Rental assistance and social hardships

Austerity hurts in many ways. Here is a way in which social spending has profound social effects in the long run. From a recent report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: "Rental assistance sharply reduces homelessness, housing instability, poverty, and other hardships. A growing body of research also finds that rental assistance can improve families’ health, as well as children’s chances of long-term success, particularly if it enables families to live in safe, low-poverty neighborhoods with good schools." The graph below shows one of the many long term effects.

Children that move to better neighborhoods, with better schools, end up having better academic performance, and more chances of higher earnings in the future. That we do not spend more money into this kind of social policies is incomprehensible. Yeah, we need to build a wall, that's the solution to make America great again!

The Hidden Benefits of Food Stamps

From Mother Jones

Although the Republican-controlled House cuts are unlikely, given a promised veto from President Obama, food stamps will still be slashed by $5 billion on Nov. 1, when the 2009 Recovery Act that increased the aid along with other stimulus spending expires. The 13.6 percent temporary boost in food stamp dollars helped more than half a million Americans escape food insecurity, and millions more to climb out of poverty—4.7 million in 2011 alone, according the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP).The Nov. 1 reduction means $36 less per month for a family of four and $11 less for a single person.

See rest here