NYC Offers Free Airfare To Homeless To Leave

**jams** · July-29-09, 11:47 AM

NEW YORK -- New York City is buying one-way plane tickets for homeless families to leave the city.

It's part of a Bloomberg administration program to keep the homeless out of the expensive shelter system, which costs $36,000 a year per family. More than 550 families have left the city since 2007. All it takes is for a relative to agree to take them in.

http://www.clickondetroit.com/money/...56/detail.html

Out of sight, out of mind!

**Sstashmoo** · July-29-09, 12:08 PM

Looks like New Jersey won't take them anymore?

**ghettopalmetto** · July-29-09, 12:17 PM

Is this that compassionate conservatism I've heard so much about?

Now, what happens when the homeless folks get to the airport and have to pay $15 to check a bag???

**jiminnm** · July-29-09, 01:46 PM

It's hard to get a grocery cart on a plane.

ccbatson · July-29-09, 03:51 PM

Free to them, not to the taxpayers, or the states/cities where they are dumping these folks.

**ejames01** · July-29-09, 04:04 PM

Why not Greyhound?

ccbatson · July-29-09, 04:12 PM

Not enough green house gas emissions maybe?

**jams** · July-29-09, 04:32 PM

Too bad Australia was already claimed, we could use an island continent to discard the unwanted.

**jbd441** · July-29-09, 04:41 PM

If I'm not mistaken there has to be a friend, relative or sponsor at the destination for the homeless to get the one way ticket. I've heard there are some that have gone to Europe? All the rest head to FLORIDA as well as all the northern states felons. Who needs Austraila?

**gibran** · July-30-09, 04:35 AM

ummm..isn't Bloomberg Republican?

**rb336** · July-30-09, 07:35 AM

Originally Posted by HitsvilleUSofA

No NY is a notoriously liberal place. Its very liberal of them to fact like they really care when in act all they want is to get the homeless out of their hair.

Funny, deport the homeless that are citizens but give sanctuary to people who are not.

Gee, I wonder if this great liberal city just wants to keep their slave labor and rid themselves of the money drainage called homeless and mentally ill.

Yup its very liberal of them indeed to be sure.

this is the mayor acting -- a republican. his republican predecessor [[good old rudy911) shoved homeless on buses and dumped them in the middle of nowhere. very crass, and it had large sections of the city up in arms. getting th people back to their families, much less crass

**Danny** · July-30-09, 10:13 AM

It seems to me that Mayor Bloomberg was New York City to be homeless free by 2015. But the Mole People will stay.

crawford · July-30-09, 10:57 AM

How is this not liberal?

Am I missing something here?

If you read the articles, it says they ONLY offer a ticket out of town if the individual[[s) have a confirmed option outside of town.

Translation: They are not from NYC to begin with, and only came to NYC because it is the only city on earth that guarantees shelter as a right.

crawford · July-30-09, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by rb336

this is the mayor acting -- a republican. his republican predecessor [[good old rudy911) shoved homeless on buses and dumped them in the middle of nowhere. very crass, and it had large sections of the city up in arms. getting th people back to their families, much less crass

This is complete B.S. Please source this garbage.

People here know nothing about NYC politics. Bloomberg is NOT a Republican. He was a lifelong Democrat until a few months before his first election, and then dropped the Republican affiliation after he came into office.

He is now running for reelection on four different party lines, including the Liberal Party and the Working Families Party.

Guiliani is totally different, and a very strange man, but was also not really a Republican. He also switched parties before his election, and was not exactly a typical Republican while in office [[kept a public mistress, dressed in drag for a comedy skit, lived with his openly gay best friend after his wife kicked him out of Gracie Mansion, etc.).

Can you imagine Kwame or Bing in drag and living with an openly gay man?

**rb336** · July-30-09, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by crawford

This is complete B.S. Please source this garbage.

People here know nothing about NYC politics. Bloomberg is NOT a Republican. He was a lifelong Democrat until a few months before his first election, and then dropped the Republican affiliation after he came into office.

He is now running for reelection on four different party lines, including the Liberal Party and the Working Families Party.

they put him on their slate, doesn't change him being a repub - or independ. if you buy that he switched in 07/08. the only link mentioning him being a dem, and using exactly the same phrase you did, is wikipedia, however it has no supporting docs, although the items immediately following [[the indep. thing) DO, which makes the whole "he was a dem" thing a bit suspect.

Guiliani is totally different, and a very strange man, but was also not really a Republican. He also switched parties before his election, and was not exactly a typical Republican while in office [[kept a public mistress, dressed in drag for a comedy skit, lived with his openly gay best friend after his wife kicked him out of Gracie Mansion, etc.).?

Rudy was different, but has been a rep since the 80s

**irish_mafia** · July-30-09, 01:51 PM

How about putting them on that $1 bus to Chicago! I'd pony up.

**elganned** · July-30-09, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by ccbatson

Free to them, not to the taxpayers, or the states/cities where they are dumping these folks.

They're "outsourcing" their problem, bats; it's a fine old traditionally Free-Market Solution.

And the expense? Just a cost of doing business. They'll make it up in increased tax revenue from upscale development once the unsightly scum are off the street, not to mention reduced spending from not having to provide any services to people with no income.

As for the places they're being sent...*shrug*. That's their poblem.

**Jimaz** · July-30-09, 02:45 PM

I wonder how many homeless people will enter New York to take advantage of the free return flight? LOL!

ccbatson · July-30-09, 03:55 PM

Outsourcing? What do you think that means? For most people it means going elsewhere to get something or some service for less money, usually because of high taxation and regulation in the place that is being bypassed.

**reddog289** · July-31-09, 12:03 AM

I think they ended up in front of the Home Depot on Mich ave and Gulley. Never have to worry about getting help loading your truck though.

ccbatson · July-31-09, 12:07 AM

Why would they do that when they get paid more [[by uncle Sam) to do nothing?

**gibran** · July-31-09, 05:12 AM

doing nothing compared to starving ? I guess it would better to have the Mentally ill just starve and the homeless just find a job ....

When I see the compassion from the pull yourself uppers... I have to muse...what if you can't afford boots to be pulled up?

I am all for individual accountability...but if the homeless were to take a vote prior to their current life state...I am sure many wouldn't have accepted that this is their fate...many of their circumstances go beyond their statistics. While many know no nothing else, I have worked with HOMELESS VETS and the main reason they are there is because society was not THERE for them when they came home from protecting those who now look down on them.

ccbatson · July-31-09, 11:46 PM

At the beginning, most pull yourself uppers can't afford the boots as you put it...that is the point.

**gibran** · August-01-09, 10:07 AM

Cognitive dissonance; as what I am referring to is the percentage of people who can't even with great potential and won't even have the ability to because of pervasive barriers..your Horatio Alger stories are quaint but unrepresented statistically ..when compared to those who have to work two minimum wages jobs just to survive...and their children are caught in a cycle of poverty...yes some make it out, the tragedy is more would if they had help and equal resources.

I once worked with an educator who after reporting child abuse said every child needs a spanking, why I knew tow children that got beat practically everyday and who lived in a shack across the river who grew up to become Lawyers...as I tried to get him to understand that the case I was assisting with was getting beaten, physically and emotionally, starved and living with other school mates...he didn't have much of a chance to grow up to become a Lawyer..and funny how the Superintendent bore my efforts out...maybe with someone helping he could now find the elusive boots. Or better yet not get abused...
You talk about rugged individualism, yet speak in generalizations about how everyone canpull themselves up by the boot straps. While I agree with the premise; you have to have equal opportunity and resoursces to correct the bias, injustices, and lack of even playing feilds to extend it to all people equally.

**gibran** · August-01-09, 10:09 AM

Freedom is an indivisible word. If we want to enjoy it, and fight for it, we must be prepared to extend it to everyone, whether they are rich or poor, whether they agree with us or not, no matter what their race or the color of their skin.

Old Wendel Wilkie had it going on.