American "tent cities"?? What??

[jason75]

I saw on the news today that more and more American cities are having actual "tent cities" popping up due to unemployment and an increase in homeless people. I have to say that I was quite shocked at how many cities were actually named as having these. What's more is that they are so large now that the state officials have actually set up security and running water around the cities in an attempt to help provide for them. Things are VERY wrong here! I never would have imagined that I would ever see tent cities of homeless people in many states throughout the US. They interviewed some of these homeless people. They look just like you or me. They were crying, they were scared, and they didn't know what to do. These people were not lazy or unmotivated. They were people who had jobs with companies for years, but then were laid off and unable to get another job. Many of them migrate to other states in search of jobs, only to find that no state is better then the last. This is a sad state we are in. I truly hope the next president can fix things... and quick!

[CarolineWH]

I am older and am in shock at what I am seeing....Saying this, from what I have seen with the people that are running this country I am not surprised...When they had the hurricane coming into one of the areas, they showed some people that are still misplaced...These are good people...They are people that are just in the wrong place when it hit....But why does this continue...Why are women with good jobs in California living out of their cars? Why do people lose their houses when they were told that they had the American dream...They were lied to and given money for a home that they would not be able to afford...The taxes eat them up...They got escalating loans where the money was not tied in and soon their interest rose...I know of people with new houses that have no furniture...

They say that this is not depression but something is very wrong...I am with you on this...

[NW Admin]

You know Caroline, that is exactly what I thought of the other day... the depression. I saw people standing in lines trying to get jobs and I just thought, what is this world coming to? It's scary. How far will this go. There are still a lot of people living care free with their millions/billions of dollars, driving their fancy cars, living in their mansions. I know that those people feel it's their money and they are entitled to keep it for themselves, but what happened to everyone taking care of each other? People are so **** selfish anymore. Those people with all the money would rather see America get flushed down the toilet then help anyone out because they want all their money to themselves. I mean, I know there are some good rich people out there that actually do help out, but not many of them from what I can tell. All these people living in tents while other's lay out by their personal olympic sized swimming pools. It sickens me.

I don't have much money. I never have had a lot of money. But I tell you in all honesty, I help people when I am able. In any way I am able. I volunteer for things and I give money when I can. Even if it's not much. What happened to people's desire to help their communities??

I don't think people get it. Just because this isn't in YOUR backyard yet, doesn't mean it won't be or that this won't effect you. Here is starts at the bottom and works it's way up. This incident with the stock market is just the beginning. People think, oh we are saved by the government bail out. No, this is just a band-aid on a small wound about to get gangreen. Limbs will be lost! We are already in debt as a country. Where is this bail out money coming from? Our pockets one way or another.

We need change and we need it now. ****** Bush.

[jamesb]

I was also shocked to see pictures of the tent cities. The US government has spend nearly a trillion dollars on wars in the Middle East but are unable to take care of its own people.