Homelessness grows as more live check-to-check

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2003-08-11-homeless_x.htm

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.

Former neighbors and co-workers are on the streets, live with relatives or stay in shelters. Unemployed managers are living with their elderly parents. Families who once owned their own homes now sleep on bunk beds in homeless shelters. Job seekers in suits and ties stop by soup kitchens heading out to afternoon interviews. With no place to live, some homeless are camping out in their cars until work comes along.

--snip--

Requests for emergency shelter assistance grew an average of 19% from 2001 to 2002, according to the 18 cities that reported an increase — the steepest rise in a decade. The findings are from a 2003 survey of 25 cities by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Among the trends:

[area51]

1. Economy

It is horrendously difficult to get a job in this 2nd Great Depression economy. I'd be homeless myself if my relatives hadn't taken me in, since I've been unable to get employment. The USA Today article reminds me how it concerned me to see so many people buying houses in this Depression; many people may not realize that they could be next to lose their job, they may not be able to get another job, and they'll become homeless. It's the legions of unemployed people who are going to help kick George W. Hoover's fscking ass out of office.

[Jack The Tab]

2. And right beside stories like this.."Bush popularity still high"..

I am stunned at the apathy we have in regards to this ...."man"... and his cohorts absolutely bankrupting this country.

The press and our news medias truly take the lions share of the blame for this. They have dulled us into a consumer society that no longer cares about what goes on around us.

I hope the voters wake up in this next election.

[MountainLaurel]

3. Polling problems

Well, you can bet that the folks who are responding to opinion polls aren't those living in homeless shelters. If you're only polling people with telephones or registered voters, there are a lot of people -- mainly on the bottom of the economic ladder -- whose opinions are missed.

Of course, that's probably just the way the Shrub likes it. Poor people arent' allowed to have opinions, you know. (sarcasm off)

[tom_paine]

4. Even if they wake up, are our voting systems unBusheviked?

I'm guessing not.

The 2004 "election" has all the believability of Saddam's or the Hitler plebiscite of 1934...

[genius]

5. The doctors are doing their best to kill off the elderly

We need equal protection for elderly patients.

[THUNDER HANDS]

7. huh?

What the fuck are you talking about?

(I work in a hopsital around doctors so I take offense to this charictarization).

[SpiralHawk]

6. But, but, but...just wait till the Bush Recovery Plan kicks in

And remember: A rising tide lifts all yachts.

there will be a delay, however, while pResident* Bush enjoys his month-long vacation at taxpayer expense.


* Clearly rejected by a majority of patriotic and discerning US voters in the 2000 election; appointed to office by the so-called supreme court.