U.S. Bishops praise passage of national housing trust fund

[JimG]

I’d say Sweden and Denmark do that pretty well with minimal intrusions on liberty. Not having to worry about food and shelter is certainly worth the price of infringing on the right for children to throw birthday parties.

China and North Korea do it somewhat worse.

Since the Swedes and Danes don’t have to worry about food and shelter, does anybody bother to work? If so, why? And what incentive is there for someone to take extra risk to develop some innovation if the government is going to take over half the earnings?

 

[ribozyme]

China and North Korea do it somewhat worse.

Since the Swedes and Danes don’t have to worry about food and shelter, does anybody bother to work? If so, why? And what incentive is there for someone to take extra risk to develop some innovation if the government is going to take over half the earnings?

Most people do work. But why people expect that the labor market will automatically give everyone access to a decent job? In Sweden people who do not have enough income though labor market participation are assisted, and people who cannot be employed by the labor market are sent to “labor market political activities” whose only purpose is to reduce the headline unemployment rate.

 

[KathleenElsie]

it should make accessible to each what is needed to lead a truly human life: food, clothing, health, work, education and culture, suitable information, the right to establish a family, and so on

As to Church teaching…CCC

**II. THE COMMON GOOD **
**1905 **In keeping with the social nature of man, the good of each individual is necessarily related to the common good, which in turn can be defined only in reference to the human person: Do not live entirely isolated, having retreated into yourselves, as if you were already justified, but gather instead to seek the common good together.25
**1906 **By common good is to be understood "the sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily."26 The common good concerns the life of all. It calls for prudence from each, and even more from those who exercise the office of authority. It consists of three essential elements:
**1907 **First, the common good presupposes respect for the person as such. In the name of the common good, public authorities are bound to respect the fundamental and inalienable rights of the human person. Society should permit each of its members to fulfill his vocation. In particular, the common good resides in the conditions for the exercise of the natural freedoms indispensable for the development of the human vocation, such as "the right to act according to a sound norm of conscience and to safeguard . . . privacy, and rightful freedom also in matters of religion."27 **1908 **Second, the common good requires the social well-being and *development *of the group itself. Development is the epitome of all social duties. Certainly, it is the proper function of authority to arbitrate, in the name of the common good, between various particular interests; but it should make accessible to each what is needed to lead a truly human life: food, clothing, health, work, education and culture, suitable information, the right to establish a family, and so on.28

Sadly there are many that do not make use of what is accessible and expect it to be provided. We as a charitable people need to provide for those that can not provide for themselves and make others non-dependent by providing accessible services and jobs for those that can provide for themselves. If we give things only we take the dignity of the individual from them.

%between%

 

[Dale_M]

Maybe, I did mixed them up but I thought the housing Trust Fund is supposed to be a solution for the housing crisis?

The Housing Trust Fund was created by one provision in the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. The overall intention of the act is to help with the housing crisis.

 

[Bennie_P]

Maybe, I did mixed them up but I thought the housing Trust Fund is supposed to be a solution for the housing crisis?

Are you talking about the mortage crisis, if you ARE THEN THIS IS TWO DIFFERENT ISSUES - I THINK?

 

[Bennie_P]

it should make accessible to each what is needed to lead a truly human life: food, clothing, health, work, education and culture, suitable information, the right to establish a family, and so on

Sadly there are many that do not make use of what is accessible and expect it to be provided. We as a charitable people need to provide for those that can not provide for themselves and make others non-dependent by providing accessible services and jobs for those that can provide for themselves. If we give things only we take the dignity of the individual from them.

This I agree with.

I object to the idea that all goverment programs are created to help those that won’t do for themselves when given the proper boost. There are people out there that just try to milk the system, but there are more that just need a little boost to get back on track. We need to seek balance. Trim many programs and revamp and do away with others. But IMHO as Christians/Catholics we need to support programs that seek to get people of out poverty, as long as it doesn’t make them life-long dependant, and to me the Housing Trust Fund aims to do that and not just an endless handout… could be wrong.

I perfer ownership of one’s own life overall…but sometimes we need help or give help.

Of course this is for the poorest of the poor…

At least 90% of the funds must be used for the production, preservation, rehabilitation, or operation of rental housing. Up to 10% can be used for the following homeownership activities for first-time homebuyers: production, preservation, and rehabilitation; down payment assistance, closing cost assistance, and assistance for interest rate buy-downs.

• At least **75%** of the funds for rental housing must benefit **extremely low income **households and all funds must benefit very low income households.

This is the first new federal housing production program since the HOME program was created in 1990 and the first new production program specifically targeted to extremely low income households since the Section 8 program was created in 1974.

Funds for the Housing Trust Fund will come fromannual contributions made byFannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The amount will be based on a percentage of each company’s annual new business. Using the formula in the bill, the amount in 2007 would have been $557 million. Because their new business is increasing, the amount in 2008 is expected to be higher. However, 25% of the funds each year must first go to a reserve fund at the Treasury to offset scoring problems.

nlihc.org/template/page.cfm?id=40

 

[JimG]

Most people do work. But why people expect that the labor market will automatically give everyone access to a decent job? In Sweden people who do not have enough income though labor market participation are assisted, and people who cannot be employed by the labor market are sent to “labor market political activities” whose only purpose is to reduce the headline unemployment rate.

“Labor market political activities?” At least those working for the WPA accomplished actual production!

Bill Gates is a pretty liberal guy, but I’m wondering if he would have founded his corporations in Sweden if he knew that both the company profits and personal income would be skimmed heavily by the government. As it is, the company employs thousands, and the Gates’ Foundations give away tons of money to charitable purposes, all thanks to free enterprise aka capitalism.

 

[KathleenElsie]

Originally Posted by ribozyme forums.catholic-questions.org/images/buttons_cad/viewpost.gif
Most people do work. But why people expect that the labor market will automatically give everyone access to a decent job? In Sweden people who do not have enough income though labor market participation are assisted, and people who cannot be employed by the labor market are sent to “labor market political activities” whose only purpose is to reduce the headline unemployment rate.

As I am older then dirt I will share with you my experience with the Swedish form of helping from the prospective of a young man from there.

Well he is now in his forty’s so that might make him old to you now also. But at the time I knew him he was in his early twenties.

This young man came into my life when he was here in the USA to get an education in a field that he was told was toooo full in Sweden so they refused to pay for his schooling at home. His family made the sacrifice to pay for him to become what he dreamed about and not what the STATE said they needed.

Sweden had (may still have I don’t know) a policy of only paying for the higher education for what the state perceived to be a need or near future need. So if they did not see a need for nurses in the near future you could not go to school for this.

He also said that in his country that the government taxes amounted to around 75% of all earnings and estate taxes were high. Mortgages were taken out for 50 or more years and new housing was not being built at that time. If a home was purchased then more then one generation was responsible for that mortgage.

Yes they were taken care of for there whole lives. But there whole lives were lived for the state and within the states boundaries.

 

[JimG]

On the other hand, Sweden is one of the few nations to actually have an embassy on Second Life. They must be progressive!

 

[KathleenElsie]

On the other hand, Sweden is one of the few nations to actually have an embassy on Second Life. They must be progressive!

OK had to look this one up. So for the others that have no idea what Second Life is:

Internet-based virtual world video game launched on June 23, 2003, developed by Linden Research, Inc

 

[JimG]

Maldives also has an embassy there.

 

[Dale_M]

Maldives also has an embassy there.

Yes, but they are sinking into the ocean (the country, not the embassy) so who knows how much longer it will be there.

On the other hand, Estonia has an official embassy in Second Life.

Estonia has been privatizing the housing which was previously owned by the government. Outside of military bases, I am not sure if the US government owns much housing. But would providing poor tenants an opportunity to buy their apartment or rental house be an answer?

 

[ribozyme]

“Labor market political activities?” At least those working for the WPA accomplished actual production!

Bill Gates is a pretty liberal guy, but I’m wondering if he would have founded his corporations in Sweden if he knew that both the company profits and personal income would be skimmed heavily by the government. As it is, the company employs thousands, and the Gates’ Foundations give away tons of money to charitable purposes, all thanks to free enterprise aka capitalism.

I found it while someone gave me this link months ago.

The headline unemployment rate in Sweden is only 5–5.5%, but this number is extremely misleading as it only includes a small number of the people who the government pays not to work. Many unemployed are sent to so-called “labor market political activities” — activities whose only purpose is to reduce the official unemployment rate.

If we ignore this ruse, unemployment is 8%.

mises.org/story/2259

I think that is one way of giving the unemployed some dignity. It was being referred to in a pejorative context there, but it might be good public policy.

 

[JimG]

I think that is one way of giving the unemployed some dignity. It was being referred to in a pejorative context there, but it might be good public policy.

So it is really just a form of unemployment compensation. 8% unemployment is not so bad, compared to what we had when times were really bad, such as in the great depression of the 1930’s.