What Would a Homeless Person Ask the Presidential Candidates if they could Moderate a Debate?

These questions were gathered at the Homeless Stand Down in 2016 in which homeless people were asked to pose a question to the candidates running for President of the United States.

  • Are you going to cut Social Security or give seniors a raise?
  • How do you plan to create better jobs and more affordable housing?
  • What would you do to secure housing, employment and other social services, especially for people with special needs?
  • What would you do to provide more benefits for the homeless and ex-felons to get access to employment?
  • What services will be provided for homeless veterans and for people with disabilities?
  • Why aren’t you asking real people, in this country, what is going on, so that you can address what they really need?
  • Why are there mostly black people standing in line for services at the Homeless Stand Downs in the United States, and mostly white people providing the services?
  • Will you, or why can’t you, increase the amount given to people who receive a disability checks so they can pay the rent?
  • How would you resolve the contaminated water situation in Flint?        
  • What would you do about Syria?
  • What do you plan to do to house homeless people?
  • How do you feel about rehabbing abandoned homes to house the homeless?
  • What are your views regarding building homeless shelters for people with mental health issues?
  • What are your plans to help stem, or curb gun violence?
  • Regarding healthcare: do you plan to continue Obamacare or make changes that may better benefit the less fortunate?
  • How do you feel about government –funded healthcare for everyone?
  • Why do you want to be President of the United States?
  • Why isn’t there enough affordable housing?
  • How do you plan to help poor, Black people?
  • How do you plan to deal with the unemployment rate?
  • How do you plan to improve healthcare for veterans?
  • When will slavery reparations be paid to the decedents of slaves?
  • What would you do to help regarding better healthcare, elder assistance and food pantries?
  • What will you do to help middle-class families?
  • What will you do differently than other presidents that will make you a better president?
  • How did you get yourself into this mess – campaigning to become President of the United States?
  • Can we have World Peace and what will you do to help achieve it?
  • Where will you get more money in order to create more jobs and housing?
  • How would you plan to help senior citizens?
  • What will you do to downsize the military?
  • What will you do to keep the recidivism rate for those coming out of incarceration low?
  • How would you handle Cost of Living Increases for benefits?
  • Would you be willing to experience homelessness for a short period of time, to see what it is really like in America?

Copyright Cleveland Street Chronicle April 2016. All Rights Reserved.

Chris Knestrick