Lol, "the left pushing the line so much further to the left" you're on crack. Nothing has happened. I'm progressive as shit but literally all that's happening is the exact opposite, the Republicans dragging the conversation further and further to the right (not that there's any good faith in there to talk about shit). Congratulations, that culture war the Republicans have been crying about was one they started and it has worked. Lol ...fn humans.

But yea, crime is a thing and local politicians suck. Shrug

The first thing you need to do is remove your head from your ass.

The right has pushed the line so far right that anything slightly to left is “too far”.

Crime is down from 10 years ago... So not sure how it's out of control if you're comparing it to that. It's even down from last year according to the latest stats.

And city services are actually quite good here for the taxes we pay imo. Fantastic libraries and public rec centers. Relatively well kept bike lanes, sidewalks, and roads. DDOT in general is good. Parks. Metrobus and Metrorail, despite all their problems are very useable. Circulator busses. The list goes on. Could it be better? Of course. Does it make me want to move to a city in a Red state? Absolutely not lol. I grew up in Kansas City, MO. The only thing I miss from there is BBQ and sports teams.

There’s the door ———>

Feel free to use it.

Communism! Man, I wonder if crime would be better if people didn't have so much to be anxious for, so little fucking hope.

Nope, quite the opposite actually. Having actually lived in areas controlled by Republicans, I’ll take the flaws of DC and any other Dem run city over a Republican one any day.

“There’s been a lot of exhaustion with the left during Trump’s presidency…” how about with the freakin GOP?? So your answer is to move that way - dafuq

My favorite one “This isn’t a train station, no need to announce your departure”

People love to complain about DC, but seriously move to a red state or any rural area. You will see DC does ok.

I love that one too.

I tell my wife all the time, “I’ll update the newsletter” when she announces something inconsequential.

how so?

[deleted]

If you can’t see all the stuff they have done to push the line to right then really there isn’t a point in explaining it.

But I will give one example. Red states trying to pass laws to allow driver to run over protesters.

What areas? Maybe this is more of just an issue of not wanting to be on the extremes. I can definitely see myself being frustrated with the right if I lived in South Carolina or Alabama or any of the deep red states.

Lol then move to Mississippi and let us know how that goes.

Why don't you define "the left," and what other possible political alignments you see. Like I said, I think the Republicans won the bs cultural war to make you think this. Shrug. Also, if you think Republicans are economically conservative...they really fucking won, lol.

Yeah like I’m not denying that DC has its problems but I don’t see how Republicans controlling the city would make these problems any better. If anything they’d just make every issue we have worse. They don’t even believe in having a functioning government and services.

I think people complain about WMATA entirely too much. My favorite thing about this city is how easy it is to get around without a car. I take a bus every day and think its a very well run system.

But I do think the crime and the impunity needs to be talked about as much, if not more, than it is.

The scanner boyz listen to police radio for hours and hours from multiple jurisdictions and Tweet that “crime is out of control!!!” It’s like going to the hospital and going room by room and noticing that “everybody in DC is sick!!!”

You just sound like a typical, boring, poorly informed reactionary

Then you definitely don’t want to move to red state, public transit is a four letter word there.

> I said I was "socially liberal but fiscally conservative." Now, I would never dare say that.

Probably because that stopped being a valid political opinion at least 10+ years ago?

I've only gotten more liberal as I've gotten older. Most "conservative arguments" about welfare end up being an argument for reform, not repeal. And I'm not going to shed any tears for someone making over 250k paying slightly more in taxes.

What did bother me was this area deciding that support for mask mandates was an easy proxy for political leanings. I appreciated that DC was one of the first places to start shutting down. I found it downright bizarre that it took so long to reach new phases.

Also, Youngkin isn't a "strong leader." Wtf. He hasn't done jackshit since getting elected because Democrats still control half of the GA. He's destined to end up like McDonnell if the 2023 elections go his way, but he seems more okay with that given how he has stumped with election deniers.

Texas and Louisiana. Absolute disasters. Texas is especially a facade of what people think is being run well because people are moving there because it’s “cheap” (hardly anymore) and Louisiana is a disaster in every aspect.

Majority of my family lives in the Deep South (Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama). They’re beautiful states that have been actively destroyed, probably beyond repair, by the Republican governments. DC is good and can and should be a lot better, and there’s at least hope that it actually can improve in the way that it needs to. Republicans don’t believe government should exist let alone exist to improve anyone’s lives and they’ll continue to make every red state worse than it was when the last person left. The only reason why Hogan couldn’t do more damage in Maryland (though he was actively hostile to Baltimore — which is a place that is actually run poorly) is because he was constrained by the Dem supermajority in the legislature and Youngkin is similarly constrained by not having a majority in both chambers in VA either.

[deleted]

Sounds like you were always right wing. Being “socially liberal but fiscally conservative” is such a cop out. It basically means you’re cool with not actually doing anything to help people because you don’t want to pay taxes.

I'm also frustrated by the recent increase in crime. But thankfully I understand that many of society's problems are complex problems which can't be solved immediately. That we need to take gains where possible and evaluate additional changes as time goes on. There definitely are some changes I'd like to see be made.

But in general it hasn't caused me to want to completely dismantle social programs and deny large swaths of people basic rights.

[deleted]

I think your post starting with “socially liberal but fiscally conservative” and your provision of “gay people in my family” explains a lot. When you arrived you tolerated those who are different - marginalized even - but you didn’t see the systemic problems that kept/keeps them marginalized.

The trump administration certainly moved extraordinary racism (ie the things people wouldn’t say out loud) to not only out loud but normalized and basically quotidian. I think you just found yourself aligning more strongly with that rhetoric.

I think living in DC for me has allowed me to explore my own biases and continue to examine crime with compassion (it’s certainly hard when you’re the target or crime) - ie being anti racist. It’s definitely hard and the approach has received scrutiny because the telos is constantly changing but that’s kinda the point.

I dont think the city would be better if controlled by Republicans. Maybe my issues stem from how hard it is to have a conversation with the other side around here (this thread an example?). Just the overwhelming majority and silencing of the other side has pushed me in that direction.

I identify with every single sentence in this post 100%

The left sucks at crime and governing in general. But with the right being rotten to the core, there’s no alternative

haha hopefully theres another way

Mayor Bowser needs to veto B24-0320 and actually reform crime law in the district.

LOL, I agree the right has pushed the line very far (actually extremely far) to the right, but if you think the left hasn’t also pushed its own line pretty far to the left, you are on some serious drugs.

Saying the left’s extremism isn’t as bad as the right’s extremism (a viewpoint I’d largely agree with) is NOT the same thing as saying many of the left’s current positions are A-OK.

I get the sense you would have veered right regardless of where you lived. This post is just kinda weird. I'm not sure if you're seeking validation or inviting controversy. But I guess you'll get it either way.

It's fine to say you're considering leaving the city. I am too. But don't try to make it into a political discussion.

Im not sure. Just seeing if anyone else feels the same and/or trying for a discussion. Help me see what I'm not seeing.

I'm not leaving DC even though I'd love to. The city, even with all her faults, has been good to me. Good job, good house, good friends, etc.

I just dont see myself alining with typical DC very much.

We are the most "right" developed nation in the world. Neo liberalism doesn't seem too far left to me at all.../not a Democrat, just a progressive. Like what's the most left move? Student debt stuff maybe? Plenty of Euro nations will bloody give foreigners free education if they learn the language ffs.

openly identifying socially liberal but fiscally conservative is the first stage in this spiral. The NIMBY cocoon has opened to reveal the conservative inside, likely all before age 40.

Agree with the 2nd paragraph

How are you being silenced? If you are asking for validation on beliefs that mean people aren’t treated like human beings then there is no conversion, your wrong for doing that. If you want to have a conversation on crime then present an idea that hasn’t been proven to fail.

Edit spelling

I know what you mean. Give it a little more time. The pendulum will swing. I give it 2-3 years.

I'm sorry you don't agree, but the stats don't lie. Aside from the spike during covid, crime has gone nowhere but down since the 90s. And the stats this year indicate we're back on that trend despite the covid detour.

As they say on the right "facts don't care about your feelings"!

[deleted]

Who is silencing you besides yourself? You deleted your own post when you got comments that didn't validate your beliefs. A debate where both sides agree is petty boring and unhelpful.

OP, your not crazy. I've lived in other large cities and considered myself a fairly hardcore liberal. Whenever I move back to DC (lived here 11 years ago, and now back again) I find myself flabbergasted about the amount of crime and how much they don't do anything about it. I hate Trump, but was just finding myself the other day preaching about how we need a hardcore "Law and Order" crack down on crime in this city. Just like you said the metro fare jumpers, robberies, car jackings, shootings, youth violence it's incredible. And people love to say "crime has gone down", but the truth is it hasn't. It's just that the cops don't want to do anything about it and the DA doesn't prosecute these criminals. It's the classic "if you don't want high crime rates, then don't arrest or prosecute people" (if you don't want high covid numbers, stop testing....). Any city where people jump the metro gates in front of cops, or people ride dirt bikes and quads down Pennsylvania Ave right next to the Capitol in front of the cops and they don't do anything about it is a complete joke.

Crime does not have to be tolerated, we don't need to live like this. Crack down and throw these criminals in prison and start setting an example for the ones to follow. NYC did it in the 90's, let's get it done!

Why should governments forgive people’s college loan debts? Those people agreed to pay for a service (paying for their higher education) under the terms provided. Sure, the terms may have been financially questionable and ridiculous for those paying for the service, but people agreed to pay for it.

In my eyes it is people’s responsibility to pay for services they agreed to purchase. I mean, I didn’t like paying off tens of thousands of dollars in student loan debt either when I had that debt, but I made sure I budgeted to enable myself to pay it off.

Aww. You guys scared him away. How much of this will you tolerate? https://www.popville.com/2022/12/bloomingdale-family-assaulted/

I mean what conversation is there even to be had at this point? It seems like every talking point has been exhausted. I don't personally have all the answers, I don't know what the best thing to do is. I think we can certainly do better than the status quo but I'm particularly unconvinced that we can incarcerate our way into less crime. Ultimately from my perspective as someone who has been a victim of crime, I don't want their lives ruined over it but I also don't want them to do it or any other crimes again and I don't know what the solution is, but I don't think locking them up for the next 20 years solves the issue either.

OP wasn’t “scared away”. They asked a question and got an answer, just not the one they wanted.

Can I ask the same question but in a different way?

Why should the people in city pay to subsidize the suburbs? It’s the people in suburbs job pay for the infrastructure required to allow the suburb to work.

The difference is free higher education would benefit the population, suburbs sprawl doesn’t.

I think deleting his account is just that. He’s gone. Would’ve liked to see him tough it out.

> Crime exists

> Conservatives: doesn't this just make you want to remove social programs, give that money to rich people, and increasingly destroy poorer communities?

> Radical Dems: ...no

> Conservatives: The left doesn't care about crime!!!

OP didn’t delete the account, just the post. You can still see OPs comments here

Why are the blue states paying for red states? Also, see how I spoke to other countries that literally will educate foreigners and we don't even do citizens ...lol. Anyway, crabs in a bucket, you get what you wanted and guess what...it'll be worse for everyone! Anyway, I've given up on humans "I was tortured, why should you be? Generational torture is how you build civilization!"

I don’t understand what you are talking about social programs. You think I’m suggesting giving that money to rich people? Uh… no.

There are MANY social programs in DC but they’re not being utilized.

My was question is how much longer will society tolerate all of this crime without impunity. Stores closing down. People getting hurt over carjackings. Lives being changed forever. Did you read the article?

Oh yeah? Thought u/deleted meant he closed his account. Sorry! Thanks for the heads up.

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/crime/dc-murder-rate-rising-kassius-glay-family-questions-grief-mpd-dc-police/65-c8d541f8-6717-46e3-a19e-2f3d10300569 this is an article about 2022 murder rate and all the unsolved cases.

Crime is not going down.

https://mpdc.dc.gov/page/district-crime-data-glance?december_2022

Yes it is.

We all know that MPD stats are BS.

The article you shared from earlier in 2022 is literally based on MPD stats. So they're BS when you don't like them but they're a sure thing when you do? Where would you like to pull crime stats from? Your ass?

If you want to argue that it feels like crime is up then I might agree with you. But based on the stats, it's down.

How many times did police not show up to take a report?

How many times did the AG drop or reduce charges?

How creative are they now with classifying crime? What used to be felonies but now are misdemeanors?

I don’t believe things are improving in DC. I’m amazed people do.

I've never heard a case where they don't take a report in violent crime. I'm sure it happens, but it's rare.

The prosecution has nothing to do with crime stats. It's crimes recorded, not crimes successfully prosecuted.

It's not broken up by felonies/misdemeanors or severity of the crime. It's broken up by violent/property crimes and more specifically things like murder, assault, theft. Violent crime as a whole is down 7% YOY.

You can believe whatever you want. That doesn't make it true.

Something is not right about those numbers. Must be all happing in my area. Pedestrians getting plown down like every other day by cars. So many carjacking and cars fleeing scenes. Such impunity.

[deleted]

[deleted]

That's... not how murders work, actually.

Additionally, I always love that the crime troll poster's line always seems to be "crime rate reporting was accurate before covid, but now it's obviously wrong and under-reported because, reasons." Kind of the same logic as a certain someone and unemployment reporting...

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/dc/internal-documents-whistleblowers-show-alleged-underreporting-of-crime-by-dc-police-mpd/65-3ce1c9eb-ce1e-4823-a11c-66775c147b10

More examples of underreporting. But never mind. Critical Strawberry and the tiki god says…

You are a troll. Stats don’t lie. Everything is fine.

Again: the conspiracy of "they only started under-reporting crime" is a stupid one.

Right. I’m stupid and everything is fine.

Be safe out there!

> Right. I’m stupid and everything is fine.

Now you're on the trolley.

Edit: replying to someone only to immediately block them is such a bitch move. Luckily, a crime post troll shitbird like you won't be someone I encounter much on this site.

More info https://www.wusa9.com/amp/article/news/crime/mpd-crime-underreporting-whistleblower-first-interview/65-c242223e-6d71-4741-92c5-f4ba2a1f9a76

Many changes from felonies to misdemeanors. Downgrades, even murder.

You’re entitled to your opinion. Go ahead believe everything Bowser and the stats say.

My opinion is this. You are full of shit, probably a affluent whyte WFH fuckwad living in Thomas Circle. Why are all the respondents from the likes of Foggy Bottom and Thomas Circle? Of course everything is fine there. LMAO.

Full of shit, indeed.

Yeah, there just isnt a point. This area is so narrow minded, its frustrating. There's no diversity, everyone believes the same stuff. There's no "I dont think I agree with you but why do you feel that?"

I move here being center-left and now I feel like I'm center-right and look how this sub responds.

Its just not worth arguing.

DC taxes every dollar between $60k and $250k at 8.5%. Someone making $60k is living a much different life than someone making $250k in DC.

Federal taxes have like four brackets between those two income levels.

8.5% is higher than VA, MD, PA, WV, etc collect at the $60-$100k bracket.

Its just not worth it if its not an actual discussion but I guess thats typical for this city.

> 8.5% is higher than VA, MD, PA, WV, etc collect at the $60-$100k bracket.

Ignoring that in no way am I including Pennslytucky and West Virginia in this discussion, income tax is still higher in VA up to 85k or so, and MD's is pretty much always higher than DC's due to local income taxes.

Virginia is 2% on $0-3000, 3% $3001-5000, 5% $5001-17k, and 5.75% $17,001+

DC is 4% $0-10k, 6% $10k-40k, 6.5% $40-60k, and 8.5% (!) $60-$250k

Someone making $80k would pay $4343 in VA and $5,200 in DC. Comparing SALT taxes is tough cause property, vehicles, groceries, alcohol, gas, etc have differing tax rates but the DC income tax _is_ high.

Your math just simply isn't right here.