Lets talk about how the United States spends our money

[TylerJ76]

This has something that has bothered me for a long time.

I kind of understand why, but it still puzzles me how we can spend billions(trillions?) on a war that is not ours, yet we have:

Such high levels of homelessness
High levels of drug & alcohol abuse
Horrible mental health
Horrible obesity rates

Why are we not pumping that money into helping our own people?

The more health people the United States has, the better of we are as a whole.

 

[ihhawk]

This has something that has bothered me for a long time.

I kind of understand why, but it still puzzles me how we can spend billions(trillions?) on a war that is not ours, yet we have:

Such high levels of homelessness
High levels of drug & alcohol abuse
Horrible mental health
Horrible obesity rates

Why are we not pumping that money into helping our own people?

The more health people the United States has, the better of we are as a whole.

I would say that #3 needs the funding and it should help with items 1 and 2. Throwing money at homelessness without treating the addiction issue is a waste of time.

The govt shouldn’t spend a dime on obesity. That is personal choice.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

This has something that has bothered me for a long time.

I kind of understand why, but it still puzzles me how we can spend billions(trillions?) on a war that is not ours, yet we have:

Such high levels of homelessness
High levels of drug & alcohol abuse
Horrible mental health
Horrible obesity rates

Why are we not pumping that money into helping our own people?

The more health people the United States has, the better of we are as a whole.

We are too distracted by CRT and grooming and public school library books to deal with trivial matters like health care.

 

[ihhawk]

We already have the infrastructure in place in a ton of areas to help with the issue. Old shopping malls. Divert the money being spent on homelessness and start treating them at these facilities.

 

[sober_teacher]

I would say that #3 needs the funding and it should help with items 1 and 2. Throwing money at homelessness without treating the addiction issue is a waste of time.

The govt shouldn’t spend a dime on obesity. That is personal choice.

We already have the infrastructure in place in a ton of areas to help with the issue. Old shopping malls. Divert the money being spent on homelessness and start treating them at these facilities.

There’s been promising programs about how building low-income housing and/or shelters for homeless people can be very effective for the many who simply need a chance to get their feet back under them.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

I spent a Sunday a few weeks ago driving around handing out meals to homeless folks. Unfortunately, I’m not optimistic that many of the hardcore homeless would ever choose to live in any facility or treatment center.

 

[B1GDeal]

I would say that #3 needs the funding and it should help with items 1 and 2. Throwing money at homelessness without treating the addiction issue is a waste of time.

The govt shouldn’t spend a dime on obesity. That is personal choice.

Think I'm with you on this one, but there should be some incentive to keep in some level of shape and the gov't could help some by limiting the use of high-fructose corn syrup and sugars in just about everything we eat in the US.

 

[joelbc1]

We already have the infrastructure in place in a ton of areas to help with the issue. Old shopping malls. Divert the money being spent on homelessness and start treating them at these facilities.

Perhaps....now it needs to be financed! In most cases, the individual state is responsible for that. Case study Iowa and it’s mental health gymnastics over the past decade. Lots of talk....little action. So far what Kim has decided is that counties that adequately supported public mental health via taxes have had their funds taken from the county and placed into a general fund for the entire state...Kim claims great victory...those in the industry are left shaking their heads. At best, mental health in Iowa has maintained past levels. Mental health is expensive.

 

[ihhawk]

Perhaps....now it needs to be financed! In most cases, the individual state is responsible for that. Case study Iowa and it’s mental health gymnastics over the past decade. Lots of talk....little action. So far what Kim has decided is that counties that adequately supported public mental health via taxes have had their funds taken from the county and placed into a general fund for the entire state...Kim claims great victory...those in the industry are left shaking their heads. At best, mental health in Iowa has maintained past levels. Mental health is expensive.

With all of the programs for the poor and homeless, they can move money around to make it happen.

 

[TylerJ76]

I spent a Sunday a few weeks ago driving around handing out meals to homeless folks. Unfortunately, I’m not optimistic that many of the hardcore homeless would ever choose to live in any facility or treatment center.

There will always be homeless, sure.

I would much rather pump trillions into helping lower class people, than wars we are not involved in.

Maybe I am wrong....

 

[ihhawk]

There’s been promising programs about how building low-income housing and/or shelters for homeless people can be very effective for the many who simply need a chance to get their feet back under them.

Most of them however are simply drug addicts that need treatment and then introduced back to their families. Michael Schellenberger has some great points about this topic. If you put the homeless in housing they are still just addicts shooting up:

 

[ihhawk]

I spent a Sunday a few weeks ago driving around handing out meals to homeless folks. Unfortunately, I’m not optimistic that many of the hardcore homeless would ever choose to live in any facility or treatment center.

It will have to be forced treatment unfortunately.

 

[nolesincebirth]

Ron Paul attempted to have these conversations 15 years ago and was called crazy…

 

[sober_teacher]

Most of them however are simply drug addicts that need treatment and then introduced back to their families. Michael Schellenberger has some great points about this topic. If you put the homeless in housing they are still just addicts shooting up:

The low income/shelter concept is not meant to be a permanent solution. I’m sure the number of them that are drug addicts is higher than I think sadly, I’m just saying that i also think that many homeless people are ones who have hit rock bottom for one reason or another and need a chance to rebuild their lives. It’s hard to do that from a tent on the street.

 

[TylerJ76]

The low income/shelter concept is not meant to be a permanent solution. I’m sure the number of them that are drug addicts is higher than I think sadly, I’m just saying that i also think that many homeless people are ones who have hit rock bottom for one reason or another and need a chance to rebuild their lives. It’s hard to do that from a tent on the street.

Exactly.
Many of these people don't have a chance.

We have no problem spending trillions on wars, when we are not even helping our own people.

 

[joelbc1]

With all of the programs for the poor and homeless, they can move money around to make it happen.

Those programs have been turned over (mandated) to the individual states in many cases. The Feds turned over the responsibilities but not necessarily the monies. This is what has happened in Iowa so many times. This is the DNR’s complaint, too. Anything to do with “human services” and the environment is getting short sheeted by this Governor and this legislature. And then, this Governor fights to continue the state’s “privatization” of MedicAid, which is costing Iowa taxpayers more in Administrative fees and reducing services to Iowans who require the services.

 

[IA_HAWKI]

Dont forget the money we give to israel to subsidize their military while they provide their citizens universal healthcare

 

[millah_22]

Exactly.
Many of these people don't have a chance.

We have no problem spending trillions on wars, when we are not even helping our own people.

It's really unfortunate that war profiteers line the pockets of politicians much better than the homeless do.

 

[onlyTheObvious]

Obesity should be taxed.

1% national sales tax on everything. Once a year everybody has opportunity to go to doctor and prove they are in their target weight range. Those that are get a winner’s share of that 1 percent tax.

it would work for lots of people.

homeless doesn’t seem to have a solution. Making it more comfortable only seems in increase the problem.

 

[seminole97]

Ron Paul attempted to have these conversations 15 years ago and was called crazy…

I remember when at a debate he was asked how he would get us out of Afghanistan.

“Just leave.”

Everyone acted aghast, and yet that’s exactly what we did…

 

[IA_HAWKI]

Obesity should be taxed.

1% national sales tax on everything. Once a year everybody has opportunity to go to doctor and prove they are in their target weight range. Those that are get a winner’s share of that 1 percent tax.

sounds a lot like dietbet, but the winners typically get $10 more of the entry fee . Id imagine the cost to track and administer would eat up a lot of the “pot”.

In your scenario, would you also when if those out of range have improved thier stats each year until they hit their range?

 

[millah_22]

Obesity should be taxed.

1% national sales tax on everything. Once a year everybody has opportunity to go to doctor and prove they are in their target weight range. Those that are get a winner’s share of that 1 percent tax.

it would work for lots of people.

homeless doesn’t seem to have a solution. Making it more comfortable only seems in increase the problem.

In a better world, a way would be to set up a system where people could have access to wellness checks and receive incentives to stay healthy instead of penalties.

 

[ihhawk]

Obesity is way too much of a hot button issue for any politician to take a stand on. They would be crucified by the media.
One of the heaviest people are black females. You think the MSM would just sit back and have a white political figure tell black women to lose weight

 

[gohawks50]

It will have to be forced treatment unfortunately.

I'm not sure forced treatment of addiction is effective in the long run.

 

[joelbc1]

Obesity is way too much of a hot button issue for any politician to take a stand on. They would be crucified by the media.
One of the heaviest people are black females. You think the MSM would just sit back and have a white political figure tell black women to lose weight

Have you been to the Iowa State Fair recently? Lots of fat-assed white folks, too.!
FAT comes in all colors….

 

[ihhawk]

Have you been to the Iowa State Fair recently? Lots of fat-assed white folks, too.!
FAT comes in all colors….

It sure does….but the politics is different

 

[ihhawk]

I'm not sure forced treatment of addiction is effective in the long run.

It’s a better solution than pure voluntary or worse just providing drugs to users.
Watch the pod cast that Michael Schellenger is on with Rogen.

 

[NCHawk5]

I’ve always been supportive of the homeless. As a young man, I employed them to buy me liquor. As I grew older, I consistently give them cigarettes.

 

[Dr. Spaceman]

Obesity is way too much of a hot button issue for any politician to take a stand on. They would be crucified by the media.
One of the heaviest people are black females. You think the MSM would just sit back and have a white political figure tell black women to lose weight

Can I see the stats on this? Or is just your "educated" guess?

 

[BioHawk]

This has something that has bothered me for a long time.

I kind of understand why, but it still puzzles me how we can spend billions(trillions?) on a war that is not ours, yet we have:

Such high levels of homelessness
High levels of drug & alcohol abuse
Horrible mental health
Horrible obesity rates

Why are we not pumping that money into helping our own people?

The more health people the United States has, the better of we are as a whole.

Well, $750 billion per year on a military doesn't fund itself.

 

[markfromj]

“How the US spends OUR money”….needs to read “How WE spend our money”.

 

[ihhawk]

Can I see the stats on this? Or is just your "educated" guess?

obesity by race and gender - Google Search

www.google.com

It’s easy to research

In the United States, Black women are much more likely to be obese than the general population [1]. For example, in the 2009–2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, obesity prevalence was 26 percentage points (ppts) higher in Black women than in White women (58.5% Black vs. 32.2% White

 

[TylerJ76]

Can I see the stats on this? Or is just your "educated" guess?

https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-statistics/overweight-obesity

 

[Tom Paris]

This has something that has bothered me for a long time.

I kind of understand why, but it still puzzles me how we can spend billions(trillions?) on a war that is not ours, yet we have:

Such high levels of homelessness
High levels of drug & alcohol abuse
Horrible mental health
Horrible obesity rates

Why are we not pumping that money into helping our own people?

The more health people the United States has, the better of we are as a whole.

It's a freaking joke and has bothered me since Reagan was president. We waste so many of our tax dollars elsewhere but can't "afford" socialized healthcare for all. We shouldn't have homeless in the wealthiest country in the world...but God forbid we tax wealth gains on billionaires who could end some of these problems on their own...if they gave a damn.

We spend billions of our money overseas for a variety of crap.

 

[ihhawk]

Looks like the newer data is worse


Age-adjusted percentage of persons 20 years of age and over who were overweight or obese, 2013-2016. (Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or greater)
Non-Hispanic Black Non-Hispanic White Non-Hispanic Black / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
Men 70.6 75.3 0.9
Women 80.6 64.8 1.2
Total 76.1 69.8 1.1

 

[TylerJ76]

Can I see the stats on this? Or is just your "educated" guess?

Each one of these factors has the potential to directly or indirectly influence an individual’s chance to live a longer and healthier life. In addition, if one combines those circumstances with disparities in access to affordable and healthy food or safe places to be physically active, the picture of obesity in the African-American community begins to take shape. Among African-American adults, nearly 48 percent are clinically obese (including 37.1 percent of men and 56.6 percent of women, compared to 32.6 percent of whites (including 32.4 percent of men and 32.8 percent of women).

https://www.apa.org/pi/oema/resources/ethnicity-health/african-american/obesity

 

[Tom Paris]

I would say that #3 needs the funding and it should help with items 1 and 2. Throwing money at homelessness without treating the addiction issue is a waste of time.

The govt shouldn’t spend a dime on obesity. That is personal choice.

Maybe a little but the first two aren't always being linked to mental health. Especially when we're talking about homeless children. They didn't do anything but be born into this circumstance.

 

[TylerJ76]

It's a freaking joke and has bothered me since Reagan was president. We waste so many of our tax dollars elsewhere but can't "afford" socialized healthcare for all. We shouldn't have homeless in the wealthiest country in the world...but God forbid we tax wealth gains on billionaires who could end some of these problems on their own...if they gave a damn.

We spend billions of our money overseas for a variety of crap.

Think about how much better off we would be, if we focused on our own people.

Health
Economy
Wealth
Crime Rates

All would be so much better.

In 2 years, we have sent 2 billion dollars to Ukraine. I am not saying it's the wrong call, I honestly don't know if it is or isnt.

 

[Tom Paris]

We are too distracted by CRT and grooming and public school library books to deal with trivial matters like health care.

Republican leaders know EXACTLY what they're doing to their base. They are brilliant at getting their attention onto made up BS instead of how they are actually effing over their voters.

 

[Tom Paris]

Exactly.
Many of these people don't have a chance.

We have no problem spending trillions on wars, when we are not even helping our own people.

America first!!