Is the U.S. government doing a good job in abolishing the number of homeless people?
371102
Homelessness isnt on the agenda, there's this little thing WORLD TERRORISM that has to be dealt with.
1109747
The US is not a great nation because the government has lost sight of its citizens inalienable rights.  I am not going to use government so freely, but the Bush Administration is so used to demanding and ordering people to do what they want.  We are not a good nation because we have problems here at home with poverty, poor education, homelessness and so many more negative things and the Administration is focusing more on forcing other countries to be more democratic when we are turning into a communist government, so to speak.  The government is dwindling in its superiority because they do not stand behind their citizen.  They would rather our nation be deprived and under privileged.  I say this because who is top priority to our government: the rich, foreigners and other countries that do not follow the advice and direction of the US. The US actually pays foreigners to come to the US and go to school or open businesses.  What about us...the tax paying citizens not illegal aliens...we need help to live comfortably but our only recourse is to gain public assistance that hinders you from advancing economically.Our jobs are over stressed with work and under paid for the output of work.  We as citizens let this happen because we ignored the Bush Administration stealing not 1 but 2 presidential elections.
870950
I don't really think help is there.  The shelters make you leave early in the morning.  Most jobs require that you have a telephone so they can call you if they want to hire you.  People in the shelters get robbed, unless they don't have anything.  Sure, lots of the homeless like living that way, but for ones that don't like it, it's not easy.
683012
The US government is able to move resources around where they are needed, if and when it wants too.  It has an efficient infrastructure to do so--and the ability to monitor and provide oversight that the resource are managed & delivered.  It could effectively reduce poverty in this country (something that Vice President Humphrey said back in the late 1960's!).
304224
Okay, let me ask you something.  Have you ever gone to feed the homeless yourself?  Have you ever been homeless?\nI have gone on compassionate missions to San Francisco, LA, downtown Tacoma, Portland Oregon, and Seattle to feed the homeless, and to give them blankets.  I can honestly say that many of them are alcoholics and/or drug addicts who don't care to better themselves. \nThe church I attended for several years offered some of them jobs, in exchange for food and shelter.  The homeless that we offered jobs to wanted the food and shelter, but didn't care to work.\nAs for the second part, for two weeks in '99 I chose to spend all my time with the homeless kids in downtown Tacoma.  I squatted with them, "spanged" (begging for spare change), and observed them closely.  What I saw was that they spent their money on drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes instead of getting their clothes cleaned, taking a shower at the YMCA or YWCA, or getting a hotel room.  I saw heroin, crank, and prostitution for said drugs.  I saw overdoses, disease, and degeneration.  I also saw that they were apathetic to change their situation, and that even with the numerous homeless shelters, they chose to stay in abandoned buildings.\nThe fact that there are homeless is a neverending problem, but it's also an abstract idea to those who speak out against it.  They have no idea, they haven't seen it firsthand like I have.  There are government programs to help these people, and they don't take the opportunity.  Therefore, if these people really want to help themselves, they do so, and they don't stay homeless!\nI know this sounds cold-hearted, but I really do feel for the homeless...just not as much as I did before I tried feeding them.  And I have even less sympathy because I saw it as closely as one can.\nEdit:  I commend the people who volunteer to work in soup kitchens, and in food banks.  But just WHAT is the government supposed to do?  Honestly.  Throw some money at the people?  How are we supposed to sort out the ones who want to better themselves from the drug addicts and alcoholics?  There are homeless shelters, food banks, soup kitchens, low-income housing, churches with good people who try to help...\nAnd I'll tell you what.  In those two weeks that I ran with the homeless, I never went hungry.  There were always people giving us money.  I think I made more money in those two weeks than I have at ANY job I've had...and all that without resorting to prostitution.\nAs I said, there are government programs.  They can help themselves.  Throwing money at them will solve nothing, except putting us even further in debt.\nOne more thing, my sister has five kids.  They live in a four bedroom house, and the rent is $850 a month.  Not bad for Washington State.  She and her husband have a monthly income of a little over $1500.  Their electric bill comes every other month and is usually close to $400 even though they conserve.  One more thing:  My sister has yet to use Welfare.  Those kids are well-fed and cared for.  \nThe unfortunate thing, as I said, is if the government put more money into programs for the impoverished, there are too many who would take advantage of it.  Do you know who would wind up paying the price?  The taxpayers!\nThat there are homeless is tragic.  But there is nothing the government can do.
908055
There are loads of things FEMA can do with them. I would rather see them given away then just sit there and rot. There are plenty of homeless families all over the US who would be glad to have one.
997323
This is par for the course. The government is made up of human beings (therefore flawed) who are in it for themselves and I don't think many of them do their jobs. I do find it difficult to believe that any fraud, especially at this level, can be perpetrated without inside help.  I know I'm not counted in the unemployment figures. I think most figures relating to disadvantaged Americans are greatly underestimated.  You could probably triple most numbers in that regard.
82785
The main drawback is that it may create or promote a culture of dependency for the recipient. As a temporary measure to address a need, it may work. But it has to be temporary. A few years ago, Government toughened unemployement benefits by limiting them to a few weeks. That is the ideal use of Welfare because many people who receive it come to depend upon it rather then fend for themselves
1014532
You are absolutely correct!  Our gov't likes to look good, so they keep hidden a lot of things.  They help other countries, do you think they do it out of the goodness of their hearts.  Of course not, they are always getting something in exchange for the help.\nI heard that the USA has stockpiles of foods put away that would feed the whole world for years and years, even if this is true, do you think the USA would just give it away for free. I don't think so.\nI LOVE the USA, however the people we have in authority are greedy and corrupt.
494214
I don't know if it was the government's plot to reduce the black population but it sure did work.  When Katrina hit; the American Government showed their butts by not helping out the American People.  They did anything in their power not to help by delaying the trailers and the transportation.  Katrina showed us as an American of what our government is all about when it comes to disaster in an black population.
140643
I would have to say no. A lot of the things they do are there to help us, and a lot do. But then there are a lot of things that don't. We need a change in this country. A reform. Maybe a revolution. The corrupted needs to be cleaned up.
160139
Well, I wouldn't say that we aren't getting cared for, but I see your point. The U.S. government gets into other countries' business a lot. They throw millions of bucks into these causes without asking. They think they are doing good, which they could be doing. But what if they MADE SURE we were O.K. first, and THEN got OUR support on the project? Easier and better solution.
730897
I agree 100%. WE should be getting the government fund first and foremost. If they want them things then their country needs to come up with them. We have homeless and jobless people right here in the US that were born and raised AMERICAN and they can't get money from the government. Look at how they are treating most of the veterans, alot of them are homeless now, because after the war, they had nothing and no where to go. We like in a broken country and it needs Jesus
361558
As I understand it, the so-called Law of Cuban Adjustment  grants automatic refuge to illegal Cuban immigrants.\n\nTherefore, I have to say that the US Government is promoting it.
261057
If the governments provided proper infrastructure and facilities it may have some hope...but yeah, as if the government is going to do anything to help anyone...they wouldn't even help them in Louisiana...\n\nFrom what I see in America...the majority of them are poverty stricken, in jail or left to die in Louisiana...\n\nMaybe it would be the downfall of the american economy if they all did make a mass exodus...
33926
Right you are, diversity it what makes the world great.  The government needs to focus on more important things like our homeless and hungry children.
976642
No.  What the govt needs to do is make sure that the people on food stamps and welfare are actually citizens.  There are a lot of illegals in the "welfare"system and it truly irritates me.  I need help and I can't get it but people who aren't citizens walk in and get whatever they want.  The food stamps and welfare are for citizens who need short-term help for whatever reason.