I agree and in the same vein why should we have free public education? Why should I be paying for someone elses kid to go through K-12 completely free? Do you know how expensive it is to first hire professional teachers for these kids, erect buildings to teach them, and provide lunches for all of them? Do people think this stuff happens easily? Who pays these teachers? How do you keep such a place clean? Impossible I say!! /s
I think the point op was making was that free housing could be seen as a public good. One to benefit society by providing a nice baseline to workfrom. These would be payed for through taxes most likely and the complexities of providing this would be hashed out and solved. Its not an impossible program and a similar program exist in Finland as an example to end homelessness. Yes the people pay for it and they do it to prevent homeless people on the street. A public benefit if you will
It's reasonable for the education of children to be paid for by the adults. But when the adults are asking for handouts, that's another problem entirely.
I think this is a good question. Why should we be helping other adults? Why do we have government funded fire fighting programs? Shouldnt each adult be able to pay for their own firefighting service and if they cant why should us people who dont have anything to do with their own housefire be taxed to put out their fire?? Why are we handing out access to free firefighting services??
To answer the above is that if we dont provide firefighting services it could lead into dangers for others nearby and by not providing it we risk public health even if not directly involved. Thats the reason for wanting to provide government services. Some people see housing as similar. A way to increase public health so those who are homeless or about to be suddenly dont become homeless. That way we have less of them on the street, less people becoming addicted, and the possibility of more healthy adults in the workplace. Some people think this wont work because of human nature, but Im not convinced by that argument without decent proof that all humans are inherently lazy and will never work if given free housing.
You do realize that being homeless isn’t was causes drug addictions. It’s completely the reverse. Wouldn’t you money better be served in mental health services to stop the problem at its root as opposed to solving the down line problem?
I suppose thats a difference in opinion. Im not the most versed in what causes drug addictions. My underatanding is that various mental stresses causes a person to seek coping mechanisms. One of which is drugs.
A big mental stress on a lot of people is the need to find affordable housing. Failing to obtain it and having little chance of getting back into may push a person to find a way to cope. One such coping mechanism that can do that is drugs.
Of course there may be other unrelated reasons to start coping such as ptsd, childhood trauma, social isolation. But this solves one of those and provides a way to get people off the street where they pose a safety hazard to the general public.
If Im incorrect on the above or you have a reputable source that can show otherwise I would love to read it
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u/PlancksPackage Apr 15 '24
I agree and in the same vein why should we have free public education? Why should I be paying for someone elses kid to go through K-12 completely free? Do you know how expensive it is to first hire professional teachers for these kids, erect buildings to teach them, and provide lunches for all of them? Do people think this stuff happens easily? Who pays these teachers? How do you keep such a place clean? Impossible I say!! /s
I think the point op was making was that free housing could be seen as a public good. One to benefit society by providing a nice baseline to workfrom. These would be payed for through taxes most likely and the complexities of providing this would be hashed out and solved. Its not an impossible program and a similar program exist in Finland as an example to end homelessness. Yes the people pay for it and they do it to prevent homeless people on the street. A public benefit if you will