Should Vets ever be jobless or homeless? The answer to that question begins with a higher order question: Should any American be jobless, homeless, or impoverished?
By the will of the people and a responsive Congress and President, poverty should be outlawed in America. While Lyndon Johnson declared "war on poverty," ending poverty never became a Congressional imperative.
Having a large segment of Americans living in poverty is costly to economic development. Needed are sufficient job opportunities and essential upward mobility that is supported by assistance for those seeking personal and professional development.
Dedication to economic development requires a public and private partnership to optimize return on national resources whereby government policies, laws, and regulations create a healthy environment for business and industry, and commercial enterprise engages responsibly. As Bill Gates has said often, private enterprise will not embrace social responsibilities without a clear balance of consequences that provides incentives and penalizes deficient behavior.
The story is that veterans are often a large subset of impoverished people in America. That should not happen because Congress should be funding a transition program that prepares exiting soldiers for entry into the workforce with a high degree of certainty. Furthermore, a grateful nation should afford appropriate benefits to make the transformation from soldier to citizen easier. Veterans should never be without a home or assistance whenever they need it. It is a matter of national commitment and a moral responsibility.
What do candidates for president say about ending poverty in America and about assuring veterans that they are never left to impoverishment?
"The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) states that the nation's homeless veterans are predominantly male, with roughly 9% being female. The majority are single; live in urban areas; and suffer from mental illness, alcohol and/or substance abuse, or co-occurring disorders."
http://nchv.org/index.php/news/media/background_and_statistics/
Image: Truth and Action
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