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that isn't achievable or sustainable in the US at a national level. The entire country Norway has a smaller population than the largest county in the US. Maybe

that isn't achievable or sustainable in the US at a national level. The entire country Norway has a smaller population than the largest county in the US. Maybe the long term plan should be to give homeless people a one way ticket to Norway. (sarcasm)

Frondo 9y ago
Of course it's achievable, if you just look at the money. This is a vastly wealthy country, the money's there to provide for every social program imaginable. It's not culturally achievable because Americans buy into a just world fallacy for every social ill: all the wrongs in the U.S. are because whoever's suffering deserved it. For all the people who say capitalism is our national religion, I'd say this fallacy is one of our ten commandments, right after "screw you I got mine".
- devmunchies 9y ago
  No, the American govt is too big and inefficient. That problems like this have never been solved by countries the size of the US is not a coincidence. If power was transferred from the central govt to the states, then each state would be able to function like a small country and better manage local problems like homelessness much like Norway. Socialism nor capitalism function efficiently at this large of a scale.
  - Communitivity 9y ago
    So you have two statements: (a) Norway's approach is impossible in the US (b) Norway's approach is impossible in the US without changing how inefficient the US government is In my opinion, (a) is false, while (b) is true. Moreover, I think we can change the government over time, and we'll also have to change how we treat corporations. For example, corporations will have to be taxed much more (perhaps as much as 50% of profits).
tjalfi 9y ago
Nevada used to give homeless mental patients bus tickets to California [0][1]. [0] http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/10/nevada-settles-busing-homeless-lawsuit-san-francisco/ http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/10/nevada-settles-b... [1] http://www.sacbee.com/news/investigations/nevada-patient-busing/article2577189.html http://www.sacbee.com/news/investigations/nevada-patient-bus...

Frondo 9y ago

Of course it's achievable, if you just look at the money. This is a vastly wealthy country, the money's there to provide for every social program imaginable. It's not culturally achievable because Americans buy into a just world fallacy for every social ill: all the wrongs in the U.S. are because whoever's suffering deserved it. For all the people who say capitalism is our national religion, I'd say this fallacy is one of our ten commandments, right after "screw you I got mine".

devmunchies 9y ago
No, the American govt is too big and inefficient. That problems like this have never been solved by countries the size of the US is not a coincidence. If power was transferred from the central govt to the states, then each state would be able to function like a small country and better manage local problems like homelessness much like Norway. Socialism nor capitalism function efficiently at this large of a scale.
- Communitivity 9y ago
  So you have two statements: (a) Norway's approach is impossible in the US (b) Norway's approach is impossible in the US without changing how inefficient the US government is In my opinion, (a) is false, while (b) is true. Moreover, I think we can change the government over time, and we'll also have to change how we treat corporations. For example, corporations will have to be taxed much more (perhaps as much as 50% of profits).

tjalfi 9y ago

Nevada used to give homeless mental patients bus tickets to California [0][1]. [0] http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/10/nevada-settles-busing-homeless-lawsuit-san-francisco/ http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/10/nevada-settles-b... [1] http://www.sacbee.com/news/investigations/nevada-patient-busing/article2577189.html http://www.sacbee.com/news/investigations/nevada-patient-bus...