But we have all the stuff. Medical care is free to the poor. Housing is free to the poor. Food is free to the poor. School lunch was free to everyone the last few years and continued to be reduced or free to lower income.

The scope and breadth of federal, state and local programs in this country would is mind boggling.

I currently work at a former startup in this area and my wife works with low income families.

The poor don't get free housing. Homeless shelters do exists, largely subsidized by private charities, and there are way too few of them, and they are incredibly dangerous. For those who get Section 8 vouchers (after waiting for years), nobody will take them.

There is a good chunk of free food out there, but not in food deserts, which of course disproportionately affect poor minorities.

If medical care is free to the poor, why does everyone have to go to the emergency room, and why are firefighters acting like EMTs with big red trucks? Why are there so many physically and mentally ill people on the streets?

School lunches continue to be defunded (even this year, during a pandemic, during massive inflation) and not available enough in poor minority communities.

One caveat I’ll add: even with the huge account of public and private money spent in this area, it can never be enough.

When something is free that everyone needs is there is almost infinite demand.