this post was submitted on 26 Sep 2023
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This is what neoliberal Democracy looks like. This is what libs defend. (hexbear.net)
submitted 2 years ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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Saw this absolutely disgusting screed today from the American Hotel Lobby Association (yeah, that's a thing). I have some friends in a network who gets these and others, and I wanted to share with folks here too.

This is a real thing that is happening. This is what giving corporations a voice looks like. This is what neoliberal democracy is; organizations grouping together to build lobbying groups that advocate strongly for keeping homeless on the streets (and other horrible things of course).

I dunno I get these sorts of things pretty often, I can certainly share more of these if people want. They make me sad and angry every time I see them. I like to show these to libs to remind them that this is what the democracy that they swear by looks like.

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[–] [email protected] 24 points 2 years ago

the hotel lobby is the perfect microcosm of capitalism. faux welcoming, highly exclusive propertarianism. heavily surveilled and policed. food, drink, bathrooms, and comfortable areas abound but only for those who belong. constantly tidied by an invisible underclass. overseen by a well-dressed functionary generally harboring the most vicious stereotypes in their mind and challenging anyone not fitting the mold with an implied threat of arrest for trespass.

if you don't look like an obviously rich patron, they are up your ass about why you are sitting in a chair within a few minutes. i fuckin' hate waiting in the lobby for someone, even if i am staying at the hotel. the entire vibe is always "get the fuck out".

[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 years ago

picard-direct-action

Liberals are like:

The barest minimum housing interventions geordi-no

Sanctuary districts geordi-yes

[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 years ago (1 children)

thank you AHLA for informing me that the city isn't even providing counseling and healthcare and therefore I need to tell them to go further than this proposition

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago (3 children)

That is the actual reason to oppose this measure. Because it’s less than the minimum needed to work. What real benefit is there to temporarily housing homeless people and then not providing them any other services?

[–] [email protected] 15 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

What real benefit is there to temporarily housing homeless people and then not providing them any other services?

...the housing? limmy-what

it's not a panacea but any amount of stability and simple fucking humane treatment is a huge boost and makes it easier to figure shit out

you shouldn't oppose this measure, you should take this inch and then seize a mile

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

real like long term not real as in there is no benefit. Bad choice of words on my part.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

I think the problem here is that you suggest that it's a reason to oppose this measure. The measure is an improvement with no downside, get it passed then campaign for further improvement. You're not really wrong that it could be better but opposing it because you want something better would be dipshittery.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

True, it shouldn’t really be opposed. But there are downsides: the cost would be large; but the bigger problem is that it’s only LA, other states and cities do actively pay for bus tickets to cities in California especially LA, to lessen their own homeless problems. There is a not so slim chance that it will drive more homeless people to LA. This obviously wouldn’t be the case if a similar act was implemented state, or even better nation wide, but as it stands this only affects Los Angeles. Good on the LA government for taking these steps even with the potential downsides to improve the lives of the countless homeless people with no where else to go.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

You see the cost as a downside yet when is the last time you meaningfully opposed any rise in the military budget? Weapons for Ukraine? Nato?

If it were up to me it wouldn't have an associated cost, these hotels would be compelled to fill empty space to occupancy with homeless or have their businesses expropriated by the state.

Good on the LA government

You do not in fact have to hand it to them. I don't think you understand the sheer scale of the homelessness problem the US has. Let me put this in perspective for you, I reside in the UK. Here we split "homeless" from "rough sleeping" in order to address them with the urgency they have. Rough sleepers should not exist, period. There are currently between 5000 and 6000 rough sleepers in the UK. This statistic is analogous to the US "homeless" statistic, whereas what we call "homeless" includes people without a permanent residence but that may be residing with friends, family or in temporary accomodation (hostels, hotels, etc). There are 250,000 homeless under this statistic.

The US has 540,000 people rough sleeping. Yet you only have 5x the population of the UK. There are 120x more people sleeping on the streets in America than there are here. Americans have this completely normalised viewpoint of this issue and I find it rather disgusting, it's absurd hearing how people talk about it as normal and ok, instead of with anger, rage and the level of aggression it rightfully deserves.

You do not in fact have to hand it to the government in america. From any outside perspective it is very VERY clearly a failing country. Death to america. amerikkka

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

I encourage you to go do some research on housing first models.

Nobody is saying that putting homeless in a hotel solves all of their problems but it does solve the immediate problem of shelter, even if only for one night. Ask anyone who has been unhoused and they will tell you the value of one safe comfortable night and a hot shower is immeasurable. It's not a perfect or complete solution but it's better than letting them die on the streets

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 years ago

The benefit is kids with a roof over their heads instead of living in a car. It's having a private bathroom so you don't have to take a shit in the street. It's somewhere secure to put your possessions while you look for work.

It's not enough, but it's something.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Sir I purpose a measure to turn all the homeless into a paste to feed to elementary school kids for lunch.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Who would pay for that? Where would we find the funds? Also elementary school kids need to pay for their lunch, we simply can't afford to feed them. They need to learn the value of hard work.

Anyway I'm going to go sign off on sending 100 billion more dollars in aid to Ukraine, brb.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 years ago

free homeless person soylent green if the children join the Ukrainian army

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 years ago

This is weird for me because here in NYC you get a lot of hotels that open up with no intention of being hotels, they immediately lobbying the City to pay them to house homeless people in them. Of course, there’s always a horde of reactionaries who come out to oppose them, but it is interesting how the particulars can shift the interests of the capitalist class.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 years ago

How dare govt giving homes to homeless? This is what happens when profits are given more priority over humanity itself.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 years ago

American Hotel Lobby Association but it's just a body that sets the dimensions and amenities required in the lobby of a hotel.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 years ago

Sounds like hotels that are represented by this group need a few bricks through windows.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 years ago

Real Omelas vibes