The wealthy want the government to shoo away the poor.

[Newell Steamer]

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/15/ban-sleeping-in-cars-homeless-silicon-valley

Across the United States, many local governments are responding to skyrocketing levels of inequality and the now decades-long crisis of homelessness among the very poor ... by passing laws making it a crime to sleep in a parked car.

Don't like the homeless sleeping in automobiles? Don't worry, the government will take care of that eye sore for you,..

 

[Jimzz]

My favorite was the community that forbid lying on bench's or the ground. So a homeless person called the cops on people for "lying down in the park".

http://www.nwfdailynews.com/local/park-lounging-law-rankles-local-family-ordinance-1.285709

 

[glenn1]

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/15/ban-sleeping-in-cars-homeless-silicon-valley

Don't like the homeless sleeping in automobiles? Don't worry, the government will take care of that eye sore for you,..

What would you expect with a 2/1 voter registration edge to the Democrats?

 

[Zaap]

Gee. Another "shocker!!!" where big bloated in debt government favors its assets and dumps shit on its liabilities.

B-but I thought encouraging a cash-starved, constitution trampling, law ignoring, rule re-writing as it goes government would loooooooove the poor vs. those evil campaign doners and sponsors and taxpayers!!!

 

[cubby1223]

Don't forget the government also wants the wealthy motivated to stay and spend their money locally, not avoiding places that might be uncomfortable.

The government wants to shoo away the poor as well. They're just careful to frame it in a way that doesn't alienate voters of their side.

 

[nehalem256]

What would you expect with a 2/1 voter registration edge to the Democrats?

Ouch. Perhaps the thread title should be changed to reflect that it is apparently wealthy liberals that want the poor shooed out of their cities.

A place so liberal mind you that a guy should have known he would get lynched for donating to support Prop 8.

 

[Bowfinger]

I see the usual partisan twits are quick to plop their usual useless turds. Have either of you ever contributed anything productive to a P&N thread? Homelessness is a real problem. What is your solution? Let them eat cake?

Edit: already up to three. Must be a quiet day for useless turd flingers.

 

[glenn1]

I see the usual partisan twits are quick to plop their usual useless turds. Have either of you ever contributed anything productive to a P&N thread? Homelessness is a real problem. What is your solution? Let them eat cake?

Edit: already up to three. Must be a quiet day for useless turd flingers.

Well we can safely rule out voting for Democrats being the solution.

 

[Oldgamer]

Yea this is just absurd, they are setting up for many homeless to die without adequate shelter. Many families with children are living in cars right now. It protects them from harsh weather conditions. Personally I think they need to stop enacting stupid laws like this and just invest in opening up more shelters and feed kitchens, and invest in programs to help the poor get back on their feet. But alas that won't happen because these greedy politicians and their wealthy Oligarchs won't want to give anything to really help with the overwhelming problems associated with homelessness.

 

[cubby1223]

I see the usual partisan twits are quick to plop their usual useless turds. Have either of you ever contributed anything productive to a P&N thread? Homelessness is a real problem. What is your solution? Let them eat cake?

Edit: already up to three. Must be a quiet day for useless turd flingers.

I notice you've conveniently left out your solution in exchange for your usual partisan bickering. Where's the useful discussion in your post?

If there were a solution to homelessness it would have been solved by now.

 

[Bowfinger]

Well we can safely rule out voting for Democrats being the solution.

I didn't think so. You are incapable of posting anything that isn't gratuitously, stupidly partisan. You are a waste of electrons.

 

[blake0812]

I didn't think so. You are incapable of posting anything that isn't gratuitously, stupidly partisan. You are a waste of electrons.

Says the one flinging turds at other turd flingers.

 

[Bowfinger]

I notice you've conveniently left out your solution in exchange for your usual partisan bickering. Where's the useful discussion in your post?

If there were a solution to homelessness it would have been solved by now.

True enough. My point was calling out lowlifes that have made P&N such an unproductive landfill. I don't know the solution to homelessness, but I do know it's not to be found in gratuitous partisan shots. Homelessness is a symptom of a bigger problem, the deteriorating American economy, the loss of so many jobs due to both automation and off-shoring, and the continuing concentration of wealth in the hands of a relative few.

(For the record, your post was one of four that preceded my post. Note that I only called out three for useless partisanship. You actually addressed the subject in a non-partisan way.)

 

[Bowfinger]

Says the one flinging turds at other turd flingers.

You're a newcomer here. What have you contributed, ever? Show us you can engage in productive discussion and perhaps you will start to matter. For now, not so much.

 

[blake0812]

You're a newcomer here. What have you contributed, ever? Show us you can engage in productive discussion and perhaps you will start to matter. For now, not so much.

I never claimed to contribute to this forum. I was saying that you are acting just as bad as they are, relying on insults in posts.

 

[Bowfinger]

I never claimed to contribute to this forum. I was saying that you are acting just as bad as they are, relying on insults in posts.

You should probably work on your reading comprehension, sweetie. My complaint is their gratuitous, useless partisanship, not their insults. But that's enough of this off-topic distraction. You're dismissed.

 

[berzerker60]

My thoughts on rich Democrats is exactly the same as my thoughts on rich Republicans: They should pay highly progressive taxation at higher rates than they currently are, and be able to pass on to their kids only enough money to pay for college and basic luxuries. Reward success in this life, but being born rich while others live in poverty is an abomination. The world would be a much better place if the rich knew their kids would have to earn their own way in the world, and therefore had incentive to support safety nets for temporary setbacks, and actually had to give their money to charities of their choosing at death to avoid giving it to the government when they die. If they did that, we might not actually need as big of a government.

 

[hal2kilo]

I never claimed to contribute to this forum. I was saying that you are acting just as bad as they are, relying on insults in posts.

Welcome to P&N. Not for the thin skinned.

 

[blake0812]

You should probably work on your reading comprehension, sweetie. My complaint is their gratuitous, useless partisanship, not their insults. But that's enough of this off-topic distraction. You're dismissed.

I didn't think so. You are incapable of posting anything that isn't gratuitously, stupidly partisan. You are a waste of electrons.

Reading comprehension, sweetie, I wasn't even talking about them.

 

[cubby1223]

True enough. My point was calling out lowlifes that have made P&N such an unproductive landfill. I don't know the solution to homelessness, but I do know it's not to be found in gratuitous partisan shots. Homelessness is a symptom of a bigger problem, the deteriorating American economy, the loss of so many jobs due to both automation and off-shoring, and the continuing concentration of wealth in the hands of a relative few.

(For the record, your post was one of four that preceded my post. Note that I only called out three for useless partisanship. You actually addressed the subject in a non-partisan way.)

The article was a hit piece against "the 1%", the responses have been proportional.

Aversion to homeless is something that spans all walks of life, all backgrounds, all income levels.

I'll even speak for myself, I visited Seattle last year for a few days, and I was surprised by the level of homeless population to the point it was uncomfortable and uneasy to walk down some of the streets in the evening, I'm not going to walk down those streets to support the businesses there. I even witnessed a fistfight over drug money start less than 10 feet from me right downtown Seattle.

Homelessness affects local economic activity, it affects tourism. It's a far greater problem than something that can be washed away by an attack on "the 1%". Such articles are in essence claiming that the other 98% of Americans who have homes are doing the right thing, that they are a part of the solution even though they are in many ways very much the same as "the 1%".

 

[glenn1]

True enough. My point was calling out lowlifes that have made P&N such an unproductive landfill. I don't know the solution to homelessness, but I do know it's not to be found in gratuitous partisan shots. Homelessness is a symptom of a bigger problem, the deteriorating American economy, the loss of so many jobs due to both automation and off-shoring, and the continuing concentration of wealth in the hands of a relative few.

(For the record, your post was one of four that preceded my post. Note that I only called out three for useless partisanship. You actually addressed the subject in a non-partisan way.)

What would you have me say? I'm a libertarian so the idea of criminalizing this behavior appalls me. Further, as a libertarian I believe that efforts should be made at the lowest possible level, which is why I support a local women's shelter directly with monthly meals. I've reviewed the Democratic Party platform and found nothing in there which will help the homeless aside from a gratuitous throwaway sentence or two that's just wishful thinking anyway. It's not being partisan or snarky to recognize the obvious - that the solution to an intractable problem like homelessness isn't going to be fixed by voting for the major parties and that will indeed likely make matters worse - exactly as this article showed. This time it was Democrats, next time it could be Republicans. But if you don't want me to call a spade a spade then work to improve the Democratic party, don't call out others who point out the party's very real faults. Ditto for those of you in the GOP.

 

[Jhhnn]

True enough. My point was calling out lowlifes that have made P&N such an unproductive landfill. I don't know the solution to homelessness, but I do know it's not to be found in gratuitous partisan shots. Homelessness is a symptom of a bigger problem, the deteriorating American economy, the loss of so many jobs due to both automation and off-shoring, and the continuing concentration of wealth in the hands of a relative few.

(For the record, your post was one of four that preceded my post. Note that I only called out three for useless partisanship. You actually addressed the subject in a non-partisan way.)

Agreed. Low wages & lack of jobs put all too many families living hand to mouth. Any setback at all puts 'em on the street. So long as that continues, the Welfare State is a necessity.

I don't care who their momma is or who's their deadbeat daddy- kids gotta eat, gotta have a roof over their heads, gotta go to school if they're to have much of a chance at all.

 

[Jhhnn]

What would you have me say? I'm a libertarian so the idea of criminalizing this behavior appalls me. Further, as a libertarian I believe that efforts should be made at the lowest possible level, which is why I support a local women's shelter directly with monthly meals. I've reviewed the Democratic Party platform and found nothing in there which will help the homeless aside from a gratuitous throwaway sentence or two that's just wishful thinking anyway. It's not being partisan or snarky to recognize the obvious - that the solution to an intractable problem like homelessness isn't going to be fixed by voting for the major parties and that will indeed likely make matters worse - exactly as this article showed. This time it was Democrats, next time it could be Republicans. But if you don't want me to call a spade a spade then work to improve the Democratic party, don't call out others who point out the party's very real faults. Ditto for those of you in the GOP.

Puh-leeze. Homelessness starts at a higher level in our economy- with offshoring, automation, downsizing, rightsizing, relocation, liquidation, union busting & outsourcing.

It continues from there with cuts to food stamps, medicaid & so forth, squeezing people out onto the streets. Dems certainly aren't responsible for the latter part of that.

And, uhh, stepping over frozen children isn't really much of a problem, is it? Better in a limo, with servants to clear them out of the way for you, anyhow.

 

[Bowfinger]

What would you have me say? I'm a libertarian so the idea of criminalizing this behavior appalls me. Further, as a libertarian I believe that efforts should be made at the lowest possible level, which is why I support a local women's shelter directly with monthly meals. I've reviewed the Democratic Party platform and found nothing in there which will help the homeless aside from a gratuitous throwaway sentence or two that's just wishful thinking anyway. It's not being partisan or snarky to recognize the obvious - that the solution to an intractable problem like homelessness isn't going to be fixed by voting for the major parties and that will indeed likely make matters worse - exactly as this article showed. This time it was Democrats, next time it could be Republicans. But if you don't want me to call a spade a spade then work to improve the Democratic party, don't call out others who point out the party's very real faults. Ditto for those of you in the GOP.

This isn't hard. There is nothing in the article singling out either party. Your response attacking Democrats was therefore gratuitously partisan, as well as completely useless (a common theme with your posts, whatever the topic). Only now, while trying to excuse your behavior, do you acknowledge that both parties are at fault. You fool nobody.

 

[glenn1]

Puh-leeze. Homelessness starts at a higher level in our economy- with offshoring, automation, downsizing, rightsizing, relocation, liquidation, union busting & outsourcing.

It continues from there with cuts to food stamps, medicaid & so forth, squeezing people out onto the streets. Dems certainly aren't responsible for the latter part of that.

And, uhh, stepping over frozen children isn't really much of a problem, is it?

Food stamps and Medicaid have both been booming under Obama. And what would you do about "offshoring" and the other problems, pass a law saying textile jobs are only for Americans and not Bangaladeshis? What a pointless reversion to throwing out tired old Democratic boogeymen. As if voting for Obama will bring back the "good ol' days" when American workers were fat, happy, and oblivious screwing lug nuts onto Ford Pintos. Or maybe you yearn for the days when half of employed blacks were domestic workers in white folk's homes?

If you want to say "Democrats certainly aren't responsibile" then be my guest, since you own the executive branch you're admitting complete inability to fix the problem. Which was exactly my point, they're completely worthless and are in many cases (like this one) exacerbating the problem.