Child Homelessness up 33% in 3 years

[DMT]

But let's preserve tax breaks and cut funding for services for the poor.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2011-12-12/homeless-children-increase/51851146/1?loc=interstitialskip

One in 45 children in the USA — 1.6 million children — were living on the street, in homeless shelters or motels, or doubled up with other families last year, according to the National Center on Family Homelessness.

The numbers represent a 33% increase from 2007, when there were 1.2 million homeless children, according to a report the center is releasing Tuesday.

[nots]

But let's preserve tax breaks and cut funding for services for the poor.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...terstitialskip

Or we could stop spending $2B/wk in Afghanistan.
Or we could have passed on Medicare Part D.
Or we could have passed on invading Iraq.
Lot of reasons why we are suddenly left with no money to take care of those that need help.

[GwynnInTheHall]

Or we could stop spending $2B/wk in Afghanistan.
Or we could have passed on Medicare Part D.
Or we could have passed on invading Iraq.
Lot of reasons why we are suddenly left with no money to take care of those that need help.

sure there are lots of reasons why there's a deficit ans a lot of things we can do to alleviate it.

Why not keep everything on the table including taxing the rich just a bit more? Taking programs from those who need them doesn't make any sense at all and what makes the most sense-raising taxes-gets shouted down like it's akin to removing a body part and is why there's an occupy anything going on.

Those who have should help those who don't. It's moral, it's Christian and bottom-line--it's the right thing to do.

[nots]

sure there are lots of reasons why there's a deficit ans a lot of things we can do to alleviate it.

Why not keep everything on the table including taxing the rich just a bit more? Taking programs from those who need them doesn't make any sense at all and what makes the most sense-raising taxes-gets shouted down like it's akin to removing a body part and is why there's an occupy anything going on.

Those who have should help those who don't. It's moral, it's Christian and bottom-line--it's the right thing to do.

I have zero problem with eliminating the Bush tax cuts (was against them for everybody from the beginning). I also have zero problem with eliminating the capital gains rate and treating all the Buffet-type stock money as ordinary income.
Just pointing out that there are a lot of reasons why we are where we are--it goes way beyond 'the rich need to pay more'.

[DMT]

I have zero problem with eliminating the Bush tax cuts (was against them for everybody from the beginning). I also have zero problem with eliminating the capital gains rate and treating all the Buffet-type stock money as ordinary income.
Just pointing out that there are a lot of reasons why we are where we are--it goes way beyond 'the rich need to pay more'.

I wasn't saying that it doesn't...but generally budget talks center around the back-and-forth between increasing taxes and cutting discretionary funding which includes social services for the poor.

But at the same time, it was the rich and powerful who made those decisions to drag us into war and decrease financial regulations which have been two of the major causes of our current economic hardship. And considering the Democrats are the party supposedly committed to protecting the poor, the responsibility falls on them to step up and make it happen or stop pretending that they care.

[nots]

I wasn't saying that it doesn't...but generally budget talks center around the back-and-forth between increasing taxes and cutting discretionary funding which includes social services for the poor.

But at the same time, it was the rich and powerful who made those decisions to drag us into war and decrease financial regulations which have been two of the major causes of our current economic hardship. And considering the Democrats are the party supposedly committed to protecting the poor, the responsibility falls on them to step up and make it happen or stop pretending that they care.

I agree with what you're saying but I think the scope of our problems go beyond the 'raise taxes, cut discretionary spending' argument because neither of those is going to solve the problems for the poor or the systemic problems. What we do and how we do it needs a total overhaul and my fear is we won't have the will or resolve until things get much worse for many more.

[GwynnInTheHall]

I have zero problem with eliminating the Bush tax cuts (was against them for everybody from the beginning). I also have zero problem with eliminating the capital gains rate and treating all the Buffet-type stock money as ordinary income.
Just pointing out that there are a lot of reasons why we are where we are--it goes way beyond 'the rich need to pay more'.

you're absolutely correct--I just have grown so weary of the battle cry from our elected officials, most in the GOP who won't even discuss those options.

[DMT]

I agree with what you're saying but I think the scope of our problems go beyond the 'raise taxes, cut discretionary spending' argument because neither of those is going to solve the problems for the poor or the systemic problems. What we do and how we do it needs a total overhaul and my fear is we won't have the will or resolve until things get much worse for many more.

No doubt systemic changes are needed but when you say 'get much worse' how much worse does it get than children who are homeless?

[nots]

No doubt systemic changes are needed but when you say 'get much worse' how much worse does it get than children who are homeless?

I don't see the trend reversing itself anytime soon. I worry that number is bigger next year.

[SeaDogStat]

They have no jobs and no credit so what I want to know is: how are these kids getting mortgages? Damn predatory lenders...

[Fresno Bob]

20 of the 350 kids at my daughters elementary school are living in homeless shelters

[johnnya24]

20 of the 350 kids at my daughters elementary school are living in homeless shelters

:shock:

[heyelander]

:shock:

Fresno lives in a town where a 2 bedroom Apt goes for $4300 a month in rent.

[billbuckner]

Fresno lives in a town where a 2 bedroom Apt goes for $4300 a month in rent.

:goodpost:

[Fresno Bob]

:shock:

go to sfgate.com, the sf chronicle online, and look for the dec 4th article on homeless students, my daughter goes to fairmount, the school focused on in the article