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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Elroy who wrote (315837)	12/15/2006 2:35:14 PM
From: Road Walker	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1591412

More Americans hungry, homeless in 2006: mayors By Lisa Lambert Thu Dec 14, 5:03 PM ET More Americans went homeless and hungry in 2006 than the year before and children made up almost a quarter of those in emergency shelters, said a report released on Thursday by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. "The face of hunger and homelessness right now ... is young children, young families," said the conference's president, Douglas Palmer, the mayor of Trenton, New Jersey. The survey of 23 cities found civic and government groups received, on average, 7 percent more requests for food aid in 2006 than in 2005, following a 12 percent jump in 2005. Requests for shelter rose by an average of 9 percent in 2006, with requests from families with children rising by 5 percent. More than half the cities said family members often had to split up to stay in different shelters. As the numbers who could not buy their own food grew, more than half the cities, including Los Angeles and Boston, said groups spread resources farther by giving less food to individuals or cutting the number of times people could receive help. The group estimated 23 percent of requests for emergency food assistance simply went unmet. Franklin Cownie, the mayor of Des Moines, Iowa, who worked on the study, said he was troubled that more than a third of the adults asking for food aid were employed. "If you look at the data, you'll find folks that have jobs that don't have enough money to feed themselves," he told reporters. People remained homeless for an average of eight months in 2006, the report said. Trenton had the longest span, with those in poverty spending an average of 22 months in cars and shelters or on the street. The survey relied on census statistics along with data that city officials collected from local agencies. Calling the report "not so much science as perception," the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, which includes state and federal agencies, said in a statement nearly 30 cities were reporting reduced homelessness due to a federal program run in partnership with the Conference of Mayors. It said the Bush administration was also working to help connect homeless people to government agencies and private aid groups. In the mayors' report, Cleveland was one of the cities that saw demand for food assistance drop in 2006. Officials said it was still much higher than in 2000, before the city experienced an economic downturn. From 2000 to 2005, the number of people using food stamps, or federal subsidies to cover groceries, increased there by 29 percent. Food stamps and other public nutrition programs account for 60 percent of the U.S. Agriculture Department's spending. The USDA said almost 11.2 million U.S. households received food stamps in 2005. Congress is expected to consider changes to the food stamp program as part of broad-ranging agriculture legislation in 2007. (Additional reporting by Charles Abbott)

To: Elroy who wrote (315837)	12/15/2006 2:54:34 PM
From: Road Walker	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 1591412

re: Agreed, but your solution kills jobs and probably causes more economic damage than the alleged improvements you theorize but have little real world support for. Bull... we've survived quite well with much lower immigration. re: You never answered the question on what % wages would need to increase to attract Americans to the jobs held by illegals. That's because it's a stupid question. Every job is different. re: And your example is a meat packing plant? Let me guess, the operating margins on that business are maybe 4%? Increase their labor expenses, and voila, no more plant. Next thing you know we've got America importing packed meat from Mexico, thanks John... You obviously know nothing about the business. First, Swift and Co is big business, not small business as you claimed. Second, less than 10% of their employees were illegals, hardly enough to put them out of business, but a significant number of jobs for real Americans. You don't like real Americans, do you? re: If your source of the idea that corporations are reporting record profits is the S&P 500, and there are few illegals in S&P 500 companies, doesn't lots of your thesis go out the window. How do you know there are few illegals is S&P 500 companies? If S&P companies are reporting record profits then it's likely smaller companies are earning record profits. re: I don't think meat packing plants are reporting record profits (but what do I know). Not much but you have an impressive record of making shit up.

To: Elroy who wrote (315837)	12/19/2006 3:17:31 PM
From: tejek	Respond to of 1591412

And your example is a meat packing plant? Let me guess, the operating margins on that business are maybe 4%? Increase their labor expenses, and voila, no more plant. Next thing you know we've got America importing packed meat from Mexico, thanks John... Well that's hardly any different then the way things are set up now. Illegals crowed 5-10 in a one bedroom apt. After two years, do you have any idea the wear and tear on that apt? Landlords let their buildings run down causing problems for landlords who don't rent to illegals and putting considerable pressue on a city's infrastructure....police, fire, sewers, roads. In addition, most illegals have family members back in Mexico......they send anywhere from 60-80% of their paychecks back to Mexico. That money benefits Mexico, not this country. In fact, Mexico depends on that money to balance its budget. Thirdly, if there is a medical emergency or an accident who do you think pays? Illegals have neither health insurance nor car insurance.....that usually means that hospitals and insurance companies end up picking up the tab which, in turn, is passed on to us, the consumer. There are no free rides.......someone has to pay for the below market salaries that illegals get; in most cases, that's the average American consumer. Meanwhile corporations clean up. Still think its such a great deal?