Forrest Gump was certainly correct with “Stupid is as Stupid does”. This point was thoroughly demonstrated by a Seattle radio host whom I had the misfortune of listening to on a CNN news report I had caught about a thoughtful approach to homelessness underway in Seattle.

I do not watch a lot of TV or CNN but as I was channel surfing for a way to kill some time inside out of the baking heat I caught the words homeless and Seattle as I flipped by CNN and having a strong interest in homeless issues felt compelled to stop and see what was going on.

It turned out that Seattle had developed a 59 (?) unit building to house the city’s worst homeless alcoholics. They defined worst as those who made the most hospital visits and had the most police interactions. In other words they defined worst as those homeless alcoholics who cost the most dollars to deal with.

For $13,000 a year Seattle had reduced the hospital visits by each individual from 3 – 4 a week to one a month and interactions with the police to near zero. Being Canadian I have to leave estimating whether this represents savings in the $$$100,000’s of dollars or $1,000,000+ to Seattle citizens and those more familiar with American medical costs. In any case this approach is saving Seattle taxpayers umpteen thousands and thousands of dollars per year.

In the middle of this report was a Seattle radio host criticizing this approach and calling for an end to the program. I am not sure whether this radio host was demonstrating his desperation for ratings or a complete lack of common sense, good judgment and financial wisdom. At any rate it was a pitiful sight and left me wanting to pass along this suggestion to the desperate or dumb host:

If you truly feel that strongly about this approach and want to end the program then step up and take responsibility. The solution is for the citizens of Seattle to pay for the first $13,000 of expenses, the current amount taxpayers are paying, for each and every person who would be in this housing tax- savings plan. You, and any other Seattle taxpayers foolish enough to agree this innovative housing approach should be shut down, will be responsible for paying the hundreds of thousands, millions of dollars incurred because they are once again homeless.

That is to say put YOUR money where YOUR mouth is; or put another way: put up or shut up!