One take on this discussion
In my opinion, opening a cold shelter is a legitimate government function. While I understand that others may disagree, I feel that such an activity serves a legitimate public purpose. And, in our current tax and economic enviroment, it will probably save tax dollars in the long run. For instance, if the homeless need medical attention after a cold night, Medicaid will have to pay for it and that will more expensive than the minimal costs of a cold shelter.
However, Robert's question is a good one and one we have discussed before. Are we just band-aiding a problem that can be attacked a different way. I think we all agree that homelessness is not acceptable in a society as rich and comfortable as ours.
It my estimation, homlessness is a sympton of other governmental and societal failures. Let me try to list them; lack of adequately funded and supported community mental health services; lack of adequately funded and supported juvenile justice programs that focus on counseling, job skills, life skills, rather than focusing on punishment; a corrections system that merely houses inmates and makes no effort to educate, job train or prepare inmates for life outslde of prison; veteran's programs that are severely underfunded especially on the mental health side; a medical delivery system that sacrifices quality care and preventive care to focus on a corporate botton line; and don't get me started on an education system that spends way too much effort responding to standardized tests versus actually learning skills to succeed in college and the work place.
Maybe we need to sit down, without rancor or agendas, and honestly sat ask ourselves as a county, state and country; what are our priorities? Should our priorities focus on helping families make the most out of their opportunities? How do we do that? What is the governments role in that task, if any?
It is my opnion that our government does have a role and it should start with with a little more focus on family micro economics and not make all decisions on macro economics. That is, every government decision should start with the question, how is this going to help the American family procure opportunities to improve their lives?
Just my thoughts....