absurd

 Is this Democratic leadership? That's a question I had to ask myself as I listened to another proposal from the Baltimore city leaders. Yes, it is a majority of democrats. But I'm thinking beyond a simple party designation, beyond the posturing for votes. Surely this newest proposal cannot be a part of any platform. A core value or belief? No, it has to be something else, insanity or malfeasance. Allow me to explain.

 The city of Baltimore has had an ongoing problem with they have labeled squeegee kids. An attempt was made to change that name to something less offensive, but it didn't stick. But these squeegee kids gather on the busiest intersections in the city and swarm motorists at the stoplight. The want to wash your windows for cash. Very aggressive and intimidating they will break off your mirrors or wipers if you refuse to have them wash the windows. They have taken peoples cell phones and accessed bank accounts stealing hundreds of dollars, in one instance a squeegee kid shot and killed a man that confronted them. 

 Following that incident, no one was charged with anything in that by the way, it's still an ongoing debate about what charges should be filed, public demand for action grew ever stronger. At first the mayor, along with the city state's attorney, insisted that the squeegee kids were panhandlers. They insisted that panhandling was a constitutional right! The first amendment was cited. Yes, that is a constitutional guarantee, and they could not ban the practice! Never mind that there were already laws on the books prohibiting squeegee kids, now called "workers" from entering the streets and soliciting money from unsuspecting motorists. That line continued for some time until a "squeegee collaborative" council was formed, and secret meetings held. 

 After the closed-door meetings, the only attendees allowed were squeegee workers and the council members, no public, no press, it was announced that certain corners in the city the practice could be banned. Yes, the council decided that the constitutional rights of squeegee workers could in fact be denied on certain corners, just not all corners. The constitution doesn't apply to every corner you know, just designated ones. Police officers would be stationed at these banned intersections to monitor the situation. They weren't there to actually do anything though, they could talk to the kids, give them a warning about breaking the law, but not really do anything. Those officers were there, on overtime, to observe. 

 Another plan from the collaborative was rolled out after a while. The squeegee kids would be paid. If they agreed to stay off the corners and engage in a training program, they could earn a monthly stipend. Details were few about how any of that was going to work, how long, who exactly qualifies, and a number of issues. If they collected the money and still went out with their squeegees, there was no penalty for that either. In essence the plan was to pay them to not commit a crime. Which leads me to today's announcement. 

 Today the city officials have determined a fund raiser is required for those squeegee kids! If we are to tell those squeegee workers that they can't work, we must provide them with an income. The city has established a website where these squeegee workers can post their "goals" along with the cost and you can donate to them. Yes, if these kids aren't going to be allowed to engage in illegal activities on the street corners, we should support them by giving them money! It's like saying the bank installed extra security so I can't rob it so they should just give me the money I can no longer steal. I'm expected to believe that all these squeegee workers are out there attempting to make money for college, to open a business, or some other life goal. I'm being told I should support these squeegee workers financially. 

 I'm just amazed. The city leadership has determined that this is a viable option to control criminal activity. The plan is simply to pay the criminals. That's it. Every one of those squeegee kids is struggling to survive, attempting to reach a goal, and being suppressed because of the color of their skin. Oh, they don't come right out and say that directly, it is implied however, by using other terms like bias, racial disparity, economic opportunities and demographic consensus. These "kids" are simply trying to better themselves. The same squeegee kids that said, in no uncertain terms, if they weren't allowed to squeegee they would do other crimes, like robbing, stealing and anything else to make money. Yes, they will rob, shoot, and murder to reach their goals. The goal is to have money, not necessarily earn it. And the response from leadership? A fund raiser. 

 In 1928 this political ad was printed. “The Republican Party isn’t a poor man’s party,” the ad began. It went on to say that “Republican efficiency has filled the workingman’s dinner pail – and his gasoline tank besides…Republican prosperity has reduced hours and increased earning capacity, silenced discontent, put the proverbial “chicken in every pot.” And a car in every backyard, to boot.”  Seems to me the Democratic leadership in Baltimore has decided to go a step further. They are going to eliminate the workingman altogether and just put cash in their pockets, they can buy their chicken at KFC. That will be funded by the workingman however, through a fundraiser. Be sure to show your support. Hey, there is an app for that, advertised on every street corner in the city of Baltimore. Do your part to reduce crime, pay the criminals to stop "working." The official explanation is. "we are regulating the income of the squeegee workers so we must compensate them for that"