Helping the homeless in 2010

[The Straight Story]

Here we are well into the 21st century and yet we still have many of the ills we had hoped to leave behind last century.

Wars, homelessness, health care for some but not all, kids and families going hungry (and the RW blames those very same families...all the while telling them to 'get a job'. And then yelling about Obama and the Unemployment rate....I don't get them at times).

Folks who bought homes when they had jobs have now lost said jobs because those corporations that the RW loves screwed up, and have downsized - and then they blame those folks who lost their jobs.

We bail out banks and big companies, and they give nothing in return but higher interest rates and a failure to loan money out to companies and individuals.

If we are to help the folks who are truly suffering (versus suffering over not getting the $3 million bonus and only getting the $1 million one) what do you suggest?

People are not financial instruments, they are humans. Do we care more about helping the wealthy maintain their wealth or about insuring that families can survive?

Who speaks for the poor now? Is the only solution to hand out more money to big companies and hope it trickles down?

[bobbolink]

1. Thank you for remembering us! We are the Ignored Ones.

AND... the only way to "help" us is to either create the necessary housing, or make sure everyone, including disabled people, have enough income to pay for market rate housing.

Are we up to that????

Thank you! :applause: :toast:

[maryf]

3. necessary housing or income to cover housing

hhhmm sounds like a mandate that has to be written, Happy New Year, Bobbie, hope this is the year all your work takes off...K&R

[bobbolink]

5. Yeah, do you hear the clamor of "progressives" groups clamoring to write that mandate?

:(

I appreciate the wishes, but it ain't agonna happen.

People just don't care.

[EFerrari]

2. Kick

[t0dd]

4. Roosevelt's Second Bill of Rights must eventually come to fruition

That includes a home for all Americans.

- A job with a living wage
- Freedom from unfair competition and monopolies
- A home
- Medical care
- Education
- Recreation

[bobbolink]

6. Could you please also remember all of us who CANNOT WORK?

There is more to it than "jobs", unless you want to put the rest of us out on ice floes (which are also disappearing.....)

Really, we would appreciate not being invisible.

[maryf]

7. and that's a double shame...

to not take proper financial care of those unable to work...also to think that they can't make significant contributions...

[bobbolink]

8. We're thowaways, plain and simple.

I'm becoming aware that a rapidly growing segment of the homeless population are those with chemical sensitivities who have become very ill.

We are the canaries in the coal mine, signaling what many others will experience.

YET, we are uncared for, forgotten, and tossed off.

[maryf]

11. Chemical sensitivity

makes finding affordable housing tougher still... :(

[bobbolink]

12. Absolutely, but its not important because we aren't in the "pet" groups.

All they want to do is meddle, and assign us "caseworkers" to assess how we are at fault.

But, that's OK, because this will spread as more and more people get sick from a polluted environment, and then THEY will also suffer, until EVERYONE knows someone or who has a family member who is suffering in this way, ignored and poor and homeless.

THEN.....?

[maryf]

13. It might be like if a military draft were started...

People might hit the streets...hope it doesn't take that to get moving...

[bobbolink]

14. We're an "US and THEM" culture. People don't care unless it affects THEM.

Here's an example of different thinking:

"As Pueblo people, we believe in building the wealth of the entire community, rather than individuals."
J. Michael Chavarria, Governor, Santa Clara Pueblo, New Mexico.

[maryf]

17. Santa Clara

is a good name for a pueblo as she was a compatriot of St. Francis, true community saints...

[bobbolink]

18. unfortunately.....

It was the FRanciscans who led the conquest of the Indigenous peoples...

There is a horrible painting in the state capitol, illustrating this fact. As I viewed it, I prayed to Francis, because it must have been horrible for him to know this was going on.... he must have cried many tears. (Yes, I believe he could look down and see it)

Many of the pueblos are going back to their original names. AND, I'm noticing Indians using the word "village" more than "pueblo" now.

Occupied people don't tend to throw flowers and choklits.

[Waiting For Everyman]

9. K&R Solving this could put builders back to work.

A great two-fer. Mandate building enough housing for ALL the people who make little or are disabled.

[bobbolink]

10. Thank you. NOW, please help to spread this word.

Because it ain't on the "progressive" agenda!

Say it on Air America shows, say it on blogs, say it in political meetings...everywhere you can.

Because those of us who are in this need DON'T GET HEARD.

Thank you.

[Greyhound]

15. K&R for the Second Bill of Rights. n/t

[Cetacea]

16. There are so many abandoned office buildings that could be converted into homes.

Shameful.

[bobbolink]

19. Yes, that asbestos would be so gooood for our health.