Saw a video of the homeless encampments along the Santa Ana River

[The_Casual_Observer]

For the first time today.

Mind you, I live and work near there and never knew the size of this. It's unbelievable, goes on for miles. A makeshift city. This has developed in the shadow of one of the most prosperous places in the world. Worse than Calcutta.
This whole system is rotten. I dare anyone to view the many videos on you tube and tell me that the USA is a good place. This is all shit, this shouldn't be.

[TheDebbieDee]

1. I think I may have seen the same video a few days ago -

The videographer rides a bicycle path in the vicinity of Angels Stadium in Anaheim?

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. Yes. I see the outskirts of this on my commute but had no idea

Of the magnitude of this. It's a national disgrace.

[ghostsinthemachine]

3. Solution?

I dont know of one.

[Initech]

5. Tax the fuck out of the rich and use it to pay for programs that benefit the homeless.

But file that one under the "good luck with that" category.

[meadowlander]

6. Public housing. It worked when we invested in it.

It's an easy problem to solve, we just have to give a shit.

[The_Casual_Observer]

9. It's a problem that really needs a solution.

It's the social problem of the age. It's only getting worse. The disposable population is growing every day. It's being ignored.

[thbobby]

4. No right to healthcare

like other countries.

Murder rate near the top of the world.

More poverty than most industrial countries.

Among highest rate of childbirth mortality.

Among highest difference in wealth of rich and poor.

Prescription drug prices higher than most of the world.

Very mediocre life expectancy.

Very poor quality of education.

I could go on. Yeah, USA is a great place to live. If you don't have any other options.

Thanks, GOP.

[Initech]

12. More like: fuck you GOP. Fuck you very much.

[VOX]

17. Perfect description of an oligarchy.

For billionaires, it’s a fantastic way to live.

For the rest of us? Sleep with extra blankets. Work an 18-hour day. Eat cheaper food. Get in line. Struggle with shit. Fear getting old and poor.

And for those who’ve already fallen through the cracks: As today’s Republican would view it, “You’re lazy and you deserve to live in poverty. I’m sure as hell not going to help you in any way. Die already.”

[RussBLib]

7. Where?

There's a Santa Ana river in Colorado, one in California, and one in New Mexico, I think.

[SoCalMusicLover]

8. California

Orange County to be precise.

[The_Casual_Observer]

10. If you ever see an Angels baseball game played

On the home field, these people are due east 1000 yards beyond home plate. Anaheim Ca. It goes on for miles.

[Initech]

13. Yup - this is my hometown here.

And it's a shanty town. Rent is too damn high and the pay is too damn low. Fuck the GOP.

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

11. a search brought up 8 clips

Here is a 5:40 clip, part 1
https://www.ask.com/youtube?q=youtube+Santa+Ana+River+Homeless&v=LZ2B9vrSx6s

[panader0]

14. I'm astounded by this--Orange county?

How can this be?

[Initech]

16. Look up what the average rent is in Anaheim and surrounding areas.

And it's only getting worse.

[The_Casual_Observer]

15. It's bad, it's 10 times worse than it was a year ago.

The cops and county goes through every so often and clears everyone out, they just come right back.

[JI7]

18. Homeless in California come from all over the country

[hunter]

19. We've got a smaller version within walking distance of our home.

It's one of the places the homeless end when the city clears them off the streets. Last winter when the creek flooded in the heavy rains, rescue crews were sent out to evacuate people.

I can see their campfires in the morning. Sometimes I walk that way and chat with people.

Many are not locals. They come from places where winter weather is deadly. This is where they landed. Maybe they originally had someone to stay with here, but mental illness or substance abuse makes them impossible to live with.

That's one reason local solutions are so difficult. The numbers are overwhelming, especially in coastal California, from San Francisco on south.

The U.S.A. looks a lot like a "developing nation" in many places, but it's largely invisible to people who never wander more than a few hundred feet from where they last parked their cars.