It Never Rains But It Pours:
Bad Weather Hits The Poor Hardest
 by Julianne Malveaux

The homeless are especially challenged by inclement weather. I took a walk in the middle of foot-high snow, determined not to go stir crazy, and to enjoy the beauty of our winter. The streets were nearly deserted in Washington, DC, the busses were empty, and stores were closed. Tucked into building entrances, though, were at least a dozen homeless people, their plastic garbage bags bulging with belongings, their Styrofoam cups out, and their bodies covered with scarves, jackets, and sweaters. How many sweaters can shield you from below zero weather, though? And why has public policy turned a blind eye toward these people who sleep on grates and cover themselves with blankets and scarves because they have no way to warm themselves?

People stream to homeless shelters on Thanksgiving and Christmas day, full of the symbolism of the holidays. On a "snow day," though, they are more likely to think of their own comfort than that of others. They aren't trekking to the homeless shelters to make sure there is hot soup or warm blankets. Yet the burden is greater on these random snow days than it is on any holiday. Dozens are likely to die because of hypothermia or exposure to the elements.

It is ironic that at the beginning of this snow week, the Federal Reserve Board Chairman testified before the Senate Banking Committee about his preferences for handling the alleged budget surplus. Pay the debt down, he told the Senate. He said additional government spending on social programs would be his last choice for dealing with the deficit. But the snow week and the inclement weather remind us that we have not dealt with the poor during this economic expansion, and that issues of fair pay, workers' security, and affordable housing are important, but unaddressed economic issues. It is bad enough to ignore these issues in ordinary times. But inclement weather and foot-high drifts of snow remind us that hard times always have a greater impact on those who live at the economy's periphery.

The homeless are especially challenged by inclement weather. I took a walk in the middle of foot-high snow, determined not to go stir crazy, and to enjoy the beauty of our winter. The streets were nearly deserted in Washington, DC, the busses were empty, and stores were closed. Tucked into building entrances, though, were at least a dozen homeless people, their plastic garbage bags bulging with belongings, their Styrofoam cups out, and their bodies covered with scarves, jackets, and sweaters. How many sweaters can shield you from below zero weather, though? And why has public policy turned a blind eye toward these people who sleep on grates and cover themselves with blankets and scarves because they have no way to warm themselves?

People stream to homeless shelters on Thanksgiving and Christmas day, full of the symbolism of the holidays. On a "snow day," though, they are more likely to think of their own comfort than that of others. They aren't trekking to the homeless shelters to make sure there is hot soup or warm blankets. Yet the burden is greater on these random snow days than it is on any holiday. Dozens are likely to die because of hypothermia or exposure to the elements.

It is ironic that at the beginning of this snow week, the Federal Reserve Board Chairman testified before the Senate Banking Committee about his preferences for handling the alleged budget surplus. Pay the debt down, he told the Senate. He said additional government spending on social programs would be his last choice for dealing with the deficit. But the snow week and the inclement weather remind us that we have not dealt with the poor during this economic expansion, and that issues of fair pay, workers' security, and affordable housing are important, but unaddressed economic issues. It is bad enough to ignore these issues in ordinary times. But inclement weather and foot-high drifts of snow remind us that hard times always have a greater impact on those who live at the economy's periphery.

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