Homelessness in LA

[ramblinwreckguru]

I know. Places like California or New York have become homes for mainly the rich. Must be due to the Republican leadership in those states.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

I know. Places like California or New York have become homes for mainly the rich. Must be due to the Republican leadership in those states.

Naw, that would be Massachusetts with their republican healthcare and taxes.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

What's the name of the documentary? I'd like to watch it.

No you wouldn't.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Homelessness has a lot less to do with economics and a lot more to do with drug addiction/ abuse and mental illness.

California has a huge population so they will naturally have a huge mental illness issue on their hands as well.

The politics of allowing sidewalk tenting / encampments is just bad politics.

Especially mental health. When Georgia and a lot of other states got rid of their regional mental health centers a lot of patients hit the streets. A lot of places don't even have 28 day programs anymore for people to get sober or get their meds adjusted.

I have encountered the largest homeless populations (percentage wise) in places with warmer weather. Prior to the hurricane there was a large and visible population in Panama City, Florida . I also have encountered a sizable population in Hawaii.

For a small percentage of people homelessness is lifestyle. For others it is a lack of a support system. I have rarely encountered homelessness in Scandinavian countries.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

Especially mental health. When Georgia and a lot of other states got rid of their regional mental health centers a lot of patients hit the streets. A lot of places don't even have 28 day programs anymore for people to get sober or get their meds adjusted.

I have encountered the largest homeless populations (percentage wise) in places with warmer weather. Prior to the hurricane there was a large and visible population in Panama City, Florida . I also have encountered a sizable population in Hawaii.

For a small percentage of people homelessness is lifestyle. For others it is a lack of a support system. I have rarely encountered homelessness in Scandinavian countries.

It’s a bigger problem in large population centers. Sometimes it’s due to lack of support; they are often invisible to the public at large of living out of a car etc. Those who choose it as a lifestyle are typically very visible to the public and usually continue that path due to mental illness and or addictions. That’s my experience anyway.

Big government programs haven’t helped.

 

[Milwaukee]

No you wouldn't.

Do you know the name of the documentary or not?

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Do you know the name of the documentary or not?

I was making a joke about watching a depressing film about "Tech's bad neighborhood."

 

[Northeast Stinger]

It’s a bigger problem in large population centers. Sometimes it’s due to lack of support; they are often invisible to the public at large of living out of a car etc. Those who choose it as a lifestyle are typically very visible to the public and usually continue that path due to mental illness and or addictions. That’s my experience anyway.

Big government programs haven’t helped.

Agree. That has been my experience too .

Though I am not aware of too many big government programs dealing with homelessness. Usually it is church groups and non-profit relief organizations.

 

[MWBATL]

I have rarely encountered homelessness in Scandinavian countries.

(1) It's COLD in Scandinavia....much harder to survive being homeless there
(2) It is also interesting to me that many left-wing advocates mention Scandinavia as role models. (NB-Not saying you are doing this...this is a general statement). But Scandinavian societies are amongst the least diverse and most homogeneous societies on earth. I happen to think there is another whole debate one can have about "diversity" and whether or not that is really an advantage or a disadvantage for a society. And I am not referring to racism in this comment. Historically, humanity has been quite tribal. Cultures that have embraced diversity have often failed over time (Rome, comes to mind immediately) while cultures that did not have flourished (Scandinavia being an excellent example). (NB-this can be argued vigorously both ways, as it is also not hard to find culturally diverse societies that flourished for a while, before fading).I have wondered if cultural uniformity allows people to be more tolerant and more open to sharing of resources since the people they share with are "like me".

 

[Deleted member 2897]

(1) It's COLD in Scandinavia....much harder to survive being homeless there
(2) It is also interesting to me that many left-wing advocates mention Scandinavia as role models. (NB-Not saying you are doing this...this is a general statement). But Scandinavian societies are amongst the least diverse and most homogeneous societies on earth. I happen to think there is another whole debate one can have about "diversity" and whether or not that is really an advantage or a disadvantage for a society. And I am not referring to racism in this comment. Historically, humanity has been quite tribal. Cultures that have embraced diversity have often failed over time (Rome, comes to mind immediately) while cultures that did not have flourished (Scandinavia being an excellent example). (NB-this can be argued vigorously both ways, as it is also not hard to find culturally diverse societies that flourished for a while, before fading).I have wondered if cultural uniformity allows people to be more tolerant and more open to sharing of resources since the people they share with are "like me".

In barely 200 years, our country has grown its GDP from basically 0 to 50x that of countries like Sweden. Our average net worth per person is 4x that of theirs. They are basically a small neighborhood compared to us - they have 60%+ income tax rates, they have tax rates on savings balances, and 20%+ sales taxes. Its what they all want over there (someone else to take care of them), so they are happy with it. But its pretty much everything our founders escaped from. And side note, the last time I looked, the per capita immigration rates were significantly higher with them coming our way than the other way around.

 

[MWBATL]

In barely 200 years, our country has grown its GDP from basically 0 to 50x that of countries like Sweden. Our average net worth per person is 4x that of theirs. They are basically a small neighborhood compared to us - they have 60%+ income tax rates, they have tax rates on savings balances, and 20%+ sales taxes. Its what they all want over there (someone else to take care of them), so they are happy with it. But its pretty much everything our founders escaped from. And side note, the last time I looked, the per capita immigration rates were significantly higher with them coming our way than the other way around.

Agree with everything you have said, but they also seem to be a pretty happy folk, if I recall correctly studies about happiness in various societies around the world. That has been changing recently with their allowance of an influx of muslim immigrants...which has now been stopped. (Interesting side note about their about immigration policies...I guess Scandinavians are racists too).

The Nordic governments are aiming to reduce their desirability as destinations by tightening asylum benefits to the minimum standards. Sweden rolled back its permanent residence policy for all newly arriving Syrians, and has proposed granting only temporary status to successful asylum seekers of all nationalities, including Syrians. Sweden’s Interior Minister indicated 60,000 to 80,000 asylum applications likely will be rejected in 2016 based on past denial rates, and has asked several agencies to propose plans for increased deportations. Finland is also considering ways of swift and effective return for failed asylum seekers. Norway, meanwhile, has passed legislation making it easier to deport asylum seekers and migrants without valid claims, and Denmark has approved a controversial policy allowing authorities to confiscate valuables from new arrivals to help defray the costs of their accommodation. Migration Policy Institute, Feb 2016.

 

[Deleted member 2897]

Agree with everything you have said, but they also seem to be a pretty happy folk, if I recall correctly studies about happiness in various societies around the world. That has been changing recently with their allowance of an influx of muslim immigrants...which has now been stopped. (Interesting side note about their about immigration policies...I guess Scandinavians are racists too).

The Nordic governments are aiming to reduce their desirability as destinations by tightening asylum benefits to the minimum standards. Sweden rolled back its permanent residence policy for all newly arriving Syrians, and has proposed granting only temporary status to successful asylum seekers of all nationalities, including Syrians. Sweden’s Interior Minister indicated 60,000 to 80,000 asylum applications likely will be rejected in 2016 based on past denial rates, and has asked several agencies to propose plans for increased deportations. Finland is also considering ways of swift and effective return for failed asylum seekers. Norway, meanwhile, has passed legislation making it easier to deport asylum seekers and migrants without valid claims, and Denmark has approved a controversial policy allowing authorities to confiscate valuables from new arrivals to help defray the costs of their accommodation. Migration Policy Institute, Feb 2016.

They are very homogenous as you said, so they are all getting exactly what they all want. The United States is essentially 45% conservative and 45% liberal. 45% of our citizens want government guaranteed jobs and a government guaranteed income. That's the antithesis of our founding and what probably the other 45% want. So 45% is not happy because we don't have that. And the other 45% is not happy because we are being pulled so hard in that direction. It doesn't mean we're a bad country - it just means we are extremely diverse with a huge political split among us. People vote with their feet. If people were actually unhappy here, they could move somewhere in Scandanavia. But what we see in per capita immigration numbers is tons more moving here from there. I'm sure New Yorkers and other highly progressive states would tell you they much prefer their progressive local and state governments up there...but then again the migration data shows them moving down south and west rather than the other way around.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

(1) It's COLD in Scandinavia....much harder to survive being homeless there
(2) It is also interesting to me that many left-wing advocates mention Scandinavia as role models. (NB-Not saying you are doing this...this is a general statement). But Scandinavian societies are amongst the least diverse and most homogeneous societies on earth. I happen to think there is another whole debate one can have about "diversity" and whether or not that is really an advantage or a disadvantage for a society. And I am not referring to racism in this comment. Historically, humanity has been quite tribal. Cultures that have embraced diversity have often failed over time (Rome, comes to mind immediately) while cultures that did not have flourished (Scandinavia being an excellent example). (NB-this can be argued vigorously both ways, as it is also not hard to find culturally diverse societies that flourished for a while, before fading).I have wondered if cultural uniformity allows people to be more tolerant and more open to sharing of resources since the people they share with are "like me".

Have often wondered the same. That has been the argument in the past for everything from why we are more violent and why there is no one size fits all health care system that will work.

On the other hand, if we last as long as the Roman Empire we will have done well, since no empire lasts forever.

 

[GTpdm]

Have often wondered the same. That has been the argument in the past for everything from why we are more violent and why there is no one size fits all health care system that will work.

On the other hand, if we last as long as the Roman Empire we will have done well, since no empire lasts forever.

But we’re a republic, not an empire.

Oh wait—Rome was actually a Republic, too. NM.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

But we’re a republic, not an empire.

Oh wait—Rome was actually a Republic, too. NM.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

(1) It's COLD in Scandinavia....much harder to survive being homeless there
(2) It is also interesting to me that many left-wing advocates mention Scandinavia as role models. (NB-Not saying you are doing this...this is a general statement). But Scandinavian societies are amongst the least diverse and most homogeneous societies on earth. I happen to think there is another whole debate one can have about "diversity" and whether or not that is really an advantage or a disadvantage for a society. And I am not referring to racism in this comment. Historically, humanity has been quite tribal. Cultures that have embraced diversity have often failed over time (Rome, comes to mind immediately) while cultures that did not have flourished (Scandinavia being an excellent example). (NB-this can be argued vigorously both ways, as it is also not hard to find culturally diverse societies that flourished for a while, before fading).I have wondered if cultural uniformity allows people to be more tolerant and more open to sharing of resources since the people they share with are "like me".

Japan pre WWII would be a counter example. Extremes in any direction are often not good.