Gee, this progress only took self-identified "Progressives" about twenty years:

It’s progressives vs. libs in Babylon by the Bay, where they’ve finally figured out that encouraging aggressive panhandlers, squatters and junkies to come to your city is a “quality of life” problem. Warning: Graphic references to drug use, “human poop,” “throwing up,” “George Bush,” ”the Iraq war” and “law enforcement.” SF Chron:

San Francisco - the liberal, left-coast city conservatives love to mock - could be undergoing a transformation when it comes to homeless people. Although the city would still be a poor choice for a pep rally for the war in Iraq, indications are that residents have had it with aggressive panhandlers, street squatters and drug users.

“Maybe there has been an epiphany,” says David Latterman, president of Fall Line Analytics, a local market research firm. “People have realized they can hate George Bush but still not want people crapping in their doorway.”

That’s deep. But maybe people crapping in your doorway is Gaia’s way of telling you George Bush is right.

Forgive my grumpiness and general depression this morning. I still haven’t recovered from yesterday’s Republican debate. That is, I haven’t recovered from the questions CNBC’s Maria Bartiromo asked during the debate.

A sample of the sadness that’s sweeping America, as indicated by her questions:

“Two-thirds of the American people said that we are either in a recession or headed toward one. Do you agree with that?”

“Senator, you painted a very nice picture. The Dow and the S&P 500 today at new highs — tonight — record numbers. And, yet, two-thirds of the people surveyed said we are either in a recession or headed for one. Why the angst?”

“Here in Detroit, Michigan, alone, one in every 29 homes went into foreclosure in the first six months of the year. Whose job is it to fix this problem? The government or private enterprise?”

“Is London going to replace New York as the financial capital of the world?”

“What is the greatest, long-term threat to the U.S. economy?”

“Wall Street executives are making millions of dollars every year, paying tax rates of 15 percent, while the average guy out there is paying 30 percent in taxes. Is this system fair?”

After hearing all that, I need something to make me feel better about what’s happening in America. Maybe I’ll watch a film by Michael Moore.