Cost to solve World Hunger = $7 Billion, Cost to solve World Homelessness = ???

 

Photo: Curbed New York

When I was a child, along with the years that have led up to my graduation from High School, the big topic among human rights was that of world hunger.  With the current pandemic among us in the world, where do we stand on world hunger?  One figure was recently cited in an article in Foreign Policy titled "Don’t Believe the Hype. Wealth Taxes Are Nothing New" by Ibrahim Khan.  Ibrahim Khan is an investor and founder of the website: islamicfinanceguru.com. 

In the article published in Foreign Policy on Wealth Taxes, two figures stood out in my mind.  The first was the number $7 billion.  The author states that for $7 billion/year, world hunger could be solved.  What?  Further, the argument made for a wealth tax is to tax liquid-like assets, which are valued at around $80 trillion worldwide.  

If a 2% tax were enacted, the revenue generated would equal around $250 billion/annually.   This means that world hunger could be eliminated immediately with less than 2% of the tax revenue.  That is an achievable solution worth entertaining.

Upon reading the statistics, the growing problem of world homelessness popped into my mind.  President Donald J. Trump ran on the campaign issue of (copying from President Reagan) 'Make America Great Again.'  Before electing President Trump, immigration on the world stage had been increasingly growing terrible.  Since electing President Trump, immigration from refugees is on hold -- or a no discussion topic on the national level.

World Homelessness?

That does not mean that the problem of refugees (immigrants) has disappeared.  Nations across Europe still report on issues surrounding the inability to accept more immigrants.  Camps are full, streets are growing with people escaping terrible conditions from which they escaped from.

Part of President Trump's platform was to focus on America.  Bring jobs back from abroad.  Corporations would return in large numbers, and jobs would be plentiful.  That was until the pandemic hit the world.  Before that, the economy was growing and roaring along.  Although the parameters surrounding the cause can be argued.

One argument that is not entertained on the national or world stage is that of world homelessness.  What are nations doing about homelessness within their boundaries?  This is a complicated problem.  That is not to say that a solution is not within sight or reach.  Just like world hunger was a complicated problem, and out of reach during my upbringing, a number now exists.

Whether that number to eliminate is based on technology is another discussion.   The fact of the matter is that the problem of homelessness is increasing.  Further, with the exacerbation of the COVID-19 destroying economies worldwide, increasing the number of homelessness is inevitable.  Therefore, thinking and discussing a solution is ever increasingly important now more than ever.

What will homelessness look like in 6 months when the back payments of mortgages are due?  Who is going to have 9 months to a year of back payments of mortgages?  Especially with the fact that most Americans are living paycheck to paycheck?

I do not pretend to have the solution.  Part of finding a solution is identifying a problem to be solved. At the end of 2019, a total of 567,715 people across America were homeless.  The National Alliance to End Homelessness provided that statistics on their website.  

Check out their site.  Think critically about issues that impact the United States and the world.  Be grateful for the roof over your head.  Times are tough for all of us.  Although times are especially tough for others.  At the very least, thinking and practicing gratitude. Keeping others in your thoughts is the very least each of us can do daily.  Stay safe.

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