Friday, September 05, 2014

Sweden's Beggar Ombudsman

Important elections in Sweden this month may sweep the present US-leaning government from power.

Bravo. The Alliance centre-right coalition (Moderate Party, Centre Party, Folkpartiet (Liberal Party) and  Christian Democrats) has brought about mixed results, but after eight years in power their new election season promises now seem empty.

One area of poor performance:

Beggars - Sweden now has thousands more beggars than when "Moderaterna" took power. In Stockholm pitiful beggars have settled-down on the pavement outside virtually all the big shops and supermarkets. Our leadership has done virtually nothing about this; it becomes more of a problem with homeless beggars camping in parks and shitting among the bushes. I don't believe it's proper to allow unrestricted use of public spaces for camping and fundraising. Impoverished people can enroll in assistance programs. A dynamic society should plan how to assist the weak.

Begging is a type of fundraising open to abuse; these conditions need monitoring. Is there a Beggar Ombudsman? Many local people are concerned for beggar welfare, but we need not allow such people to take over our passageways without restriction. Surely we can require enrollment, and also impose controls.  
Some may object that many beggars are not local people. If poor people are coming to Sweden for begging, our response (or lack of response) is all the more important. Apparently the present government has done little or nothing.