Why are people starving and homeless in this country when we have the resources to feed and house them?

Answer 1

Excellent question. Though there are some homeless people who are simply lazy, the issue is much more complex than conservatives would have you think. Even if the person is a lazy bum, maybe they have children. Should their children have to live on the street because their parents are lazy? I think not. As far as being mentally ill, this is true also; however, I fail to see what it has to do with the question. So, mentally ill people should be left starving and homeless? In the richest country in the world?? It is ridiculous and it is sad that our government is more concerned with immoral wars and increasing their own wealth than helping the poorest among us. And all the while sending billions in aid to other countries. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with helping poor people from ANY country; however, American citizens should come first. No American should be homeless or hungry. No American citizen should be unable to see a doctor because of a lack of insurance. I will repeat, we live in the RICHEST country in the world and we let our own people suffer like this while at the same time rushing to "liberate" Iraq at a cost of billions of dollars. It is shameful.

Answer 2

First of all, if you do not believe that people are starving in our country then you have not been around long. Many people are homeless and go hungry in our country everyday. It is arguable to what degree it is their fault or not, but what is not arguable is how much the American Government does to help them.

Many of the shelters and soup kitchens which are set up around the United States are done so by charitable organizations - not the government.

The answer to your question is this: the resources we have are not being used for our own citizens because they are being given primarily to third world countries who are far worse off than us. In order for more to be done nationally, a trade-off must take place. Less would have to be done internationally. It seems as if our government is more concerned with helping and aiding other countries with their HUGE economic problems than helping the small percentage of their own citizens who are homeless and hungry.

Answer 3

Wow, you are all really cold hearted! Does anyone feel sorry for the homeless people of America? How dare you judge them! None of you know their situations! Not ALL of them are just lazy and could turn their lives around if they wanted to. It's not that easy. As for answering the question, I don't know why we don't shelter all homeless people since we have the resources..lets do something about it!

Answer 4

According to a NEW HAVEN ADVOCATE article I read a few years back, many homeless are, in fact, mentally ill folks who for whatever reason, have stopped taking their medication or need to be on medication. In the New Haven area, this included many vets, as there is a VA Hospital in West Haven, CT. As far as the rest of the country, I blame Bush's "trickle-down" economics. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

Answer 5

I think it's funny how some of your answerer's blame George Bush for some people's laziness. AND last I heard (saw) there were soup kitchens and bunks beds for poor and homeless everywhere!
How are we suppose to help those who don't want our help?

P.S. even if there was no war, there would still be starving and homeless people.

Answer 6

Out of every dollar the government spends to help poverty twentyfive cents gets to the poor. John F. Kennedy once said, "Don't ask what your country can do for you? But, what you can do for your country?" We have frogotten these words so we are stuck with everybody looking for the government to help and cure our ills, 25 cents at a time. After Catrina everybody was blaming federal and local officials, but nobody placed ANY responsibility on the people who decided to stay.

Answer 7

Because we are sending all the money to foreign countries so that their people will not starve and be homeless.

Answer 8

good question.

The social services in this country are far less than in comparison to all the European nations, maybe?

To give evidence of the starvation, id like to say that 25% of the Los Angeles metropolitan area population has an infrequent access to food (LA times, 2005)

Answer 9

Because George Dubya Bush would rather spend the money on foreign wars, and feeding the hungry in other countries. I don't mind the US sending food and supplies to the poor in other countries--but he should take care of those in the US first!!!

Answer 10

Because they are lazy and worthless excuses for human beings. In most of the rest of the world they would be roadkill. Why is it that the U.S. is the only country in the world with poor fat people. Do your community a favor and heckle the losers with signs at intersections, and they usually go away.