Carl Paladino has the solution for unemployment and homelessness in the state of New York! He's going to "borrow", although one might also say "kidnap and corrupt", the idea of the Civilian Conservation Corps of the New Deal. As the New York Daily News website puts it:
Paladino's plan would convert empty and underutilized prisons into centers where those on welfare and unemployment insurance can receive job training, state-sponsored work, housing and lessons in "personal hygiene."
It's the solution for everything! Ship undesireables off to pris-- sorry, ah, education centers, where they can be taught to... what? Take showers properly? That's frankly quite creepy, to this Jewish kid. "Come to this secluded location, please. And step into this shower."
Who benefits from this? Not sure, given how vague Paladino et al.'s plans on the matter have been. I wonder if it'll be private contractors...! And who's paying for this? Taxpayers. The taxpayers that Paladino is always saying he's looking out for.
Paladino's quick response video says they're just trying to provide shelter and schooling for anyone who wants it... but again, who's paying for it? And who's benefiting from it? Wouldn't it be better to actually set the unemployed to working by offering them jobs doing things like, I don't know, parks maintenance and public works jobs, like the old CCCorps, which Paladino et al. say they're trying to emulate?
It's pretty sad, but it's par for the course with Paladino as a candidate, and with the Republican Party's general view on the poor and homeless. "It's their fault," they say, "and if only they'd suck it up and get a better job, they'd be fine! Lack of local employment opportunities comes only from a lack of imagination, not a lack of resources!" Or alternately, "These people's problem isn't laziness, it's their ignorance, low intelligence and lack of personal hygiene. If only we taught them the basic skills of life, like how to use a toothbrush, they'd go out and get better jobs to better their standard of living!"
Both of these are, frankly, quite stupid ways of looking at the problem of unemployment.
Plus, on the homelessness angle, there's chronic problems besides lack of affordability of housing (h/t The Rent is Too God Damn High Party) - immigration issues and mental health issues also factor into it. I wouldn't bet Carl Paladino either knows or cares one whit about the problems of people facing difficulties with either issue, much less both.
What a jerk.