Now I'll be the first to admit that the right has a whole slew of off the rails fanatics/Trump followers, but I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this article:
Burglars taped the back-door window of the Matthew Steele barber shop in Ballard before they shattered the glass with a slingshot. In the six minutes the thieves were inside, they stole $4,000 worth of goods, owner Matthew Humphrey said.
He figured they would sell the stolen high-end jackets and hair products online to make some money.
But when he heard that Seattle lawmakers were considering a proposal that would allow people to steal and then re-sell the items in order to generate money to meet a basic need, like food or rent, he couldn’t believe it.
The Seattle City Council is discussing adding a poverty defense to the city code that municipal court judges must consider when a case comes before them. The council is expected to continue its deliberation of the proposal in January.
In the version currently introduced and advanced by City Council member Lisa Herbold, a suspect facing charges on up to 100 different misdemeanor offense could use the poverty defense in court.
Critics of the proposal say it would open the door to non-stop shoplifting even though supporters say it’s about having compassion for people who don’t have anything.
Thieves selling stolen goods to earn money to pay for a basic need is just one element of the proposal that is currently under consideration. Another element is known as the no legal alternative option.
For example, if someone steals food from a grocery store but claims they did not know there was a food bank right around the corner, they could be protected under the poverty defense.
https://keprtv.com/news/nation-world/se ... 7KCudyDnh4