Every time someone talks about free this or that in the Nordic countries an American will pop his head up and yell "It's paid for with your taxes" without fail.
The thing about people not having to live on the street. Of course we have homeless people, but the system is such that you pretty much have to choose to live on the street. I once worked with a guy who also worked with homeless people and he told me that the people you see on the street are the ones who can't handle being part of society at all. The government doesn't want people to live on the street and there's help to be had, but some people just can't cope with modern life. Living in a house means you have responsibilities like bills and if you have a mental illness someone shows up at your place every week expecting you to take your pills, and that's too much for some people so they just leave. The guy didn't say any of this with any kind of judgment btw. He understood why some people might choose to turn their back on society.
I have friends and family with mental health problems who can't work and some can't be trusted to save money for bills, so the government make sure to put some of the money they receive every month aside for them so they can pay rent and won't have to go without heat or water. They try to keep a roof over everyone's head.
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2nd of March