When I worked in Boston, there was (and still is) a significant homeless problem. At the time, the "advocates" screamed that it was due to Reagan budget cuts that these people were on the streets instead of getting help. Unfortunately, some facts got in the way.

1) It was liberal Governor Michael Dukakis who closed the State Hospitals that used to house these people. This was while CARTER was President. The justification back then was that "mainstreaming" these people would help them better integrate into society. Try telling that to a college-age "advocate" who was 10 when the hospitals closed.

2) Program after program showed some "true colors". One example was when businesses got together to print these orange "meal coupons". They could be redeemed for a hot meal at various informal restaurants around the city. The theory was that you could buy these coupons and give THEM out instead of cash to the homeless so that you'd know it wasn't going to booze and cigarettes. This program lasted less than a year because most of the homeless simply refused to take the coupons.