You're correct in that the left was indeed involved in the fiasco.  They were pushing the idea of "mainstreaming," which is to say they wanted people in apartment or communal settings or halfway house type arrangements rather than being "warehoused" I think was the buzz word.

However, the people pushing this idea were not in power as far as being able to implement their ideas to replace it.  The left acknowledged all along that mainstreaming would have been more expensive.  The notion was siezed on by the right and used as an excuse to CUT funding and close mental health facilities.  This was in no way, shape, or form the goal of the left.

And I saw the right do this, led by one Governor Ronald Reagan, all over California before he took his shit national and the rest of the country started following suit.  Not only do I blame Reagan for this, I blame him even more for selling it.  

He's directly responsible for spreading this bullshit lie and making sure it seeped into the national dialogue:  If someone wants to sleep in the park and drink his social security money, who is to say that this is wrong?

Congrats.  You couldn't have said it better if Peggy Noonan had written it for you.  It's nothing but convenient way to let the stupid and unthinking sleep at night without spending too much time wondering why they're stepping over families on their way to work.

Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes