Cities Deal With Surge In Shantytowns

New York Times:

FRESNO, Calif. -- As the operations manager of a outreach center for the homeless here, Paul Stack is used to seeing people down on their luck. What he had never seen before was people living in tents and lean-tos on the railroad lot across from the center.

"They just popped up about 18 months ago," Mr. Stack said. "One day it was empty. The next day, there were people living there."

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[melponeme k]

The tent cities are spreading.

But our government is still intent on giving our tax money to the richie rich criminals. They have jets they need to buy so they can fly over our tent cities.

This is the end game everyone. Mind you, the money men (including those in our congress) do not care if we are squeezed to death by inflation. They welcome it. It expands their wealth and cheapens the wage they pay us.

We will be scrounging to pay off the price of bread, while they build their gated communities to shield themselves from our poverty.

[trollslayer]

Inflation will stay low as long as they can keep the unemployment rate climbing.

[ssmack]

Unless the new Carter (Obama) imposes some sort of forced energy rationing (like Cap and Trade). Then we'll have "stagflation" - I know you Keynesians can't quite figure out this phenomenon.

[JHancock]

But what about the people really hurt by this bushcession? All the poor billionaires that fell off the Forbes richest person list. Those are the people we should be trying to help. How will they afford decent health care? And will they have to use the same private jet this year that they used last year? Will they have to sell that chalet in Gstaad, the condo in Vail or heaven forbid the plantation in Mississippi? Can you imagine the suffering that would cause in this housing market?

Please give these people a helping hand back up to the life they have become accustomed to! Please contribute what you can to www.fucktherichbastards.org

[trollslayer]

LMAO

[helonias]

Don't forget their giant needle and tiny camels

[bluessss82]

{{{{{zing!}}}}}.....Excellent!

[SwingingFromCenter]

Yes, that's right: Funnel your an.ger at the wealthy because they had the audacity to be successful. I mean sure, only a handful of them got what they have through corr.upt means, but we'll pretend that EVERYONE who is wealthy is a bank exec who stol.e your money!

[bluessss82]

blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah......and you spoke it like a good little parrot tr0ll.

[kdublya]

For all intents and purposes stealing time is exactly what TARP accomplished.

As we've seen, the financial system craters if the creditors become debtors.

[helonias]

but we'll know that EVERYONE who is wealthy is not getting into the kingdom of heaven.

They just don't like to be around the poor and the meek

[trollslayer]

Ah yes, they did. It can be proven that the investment banks lobbied Congress and the Republicans until they got the Repeal of the Glass-Steagall Banking Act in 1999 and then lobbied the SEC again in 2004 to abolish rules on the amount of capital they could leverage.

[MajorKong]

No. A lot of them just chose their parents well.

[jdw1981]

There are more tent cities in the United States than is being reported. If you live in a small city, chances are there's one within 5 or 10 miles of you. Look around, talk to people, they're there. And growing at an insurmountable rate.

[EllisWyatt]

There are more protesters attending "tea parties" than there are homeless. Care to comment?

[BlueStateMan]

Yes.

You pulled that statistic out of your @$$.

[loria]

What is the purpose of these tea parties? A bunch of GOP getting together because Rick Santella told them to in order to protest what? I think most of those who go to these parties are probably Joe the Plumber types who blindly follow the GOP even when the GOP policies hurt them economically.

[bluessss82]

L!.ar

[MajorKong]

Those hippie liberals in the Bush administration claimed roughly 125,000 "chronic" homeless back in 2007.

Wouldn't want you to claim liberally biased sources or anything.

I doubt your little teabagging parties have anywhere near that number.

This has been another episode of "Conservatives pulling numbers out of you know where"

[Badfickle]

Ohh yeah. i think all of 100 people attended the lame @ss "tea party" in my state.

[EllisWyatt]

rampage See Profile I'm a Fan of rampage I'm a fan of this user permalink
I notice none of you righties are addressing the fact that the majority of our homeless are Veterans.
How very typical of the right.

Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 09:17 AM on 03/26/2009
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
rampage See Profile I'm a Fan of rampage I'm a fan of this user permalink
From USA Today, early 2007:

WASHINGTON (AP) " Veterans make up one in four homeless people in the United States, though they are only 11% of the general adult population, according to a report to be released Thursday.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dueling posts?

[rampage]

Unlike you I have honor and integrity, therefore i corrected my own mistake.
Hard for a pa thetic li ar like you to understand, I know.

[ssmack]

Touche.

[SwingingFromCenter]

Off the top of my head, friends of mine who have relocated in the last few months following a layoff (last names omitted to protect anonymity). These people were all in the Seattle area a few months ago:

Tim: Aeronautical engineer for a private plane manufacturing company. Now works as a mechanical engineer in Milwaukee

Lisa: Office manager. Now works as an office manager in Salem, Oregon

Heather: Call center trainer. Now works in the same capacity for a company in Portland, Oregon

Marcus: Software engineer. Now working level III help desk in Tampa, Florida

Jenni: Software engineer. Now working as a .net developer in San Diego

David: Network engineer. Now working in the same capacity in Austin, Texas

LeAnn: point-of-sale advertising exec. Now working as a marketing director in Las Vegas

Julie: Cable TV installer. Now working in the same capacity in Minneapolis

Cody: Customer service rep. Now working in the same capacity in Cleveland

Josh: Real estate agent. Now working as a dealer in a Vegas casino

Cass: Accountant. Working in the same capacity in Hartford

Ori: Systems analyst. Working as a project manager in Hartford

All of these people were laid off, realized they needed to expand their range, and ended up elsewhere, but made it. If they can do it, these lazy people in the tent cities who were too stubborn to move could have done it. No sympathy for people who won't do what they have to do.

[loria]

So, you know some people who have lost their jobs and then moved to get another one Good for you. Your knowledge of a few people in Seattle means you know the country as a whole? Your understanding of the situation is "stunningly superficial".

[SwingingFromCenter]

It's an analogy to prove that people who are willing to keep themselves afloat CAN, and that there are jobs to be had so long as you are willing to look for them.

And by look for them, I don't mean "Well I live in Sacramento, so I'm only going to search the Sacramento area because I like it here too much to leave".

[hortonhearsawho2]

goodmorning mr limpbaugh...

[kdublya]

Good for them.

And lucky for you. That's A wonderful springboard from which to pretend to know everyone's circumstance.

[BlueStateMan]

You HAVE no friends.. therefore your post is BULL$#!T.

[RickyPoo]

Every person you cited on that list had to move and, in most cases, had to take a position making LESS than what they were making.

You don't think THAT record has anything to do with THESE images?

Your post is a PERFECT example of how clueless Repubs are to what they've done and the consequences thereof for our country.

That kind of cluelessness is a recipe for permanent minority status, if not the dustbin of history, for the GOP.

[SwingingFromCenter]

I never said it was ideal.

But the reality is these people in tent cities, for the most part, HAD OPTIONS. They refused to exercise them. They stubbornly stayed in one place cause it was "their home", even though they knew they couldn't be successful there. And I'm supposed to feel sorry for them?

Show me any spot in the Constitution or the Bill of Rights that says Americans have the right to live wherever they want and be successful? It's not in there. Sometimes you have to just swallow the jagged pill and do what you have to do. These people did and they will be OK. The people in the tent cities didn't, and they will sink.

It's called karmic justice.

[helonias]

Maybe they could get a few $140 mill F-22 parked there so these folks could live in the shade of their wings.

One Nation under god who's kid said

You treat me as you treat the least of you.

BUt how's god gonna bless us.

[rampage]

From USA Today, early 2007:

WASHINGTON (AP) — Veterans make up one in four homeless people in the United States, though they are only 11% of the general adult population, according to a report to be released Thursday.

This number is higher now, of course.

[trollslayer]

And will continue to rise as we bring troops home from Iraq.

[EllisWyatt]

That still doesn;t make a majority, like you posted previously. Nothing like cutting and pasting to prove you are a l i a r.

[trollslayer]

So says ShortbusTheIgnorantLiar.

[kdublya]

Maybe they'll remake Rambo into a modern day equivalent, so you can sleep easier knowing that justice has prevailed.

[rampage]

Unlike you Ellis, if I mispost I like to correct my mistake.
I have honor and integrity, something you never had, nor will you ever have.

[hortonhearsawho2]

um, u might wanna try flushing , after wiping...sticky fingers.

[bluessss82]

You calling anyone else a l!ar is akin to the late Leona Helmsley calling someone a tax cheat.

[loria]

Thank you, Rampage. That is a bit better than the 1996 study from Vertical that was sited earlier in this thread.

[SwingingFromCenter]

The problem with that statistic is that a lot of those "veterans" are people who were dishonorably discharged. Technically yes, they're vets...but they had issues.

[rampage]

what's a lot? you have a number? I didn't think so.
just another made up[ post by senor stoopid.

[BlueStateMan]

I'm SURE.. being the stalwart "American" that you claim to be, that you can back your assertion up with some SUBSTANTIVE evidence.

I'll wait.

[loria]

And you know this how? Personal experience because you know one homeless vet that was dishonorable discharged, therefore you can extrapolate that to include vets everywhere?

I guess you are telling us to foget the vets with issues. They are getting what they deserve.

[PAposter]

Seems the people of New Orleans were not the only ones left to behind...as Billionaires declare they are entitled to the money made on the backs of these people.

How anyone in there right mind, can justify what's happening in America, is beyond me. I can only tell you this, as long as there is a homeless soldier or hungry child in this country.

We all are losers!

[EllisWyatt]

Maybe if you reached deep into your own pocketbook and your neighbors did the same, you could hekp some of the less fortunate.

Ever think of that?

[PAposter]

You're kidding right?!? Helping the less fortunate is what I do all day, everyday. Even when I'm on HuffPo.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, " The most urgent question in life is, 'What are you doing for others?'"

How do you answer that question?

[TimeToPunt]

I give a percentage of my tax refund every year to our local homeless shelter and other charities but that doesn't address the root issue. I could give every penny I earn to the local homeless shelter and it won't fix a thing. The root causes have to be addressed and the only entity large enough to do that is the federal government.

[BlueStateMan]

What makes you think that we DON'T?

Projection?

[princessofnowt]

why did everyone have to move out of their houses?
duh where would they go.
duh there goes the neighborhood when they go
duh only the carpetbagggers will own all the property
there should have been a freeze - and there should be one now.
Make people move out of their houses then re-house them somewhere else?
Thats idiocy..
if we were bombed to hell we would pull together and stayed as housed as possible.
it is insane that our 'society' thinks it is ok that helpless people leave their houses to rot and live like this.
ok, a few might have taken advantage but what do we have now?
The few that really are taking advantage have got what they want.
we arent civilized at all.

[SaraNader]

Tent COUNTRY, USA.

Prepare for more. I am.

Why can't the people who've lost home from foreclosure buy them back for 300 bucks from that late-night syhster?

[EllisWyatt]

"The poor will always be with us." It's in the New Testament. How about you and a bunch of your neighbors (liberals and conservatives) start a charitable organization in your neighborhood to house these poor souls?

[hortonhearsawho2]

or, hows about we gets all old testament and just flood ur arse....

[helonias]

"The rich will not get into the kingdom of heaven." It's in the New Testament.

[BlueStateMan]

Better yet.. why don't we use an "infrastructure" that is already in existence to do this for our COLLECTIVE selves?

Let's see... Hmmmmmm I KNOW!

How about OUR GOVERNMENT?

[pjburke]

"It's in the New Testament."

That's precisely what indicts its credibility.

[FrTown]

For lack of kinder gentler words, we're F#%@ed.
Thanks to all the 58M b@st@rds who voted for 8ush again in 2004!

[PAposter]

Please don't cause that memory to surface...I've worked very, very hard to suppress it.

[trollslayer]

Does everyone here know that the Federal Reserve likes to keep unemployment at a certain level (ie not too low) to curb inflation? It's called the sacrifice ratio. The sacrifice ratio measures how much unemployment has to increase to bring inflation down by 1 (one) percentage point. In the US, the ratio has risen to 4%from 2 to 3% during the mid 80s, according to Fed economists.

Now that the Fed is printing money hand over fist, in order to keep inflation low, more jobs will be lost. This is just the beginning.

[yannb]

One solution to ending joblessness, thus poverty, and solve hunger problems in the world: Soylent Green wafers.

[Lurker50]

you are not right, you just ain't

[PAposter]

Can we start by grinding up all the tro//s on this sight?

[trollslayer]

Too bitter.

[pjburke]

Trollhouse cookies?

[helonias]

People feeding people to people

[Retrofuturistic]

George W. Bush has turned us into a third world country.

Too bad no one in Congress would listen when we wanted to impeach Bush and Cheney....

[RickyPoo]

DNC attack ad circa 2010

No narration whatsoever....

30 seconds of images of these tent cities with stats re foreclosures, personal income stagnation, job losses, etc. over the past 8 years.

Tag Line (white letters over a black screen):

This is what 8 years of Republican government will get you.
America can never risk putting them back in power again.

If they run an ad like this in every close House and Senate race in '10, the Dems will have gains comparable to or surpassing the gains they made in '06 and '08.

[ssmack]

You're going to have a major shock in 2010 if you think this is going to happen. Your "blame the Republicans" slogan is wearing thin already. THOUSANDS are showing up to "tea parties" all over the country, and we're only 60 days into this administration.

[JoJoKewl]

Thousands??? I am SO impressed.

[dm92]

I thought "tea" parties were for taxation without representation - you have representation, you're just outnumbered - drink on!

[loria]

Tea parties appeal to the 20% who think Bush was a great president. I bet you also thought McCain/Palin would win and the GOP would see gains in the House and Senate.

[peacekitten]

thousands huh?

wow. the TWO MILLION who showed up in freezing weather on inauguration day are so impressed.

[helonias]

Do they sever buttered scone too?