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If socialized healthcare, wealth redistribution and peace-at-any-cost rallies haven't convinced you that the 1960s are back in style, those latte-swilling city fathers in Seattle have a surprise for you.

Seattle has a problem with homelessness. The city faces the same recession we all do. Homelessness is one consequence of tough times. So is alcoholism. So, how does the Left solve this problem? Reduce taxes so that citizens keep more of their own money? No. Find homeless alcoholics the counseling and medical care they need? No. Help these people overcome their alcoholism? Nah. That's all so '80s.

The answer is to use $11 million in tax dollars to build 75 apartment units in a swanky neighborhood for the use of homeless alcoholics. The tenants get use of a new apartment for three months of free rent, heavily subsidized thereafter, counseling, an on site nurse and a mental health professional. Here's the best part: The alcoholics are free to drink as much alcohol as they want on the premises. No responsibility whatsoever to contribute to the improvement in their lives.

While the limousine liberal set in Seattle thinks this is swell, the developers of a brand new Marriott Spring Hill Suites next door aren't as sure. About half of the rooms in the new hotel will look down on the new drunk tank. Conservative yakker Michael Medved is all over this story.

The friend of Van Jones, Bill Ayers and the radical anti-American cleric Jeremiah Wright has empowered this leftist vision of America. It is an America with no responsibility, no accountable, an American of one horizontal society rather than communities and families. I'm not bright enough to know whether alcoholism is a choice or a disease. I do know people who have conquered that demon with help and support from family, friends and counselors.

But the well-intentioned but dangerously naive people of Seattle are doing these people no favors. And along the way, they are disadvantaging countless citizens who are struggling to keep roofs over their families' heads-only to see their hard-earned money go towards putting a roof over someone else's head and enabling their addiction.

Once again the Left has picked the pockets of hard working, responsible men and women and distributed their pay to someone else.

The problem with socialism, said Margaret Thatcher, is that eventually you run out of other people's money.

We're fast approaching that point.

Just thought you might like to know.