Where do I fit in with the homeless situation. . I spoke to a friend and neighbor (and good friend of my father before he passed away) and she was telling me this horror story about her father who is blind and how he was only able to get $11 in food stamps. He couldn't get Medicaid because he got too much in Social Security. .My various thoughts:
1. I obviously don't think that there should be as many people living on the streets as we have now.
2. I DO think it is the responsibility of the government to assist people in need and facing homelessness and hunger. IN addition to private organizations and churches offering pantries and soup kitchens there should be state run facilities.
3. I do NOT believe that private companies should take the lead in homeless issues or hunger issues. This is not about profits.
4. I think that welfare reform was evil and at best , a joke.
5. I think that whoever thought up the current guidelines for food stamps should be jailed. Seriously, nickel and diming people over food.
6. I would love to have a job assisting people get back on their feet.
7. Laws banning the feeding of people should be unconstitutional (Orlando, San Francisco, etc.).
8. It should be illegal for restaurants to throw edible food into the garbage.
9. Similarly, it should be illegal for companies to "donate" rotted food to soup kitchens and homeless shelters. Yes, I have gotten word about this.
10. US companies should be taxed higher just to do business in the United States if they make their labor in another country. This is to make it unattractive to set up outside this country while making an enormous profit selling IN the country.
11. Welfare reform is not working. There are some folks who for one reason or another are not suitable for employment.
12. This will bring a lot of arguments but maybe it's time for the state to section off property and land and designate it for displaced people. Create a system within it to help those who are trying to get back on their feet and offer good assistance for those trying to get a job. Everyone should be encouraged to actually find their own place of course. In addition have sufficient mental health assistance available. I know. Wishful thinking.
I know the preceding is like a wish list on Fantasy Island. There is obviously money to be made off suffering. And as long as people are brainwashed into thinking that the homeless and the poor are lazy and should just pull themselves up by their boot strings the situation will stay the same.
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