Children are real victims of homelessness
There are as many reasons for homelessness as there are homeless. The answer is not homes, as our politicians would submit. Mental illness, substance abuse, life choices and economic necessity defy a single solution.
One thing is certain. All homeless have the resources to stay alive. Whether it be welfare, disability payments, pandering or illegal activities, they survive. If there are victims of homelessness, it is the children. Our system increases welfare payments if there are more children, but does not ensure that the children are adequately cared for.
A good place to start would be to mandate those with children cede all their government benefits to a facility that would house, feed, counsel and educate the whole family. There will be those who choose not to stay at such facilities, but they will be without official and legal resources. It is a discussion worth having.
Nolan Ahn, Lihue
A lot of good happened in 2017
I don’t know what alternative universe Gary Hooser lives in (TGI, Dec. 27), but as I see it, 2017 was a banner year.
The stock market is up over 5,000 points so those of us have 401ks, Roth IRAs or defined-benefit plans (all government workers) are happy little campers. Maybe now there won’t be a $12 billion shortfall in the state retirement plans.
The economy is up 3.5 percent, ISIS is on the run, unemployment is the lowest in 17 years, and thousands of people are off food stamps.
Because of the new tax cuts, four local banks are giving their employees $1,000 bonuses.
Funding to the United Nations was cut, funding was eliminated for Pakistan (you know, the folks who harbored Osama Bin Laden). Now there is talk of eliminating money to the Palestinians.
Gary, don’t ASS-U-ME that there will be cuts to education, environment protection, social services and/or medical care.
The one thing the Trump administration is doing is looking at all departments to make sure our money is being spent wisely.
JoAnne Georgi, Eleele
mAhalo Nolan Ahn! i pray every day that THIS TOO shall come to pass. In the meantime there are idiots wanting to push big bigger biggest red buttons on their desk!