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Waters to Trump: Your Shamelessness Knows No Bounds

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “Mr. President,
“Your shamelessness knows no bounds. From day one of your presidency, you have attacked our democracy and now you have set your ire on the 550,000 Americans who on any given night experience homelessness. Given this deplorable track record, I demand that you provide additional information on your Administration’s recent report, “The State of Homelessness in America,”[1] and your reported plans to unilaterally demolish homeless tent camps and relocate homeless individuals to federally-owned facilities.[2] As you know, homelessness in this country has reached crisis proportions and this effort would be one of the numerous cruel, unlawful, and unpatriotic actions you have taken during what will hopefully be a short-lived presidency.”

Published

7 years ago

October 30, 2019

Oakland Post

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee, sent a letter to Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, taking him to task for his harmful homelessness proposals.

“From day one of your presidency, you have attacked our democracy and now you have set your ire on the 550,000 Americans who on any given night experience homelessness,” the Chairwoman wrote. “Given this deplorable track record, I demand that you provide additional information on your Administration’s recent report, “The State of Homelessness in America,” and your reported plans to unilaterally demolish homeless tent camps and relocate homeless individuals to federally-owned facilities. As you know, homelessness in this country has reached crisis proportions and this effort would be one of the numerous cruel, unlawful, and unpatriotic actions you have taken during what will hopefully be a short-lived presidency.”

Chairwoman Waters has consistently worked to bring attention to the homelessness crisis and put forth proactive solutions to address this important issue.

In February, the Chairwoman convened a hearing entitled, “Homeless in America: Examining the Crisis and Solutions to End Homelessness.” The hearing was the first Financial Services Committee hearing of the 116^thCongress and the Committee’s first ever full Committee hearing on the issue of homelessness.

In March, Chairwoman Waters introduced H.R. 1856, the Ending Homelessness Act of 2019, legislation that provides a comprehensive plan to ensure that every person experiencing homelessness in America has a place to call home. This legislation passed out of Committee by a vote of 32-26.

In August, the Chairwoman convened a full Committee field hearing entitled, “Examining the Homelessness Crisis in Los Angeles,” which was the first full Committee field hearing of the 116^th Congress.

See the full text of the letter to the President below.

The Honorable Donald J. Trump
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20500

Mr. President,

Your shamelessness knows no bounds. From day one of your presidency, you have attacked our democracy and now you have set your ire on the 550,000 Americans who on any given night experience homelessness. Given this deplorable track record, I demand that you provide additional information on your Administration’s recent report, “The State of Homelessness in America,”^[1] and your reported plans to unilaterally demolish homeless tent camps and relocate homeless individuals to federally-owned facilities.^[2] As you know, homelessness in this country has reached crisis proportions and this effort would be one of the numerous cruel, unlawful, and unpatriotic actions you have taken during what will hopefully be a short-lived presidency.

To date, your Administration has taken several steps that would increase homelessness in this country, including: proposing to defund key HUD programs, proposing to impose steep rent increases on the lowest income HUD tenants, seeking to evict mixed-status immigrant families living in subsidized housing, increasing the barriers to emergency shelter for LGBTQ individuals experiencing homelessness, and weakening fair housing protections. Your Administration also has implemented cruel and inhumane child separation and detention practices as part of its immigration policies. In light of this record, I am concerned that these newly reported efforts around homelessness are an effort to reduce the appearance rather than the rate of homelessness at the expense of the human and civil rights of people experiencing homelessness.

Your Administration’s report further stokes these concerns by providing an oversimplified and misleading narrative of why homelessness exists in this country and the policies that may be successful in reducing homelessness. For example, the report ignores years of sound research on the efficacy of the Housing First approach in favor of supporting “service participation requirements” that have been proven to act as barriers to not just housing, but also employment, sobriety, higher education, and any number of positive life outcomes.^[3] The report also draws erroneous conclusions about the impact of local “right to shelter” policies, suggests that punitive policing tactics are effective in reducing unsheltered homelessness, inflates the impact of regulations on the cost of housing, and minimizes the critical importance of federal programs that invest in housing and supportive services for people experiencing homelessness.

There are over 550,000 people experiencing homelessness in this country, and more than 36,000 people experiencing homelessness in the City of Los Angeles alone on any given night.^[4] I recognize that the homelessness crisis that our nation faces is a humanitarian issue, requiring evidence driven solutions that treat people experiencing homelessness with dignity and respect. That is why I have introduced H.R. 1856, the Ending Homelessness Act of 2019, to provide over $13 billion in funding to comprehensively address the crisis.

While homelessness may not be the headline news story this week, it is a crisis that is currently devastating this country. Members of Congress, state and local officials, and the general public deserve to know about the details of your plan before any action is taken. Please respond to questions below about the details of your efforts on homelessness, particularly in my home state of California.

What specifically does the Administration plan to do to address homelessness in this country, and in California in particular?
What assurances can you provide that your plans will not violate the Constitution and federal civil rights laws?
Does your plan include the renovation of government properties to serve as emergency shelters? If so, where will you obtain the funding to renovate and operate these facilities?
Does your plan include a long-term strategy to permanently house individuals and families experiencing homelessness?
Which entities and federal agencies do you expect will carry out this effort? Specifically, what role would the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) play in your effort?
How do you plan to work with state and local officials and organizations?
What is your position on my bill, H.R.1856, the Ending Homelessness Act of 2019?

Sincerely,

MAXINE WATERS
Chairwoman

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61 years since Selma, Houston leaders say the bridge remains to be crossed

61 years after Selma, Houston leaders say the fight for equality continues. The issues that sparked the marches still impact Black Americans today.

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Houston leaders discuss the ongoing struggle for civil rights 61 years after Selma, emphasizing the need for continued action.

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Here is what you need to know about finding unique white elephant gift ideas that everyone wants to steal

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition. The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half […]

Published

1 month ago

October 4, 2026

Oakland Post

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition.

The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half a second, and suddenly everyone wants the same gift. That is the sweet spot. A great white elephant pick should make people laugh, lean in, and start plotting their next steal before the turn is even over.

Should a White Elephant Gift Be Funny or Useful?

A white elephant gift can be funny or useful, but the strongest choices usually give people a reason to laugh and a reason to keep the item. A practical gift with an odd design, unexpected feature, or playful theme can get a reaction without becoming something the recipient immediately wants to give away.

The right balance depends on the group. Close friends and family members may enjoy a ridiculous gag gift because they already understand one another’s sense of humor.

A workplace exchange, neighborhood party, or mixed-age gathering usually calls for something with broader appeal. In those settings, humor works better when it is built into an item people could still use afterward.

It also helps to think about how quickly the gift will make sense once it is opened. A strangely shaped kitchen tool, oversized mug, quirky desk accessory, or unexpectedly fancy everyday item can create an immediate reaction. Guests understand the joke right away, while the item still has enough practical value to attract a steal.

Pure gag gifts can be harder to pull off. Something that exists only for the punchline may get a big laugh during the reveal and then sit untouched for the rest of the game. If the goal is to bring one of the gifts everyone keeps fighting over, usefulness gives the joke staying power.

Memorable Present Ideas: Creating Inside Joke Gifts

Inside joke gifts can make a white elephant exchange feel much more personal, especially when most of the group shares the same stories. The trick is choosing a reference that people will recognize quickly instead of building the entire joke around something only two guests understand.

You can turn a memorable vacation mishap, office catchphrase, family story, or long-running group joke into the theme of the gift. A personalized comic book can work especially well when it turns familiar people or a ridiculous shared moment into part of the story.

Think carefully about who the joke involves before ordering anything permanent. The gift should make the person feel included in the fun, not singled out for the wrong reason.

Can You Bring Something You Already Own?

Holiday gift exchanges can be a good place to re-gift something you never used, especially if it is unopened and clean.

The following can all work if they still look presentable:

A duplicate kitchen gadget
An untouched game
A decorative item
A sealed gift set
An unopened candle
A new travel accessory

The goal is to give the item a second chance, not use the exchange as an excuse to clear out damaged or unwanted clutter.

Take a close look at the packaging before wrapping it. Faded boxes, missing pieces, visible wear, or anything that looks obviously used can make the gift feel careless.

Wrapping Budget-Friendly Gifts

Wrapping can make gifts more entertaining before anyone even knows what’s inside.

Misdirection works especially well for fun party games. Put a small gift inside a much larger box. Use packaging from an unrelated household item.

Add harmless weight so guests cannot guess what they are holding. The reveal becomes part of the joke without changing the gift itself.

You can also lean into the theme of the exchange. Bright paper, oversized bows, reusable bags, or deliberately over-the-top wrapping can make an ordinary item feel more memorable. If the gift itself is already funny, simple wrapping may work better so the surprise stays hidden until the last second.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Picking Last an Advantage in White Elephant?

Picking last can be an advantage because you get to see almost every gift before making your move. Instead of choosing blindly from the remaining wrapped presents, you can steal something that has already caught your attention if the rules still allow it.

That advantage depends on the house rules. Some games limit how many times a gift can be stolen.

Others lock an item once it reaches a certain number of steals. If the most popular gifts are already unavailable, the final player may have fewer strong options than expected.

The first player can also get another turn at the end in some versions of the game. That rule can balance things out, since the person who started with the least information may get one final chance to steal.

How Do You Plan White Elephant for a Large Group?

For a large white elephant exchange, set a firm spending limit and establish the stealing rules in advance.

Create a clear turn order before the game begins. Drawing numbers as guests arrive can save time once everyone is ready to start.

Keep the number of steals per gift limited so the game does not drag on. It also helps to have one person track which creative holiday presents have been stolen and when they are locked, especially if dozens of people are participating.

Can You Play White Elephant Virtually?

A virtual white elephant exchange can work over a video call, with one person keeping track of the turn order and each steal. Guests can either mail physical gifts ahead of time or use digital gifts that can be delivered once the game ends.

Set the spending limit and stealing rules before everyone joins. It also helps to decide how gifts will be revealed and who is responsible for sending each one afterward so the exchange does not become confusing.