Guys... you do realize that people living in "poverty" in the US have a higher standard of living than most working class adults in major metropolitan areas of Western Europe (Paris, Berlin, etc), right?

Moreover, the vast majority of the our homeless population are either mentally ill or have chosen that lifestyle (an issue that needs to be addressed, but that money has not been able to remedy).


We live in a transglobal world where ignorance is no longer a viable excuse. When you see what happens to people in the world because of natural disasters, wars, genocides and neglect, something has to be done. We are the major hegemonic power in the world today, regardless of current economic issues. Like NawzDawg said, we've reaped the benefits of imperialism over the Third World for a long time... we have a duty to extend a helping hand.

Let me ask you something: say your neighbor was dying in his house after a tornado or something... would the fact that your kid had a cold be justification for choosing to let your neighbor die... especially when you were the strongest person on the block, and you could have saved him?

We had a duty. This has nothing to do with domestic politics.. this is an international relations theory/policy issue.