Homeless on the streets of USA

The top photo l took about 20 years ago in SOHO, NYC and included in my book "Below 14th Street" as a way of showing, in the biggest, liberal city, even in it's hip-chic areas, people were in desperation, living on handouts, and on the street; the bottom photo l lifted from the south Florida newspaper SunSentinel, today, under the headline (front page) "S. Florida struggles with the homeless.... the bad economy continues to push more and more people into the streets." And, of course, this is the situation throughout our country, then, and especially now. Have you heard any politicians talk about, much less offer solutions. (See debates on extension of unemployment payments, reductions in Medicaid, etc. how much the rich should have to pay to help cover the needs of the poor, sick, homeless...maybe an extra 3 or 4% of their earnings over $250, 000/yr.) l have to say l'm becoming more and more ashamed of this country's...my country's... growing heartlessness. l don't even want to get started on the tragedy in Tuscon. l am sticking here closer to this blogs' original raison d'etre. after all, where do you tend to find the most graffiti, but in the most distressed, most under cared for urban neighborhoods, places you'd likely see the homeless. (see street scene below)