Who is More Important: US Citizens or Everybody Else?

We live in one of the wealthiest countries in the world. A country that has millionaires sprouting from almost every corner of the continent.

So why are so many people homeless?

I recently sought help from our government to aid me in my time of distress. I was faced with the probability of becoming one of the millions of homeless people in America. When I contacted a local agency, I was told they were "out of money".

NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) is requesting $132.9 million dollars to fund their space exploration endeavors. Estimates have our homeless rate at somewhere near 3 million people (men, women and children) - and growing. That breaks down to a little over $44.00 per homeless person.

That's not much, but it helps.

But what do we spend our money on? Space ships.

We are so quick to send millions, even billions to places like Africa, Iraq, and other countries to help them, but when our own - born and raised - citizens asks for a hand "up", we don't have a dime to give them.

All of the the excuses come falling out of the closet:
"Come back in a few months, we should have something available then".
"I'm sorry. You earn too much money for us to help you."
"You don't make enough to qualify for this program". (My personal favorite).

If you look at the average person's paycheck, no one makes enough. That's why they ask for help. DUH!

I have heard all of these and then some.

Before you start spouting your self-righteous orations, I do work for minimum wage and live within my means. I don't have any luxuries (I am right now watching a 5' black and white TV. I have no cable. NONE!) I drive (or drove - it's currently not running) a used vehicle. A 1995 Nissan Pathfinder.

I live paycheck to paycheck, and they barely stretch long enough to meet.

Yet, when being faced with having no place to live, in the midst of the coldest Chicago winter in almost ten years, I cannot get any help from the government that's, "of the people, by the people, for the people," can do nothing to help the people.

I am one of the people. I vote in every election. I work an honest job, to earn an honest day's pay and I pay my taxes. But when I need a little help, I might as well be speaking in some unknown language to foreigners of an as yet undiscovered country.

We have men and women fighting a war to keep the basic principles of this country alive, while our own are dying because they have no food or shelter because they cannot afford these "luxuries".

I really do wonder who is more important. I mean, think about it...we are giving money to people who can't even vote to shape the future of this country.

Maybe that's the idea...as long as there is no one here to vote politicians in or out, why not take care of other nations?