I think I see a contradiction here…

DarkCurrent on October 27, 2008 at 12:46 PM

Yes, it’s disheartening. Understand, though, that the long-standing free-market ideological disposition of economists is actually counter to their class interests. The more interventions, policies, and plans you have the more economists you need. The economists employed by beltway bandits (like me) have largely figured that out.

Obama makes me ill but he’s going to be good for my top line. Don’t misunderstand me though, I’m a broken glass Republican this year!!

The media still hasn’t given Bush credit for winning the election – what are the chances that they’ll give him credit for anything positive that came out of his administration?

Reap it, lemmings!

That would only accomplish a swell in the number of homeless, but Democrats don’t understand that.

DFCtomm on October 27, 2008 at 12:56 PM

I think they’d finally tune in on a clue if they were funding it out of their own pockets for once.

Problem solved!

I’m sure the Democrats thought of that, but there aren’t enough homeless to go around. Only 1 Democrat in thousands could adopt their own. However, if every Democrat donated $10 a month each of the homeless could receive about $2,000. (I’m double-counting the homeless who are Democrats, but still close I think)

DarkCurrent on October 27, 2008 at 12:41 PM

That would only accomplish a swell in the number of homeless, but Democrats don’t understand that.

Housing gave the previously homeless an opportunity to seek employment, creating a net revenue gain rather than a funding drain. Whether or not anyone wants to call it liberal, it certainly proved more cost effective than the other liberal plans in place during the previous generation.

A liberal program that costs less than the liberal program it replaces is a microscopic move to the right.

If the democrats among us would each adopt one homeless wretch, they could become the saviours of America.

But they kinda smell and don’t match the Ikea accents.

LimeyGeek on October 27, 2008 at 12:32 PM

Or, they could cut out the middleman, and just hand out booze from the backs of trucks.

some of the smartest housing economists around, and whose employees give to Democrats over Republicans by about 10:1.

DrSteve on October 27, 2008 at 12:24 PM

I think I see a contradiction here…

Only 1 Democrat in thousands could adopt their own

Perhaps some sort of bum-timeshare tax incentive would do the trick?

If the democrats among us would each adopt one homeless wretch, they could become the saviours of America.

But they kinda smell and don’t match the Ikea accents.

LimeyGeek on October 27, 2008 at 12:32 PM

I’m sure the Democrats thought of that, but there aren’t enough homeless to go around. Only 1 Democrat in thousands could adopt their own. However, if every Democrat donated $10 a month each of the homeless could receive about $2,000. (I’m double-counting the homeless who are Democrats, but still close I think)

Even the 666K figure only adds up to 0.002% of the population. A little useful foreign aid from Canada and our problem would be solved!

DarkCurrent on October 27, 2008 at 12:30 PM

if obama wins, I think we’ll be seeing that number quite a bit…

But they kinda smell and don’t match the Ikea accents.

Nationally, the total number of homeless people counted on a single night in January — the measure used to count homeless families on the streets and in shelters — dropped to 666,295 in 2007, from 754,147 in 2005.”

Dave Rywall on October 27, 2008 at 12:19 PM

Even the 666K figure only adds up to 0.002% of the population. A little useful foreign aid from Canada and our problem would be solved!

Sadly, thanks to the media and the Dems, the only thing Bush will get credit for is leaving office.
Republican on October 27, 2008 at 12:24 PM

Nah. The headline will be “Bush leaves Office, Stink remains”

“If George W. Bush becomes president, the armies of the homeless, hundreds of thousands strong, will once again be used to illustrate the opposition’s arguments about welfare, the economy, and taxation.”–Mark Helprin, Oct. 31, 2000

Lest people want to throw stones about Bush Administration numbers, it’s prepared by a contractor (Abt Associates) with some of the smartest housing economists around, and whose employees give to Democrats over Republicans by about 10:1.

Sometimes they count single nights as an indicator, sometimes they total weeks or months, since it’s not always (but mostly) the same people who make use of the shelters.

Dave Rywall on October 27, 2008 at 12:19 PM

We could close all the shelters in the depths of winter. That might help.