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                                                (( I really wanted to call 
But the main reason I                           this BOTTOM_LESS but I   
started in on this issue                        should probably restrain my   
is that I wanted try        LESS                sense of "humor" on issues    
this approach:                                  like this... ))               
               
   Can I go at this bottoms-up?                   
                                                  
      Pick possible "principles" you might apply. 
      Look at the courses of action they generate.
      How do you feel about them?                 
                                                  
   The goal here is to                            
   select principles                              
   with implications              BEAUTIFUL_GOODS
   that seem right...                             


So what principles have you got?  
I'll take anything at this point.        Time to wail
                                         away a bit.      (stain borming?)
                                         Edit later. 
               
The libertarian take would be to defend
people who don't want to be taxed to
(attempt) to solve the problem...

   Libertarians -- in theory -- should also                                
   defend the rights of the "mentally ill" to 
   refuse treatment if they so desire.                                     
                                                                           
      But libertarian doctrine would also have                             
      us reduce the extent of public space to nil:                         
                                                                           
             No bums in the park, because                                  
             there would be no parks.                                      
                                                                           
             No homeless on the street, because                            
             the private security force would           I don't know about 
             tolerate them no more than they            you, but for me,   
             do in shopping malls today.                these are absurdly 
                                                        maximal reductions.
                                                                           
                                                         
                                                         
                                                         
The "progressive" take would be to                       
demand more tax money for a new or                       
existing government program to do                        
something or other.                                      
                                                         
   The need to save human lives would                    
   be taken as good and sufficient                       
   reason for a (yet another) minor       This would sound great, 
   burdening of the taxpayers.            given any confidence that 
                                          the additional money spent
                                          would actually make a dent 
                                          in the problem.


The implication of conservative
principles would be difficult to
come up with, because they don't
seem to have any.



What hypothetical principles  
might you apply?


The problem largely has to be solved 
by the people themselves.  It can not 
be solved for them.  

Still it may be possible to encourage
them to find solutions.       
                              
And it may be possible to enable the            Job search assistance:
ones who want off the streets to get              Mail drop,            
off.                                              Phone message service,  
                                                  Laundry service.
                                                
                                                A proggy favorite: 
                                                  Drug treatment programs.
                                                  Counseling.



The problem is intractible, all you can 
do is ameliorate it. 

   Public restrooms.

   Public showers. 
                                          
   Free Microsoft                     (Sorry.  More "humor".      
   T-shirts.                           I've often thought it would
                                       be interesting to score a  
Seriously: giveaway programs           box of Microsoft T-shirts      
of tents and sleeping bags             and distribute them to the    
might immediately save lives           homeless.)                 
in many locales.                                 
                 
                 

The "for their own good" philosphy. 
                                    
   E.g. arrest vagrants, 
   forcibly undergo 6 month detox, 
   then a 6 month half-way house. 
                 
      If you can't turn up work in that 
      time, the government puts you to work.

         (Chain-gang?)
                


I've heard contradictory things about the 
existing homeless shelters.  One is that 
"they're full", and there's no room for 
additional people.  Another is that they're 
on the street because they don't *want* to 
be in the shelters, because of the rules 
they impose are too onerous. 
                 
    Rousted at 6am.
    No alcohol.  
                 
       Approach: 
       Make the shelter's more attractive.

          Free booze?  
                       
             Drink yourself to death,            
             if you want, as long as           Not exactly a 
             you do it decently out            pretty solution, 
             of sight.                         though, eh?

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