I never really lived in the east - I figure Virginia and Pennsylvania are like Middle Atlantic and above the fall line. I have only ever visited New Jersey and Delaware briefly, spent time eating seafood on the dock in Annapolis (lovely place), and camped at Shenandoah National Park to go into D.C. itself in the summer. I do have the dubious distinction of having slept on the same floor of the Park Central that John Hinckley did. That was a nice hotel, had rooms at the government per diem rate and had a Blackie's Jr. steakhouse in it where a steak dinner and your first beer for free was, in like 1978 or so, only $8.99. But, never having actually lived there, I cannot really imagine how this winter storm is affecting the East Coast.
When I think about that it helps me realize how totally differently people in the major cities live and feel. Living in Evanston was not really the same as living in Chicago by any means. I am sure you spent enough time in DC to understand a bit more about life in the city. This weather is just devastating to many people, I am sure.
The other thing that I come to realize as I contemplate the homeless and the jobless in the cities: here in Iowa, there is more than likely a place to find a roof and a bed on any given day, and there really are jobs available, not glamorous, barely enough money to buy smokes and clothing and a little food, but they are here so 6 months of unemployment payments is probably about right. But in the eastern cities, it's a real challenge to we the people. There is not enough in the "insurance fund", if there ever was, to pay extra unemployment benefits, but if we cannot help these people we are killing them as surely as if we poisoned them, drowned them, or threw them out the 14th floor window of their unheated walkup and likely condemned apartment. Now, we of the "middle class", whatever that is, have always felt taxed to death, although other countries certainly tax at higher rates. Local economy (supply, demand, worth, propensity, all that stuff) adjusts, kinda like in a family 2 people adjust to living with that 3rd little person even though there is really no more money. National economy cannot, from a logical perspective, "adjust", because the nation, as a whole, presents multiple niches that need to be adjusted.
Peg and I are really only a coupla checks away from who knows what. I suspect more people are than ever want to admit it. But "hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way," as Roger Waters said.
The Bottom Line -
You are right to support your local homeless shelter. Anyone is. Far better to spend the money locally than to expect that by running it through the government bureaucracy, federal, state or local, it would be better spent. You get more there and you can see where you think it is most needed. What can, though, "we the people" strive for on a national level, what should we be encouraging our representatives and senators to do, should we make recommendations and comments to President Obama? They really do all see to it that everything they get is read. My congressman and senators always respond to me - they probably think of me as that eccentric old fat bald guy in Clive who complains about too many different things but occasionally stumbles across a good point. At least I hope that is the worst they think of me.
How can we do a Feed the Children or a World Vision or whatever IN the U.S. itself?
Should we?
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