The San Francisco model

The progressive Mecca of San Francisco is hailed by the liberal elite as the model community of the future -- inclusive and diverse.

San Fran is a beacon for progressives as not only the first city to sanction sanctuary for illegal immigrants but as a window into the future of the true America. It has long been known for its sexual progressive agenda as well as being one of the most expensive cities in America.

But now the city by the Bay has yet another "honor" as the home to more drug addicts than high school students enrolled in public schools.

It's truly hard to wrap your head around this shocking news. But the city's health department made it official this week with its latest estimates.

There are an estimated 24,500 injection drug users in San Francisco, and that's about 8,500 more people than the nearly 16,000 students enrolled in the city's public schools.

As would be expected, this latest count is an increase from the last drug study in the city.

In their warped and misguided effort to address the growing drug injection epidemic, the city has adopted a policy of providing free syringes to drug users.

Hold onto your seats now.

In an effort to reduce infections and disease transmissions among drug addicts, the city provided 5.8 million free syringes last year.

Once they handed out these millions of syringes, the city then spent $1.8 million of tax dollars to retrieve the needles, which are littering streets and posing an even greater health hazard.

You'll recall that earlier San Francisco also spent funds to remove human feces from the city streets and parks -- a gift from their massive homeless population.

In many ways, San Francisco is a tale of two cities. It has an extremely high income level -- among the highest in America -- and last year it was ranked top of a list of the world's most livable cities, whatever that means.

It is clearly a city of haves and have nots. But the have nots are growing and the haves are leaving the city in droves.

The wealthy city residents live isolated from the rubbish that has invaded large parts of the city.

But the stark reality is that the liberal bastion of progressive ideas is an utter failure despite incredible affluence.

San Francisco -- or any urban area -- is ill-equipped to handle the activities of 24,500 drug injection users. Keep in mind, these are not pot smokers. These are heroin addicts.

If San Francisco is a prototype for the progressive Utopian society of tomorrow, then we're in real trouble if the progressive agenda is not fully rejected.

The city's former mayor is now Governor of California and he hopes to turn all of the state into the San Franciscan model. Given the ultraliberal bent of the state legislature, he may just get his way.

The land of fruits and nuts is clearly living up to its reputation.

Michael Jensen is the publisher of the Standard Democrat in Sikeston, Missouri.