Earlier this week, California Governor Gavin Newsom shared some deep thoughts on the state’s exploding homelessness problem. The Golden State, which already has something of a spending problem, is laying out about a billion dollars to do something about its burgeoning homeless population of almost 160,000 people.
Newsom’s solution: enable doctors to prescribe housing.
Doctors should be able to write prescriptions for housing the same way they do for insulin or antibiotics.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) February 21, 2020
As the Daily Mail reports . . .
Newsom noted that healthcare and homelessness are not separate problems and suggested doctors should be able to prescribe a place to stay if they are treating a (sic) someone who is mentally ill that does not have stable housing.
It would seem that those prescriptions for homes and apartments would then be filled, for the most part, by Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid system. That would be a huge new burden on the California taxpayer, but that’s a different problem for a different blog.
While we’re addressing outstanding issues, let’s not stop with homelessness. What about the state’s crime problem?
California’s crime rate has generally mimicked the nation’s as a whole, dropping to historic lows since the early 1990s. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t more that can be done. California spends over $16 billion on law enforcement each year and its violent crime rate is about 17% higher than the national average.
What’s a governor to do?
Why not attack California’s violent crime problem the same way he’s now bird-dogging homelessness? Get the state’s physicians to get off their white-coated kiesters and start prescribing firearms to the the majority of the state’s residents who don’t own them.
Estimates of the number of annual defensive gun uses in the US range from 500,000 to almost 3 million, but let’s stay conservative and call it 1.5 million. That’s around the number the CDC says they came up with.
The large majority of those defensive gun uses never involve pulling a trigger. And each one is a crime prevented; a robbery, burglary, assault, rape or murder that didn’t happen.
How many of those 1.5 million defensive gun uses happen in California? Hard to say, but since a little half-ass Googling didn’t turn up a decent number, let’s assume the state has about the same number of DGUs as their percentage of the US population: about 12%.
That would put the annual number of California defensive gun uses at 180,000. Close enough for non-government work.
That’s a lot of crimes prevented every year. A lot of citizens who didn’t become victims. But here’s the problem. Only about 4 million Californians own firearms. That leaves more than 30 million state residents gunless.
And that’s why the intrepid Governor Newsom needs to get on this horse. He needs to attack the gunlessness problem with all of the vigor with which he’s tackling homelessness.
Think of all of all of the crimes that could be prevented, the victims saved, the property losses avoided, fewer people needing medical attention and less of a burden on the state’s healthcare system.
All it takes is a few more guns.
Can someone call a doctor and get Gavin a prescription for his insanity?
His insanity is terminal.
The medical term is ambulatory necrosis.
Good one ! “Walking Dead”
Tell gavin to have to the doc prescribe me a new H-D and I’ll feel a whole lot betta. ROFL
Does Comiefornia have laws that allow involuntary incarceration for insanity?
Newsom fits the bill.
Or do they do catch and release like they do criminals with multiple felonies? And, of course illegal aliens.
I will gladly renew his prescription for Thorazine and give him the maximum number of refills. Unfortunately, the FDA has not approved doses higher than 2gm/day, but I’m sure the FDA will grant off-label dosing exemption in Newsom’s case.
Learning the “Thorazine Shuffle” will knock that silly ass smirk off his face.
“Can someone call a doctor and get Gavin a prescription for his insanity?”
The doctor says he’s coming, but you gotta pay him cash… 😉
That’s an astoundingly good idea you have there. I’m going to assume that like other prescriptions it would specify the make, model, and dosage (caliber, administer as needed). So it would have to include ammo, although that might require a second prescription. 🙂
I can hear the end of the tv spots now……..”if you can’t afford your prescription, Sig Sauer and Federal may be able to help”
If you’re ‘hearing things’ maybe you shouldn’t own a gun.
No, no! If you’re hearing things you need a prescription for a suppressor.
I need a prescription for a new truck. My old one triggers me.
I really think I would benefit from some “Motorcycle Therapy” myself. It would have to come with a side hack for the (emotional support) hounds.
One of the things you need to legally purchase a handgun in CA is not only a valid state id but also proof of residence. A car registration or monthly bill with that address and your name on it.
So a homeless person cannot exercise their 2a rights in CA. Still another way the dems, the party of the rich white folks, makes life difficult for the poor.
“So a homeless person cannot exercise their 2a rights in CA.”
Mark N., can this oversight be exploited in court?
If California doctors really cared about their patients, they would prescribe healthier voting habits.
What would the doctors prescribe for Progressive Democrats? Voting GOP or declaring it an infestation and calling for exterminators?
Only about 4 million Californians own firearms- you mean LEGAL… documented guns…plenty of undocumented guns there….
Why is it that some people feel the need to try and involve ‘doctors’ in EVERY part of society? Is it because the medical field is still generally trusted (perhaps unwisely) according to public polling while politicians and government officials are roundly considered to be incompetent, lying boobs?
I think that politicians will continue to try and hide their stupid public policies behind white coats until the medical profession is just as badly wrapped up in the partisan divides as so many other elements of society. And then they’ll complain about the problem they’ve created.
Keep doctors away from firearms discussion of any type. Most have been indoctrinated into anti-gun cult. If your doctor asks you how if you own a gun, don’t even answer, ask him/her how many guns they own, or how many cars they own, or when was the last time they got laid. In other words, none of your business.
Or invite him or her to go out shooting… next thing you know you’ll have a 2A convert on your hand.
Most docs like a challenge, figuring out how bad they suck when they first start shooting will get them hooked and get their latent ocd involved.
Speaking as one of the converted, and who has converted two other docs as well.
“Speaking as one of the converted, and who has converted two other docs as well.”
*Applause*…
@‘liljoe Well, it’s nice to hear a positive opinion and real personal experience on this or any other gun forum.
As a relatively new gun owner (< 10 years ) and shooter myself, welcome. Good idea, but only if your doctor seems receptive, some Kommie states have "red flag" Nazis that just love to abuse the Constitution, and a doctor's opinion could ruin a life.
So once a homeless person gets his house prescription who fills it exactly?
Does he stroll into Beverly hills and present it at a building with 2 million dollar condos and ask for a unit with a view?
Wow, so easy.
There’s an easy and cheap way, of course!
Do you have a spare bedroom in your house?
Do your part to end homelessness… 😉
“So once a homeless person gets his house prescription who fills it exactly?”
Simple- house them all in the CA State Capital and the Governor’s Mansion. Tents out in Newsom’s back yard, with camp fires and drug-induced orgies would be a nice touch as well. C’mon, Gov- it’s the “People’s Buildings”! If nothing else, it’d give the city workers a chance to clean up the streets for a change.
This kind of idea will lead to making a doctor sign off on owning a gun…
Yeah, I was thinking they will start requiring a prescription before you can own a gun. And your doctor will have to renew it every month.
I was going to ask my doctor to prescribe a supermodel, but I’m not sure I can afford the co-pay.
That’s a figure of speech in the US.
What country are you in Dawg?
And welcome first time TTAG poster.
Above comment is response to…
“Big Dawg says:
February 23, 2020 at 17:20
If you’re ‘hearing things’ maybe you shouldn’t own a gun.”
Comment section is not placing comments in the proper location.
Yes Ralph! Welcome first time commentator 🙂
Sorry, just yanking your chain.
If Meci-Cal pays for it, I believe the Feds have to reimburse California for part of their spending.
For pity’s sake, don’t encourage them. For some years now, the wannabe social engineers have been trying to leverage the rubric of “public health” into some kind of mandate for general rule given to doctors and academics. Let’s not play into the fantasy that medical school confers expertise of everything that might directly or indirectly impact human health, from fertilizer application to firearms to base jumping.
Would this mean that a new rifle might could be covered by insurance? Or at least be put towards the deductible?
Jeez, what is it with this site’s fascination with healthcare and guns? Aside from treating gunshot wounds, the two subjects really have no business with each other and should be kept separated.
Huh? I think the reason it is brought up here is because certain political groups keep striving to make doctors into authorities on issues that have nothing to do with health. Like guns.
Umm, on what basis do you think you know how many gun owners are in CA?
Setting aside the ‘illegal’ guns as uncountable by definition, survey data (“guesses”) suggest about 35% of adults have guns.
Just in round numbers, CA has 40 million people, of which about 75% are adults – so the number of gun owners ought to be more like10 million than 4 million.
Oh, I see the Bee article relies on Garen Wintemute & co. I believe Dr Wintemute probably epitomizes ‘results-oriented’ research. All ‘gun owner count’ research is very speculative; his just falls into the low end of the counting, because that’s what he wants to see.
Does this mean that Walgreen’s is getting in to the real estate business?
They already are in Missouri…at least one Walgreens on every intersection.
“there isn’t more that cane be done”
I love the Freudian slip. No wonder Singapore has such low crime rates.
I like it! Cheaper and faster than incarceration. It probably works as well as a shock collar for a dog.
California’s violent crime rates are no where near historic lows. Just the opposite. However, it’s property crimes are near historic lows, so when you average that in, it may make it appear that CA isn’t that bad. But you really don’t need firearms for most property crimes, you need them for violent crimes. http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/cacrime.htm
And you can keep your doctor, in all 57 states.
If BacSi is going to write prescriptions for gunm’s my Medicaid spendown just disappeared. I’m getting me a Browning 30 cal belt fed on a tripod in a jeep and tear ass around the low rent complex playing Rat Patrol
More agitprop rhetoric from Possum to display gun owners in an unfavorable light.
Even the “gunm” verbiage he uses ad nauseam.
Possum is more welcome here than you are, JC… 🙂
Good to know. Thanks.
Glad to know where you stand on Possum providing content on TTAG that plays right into the anti gunners narrative.
Have the doctor prescribe 50 homeless people move in with Gavin and each Liberal “movie star.”
Hmm, Rx for “Shoot two boxes and call me in the morning.” seems like a pretty effective method of reducing stress.
As a pharmacist with an FFL/SOT, I very much like this idea. Selling drugs and guns legally is already pretty cool, but I worry that generic substitution might get me in trouble.
“Sorry, Sir, we’re out of brand name Dan Wesson. Here’s a Rock Island; it’s just as good.”
I’d also like to add that I’m an asswipe blow hard who takes it upon himself to speak for everyone else who posts on this site. I really am a socksniffing douche!
You may be able to find a Cali doctor to write you a prescription for that.
Remember, admitting it is HALF the battle.
Why not? They give prescriptions for everything else. The drug industry and the medical industry are one in the same. Instead of a doctor telling you “Hey! Fat ass! Be healthy” they give you pills. Doctors don’t give a fuck about their patients, or the health epidemic in the US, so why would they give a fuck if you want to defend yourself?
Good to know! Yes, this is the initiative that the time demands. I believe, through the implementation of this policy, California will be safer. As I deal with students through https://au.edubirdie.com/engineering-assignment-help educational platform, I know they also want a safe city, and they will appreciate this good initiative for sure.