Limbaugh runs with homeless-cell phone smear
SUMMARY: Discussing a photo of Michelle Obama at a homeless shelter that featured a man photographing Obama using a cell phone, Rush Limbaugh said, "[T]he homeless and the poor are showing up taking pictures of her with their cell phones." But homeless advocates have stated that cell phones are a "lifeline" for the homeless and noted the importance of having a stable phone number in trying to find jobs.
During the March 6 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh, discussing a photo of Michelle Obama's March 5 visit to a Washington, D.C., homeless shelter that featured a man photographing Obama using a cell phone, said that "the homeless and the poor are showing up taking pictures of her with their cell phones." Limbaugh later added: "What we have, ladies and gentlemen, is a giant welfare state that's in the process of being manufactured. That the Democrat [sic] Party will preside over forever. Because everybody or enough people are going to need the goodwill of Democrats in power in order to get by. Like, you're going to have to see the first lady behind the counter at McDonald's when you go in there as your poverty-stricken day drags on -- take a picture with your cell phone while you go in there and get your McNuggets or whatever's being handed out that day." However, homeless advocates have stated that cell phones are a "lifeline" for the homeless and noted the importance of having a stable phone number in trying to find jobs.
The St. Petersburg Times reported on April 9, 2007, on the "increasingly important" status of cell phones for the homeless:
Though it may seem strange to own a cell phone when you don't have a roof over your head, homeless advocates say the phones are becoming increasingly important to people living on the street.
They offer the best chance homeless people have at getting a call back from a potential employer. They are the most reliable way to stay in touch with family members who don't live in the area.
"There is a misperception that homeless people are lazy, unemployed people who don't work," said Lesa Weikel, a spokeswoman for the Homeless Coalition of Hillsborough County. "A high percentage of homeless people do actually work. It may be that they can't afford a home or a place to live, but they do get enough money to pay for a cell phone."
Last month, when a homeless man was hit and killed by a driver who didn't stop on Nebraska Avenue, his friend told police detectives to check the man's cell phone for a number to call his mother about the accident.
"It's absolutely become a lifeline," said Cory Crocker, who along with his wife, Tracey, provides services to the homeless through Covenant House Ministries in Sulphur Springs. "Some folks are only homeless for a very brief period of time, and that lifeline is hope."
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram and the Maryland Newsline have also reported on the importance of cell phones to the homeless.
As Salon.com's War Room blog noted, Los Angeles Times blogger Andrew Malcolm reported on the photo in a March 6 blog post, writing: It doesn't detract from the first lady's generous gesture or the real needs she seeks to highlight to ask two bothersome journalistic questions about these news photos: If this unidentified meal recipient is too poor to buy his own food, how does he afford a cellphone? And if he is homeless, where do they send the cellphone bills?" Conservative blogger Michelle Malkin and NRO's Kathryn Jean Lopez subsequently linked to Malcolm's post and commented on the photo. Malkin wrote of the photo: "[H]ere is one of the homeless cell phone owners snapping a pic of First Lady Michelle Obama -- ruining what was supposed to be a sob story photo op of the compassionate Mrs. O catering to the downtrodden." Lopez wrote, "I don't envy this man's situation, whatever it is, and don't mean to make light of it. But we are a blessed people when our poor have cell phones."
From the March 6 broadcast of Premiere Radio Networks' The Rush Limbaugh Show:
LIMBAUGH: In fact, there's a great picture out there. Michelle, my belle, Obama, once again sleeveless. Was it Time magazine or Newsweek did a story this week -- maybe The New York Times -- on how you, too, can have highly toned arms like Michelle Obama. After the State of the Union show, a bunch of stories -- "Now, you, too, can have highly toned arms and get rid of the" -- whatever they call these flab things under there. Wings, whatever.
There's a picture of Michelle Obama at a homeless shelter in Washington. She's on the other side of the glass, you know, where the server would be serving McNuggets at McDonald's. And she's serving food to the homeless. And the homeless and the poor are showing up taking pictures of her with their cell phones. Yeah, I just saw the picture. We'll put it at RushLimbaugh.com. This is the poor and the War on Poverty.
[...]
LIMBAUGH: What we have, ladies and gentlemen, is a giant welfare state that's in the process of being manufactured, that the Democrat Party will preside over forever. Because everybody or enough people are going to need the goodwill of Democrats in power in order to get by. Like, you're going to have to see the first lady behind the counter at McDonald's when you go in there as your poverty-stricken day drags on -- take a picture with your cell phone while you go in there and get your McNuggets or whatever's being handed out that day.
MY phone bill is delivered to my phone- imagine THAT, Malkin!
sorry- Malcolm. And Lopez! We are truely blessed to have people like you writing about something you know nothing about. Thank you for your condenscending remarks about homeless people.
Why is the leader of the Republican Party talking about McDonald's Chicken McNuggets?
Hmm...why would a man who looks like Limbaugh be thinking about fast food?
But this country is in crisis and the leader of the GOP is talking about McDonald's Chicken McNuggets and... oh, right... he's fat and hungry. Never mind.
And what the hell would Rush Limbaugh know about poor and homeless people. Stick to what you know and love the best, Rush...drugs.
He dosent care about the homeless or the sick ,just the FAR RIGHT WING CONSERVATIVES.
I love how these cretins alwasy say "get a job." Regardless of the fact that the corporat massuhs have outsourced all the jobs that a perosn w//o a degree can get. Never mind that waht's left doesn't pay richard, and these same cretins keep fighting to supress the minimum wage icreases. Now, they havethe gaul to mock people for daring to have what they need to find a job. Scum. The lot of them. All scum. He's every bit as black-hearted as Mike Savage, he just has a smarmier delivery.
Why is the leader of the Republican Party talking about McDonald's Chicken McNuggets?
It's Rush's idea of a socialist paradise !
Like, you're going to have to see the first lady behind the counter at McDonald's when you go in there as your poverty-stricken day drags on -- take a picture with your cell phone while you go in there and get your McNuggets or whatever's being handed out that day.
Leader of the GOP? Can't be, because from what I read, Rush spent a lot of time last summer ridiculing candidate Obama as "The Magic Negro" but the GOP just chose two colored guys as their new spokespeople: Steele and Jindal. So they could not have been listening to Rush, or they do not take him very seriously.
God forbid we do a little something that might help them out of their plight. If Rush had his way he'd do whatever he could to keep them right where they are, especially if they happen to be a minority. After all, they're poor because they're lazy. Rush has often said he pays a diproportionate amount of taxes, but never complains that he make an obscenely disproportionate amount of money.
The Rick
True!!! Only a totally 'disconnected from reality' person would crab about a homeless person having osme way to contact his family and friends or even the police if they are threatened in any way. I have a cell phone that I need badly if something goes wrong witrh my lousy heart. My husband is a lawyer and many of his domestic violence pro bono clients have no home, so a cell phone is more important under those circumstances. When I lived in the midwest several years ago, one of the people I was counselling had very serious seizure problems. She kept a cell phone handy when she was away from home and she and her family had a code so all she had to do was push one letter and her family would know she was in trouble. Of course, no doubt Rush feels that safety measures are for the rich and he seems to have little compassin for folks who are in real trouble. He has such rigid, fixed ideas about others that he cares less for their safety. Wonder why he did not check with the person to see if they had a legitimate reason for having a cell phone. One cell phone company gives free but limited phone connections to people with a number of problems so they can get help when it is needed. But Rush's millions in salary etc seems to make it impossible for him to have any empathy for those less fortunate. He is the one to be pitied.
Minorities? I rarely have ever seen a Latino, Hispanic. Asian, Indian or Middle-Eastern homeless person. They are always white or black.
"Black" would qualify as a minority. There are more Hispanic people than black people in this country.
"They are always white or black. "
But then again, isn't everything always black or white.
and because you are everywhere and your experience covers the gambit of all aspects of life what you don't see must not exist, right? Why don't you make your point ? What are you trying to say about your observation??
I rarely have ever seen a Latino, Hispanic. Asian, Indian or Middle-Eastern homeless person. They are always white or black.
You also missed the uniform many of the homeless used to wear.
Conservatively, one out of every three homeless men who is sleeping in a doorway, alley or box in our cities and rural communities has put on a uniform and served this country. http://www.nchv.org/background.cfm\
It's so easy to peg the homeless as lazy, without taking into account many of the things that have lead folks to become homeless.
Veterans, who come back and cannot receive adequate health care. Check out the number of homeless veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan and the think about how many came back from Vietnam.
The mentally ill, have been thrown out of mental facilities due to state budget cuts. Where do they go?
Families with parents who've lost both their home and job.
It's easy to take a bad experience from one or two scammers and lump all homeless folks together.
I used to give money to a pregnant woman who was pregnant for 12 months. Yeah she scammed me, but it's no sweat off my back. I gave out of the goodness of my heart and will continue to give.
I am blessed. I have a roof over my head, food on my table and heat and air to keep my comfortable.
Imagine being homeless, and don't say it couldn't happen. This economic disaster has effected people who never imagined themselves homeless or jobless.
Would you rather be homeless with a phone or homeless without a phone?
There but for the grace of God, go I. That's what I always think.
Me too, Juliajayne.
You never know what the future holds.
The menatlly ill have never been thrown out of state facilities because of budget limitations. They can not be forced to stay, so they walk out of their own accord. To be held against their will was considered imprisonment and the dumb judges decided that was a detrement to their mental health. So they walk the streets, foraging for food and shelter. Are they better off? No! At least in the mental institutions they had clean beds, free health care, three meals a day, free counseling, and a color tv to watch biased news on MSNBC and NBC.
I'm pretty sure that's not true. In Michigan we had a state institution close down due to budget limitations. I'm also curious what ruling you're talking about. Anyone who is considered a risk to themselves or others can be constrained to a mental institution whether they like it or not. Does the same logic apply to nursing homes designed for Alzheimers patients? Or will they be ordered to take the electronic locks off their doors? It seems a little hard to believe.
It's not like the defacto leader of the republican* party would ever tell the truth, right? His base is what, primarily white, many probably economically middle class to poor, lots of rich folks, ignorant and hateful, throw in some fascists and the KKK, and just about anyone else with a football team mentality who can't stand seing their side lose a game. And ol rush, there's a reason he has an isolated booth to spew his hate from, he can't hold a candle when challenged in public. That's quite a base to be a leader of.
*DISCLAIMER: While Snoopy periodically uses republican, for all practical purposes republican refers only to elected officials. Also, it is the belief of Snoopy that with the exception of 3 senators and a handful of congressmen who red staters refer to as RINO's all the elected officials are part of the right wing nut machine. If Snoopy should interchange between "republican" and "right wing republican" rest assured he is directing his comments at the right wing who have ruined this country. This disclaimer was bought to you to clear up any perceptions promoted by the obtuse.
I doubt this disclaimer will cover all the bases with the mindless crap you've been on the recieving end of. But--it was worth a try. Maybe they'll surprise me and start using their brain . . . nah!
So true. I see "homeless" guys all the time talking on cell phones, smoking Marlboro cigarettes, drinking French Colombard etc. I have also purchased $13 pizzas for 2 homeless people on different occasions only to have them yell at me and want money. I want to help homeless people too, but there are a lot of phony's out there that need weeding out.
Sure you do. This is one of the biggest lies the right loves to keep perpetuating. The fact is it's quite difficult to get unemployment, welfare, and any other government program. You have to present a social security card that gets verified. You have to submit bank account numbers, sources of income or proof of unemployment status, and not just for you, but your wife and kids too. Everything gets verified prior to the government issuing benefits. Contrary to rush's right wing rant there are not large masses of homeless people gaming the system. If they are getting something from the government, believe me, they really need it.
I agree. There are many more illegal aliens gaming the system that are not homeless.
Sure there are. Another baseless lie. But a strawman the right loves to toss out on a daily basis anyways.
Our friend has turned in his concern troll badge for a license to build men out of straw.
Well, the scarecrow was the one without a brain.
I'm not so sure giving him a diploma really made a difference!
I was wondering when the "illegal alien" card was gonna be played. These guys are soooo predictable with their lies and venom.
I expect it won't be long before my little doggy starts yapping. Coming up next - fascist, racist, gay lover, sheep shagger, hater, and a whole slew of other insults attributed to yours truly...
I always ask these guys like our friend the pan flute player, that if these folks who have it "so good" that are "gaming" the system, why don't they give up their jobs, and their income, and start living the good life like these guys are. Strangely enough, nobody ever takes me up on that challenge.
I mean, if these homeless folks (who could have a cell phone easily, why? Because you can get a basic phone for free on a pay as you go plan, and having a cell phone is a lot cheaper than say, being able to pay for housing) have it SOOOO good out there playing the "welfare state" why don't these folks who complain about it get on the roles and use the system themselves? I mean, if you know, they have it so good out there.
When you say "phony", you seem to mean flawed human being.
There are an enormous number of people who lie repeatedly, or can't control themselves, or are rude and combative, or can't manage their money, or can't quit their bad habits, or whatever. The difference is: if you're rich you get to keep doing it. If you're poor it's curtains.
People in the government's safety net aren't allowed to misuse it, while people misusing the safety net they're born with go about their merry way.
Yea, I saw a couple drive up to a soup line to get free food and guess what they got out of...a brand new $60,000 Mercedes Benz. At the grocery store this Russian guy brought a whole bunch of stuff with his foodstamps then I watched as he loaded the food into his brand new SUV. The nerve....NOT!
So you're close enough to see the brand of cigarette their smoking?
You've broken the first rule of pulling things from your ass. Make it plausible.
I guess Rush Limbaugh doesn't realize that some people that go to soup kitchens or even homeless shelters, have jobs but can't afford a proper meal. Then again, I have a feeling if Rush Limbaugh showed up at a soup kitchen or food pantry by the time he left there would be no food. The cupboard would be bare.
the sleeveless thing again? good grief, move on. i'm offended having to look at his fat jowls, cover those things up. disgusting. and is it time to get those ear implants switched out, the ones he needed because he made himself deaf taking too much oxycontin?
but to the subject, is our boy actually contending that this guy has a cell phone because of obama's policies? when did that program start?
The best we can hope for is that the moronic right will no longer keep blaming Bill Clinton for all of W's screw ups.
Oh, they will. Bill screwed up the start of the great W's presidency, and Obama screwed up the end of the great W's presidency. And everything in between was just peaches and cream. And this graph? Probably created by some liberal somewhere. Just watch...
I would hate to see Rush in a sleeveless shirt.
Who even said this guy was homeless? Maybe he heard Michelle Obama was inside and he just went in to take a picture.
Lots of homeless people have cell phones, either from shelters or social service agencies, or because they buy pre-paid, because they need to be contacted for employment. Often they share one number with voice mail so one person can receive messages and then let the others know to call back for interviews or day labor.
Slightly Off-Topic: Limbaugh wannabe Andrew Wilkow "We Are Right, They Are Wrong, End of Story" asked his audience today "why should I feel sorry for the homeless guy, the wino? Sure, he doesnt have a job or a home. But he also doesnt have any responsibilities. No taxes to pay. No deadlines to meet. No one depends on him. He doesn't have to keep a schedule...."
More evidence that some people are either born without souls, or are willing to say ANYTHING for money.
A major point with conservatives is that "poor" people are poor because they DESERVE to be poor. Conversely, the rich are rich because they deserve to be rich. It is an ancient belief. Limbaugh makes, what, 30, 40, 50 MILLION a year? To do what? Talk on the radio? Talk about welfare affluence!
I am a stronge Christian and believe the Bible but I am a lprogressive just like Jesus was. However many of these conservatives say Jesus was a conservitive too. Most of these are Calvinists and believe in predestination so the poor are poor because God wants them to be poor to them. This is not in the Bible the leaders of the Christian right are the Pharases and Sadgases of today.
I believe a good Christian does works of charity, and Jesus would be out there in the street helping the homeless, sort of like Mother Theresea did spending her life in the gutters and streets of India helping the poor and trodden down on people.
It's laughable that right wingers think Jesus was some sort of conservative like they think he was. Jesus was a bleeding heart liberal, no doubt about it.
FAST!!!!!! Everyone apologize to Rush!!!
Michelle Obama has to apologize for wearing a sleeveless outfit!!!!
Homeless advocates have to apologize for being homeless advocates!!!
We all have to apologize to Rush for everything!!!
Rush = out of touch.
One aspect of all this I don't think has been mentioned-
Until recently I didn't have a cell, just didn't feel the need for one. Then just last week I was out and about and wanted to call home from the grocery store only to discover that the pay phones had been removed. Not just from the store, but anywhere in the shopping center, and anywhere in the area that I could find. Aperently, phone companies are not finding the upkeep worthwhile and are quietly getting out of the payphone biz.
So, the homeless have no choice but to get a cell phone, the old alturnative to the home phone is gone.
I picked up a pre-paid cell phone with $10 in minutes uncluded for $19.95. And yes, it's a camera phone.
I lived in New York for 30 years and retired to New Orleans in 1994. As of today, I don't see how ANYONE can afford a place to live in Manhattan. $3000.00 for a studio? What would normally be called a "living wage" cannot allow a worker to have a roof over his or her head. The result is a large number of people who have jobs, but are homeless. I should know. I was almost there. It is possible to buy a cell-phone for 0 bucks, the minimum plan, and a small monthly bill. Limbaugh has, indeed, become the voice of the extreme right-wing GOP: heartless, clueless, and very LOUD.
Yeah, it's not like it was when cell phones first came out, meaning, thousands of dollars for a phone, and hundreds of dollars per month for a cell phone plan.
I think it just proves that a lot of Limbaugh conservatives are just out of touch with, you know, reality.
I have a prepaid cell phone I use for emergencies/calls from the husband asking where I am :-0) (his GPS system for me) and I pay exactly $100.00 a year for it. I get a set amount of minutes and always have minutes left over at the end of the year.
Btw, I got an email from a friend of mine saying cell phone numbers have gone public this month and telemarketers can now call you. Place yourself on the National do not call list at 1-888-382-1222 if you don't wanna get sales calls.
...calls from the husband asking where I am.
I'll bet that keeps him pretty busy, huh, J.? That cell phone is probably worn out already... ;>)
Hey Smart Alec, I said I have minutes left at the end of the year so I'm not that big of a sinner! Ha! Or maybe I shouldn't bust your illusion! ;-0)
Thanks Julia
I"ve gotten about 100 second notices that my car may have an expired warrenty. BTW I would think that Mr L. would wear the "incendiary" and "ugly" labels with pride. It seems to be the one thing that he is good at. He is a one trick pony who, unfortunately, entertains a lot of people.
Rush deserves all the bashing he receives…
But at the same time , it’s important to remember that Rush is not at all out of touch with reality , he’s fully aware that there’s nothing strange or suspicious about Homeless people having cell phones ---- He’s also aware that Government sponsored Health Care for all has nothing to do with some nefarious movement toward Socialism ---and he undoubtedly knows that global warming is real and not some plot hatched by a cabal of evil environmentalists led by Al Gore….etc. etc. etc..
Rush just uses these issues as part of a strategy designed to keep a large segment of the American public so riled up and fearful that they’ll run constant interference for the Right-Wing.
He knows that his dittoheads don’t just listen to his tripe and then go about their daily regimen……in actuality they do what he wants them to do and they flood the phones over at congress demanding their appointed leaders stop supporting anything of a liberal nature..
Rush ,like his brethren conservative media strategists are just working a hustle here
Any successful hustle works by simply building up a persons innate feeling that they’re smarter than others …so smart and in touch about what’s going on around them they can’t be hustled.
Another part of any successful hustle is a recognition that when people attack the hustler and make comments about their hypocrisy, drug use, weight etc ---the hustler can easily tell the people they’re hustling ---don’t listen to them , you’re smart enough to know that these people just don’t know what’s going on in the real world and because of that can only attack the messenger.
There a cellphone companies that charge $50 or less a month and require no address for billing, not to mention semi-disposable go phones. So for a homeless person to be so equipped really is no big thing.
Actually, I help out on occasion with some of the folks at Camullus House in downtown Miami and I know of at least 2 formerly homeless folks who couldn't have righted themselves w/o a cellphone.
Seems Limbaugh wants to wish ill on everyone, from people on the street to the president.
He really should be ashamed of his fat self.
Maybe Rush still thinks it's 1989 when cell phones cost thousands of dollars. Maybe he doesn't know prepaid cell phones can be had for literally a few dollars.
Or maybe he just wants to make sure the homeless stay homeless, own nothing and never get to have anything that could help them in life. Because why would they be homeless if they can afford a cell phone, right?
The man is disgusting.
Limbaugh and Malkin's callousness is only surpassed by their faulty perception and logic. Wth a 400 million dollar contract to do his radio show, Rush is very far removed from the reality of homelessness (cell phones or not). And Malkin's ugly cynicism and generally disturbing perceptions of something as important as volunteering to be of service to the needy, is unconscionable. Most likely neither of them have given much or any of their time volunteering to help others better their lives unless there is a tax deduction involved. I have a visceral, physical, revulsive reaction to both of these monsters, Rush especially. He should be banned from the airwaves as a treasoness inciter who drops bombs of hate and who has no redeeming social value. He is a detractor not a contributor.
I want to be homeless, both to job the system, and so Rush will talk about me. I aspire to homelessness. I use homelessness to pay for my house payments. I know, that sounds counter-intuitive, but it really works. I love being homeless. I think I'll make an infomercial.
If you were homeless, Andrew Milkow would congratulate you on being able to set your own schedule, not having any deadlines, and being responsible for nothing and to nobody.
Someone whose ignorance is equal to Rush's. Congrats!
My guess is that Dose of Reality is such a sad person, he just posted what to him seemed like the most provacatively obnoxious piece of crap to see what kind of response he could get.
Kind of sad- but not as sad as the idea that someone might actually think that way.
I think it's "Oxycotton", not "Reality".
So you're suggesting that a homeless person who is trying to get a job, no matter how lowly of a job, should NOT have a means by which they can be contacted?
Heartless bastard.
That says more about you than about liberals. I know of several small businesses who employ homeless people for various tasks, and I'm sure they appreciate that the person has a phone number to be reached at.
But thanks for confirming the stereotype.
You're a liar. Post some success stories for me.
What rotten tree stump did THIS guy crawl out of?
You guys always have Savage to fall back to. His answer for just about everything is to "put 'em in camps".
Why not? They serve no purpose on the streets. Put them in internment camps, feed them, shelter them, and give them something productive to do.
Ah, yes, another mouthy conservative whose values revolve around "freedom."
I guess that'd be freedom to find a way to lock up anyone who annoys you (homeless, "suspected" terrorists, etc., etc.).
"Put them in Internment Camps...they serve no purpose on the streets..."
Internment Camps for people who "serve no purpose." Great.
What country do you think you live in, you pathetic slime?
I don't usually respond to idiots, and I am not going to this time.
You know, this guy DoR is proof that fascism can happen here! It's amazing how easily he accepts the idea of criminalizing poverty and placing those who are homeless in camps, thats what he advocating . How else can you detain a person unless he commits a crime!?! There is such a thing as 4th admendment rights! Of course we saw how that worked with the last President. But at this time you would have to criminalize homelessness, in order to deprive people of their 4th ad. rights. But how easily this goon accepts work camps for the homeless to pay for their crime of being homeless. WOW!
So you are in favor of putting homeless people into camps, cleaning them up, feeding them, and giving them work to do?
Gee, sounds kind of SOCIALISTIC to me.
My guess, however, is that you are just an obnoxious pig-man who is either kidding with us, or suffered some kind of severe dissapointment which has left you bitter toward all around you. Either way, please just shut up now. This is not your doctor's office, and you are not in therapy when you visit here.
Just call you names? You can rest easy. There are no names ugly enough to be worth the bother of trying to place them on you. We'll have to wait until someone invents a new one.
Hey, how did his name change. Earlier today it was an offensive reference to developmental disability and now it is false advertising.
See what I mean? You are incapable of debate, you are incapable of realistic thought, and you are incapable of answering my challenges.
1. Post success stories of businesses hiring homeless people.
2. Explain what good it does to keep them on the streets. How does living under an overpass do them any good? Why shouldn't they be housed in camps? How is it "socialistic" to feed and shelter them, when they repay the price of having a warm place to sleep by working for it?
And while they're in the camps we should also re-educate them. It worked out so well in Cambodia in the seventies.
You know, this guy DoR is proof that fascism can happen here! It's amazing how easily he accepts the idea of criminalizing poverty and placing those who are homeless in camps, thats what he advocating . How else can you detain a person unless he commits a crime!?! There is such a thing as 4th admendment rights! Of course we saw how that worked with the last President. But at this time you would have to criminalize homelessness, in order to deprive people of their 4th ad. rights. But how easily this goon accepts work camps for the homeless to pay for their crime of being homeless. WOW! Your a goon!
Boy, sorry I missed all this! In answer to #1, just off the top of my head, it's called the storage house in Pflugerville, TX. They employ a few homeless folks to help distribute food to other needy families, and I've personally seen one man get off the streets because of this.
Yer point #2? How assinine. The goal is to get them employed and off the streets. Your goal seems to be to keep them unemployed so you can ship them off to concentration camps. Hmmm, what's next - turn the camps into little corporate factories where we can mass produce stuff previously done by the working class, thus putting even more hard working people out of work? One thing's fer sure, it's not socialist what you suggest, fascist is more accurate.
As the article says it's very difficult to get a job if you don't have a phone number.
P.S. And by "supported" I don't mean financial support, but rather allowing people to camp on unused public land without kicking them out and forcing them to another community so we can pretend they don't exist. They develop and maintain the camp themselves, at zero cost to tax payers.