Tent Cities Return to America!

Austin_Allegro

Rochdale_Pioneers wrote: »

Not a surprise is it? They already have a multitude living in caravans - this lot now in tents apparently aren't even rich enough to be trailer park trash.

The next time some smug merkin talks about how superior they are, point to the ocean of human detreus washed up on the shores of their cities. Americans seem to have no concept of society or of their fellow human beings - as long as they are OK then everyone else doesn't matter.

Why is it that some people on here want to emulate this in the UK?

I thought it wasn't fashionable to hate America anymore now that Barack was in power...? :rolleyes:

Rochdale_Pioneers

Austin_Allegro wrote: »

I thought it wasn't fashionable to hate America anymore now that Barack was in power...? :rolleyes:

Not hate, pity. Its a tragedy that a country with so much going for it sees fit to treat its own people so poorly.

penguine

Rochdale_Pioneers wrote: »

Not hate, pity. Its a tragedy that a country with so much going for it sees fit to treat its own people so poorly.

America has a strong streak of libertarianism, an undying conviction that we must pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps which simultaneously leads to a belief that anyone who works hard can achieve whatever they dream of, and that those who have not been economically successful are the victims of their own weaknesses and should not be rescued by society.

Sadly I think the widower in the linked article, who won't even let his own children know he's living in a tent, has internalised this view.

A widower, Jim has five adult children living locally - but he will not tell them where he is. “They don't know, and I am not going to burden them. In part it is my pride, but they are also just one pay cheque from joining me here.”

Austin_Allegro

penguine wrote: »

America has a strong streak of libertarianism, an undying conviction that we must pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps which simultaneously leads to a belief that anyone who works hard can achieve whatever they dream of, and that those who have not been economically successful are the victims of their own weaknesses and should not be rescued by society.

My view would be that Americans accept that in order to have the maximum amount of individual liberty, an individual must accept that he or she is responsible for his or her own life, not the state.

This worked alright in the pre-industrial era but obviously hit a few snags once capitalism grew, and of course like any other system it is open to exploitation; but philosophically I can see its good points.

It's all very well thinking we are 'better' in the UK because of our welfare state; but is there much difference between tent cities in the US and sink estates in the UK, the latter which are provided by the munificence of the welfare state?

ninky_2

the picture in this article looks like my recollections of the last glastonbury i attended.....

Rochdale_Pioneers

Austin_Allegro wrote: »

It's all very well thinking we are 'better' in the UK because of our welfare state; but is there much difference between tent cities in the US and sink estates in the UK, the latter which are provided by the munificence of the welfare state?

Lets offer people living in sink estates the option of giving up their houses and living in tents. I bet they would argue that there is a huge difference. Before they hit you.

ninky_2

Even the worse sink estates have toilets, running water, rubbish collection and electricity. Tent cities don't. It doesn't take long for things to get pretty nasty....

chopperharris

I have real news for the times online , they never went away.

For too long we see in films and tv programs that americans live in idillic homes , with large gardens , in the burbs.The reality is that very few actually do , the tv programs are all lies , there is no way that those characters could actually afford to live in the types of properties the show revolves round....or the medical bills should they become ill.

The majority of americans are poor as hell , sure they are taxed less than we are but take a look at anywtown america and you will see that its but a meagre step up from a third world country.

It has the population of a small country in jail at any one time , and a similar number living rough.Its workforce is the poor immigrant , illegal or legal.

Its been years since katrina , the place still looks the way it did following it...no wonder obama mania worked.I watched a documentary last night about how obama will never actually fulfill any of his promises , if it is true and it looks so so far , then america has a new slavemaster to round up these people and put them to good use to make the rich richer....its a pity that it was so consipracy based to be wholly beleivable.

If anyone wants a suprisingly good read on the worker of america , and business practices condoned and also protected by those in power then I would suggest "fast food nation"....its shocking and its not all about fast food at all.

The political system that america uses is tantamount to franchised robbery of those that voted them in to power.The politicians are ALL in some sort of business pocket , every one of them are as bent as a dogs doodah.Business should not be allowed to finance or donate to politicians.

I wonder if I can buy shares in tent companies in the uk , maybe we are next....aint capitalismt grand , I can make money off the backs of the poor if I do....its the american way.

Austin_Allegro

Rochdale_Pioneers wrote: »

Lets offer people living in sink estates the option of giving up their houses and living in tents. I bet they would argue that there is a huge difference. Before they hit you.

...assuming they could put their KFC buckets down for long enough, I am sure they would. My point is that the US, with no welfare state as such, has tent cities.

The UK, with a huge welfare state funded by billions and billions of pounds of taxpayers' money, has, after over a decade of socialist government, produced little better in the form of sink estates. Yet we insist that our system is 'better'...

ninky_2

Austin_Allegro wrote: »

...

The UK, with a huge welfare state funded by billions and billions of pounds of taxpayers' money, has, after over a decade of socialist government, produced little better in the form of sink estates. Yet we insist that our system is 'better'...

Michael Moore thinks it is. He held up the NHS as an exemplary beacon to the US in his documentary Sicko. In particular, the fact that women could give birth in hospital without paying for it or needing health insurance.

People literally get pushed out of hospitals and left to die outside there. I know Southend isn't as photogenic as Vegas but we still treat our old and poor better.