27 June, 2005

Homelessness Poverty And Politics

Homelessness and poverty was mostly caused by successive governments not taking any notice and the appropriate action that needed to be taken at the time the problem was diagnosed.
Successive governments seem to have seen people sleeping on the streets at night as if it was of their own choosing and the way some people wanted to live. It was only when became an everyday sight that they saw it as a problem to be cured as if it were some strange affliction, like going to the doctors and popping a pill and saying hey your better. What they don't seem to be thinking about is the reason why people are homeless, sleeping on the street begging in the first place.
Could it be that some governments policies have something to do with it? Could it be the fact that successive governments have kept people on the breadline with no real hope of getting out of the poverty trap.
Could it be that some of these people have mental health problems and are distrustful of our mental health policies that put them back into society with no real help or is it that one simple mistake has left them with nothing but to live life the best they can?
Also People see homeless people as the problem to all society's ailments. Which to me is quite wrong as homelessness is the outcome of a symptom. Which may or may not be a direct cause of some government policy. Take for instance Graham big voice tour panel member who became homeless due to the fact he had to sell his mother and fathers house to pay for the their care in a home after they had both died. He was actually taken to court by a council because they wanted their money. The councils sound vampires don't they?
Poverty can also be a large contributing factor to homelessness as the poorer you become the more despondent you become. Trying to make ends meet when you are living on benefits is near enough impossible at the best of times especially if you are gainfully seeking work as well.
There is no extra money included in any benefit payment for fares to give people that incentive to actually go and find work. So when people go out and look for work it affects the way they have to live. They have to reduce their daily needs.
All governments no matter which party say that everyone should eat fresh fish and vegetables or to put it in their words a balance meal everyday. Yet they penny pinch when it comes to giving money for our children's school meals.
If the government gave people the money to do the things we are supposed to do there wouldn't be any argument, there wouldn't be any need for me to be writing this blog, but when you have to shop for the cheapest ingredients and have to buy food that has preservatives in and then have successive governments Blatantly tell you. you should be able to make ends meet on benefit. All the problems start, ill health, heart attacks, stress ect are caused by people worrying where their next meal is coming from. Where are they going to live. It's no wonder our housing and health service is in a mess. When will governments realise half measures are no good. What is needed is a full blown effort to combat homelessness and poverty. So what if it's going to cost us a fortune today because to be honest tomorrow it will cost twice as much and there will be twice as many.

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