There are 12 parking lots across Santa Barbara that have been set up to accommodate the growing middle-class homelessness. These lots are believed to be part of the first program of its kind in the United States, according to organizers. The lots open at 7 p.m. and close at 7 a.m. and are run by New Beginnings Counseling Center, a homeless outreach organization. ... Linn Labou, 54, lives in her car with four cats. She used to be in the National Guard and is on a waiting list for government housing, but the wait is a year long. "I went looking for family, but I couldn't get them to help me," she said. http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/05/19/homeless.mom/index.html
These people like most people are to blame for where they are right now in their life. Get rid of the animals, move to a state with a low cost of living like texas, where employment is good, housing industry relatively strong, oil money, never went bubblish, get a job, use her employment plus ss, and get an apartment. You should never have a house that requires 75% of your monthly income to begin with, living way above your means, you should move to cheaper cities, states where your average employment skills will go a lot further from a competitive standpoint. 4 cats====living in your car====non-rational thinking patterns!!!!
When Bush took office in 2000 there was a surplus. After eight years of the Democrats loving to spend money on all sorts of programs' they left this country at least with a surplus. I actually like that the Democrats spend money on domestic programs to help our people. God bless them. Feed the poor, care for the sick. But it is the Republican party who has left us burden with debt our kids and their kids will be stuck with. A party who has no problem spending hundreds of billions dollars fighting an unjust war that has made us less safe and less secure but will not spend a fraction of that money so that our children have health-care is simply wrong. What the Domocrates are lacking in is being pro life. We all must cherish all life. Bt let's be real, they are far more conservative when it comes to economics. Life is more important though.
I think the face of homelessness is misleading. The face we see, the bums with a bottle of cheap wine in hand, the mentally handicapped who mutter to themselves and so on, in my view are a minority. The invisible homeless, or perhaps disenfranchised, are the ones to focus on. For some reason in this country, the poor and disadvantaged folks are constantly beat down by society as a whole. Perhaps humanity needs to have a group of people out there to look at and say âat least I'm better than that guyâ, to feel a sense of self worth, or self righteousness. I don't know, but it's sad that the elite feel a need to vilify these people. Here's a blog you might find interesting. It does a very good job at dealing with the real issues homeless folks are faced with. http://guide2homelessness.blogspot.com/2004/10/introduction-to-project.html
I live in Nassau Ct of Long Island, New York. It is about a 45 minute train ride into NYC. I went to school in Geneva, NY. Which is 300 miles upstate from NYC. It is in the Finger Lakes region, and is roughly in between Syracuse and Rochestor, one hour in either direction.
First of all, a "shout out" from an ex-Nassau County resident. A friendly challenge to your argument, however. There are many who blame the decline of the dollar on the growing U.S. debt - which is certainly aggravated by the expense of the Iraq War - which was a distinctly Bush decision. Hard to argue that a Gore presidency would have us in Iraq. Following this train of thought, there are many that blame the decline in the dollar for the increase in oil prices and commodities in general. This would lead, at least in part, to the hardship the OP introduced for discussion. By this train of thought, you ignore a very big economic elephant in the room. *** Not interested in a Republicans are great (or evil) vs. Democrats are great (or evil) debate - so all of you hardcore politicos can stand down and give your keyboards a rest. *** --------- In summary, Monty, do you agree that the Iraq War expense has pressured the US Dollar lower? If not, what has? Do you believe the theory that the lower US dollar has fueled higher commodity prices - oil in particular? If not, what has? From what I hear, Nassau Ct. is experiencing perfect cookout weather this weekend. Hope you get a chance to enjoy it. Later, MA
John Grisham's 'The Street Lawyer' is an entertaining story based on homelessness in Washington, DC circa 1998