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I AM the Queen. I agree with putting Sonic_Spork in charge of the logistics.
In addition to helping the mentally who can be treated, we also have to accept that there is a segment of society that cannot be successfully treated or made to change in some way that fits what we think they should be. Those people still need to be housed and fed and made to be safe. The Realm will be a crappy place if we do not take care of those who cannot take care of themselves because we as a society will have failed.
OK! We are 2/3 there with our Queen and First Administrator Spork
What category does your last sentence represent and what do we expect from them?
Not going to work in the US with the population constituted as is.
There's too much of a 'Darwinistic' attitude here.
Basically, I got where I got because I'm smarter/harder working/more efficient and those below should suffer accordingly.
The attitude is very prevalent on CD forum too. I see it every day.
I think other countries are less individualistic. They are just comprised that way.
Now, for Asian countries, I have some background so I can speak. They're pretty rough. The work ethic is strong, and if you cannot keep up, you may get left behind ... HOWEVER, family structure and responsibility is strong.
I have two aunts who have been mentally challenged adults their whole life, and they are being taken care of by family. In the US, more people would be inclined to write off such relatives.
So, the two places to start are family and and a more communal mentality.
And make it easier for the average person to make a living.
This seems to be a good general consensus. Three very general categories: mentally ill (bring back the institutions), drug addicts (forced rehab). Affordable housing for the third category, with assistance until they can get back on their feet at which time appropriate rent is charged. This is what Finland did. The housing could be in industrial areas if needed. Can't expect the best neighborhood for this.
My thought was as a first step, put all the homeless in an "emergency" center like they do for disasters. Then have social workers (must hire many more) go to each one, to determine their category.
Feral dogs or other animals aren't usually tolerated in modern cities, but now the U.S. cities have "feral" people endangering the public and businesses.
I know these are all unworkable fantasies, but there are people who are just unfit for the workforce, even if they are not drug addicted or mentally ill. They don't have feet to get back on. I don't know what they do with that in Finland but it would not work in the US, as people cannot be forced to work or forced to drug rehab. That is hard communism.
I think we kind of made this happen, pushing and pushing people to achieve more and expect more and earn more and buy more, and some people can't compete or deal with such a fast pace of life so they drop out or get stuck on meds or booze. So many people are dysfunctional on the edge and don't see a way out. Many feel isolated and have no real support system.
A lot of talk about "bringing back" mental institutions... I hope it should go without saying that these places should not be as brutal or nightmarish as what they used to be. There are good reasons why they were closed.
Quality of care for children, elders, medically incapacitated and mental health patients needs to be tightly regulated with frequent and random inspections. Abuse of our most vulnerable should not be tolerated.
Personally, I would like to see places that I guess could best be described as a kind of "group home" for not only the mentally ill but also people who could go voluntarily, who just don't really know what they are doing in their lives. A place that is not a brutal nightmare to be in, but a kind place. Yes, people there who are able would be expected to do some kind of work, but it would be made as pleasant as possible and there would be options. Working in the garden to grow the food. Learning to work in the kitchens preparing it. Crafting or light unskilled labor type work.
But you know what...something like that (vaguely like that, and it's not perfect, but...) sort of exists. And a lot of Americans don't know about it. At least, for the young it does. Job Corps.
One of my sons went. Unfortunately it could be far better run than it is. His impression was that it was kind of like a halfway house for juvenile delinquents. But the idea behind it isn't bad.
The Job Corps was created during the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964 as part of Johnson’s War on Poverty and Great Society initiatives that sought to expand economic and social opportunities for Americans, especially minorities and the poor. A product of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, the Job Corps was first set up by Sargent Shriver, a member of the Kennedy family who ran many of Johnson’s social programs. Shriver modeled the Job Corps on the Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930s, which provided room, board and employment to thousands of unemployed people.
Here's a simplifier that starts with "Once upon a time. . ."
There are no "issues." There is only one. How well are you willing to adjust your mind and behaviors to what's available? That is an attitude of wellness and reality. If everyone kept that in mind, we wouldn't bemoan the fact that others aren't doing enough for us. There's no guarantee that even our parents will do that for us, unfortunately.
There's the start - the brutal reality of existence and how to live well with it. Millennia of humans have had to deal with it.
Then I would arrange for the homeless to have sufficient housing and what they need to maintain it. Those who could meet that qualification could keep their homes.
If those qualifications weren't met then the next option would be for those who are unable to maintain, institutions with care. And for those who won't maintain them movement to a large homeless camp in a mild climate where they can do things their way. There could be an option to try again after a certain number of years or standards of adjustment were achieved.
Like all fairy tales this should end, ". . .and because of the wise King they all lived happily ever after."
If you were King, how would you address the homeless issue?
I post this as a kind of thought experiment in order to avoid going down the political party rabbit holes.
If you had suddenly become in charge of this fictional U.S. with its very real homeless problem, what steps would you take to solve it? You have unilateral control, but similar budget constraints.
Finland solved their homeless problem, and the developing country we retired in, has no visible homeless.
What can be done in this most powerful, richest country in the world?
Just a point of order here (yes, I know I'm being anal and pedantic, but I think it needs to be said).
Monarchs today do NOT have absolute power, they do not have unilateral control. For the most part they are simply hereditary figureheads. And USA is not a monarchy and never can be. It's a representative democracy - even the fictional USA in this topic can never be a monarchy.
For the proposed fictional USA and it's same attendant problems with its assortment of homeless, mentally ill and/or mentally deficient, addicted, mentally lazy and feral people that the real USA has now, what is needed is for the fictional USA to not be a representative democracy. It needs to be a dictatorship with a single, non-appointed bona fide Dictator with absolute power and control. Not a benevolent dictatorship or an elective dictatorship but an absolute dictatorship where the dictator alone is the only one with any say and when the dictator says jump everyone else says "How high?" and they all jump to it.
So ask yourselves, if you were the absolute Dictator in control of a fictional USA which is not a representative democracy nor a monarchy but is an absolute dictatorship where nobody else has any say in any matter nor any recognized rights and freedoms nor ever have any expectations of entitlement - what would you do to deal with the homeless, mentally ill and/or deficient, addicted, mentally lazy and feral people who are not pulling their weight and contributing anything to the benefit of society as a whole, such as what the real USA has now?
Well a king would have control of all 50 states and do away with the constitution, correct?
-First thing's first: revamp all zoning laws. No single family BS in any major city. Any vacant spots especially ones close to a transit route are for high density. Many of these people aren't nut cases or drug addicted creeps.
-But some of them do exist. Therefore mental institutions are a must. Getting rid of them was a big mistake. Create more sober homes.
-Abolish the minimum wage and let the unions decide.
-Install a VAT so that way EVERYBODY pays taxes; even the corps.
-Abolish the federal income tax except for those making over 50K
-Install a UBI; replace food stamps/welfare with it. Anyone who filed a tax return, is in some type of workforce training program, vocation, or even has a job is eligible. Make it cover the bare minimum of rent and utilities. Housing is a right so it's time to treat it as one.
-Strict immigration laws period. No work visas unless they are for highly specialized fields.
I think we kind of made this happen, pushing and pushing people to achieve more and expect more and earn more and buy more, and some people can't compete or deal with such a fast pace of life so they drop out or get stuck on meds or booze. So many people are dysfunctional on the edge and don't see a way out. Many feel isolated and have no real support system.
I agree. I don't know how some people survive. All me and my GF do is work and stress out, and then de-compress on the weekend. Even taking vacations is stressful.
Of course, it hasn't always been this way for me.
I also know people who are on the cusp.
Like dated a woman who raised 3 kids with $14/hr without welfare. Doing much better now.
A guy who came to this country from Eastern Europe knowing no English. And he was able to build something for himself.
The 'line in the sand' is an interesting one to consider, and one I wish more would share about.
Not going to work in the US with the population constituted as is.
Now, for Asian countries, I have some background so I can speak. They're pretty rough. The work ethic is strong, and if you cannot keep up, you may get left behind ... HOWEVER, family structure and responsibility is strong.
I have two aunts who have been mentally challenged adults their whole life, and they are being taken care of by family. In the US, more people would be inclined to write off such relatives.
So, the two places to start are family and and a more communal mentality.
And make it easier for the average person to make a living.
Yes, your two places to start are the key, methinks, if one were to become King. There was a time when family and community were much stronger and more important in the USA. We have a dysfunctional adult in our family and he is being taken care of by family, not by the government (i.e., not on SSDI). It is a financial stretch, but that is what family-oriented societies do.
You only have to watch some old shows about small town life (e.g., It's a Wonderful Life) and you can see how important the community was; in fact, "The Town Drunk" was usually someone everyone looked after, but there was only one. Now there are too many town drunks (dysfunctional people).
Unfortunately, we have grown to look to the government for support, and it's not working.
What we'd all miss if all homeless joined the workforce: The homeless don't own cars so that's cleaner air to breathe everyday, less traffic congestion, and less competition for those looking for a job, less competition for those looking for an apartment.
Beggars: Old Indian proverb: give $10 away and $40 will come back to you in some form or another.
I strongly believe in that proverb. When I'd fly down to Tijuana for a weekend, I'd bring along 50 one dollar bills and before leaving I'd walk across the bridge and let them all fly to the wind for the many deportees/homeless living under the bridge. Back home, interestingly enough, my business would pick up!
And if you're going to give your $10 away, even if you know they're going to blow it on drugs/alcohol, never mind, it's none of your business! Makes no difference when it comes to an act of giving!
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