The primary issue driving all these problems is the rising levels of homelessness plaguing these towns. This is a complex issue of course, with a combination of high rents and a lack of social safety nets being contributing factors. Perhaps it’s time for the national free market experiment to end and for the government to grow up and start providing for the needs of the people? .

Opposition to European social programs will point to higher taxes but often neglect to mention the huge amounts of money saved from not paying for private health insurance. And there is still plenty of capitalism to go around; its not like the EU is some sort of socialist bloc.

Critics will point across the channel to here in the UK at our comparatively higher levels of homelessness but ignore the political upheaval. Between 1997 and 2010 (during the centre-right Blair years) we had low levels of homelessness (and no visible drug use as a result) thanks to generous government support if you fell flat and social support structures that looked after the bottom of society. The switch to a conservative government in 2010 did nothing but rip out all this state support and send homelessness (and national debt) through the roof for the next 14 years