CrabEnthusist t1_j37hr7a wrote on January 6, 2023 at 4:02 PM

Reply to comment by Syphon6645 in [WBAL] Baltimore Mayor Scott unveils state legislative priorities for 2023 by z3mcs

What issues do you believe are free to solve?

Also, there's a massive difference between saying "these issues cannot be solved overnight" and "well I guess we shouldn't do anything ever."

Mayor Scott's focus on environmental issues is a good example of something that is fairly unlikely to result in short term returns, but will result in better health, employment, and economic trends over a longer timescale. The hard truth is that generations issues usually require generational inverventions (which of course does not mean we shouldn't address immediate issues simultaneously).

Syphon6645 t1_j37j76z wrote on January 6, 2023 at 4:11 PM

Not everything is corrected with funds like when minority men are sentenced longer to similar crimes because they don't have money for better lawyers. Or minority families being pushed out of neighborhoods because of gentrification. Politicians let that happen! It's not just corporate America.

You don't change how systems are run with just funding. It also comes down to policy changes and corrective actions towards those who do wrongdoing.

CrabEnthusist t1_j37kwsh wrote on January 6, 2023 at 4:21 PM

...You think that politicians should just decree that the public defenders "be better" at being lawyers without spending money?

I can't think of what "policy changes and corrective actions toward those who do wrongdoing" means other than 'lock people up for longer' which (1) isn't free and (2) doesn't work.

I agree there are zoning changes that could be made that would reduce displacement, although I disagree tha alone would be sufficient to ameliorate the issue

Syphon6645 t1_j37m18o wrote on January 6, 2023 at 4:28 PM

I'm typing in those little block. Obviously, "being better" is a generalization. Most public defenders are underpaid and overworked. There aren't enough of them either. That's nationwide. There are policy changes and others things that can be done to help.

Locking people up? No, but firing when not doing their job, yes. There are other ways to discipline folks.