An article published by People’s Daily, titled “Homeless Problem in the U.S. Is Getting Worse,” talks about the deteriorating homelessness crisis in the United States. The piece cites several Western media outlets, stating that the number of homeless individuals in the U.S. has surged to 577,000, marking an 11 percent increase from the previous year and the most significant spike since 2007 when records were first maintained. This crisis is particularly pronounced in major U.S. cities, with Los Angeles witnessing a staggering 55 percent rise in homelessness since 2015. In New York, approximately one in every 80 people lacks shelter, and the number of homeless individuals in the city’s shelters has surpassed 100,000.
The article attributes this dire situation to “deeply-rooted social inequality” and the vast wealth disparity between the affluent and the impoverished in the U.S. It criticizes government policies as ineffective, emphasizing that the federal, state, and local governments are merely passing the issue around, engaging in political blame games, and implementing largely symbolic measures.
In conclusion, the article underscores that despite being the world’s most powerful developed nation, the presence of a substantial homeless population living on the streets tarnishes not only the U.S.’s human rights record but also its societal governance and governmental efficacy. It quotes Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz’s assertion that the United States has become a wealthy nation full of poor people.
Source: People’s Daily, September 9, 2023
http://world.people.com.cn/n1/2023/0909/c1002-40073771.html