California Gov. Gavin Newsom admitted San Francisco’s major clean-up effort was done because foreign leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, were coming for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit taking place this week.
Dirty streets and sidewalks were cleaned, homeless people were moved out, and open-drug use ended in some of the most problematic areas near the conference center, including around the Speaker Nancy Pelosi Federal Building at the corner of Seventh and Mission Streets, where some workers were told this summer to remote work for the foreseeable future due to the worsening crime problem.
"I know folks say, 'Oh, they're just cleaning up this place because all these fancy leaders are coming into town.' That's true because it's true,” Newsom said.
After San Francisco was magically cleaned up ahead of Xi Jinping's visit, Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom says:
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) November 13, 2023
"I know folks say, 'Oh, they're just cleaning up this place because all these fancy leaders are coming into town.' That's true because it's true." pic.twitter.com/gMaKBtRq5f
The massive transformation of these areas, which included power washing, landscaping, painting of murals and decorative sidewalks, and transforming a dilapidated plaza into a skateboard park and outdoor café, happened in a matter of days and on existing budgets, leaving taxpayers to wonder why no such efforts were undertaken for them.
“If the city is able to create an illusion that it’s clean and runs effectively and humans are in shelters, even if it’s just for APEC, why is that not sustainable for the longer term?” a San Francisco small business owner told The New York Times.
There is not enough discussion about this.
— AG (@AGHamilton29) November 12, 2023
They managed to clean up San Francisco using existing budgets in just a matter of days to prepare for Xi’s visit. No one can explain why they couldn’t have done this a long time ago.
pic.twitter.com/nJB8B1XRKB
Amazing what San Francisco leaders will do to impress China but not the taxpayers who write their paychecks.
— TaraBull (@TaraBull808) November 13, 2023
Before & After pic.twitter.com/bJYcmzOVlX
For years, Democrats said there was nothing more they could do to clean up cities. They lied. Look how fast they cleaned up San Francisco for a visit by China's leader. The reason Dems ruined West Coast cities is simple: they refuse to arrest addicts who break anti-camping laws. pic.twitter.com/dBNHobYA0P
— Michael Shellenberger (@shellenberger) November 13, 2023
San Francisco is now safe and clean because its leaders want to present a good image to China. Why can’t it be like this every other day of the year? pic.twitter.com/bflLfarELb
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) November 13, 2023
San Francisco’s homeless population was entirely cleared out for Xi Jinping.
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) November 12, 2023
The government can easily fix our cities overnight. It just doesn’t want to.pic.twitter.com/tBGmWCbwtX
San Francisco built a wall and made all the homeless people disappear for Xi.
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) November 12, 2023
If only they cared about pleasing their own constituents as much as they care about pleasing a world dictator.pic.twitter.com/ECSSkhGAVb
In addition to the Chinese leader and President Biden, the event is expected to draw some 20,000 people to the city.