-2 district. I call Jeff a "centrist" from my own impression. He has many liberal views, but others that would put him in his own version of the middle ground.

CAM Loses Director

Timothy Rub is leaving the Cincinnati Art Museum effective in April. Rub has been considered a true asset to the Museum. What does the bode for the CAM and the visual art scene in Cincinnati?

Sara Pearce comments more on the Enquirer Art Blog. The Post has a story as well.

CityLink Moves Forward

The land for the CityLink service center has been purchased. Construction funds are being sought from private sources. This effort is great, and I applaud organizers. I hope the center is not used as the only location for social services in the city, and this is not used to replace government run services. If not, then it should help provide good services and in turn help parts of OTR develop.

Candidate Don Quixote

Eric Fingerhut is charging at windmills in his effort to gain the Democratic nomination. He can't defeat Strickland.

Inbred

One Party Rule is not democracy. In a small municipality, it is not surprising. The CCV's office are in Sharonville, so this does not shock.

Ok, Just Stupid

Ok, this Bronson Column is really just stupid. It is so bad, I will not comment further.

Enjoying It

Nice article on Enjoy the Arts. I am a Passport member and can attest that it is worth it. I have been to more theatre since I got the membership and I have been invited to more events. Join up at www.etastart.com.

Doug Trapp Returns

In case you have missed his byline, CityBeat's Doug Trapp returns to town and the to the paper with some thoughts on taking a leap.

Slow Death

I envision this job reduction by the Cincinnati Post to be the beginning of a drip-drip-drip of staff and substance to the newspaper, which over the next two years will become either a NKY paper, or will die.

The most telling part of the story is the headline "Scripps to cut deeper at Post." This says to me that the actual Post management don't want to do this, but that the parent company, headquartered here in Cincinnati, is doing it.

Enquirer Political Blog Changes

Korte appears to be off the City Hall and politics beat if the new description of "Politics Extra" is correct:

The Enquirer's team of political reporters - plus occasional special guest stars - chronicle the behind-the-scenes maneuvers, the stuff that didn't make the headlines, and the faux pas of Southwest Ohio political leaders. Regular bloggers include political reporter Howard Wilkinson, city hall reporter Dan Klepal, Hamilton County reporter Kimball Perry, Columbus reporter Jon Craig, and Washington reporter Malia Rulon. Is is administered by Government/Public Affairs editor Carl Weiser, cweiser@enquirer.com.

News of the changes did make the make the paper today, but more of an announcement that the blog will cover more than City Hall. This is going to make for a big blog mess. Group blogs can work, but they take some common thread. Single voice blogs have that thread by default.

What is Greg's beat now? Do we have more than one City Hall Reporter? Rumors flew last month, so were they true?

Earth to Bronson Part XXXVII

Once again Peter doesn't grasp the concept that TV shows are fictional. If you have a pill popping priest its not there to say something it true. It is a dramatic device called "character." I mean, do we have to explain to Peter that there really isn't a world with a talking lion behind Carl Linder's wardrobe?

One Crack House at a Time

Nick Spencer is back to blogging and reports on the actions taken by the CPD and city to finally clear out the Crack House across from alchemize. This is only one building, but getting crime off of a street is progress. Glad to see Nick back blogging, and I'm glad this crack house is gone.

Jim Borgman Blog

This is a brilliant idea. Brogman has a unique voice at the Enquirer and seeing how he goes about creating his editorial cartoons is very fascinating.

Happy New Year!!!!

Hope 2006 brings you good fortune and good health.