6 ms·

Can we do Manhattan next? Haha, just kidding. The dysfunction of our city politics makes obvious life-improving policies completely untenable. Hell, we can't ev

Can we do Manhattan next? Haha, just kidding. The dysfunction of our city politics makes obvious life-improving policies completely untenable. Hell, we can't even change the way we collect our garbage or maintain our (totally necessary, vital) mass transit.

prolikewh0a 8y ago
I bet there's plenty of public money and quick decisions for SPORTS TEAMS though!
- cultus 8y ago
  I hear that. In King County (Seattle), we desperately need more public transit and funding for the homeless problem. The county decided that giving a $135 million handout to the Mariners to build a bigger beer garden (among other things) was a higher priority. Not only is this a flagrant waste of money, but it is highly unpopular.
  - turtlebits 8y ago
    I wouldn't say it's a handout, they are signing a new 25 year lease, and the funds are supposed to address wear and tear. Seems reasonable to me as a landlord (in lieu of the owner of the stadium performing repairs).
    - stochastic_monk 8y ago
      Why wouldn’t the owner of the team or stadium (the ones making money with it) pay?
      - bobthepanda 8y ago
        They are. The county owns the stadium.
        deleted 8y ago
        [deleted]
    - mey 8y ago
      How much rent are they charging?
  - dixie_land 8y ago
    The city brought homeless problem upon themselves by raising taxes to literally bring them in by the bus load. http://mynorthwest.com/985398/seattles-next-homeless-encampment-could-be-in-south-lake-union/ http://mynorthwest.com/985398/seattles-next-homeless-encampm...?
    - the_clarence 8y ago
      Taxes don’t make people homeless. Dumb low minimum wages and the lack of government aids for people who are struggling to survive is the reason for homeless people. More taxes directed at helping people in need is a good thing.
    - opportune 8y ago
      But the true solution to the homeless problem is greater spending on addiction treatment / mental health care, which the state needs to fund
    - prolikewh0a 8y ago
      That article has nothing to do with what you said at all.
  - prolikewh0a 8y ago
    Safeco Field is where this comment stemmed from. Hundred million dollar _public money_ handout to a stadium. We have plenty of money for that, but not the homeless, drug problems, or public transit. Now we have NHL I'm sure Jenny Durkan & City Council will just bend the knee to with multi million dollar renovations to Key Arena.
jacobmoe 8y ago
Maintaining our mass transit is (stupidly) a state responsibility, to be fair.
- Brakenshire 8y ago
  Wow, that is a bad idea, why is it that way?
  - jacobmoe 8y ago
    I'm not sure there's a better answer than "it seemed like a good idea at the time." The problem (as we saw in the recent primary here) is that the person who is actually in charge of the system - the governor - is able to deny responsibility for it. https://nyti.ms/2rx3V9D https://nyti.ms/2rx3V9D
    - deleted 8y ago
      [deleted]
- kartan 8y ago
  > Maintaining our mass transit is (stupidly) a state responsibility, to be fair. I guess that this is circumstantial. That is USA's political system that is not working. Because the headline is about a local government taking responsible actions to improve peoples lives while empowering public transportation as an efficient way of transport. How different is "Metropolitan Transportation Authority" to "Consorcio Regional de Transportes de Madrid" [0]? [0] https://www.crtm.es/conocenos.aspx?lang=en https://www.crtm.es/conocenos.aspx?lang=en
  - jacobmoe 8y ago
    Oh I'm not making excuses for it. The commenter I responded to noted that NYC's political dysfunction makes things difficult. I'm just noting that New York State's political dysfunction is also to blame.
- opportune 8y ago
stochastic_monk 8y ago
I think it’s worth not throwing your hands up in desperation. Contact your politicians and get your friends to. It’s hard to make a difference, but pressure from constituents is a primary way to change a politician’s mind.
- noobermin 8y ago
  It's a fun refrain, but without organization, getting your friends together won't be enough to move politicians who will listen to individuals with money rather than just individuals. If you're going to want to become politically active, it helps to join an organization instead of just striking out on your own.

prolikewh0a 8y ago

I bet there's plenty of public money and quick decisions for SPORTS TEAMS though!

cultus 8y ago
I hear that. In King County (Seattle), we desperately need more public transit and funding for the homeless problem. The county decided that giving a $135 million handout to the Mariners to build a bigger beer garden (among other things) was a higher priority. Not only is this a flagrant waste of money, but it is highly unpopular.
- turtlebits 8y ago
  I wouldn't say it's a handout, they are signing a new 25 year lease, and the funds are supposed to address wear and tear. Seems reasonable to me as a landlord (in lieu of the owner of the stadium performing repairs).
  - stochastic_monk 8y ago
    Why wouldn’t the owner of the team or stadium (the ones making money with it) pay?
    - bobthepanda 8y ago
      They are. The county owns the stadium.
      - deleted 8y ago
        [deleted]
  - mey 8y ago
    How much rent are they charging?
- dixie_land 8y ago
  The city brought homeless problem upon themselves by raising taxes to literally bring them in by the bus load. http://mynorthwest.com/985398/seattles-next-homeless-encampment-could-be-in-south-lake-union/ http://mynorthwest.com/985398/seattles-next-homeless-encampm...?
  - the_clarence 8y ago
    Taxes don’t make people homeless. Dumb low minimum wages and the lack of government aids for people who are struggling to survive is the reason for homeless people. More taxes directed at helping people in need is a good thing.
  - opportune 8y ago
    But the true solution to the homeless problem is greater spending on addiction treatment / mental health care, which the state needs to fund
  - prolikewh0a 8y ago
    That article has nothing to do with what you said at all.
- prolikewh0a 8y ago
  Safeco Field is where this comment stemmed from. Hundred million dollar _public money_ handout to a stadium. We have plenty of money for that, but not the homeless, drug problems, or public transit. Now we have NHL I'm sure Jenny Durkan & City Council will just bend the knee to with multi million dollar renovations to Key Arena.

jacobmoe 8y ago

Maintaining our mass transit is (stupidly) a state responsibility, to be fair.

Brakenshire 8y ago
Wow, that is a bad idea, why is it that way?
- jacobmoe 8y ago
  I'm not sure there's a better answer than "it seemed like a good idea at the time." The problem (as we saw in the recent primary here) is that the person who is actually in charge of the system - the governor - is able to deny responsibility for it. https://nyti.ms/2rx3V9D https://nyti.ms/2rx3V9D
  - deleted 8y ago
    [deleted]
kartan 8y ago
> Maintaining our mass transit is (stupidly) a state responsibility, to be fair. I guess that this is circumstantial. That is USA's political system that is not working. Because the headline is about a local government taking responsible actions to improve peoples lives while empowering public transportation as an efficient way of transport. How different is "Metropolitan Transportation Authority" to "Consorcio Regional de Transportes de Madrid" [0]? [0] https://www.crtm.es/conocenos.aspx?lang=en https://www.crtm.es/conocenos.aspx?lang=en
- jacobmoe 8y ago
  Oh I'm not making excuses for it. The commenter I responded to noted that NYC's political dysfunction makes things difficult. I'm just noting that New York State's political dysfunction is also to blame.
opportune 8y ago

stochastic_monk 8y ago

I think it’s worth not throwing your hands up in desperation. Contact your politicians and get your friends to. It’s hard to make a difference, but pressure from constituents is a primary way to change a politician’s mind.

noobermin 8y ago
It's a fun refrain, but without organization, getting your friends together won't be enough to move politicians who will listen to individuals with money rather than just individuals. If you're going to want to become politically active, it helps to join an organization instead of just striking out on your own.