Political Competition is Essential

Politicians care most about projecting intentions, e.g. “I will end homelessness in five years”, and creating the facade of doing something. Inevitable failure causes the elected officials to place the blame on “factors not in their control”, such as “changing circumstances” or a “lack of resources”. When LA County fails to provide adequate constitutionally administered mental healthcare in county jails, politicians responsible for those jails blame the inadequate funding of diversion strategies. When the LA City Council fails to prevent the mentally ill from dying on the streets or languishing in encampments, it blames LA’s high cost of housing. Why hasn’t anyone pushed back on this political excuse-making? Even the US Department of Justice continues to allow the County to defy a 2015 Federal Consent Decree requiring adequate mental health inmate care? <a href="https://josephcharney.medium.com/political-competition-is-essential-5d1c160ed9ea">Click Here</a>