Homelessness grows as more live check-to-check

USA Today ^ | 8/12/03 | Stephanie Armour

[Gothmog]

Homelessness in major cities is escalating as more laid-off workers already living paycheck-to-paycheck wind up on the streets or in shelters.

As Americans file for bankruptcy in record numbers and credit card debt explodes, more workers are a paycheck away from losing their homes. Now the frail economy is pushing them over the edge. With 9 million unemployed workers in July, the face of homelessness is changing to include more families shaken by joblessness.

[samuel_adams_us]

That would be true, but the electoral college members representing Florida voted the way the majority of their members voted and that was for bush. In Nebraska the whole state doesn't have to vote for one candidate or the other, they vote the way their people do so half of their votes could go to one party and half to the other.

[GigaDittos]

Of course, lengthen the unemployment benefits and welfare payments, and PRESTO homelessness is gone. Raise taxes and PRESTO homelessness is gone. Higher more female interns with perched lips, and PRESTO loneliness is gone. Vote for Gray Davis, and PRESTO electricity is gone.

[Mad Dawgg]

"It's a good thing you don't need employees; no one worth anything would take the benefit package you seem to want to offer."

Thanks for proving my point wage slave!

I find it amazing that people believe BENIFITS are a GOD-Given Right!

Man I am so glad I don't have to ride that merry-go-round!

[samuel_adams_us]

Or you can say we are a representative democracy.

[Jamten]

Well he could halt the H1-B program for starters.

[new cruelty]

LOL. Why not just say 'republic'? It's just a term, I know. I recall reading somewhere that our Founders made clear that we were never to become a democracy.

There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide. - John Adams

Then again...

[samuel_adams_us]

John may have been right, sure looks like this country is doing that these days all the while our leaders are focused on their wallets and their heads are in the sand.

[BMiles2112]

I think the best response to this "living wage" crap is your 747 example. That's why I love these threads. You hear the argument on all the other threads that "Liberals deal with emotions, conservatives with facts", then you go to one dealing in the economy and hear nothing but sob stories about the unemployed, the homeless, etc. Not that I don't care about these problems, but the proposed solutions many times could have come straight from Hitlery herself.

[new cruelty]

Just doing a quick search, I found this quote from John Adams:

Democracy will soon degenerate into an anarchy; such an anarchy that every man will do what is right in his own eyes and no man's life or property or reputation or liberty will be secure, and every one of these will soon mould itself into a system of subordination of all the moral virtues and intellectual abilities, all the powers of wealth, beauty, wit, and science, to the wanton pleasures, the capricious will, and the execrable cruelty of one or a very few.

[jjm2111]

My dad's out of work, which book was that?

[DugwayDuke]

"Actually my family owns several businesses." - samuel_adams_us

"Let's see, how about a bill for fair trade as well as open trade, how about no taxes for corporations." - samuel_adams_us

"So you are saying the president can't suggest to congress to come up with a way to level the playing field? Tariffs to create more fair trade, where people in different economies are competing on a level playing field?" - samuel_adams_us

Sam,

I'm just slightly curious about those "several businesses" your family owns. Just how would these business be affected by your program of "fair trade", "no taxes for corporations", and "Tariffs to create more fair trade"?

You've already been caught once on this thread distorting facts.

One can only wonder if your family business would benefit handsomely if protective tariffs were enacted. Of course, the fact that these tariffs would raise prices on the average consumer....

[MaeWest]

"Within five minutes of Bush's departure from Lowry, rain started falling and a double rainbow appeared a few minutes later.

Hmmmmmmm.

[harpseal]

Depends on your product doesn't it? One wonders what Boeing would have to pay for each employee to buy his own 747.

Clearly it does to some extent depend upon product but Boeing in its own self interest should pay a wage sufficient to their employees so they can as a general rulepurchase seats on flights using Boeing aircraft.

[Chemist_Geek]

I find it amazing that people believe BENIFITS are a GOD-Given Right!

What do you think "BENIFITS" (sp) are?

The salary or wages? Would you call that a "BENIFIT" (sp)?

A 401(k) plan? Would you call that a "BENIFIT" (sp)?

Health insurance? Would you call that a "BENIFIT" (sp)?

Requiring anything less than 2,080 hours of work per year? Would you call that a "BENIFIT" (sp)?

[Gothmog]

Yeah, but they were the ones who came here. Like her, hard-working, motivated, intelligent, etc. The ones that stay in China (according to her) seem to be the flip side of the coin.

[Chemist_Geek]

Thanks for proving my point wage slave!

I find it amazing that people believe BENIFITS are a GOD-Given Right!

OBTW, straw boss, I'd work without "BENIFITS" (sp) if I was offered a sufficiently high monetary salary. It's a trade-off.

[Chemist_Geek]

Yeah, but they were the ones who came here. Like her, hard-working, motivated, intelligent, etc. The ones that stay in China (according to her) seem to be the flip side of the coin.

Hmmm... Maybe, then, importing these H1-Bs isn't such a bad idea, long-term? ;-)

[harpseal]

What difference does the fact that his family business might benefit from tariffs when tariffs clearly create an overall improvement in teh investment envirornment within the US. The only ones who do not benefit from an increase in tariffs overall are those with vested interests in imports. tariffs are Constitutional and the original intent of the framers can easily be ascertained as to teh Constitutionality of protective tariffs by simply looking at the fact that the Second act of the firs Congress was to enact a protective tariff.

There is a US Spureme Court opinion which makes note of this. Tariffs are a conservative tenet and to me the question is what jsutification is there for open access to American markets by foreign nations that restrict American products from free entry to their markets.

[Destructor]

"The findings are from a 2003 survey of 25 cities by the U.S. Conference of Mayors."

Homelessness disappeared completely for 8 glorious years of the Clinton administration- only to resurface after G.W. won the election.

[jjm2111]

The trick is to learn new skills WHILE working. Even someone who does fast food can do that. Offer to help the mgr. with the paperwork, show a willingness to learn and put in some extra time w/out complaining.

People muddle along, whining and complaining w/out realizing that many opportunities are at their fingertips.