[Ludi]

It's so sad these people have no friends or family!

[vision-master]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', 'I')t's so sad these people have no friends or family!

[Concerned]

Perhaps some South Africans living in shanty towns can score some consulting gigs?

Welcome a new class of Americans.

Don't worry I am sure when the USD capitulates some sweat shop will pop up where this guy can work 16 hours a day with no benefits, well except for an early grave.

[Byron100]

If these people were smart, they'd band together and squat in some of the 1000's of vacant, foreclosed homes that have spread throughout Florida. Sure, they may be kicked out of these homes from time to time, but it'd not be hard to find others to move into...LOL.

Another idea for these folks is to become professional shoplifters - if you're stealthy enough (not to mention not getting caught!), it'd not be too difficult to score a couple hundred dollars of stuff a day. Easy work, no taxes to pay, and fun besides.

And there's always the drug trade - lots of moola to be made there...hehe. And if you do get caught, then it's time to milk the "system" for everything it's worth - job training while in jail, free schooling on the government's dime, job placement assistance, the works.

Sitting around playing Monopoly is the last thing these folks need to be doing - they need to out there making life difficult for everyone else, at the very least. That's what I'd be doing if I was in that situation...LOL.

[jdmartin]

Actually I'm surprised that some enterprising homeless/poor haven't put together roving bands of shoplifters. Take ten people into a store, everyone grabs something and makes a mad dash for the door, surely lots of items are going to make it out. Or two people stage a fistfight/screaming fight diversion while others grab goods and head for the exits. No good way to police everything...

[RedStateGreen]

Over 2900 comments so far.

[Byron100]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('jdmartin', 'A')ctually I'm surprised that some enterprising homeless/poor haven't put together roving bands of shoplifters. Take ten people into a store, everyone grabs something and makes a mad dash for the door, surely lots of items are going to make it out. Or two people stage a fistfight/screaming fight diversion while others grab goods and head for the exits. No good way to police everything...

[Fishman]

"they need to out there making life difficult for everyone else, at the very least." Now would this be considered early zombie training?

[vision-master]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Fishman', '&')quot;they need to out there making life difficult for everyone else, at the very least." Now would this be considered early zombie training?

[Sixstrings]

http://www.stoptentcity.com/

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')he Diocese of St. Petersburg is proposing a homeless tent city (250 tents and sheds/shacks) at 6410 E Hillsborough Ave, Tampa, FL 33610.

It is interesting to note that their analysis of the surrounding area fails to mention all of the neighborhoods, retail, and schools in our community. What about the fact that the Hard Rock Casino, an international tourist attraction, is less than half a mile away!?! Apparently we have become expendable. Let’s show them that we matter and that we will fight their efforts to destroy the quality of life in our community!

[Prince]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Sixstrings', 'N')ow, I'll be the first to admit that no, I wouldn't want to live next to Tent City either. But at some point.. don't our communities have to stop to face the music? To help pick up the fallen amongst us?

How is it that a neighborhood that has room for a prison and a casino can't also house the homeless?

Whether folks like it or not, if they don't want a freakin tent city in their town, they may just have to cough up some cash to do something about this new problem of "economic homelessness."

[strider3700]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Byron100', '
')
That reminds me of a dream I had once, when I was watching a news clip (sometime in the future) of a massive looting riot in which something like a thousand people flooded into a big-box store and cleaned it out, the sheer numbers of people totally overwhelming the store personnel.

Now, that'd be something to see in real life, huh?

[Tyler_JC]

It's what we do.

[Sixstrings]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'O')n one hand I do understand what you are saying. This is a growing problem with no (cheap) viable solution. However, to play the heartless devil's advocate, you mention picking up the fallen amongst us. How much more can we give as a society? Many of us who have jobs are worried about losing them.

[Sixstrings]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'M')oving to your next point, it is unreasonable to compare a private casino to a homeless shelter. One is funded by private investment or loans, the other strictly by the taxpayer. If I choose not to support the casino, I won't go. It's not so easy when your wages are garnished to fund a group of homeless halfwits.

[Prince]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Sixstrings', 'A')s for the taxation issue, I agree the middle class is already strapped. But if you're in the upper brackets, I humbly submit that you could afford to pay more. And really, it's money well spent.. even if you're rich, wouldn't you like to enjoy your downtown without seeing the poor languishing all over the place?

[Grautr]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Prince', '
')On one hand I do understand what you are saying. This is a growing problem with no (cheap) viable solution. However, to play the heartless devil's advocate, you mention picking up the fallen amongst us. How much more can we give as a society? Many of us who have jobs are worried about losing them. We are being taxed and nickeled and dimed to oblivion. My wife and I personally have about half of our income go to taxes, where roughly half of that goes to fund this socialist agenda. I understand people are facing tough times, but there should be alternatives for them. I've been on the ground before during the last recession and I survived through the help of friends and family and a lot of cheap living. For those of us who are working and are stretched thin, when is enough, enough?

[ForlornHope]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Tyler_JC', '[')img]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CsNAB1sCKNg/SQ3LwBegPrI/AAAAAAAAER4/yr97cYPkBLk/s400/Jobless+Men.jpg[/img]

It's what we do.

[oldchuck]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Byron100', 'I')f these people were smart, they'd band together and squat in some of the 1000's of vacant, foreclosed homes that have spread throughout Florida. Sure, they may be kicked out of these homes from time to time, but it'd not be hard to find others to move into...LOL.

[oldchuck]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Prince', '
')
As someone who is one of those evil "rich" people that you hate, I again ask when is enough, enough? Also, what constitutes "rich"? My wife and I have a very steady income, but we aren't "rich". We are in a rather expensive city where taxes and socialistic, blame-the-rich attitudes are very commonplace. You realize that the top 10% of wage earners foot nearly 75% of the bill, whereas the bottom 50% pay a mere 3%, and yet we need to pay more, right?