This all goes back to "arete" with me. Whether the government or private charity goes toward keeping the destitute alive, the homeless situation leaves the same economic drag either way. The false choice here is between the liberal idea of keeping a permanent underclass just barely alive, or the conservative idea of denying the legitimacy of the problem. Rather, I'd argue for a safety net that brings the destitute back to the starting line by medicating, providing the bare minimums, etc., but, in contrast with the current safety net, has an expectation of performance in return.
-- Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community <[email protected]> Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism Radical Centrism website and blog: http://RadicalCentrism.org
