Panhandler Arrested Making $60,000: Legalize Begging?

as long as there is no force in the transaction it's none of the governments damn business.

Legalize begging??? Are you trying to tell this ignorant foreigner (meaning me) that panhandling is illegal in your country? Even when Mitt "No Tax Returns" Romney is concerned?

Good God, that's the last thing you want to do! $60,000?? Jesus, that's a lot of money! I would like to know how this guy spent all that money. Drugs, booze, cigarettes, lottery tickets? I bet this guy would walk into a soup kitchen for a free meal, pocket full of money, and not even have the decency to donate 1 cent... What a dirt bag!!

Exactly why I NEVER give so much as one cent to anyone on the streets. You do not know where that money is going.

@Drummerboy Well, it looks like you have blocked me before I've even had a chance to defend myself. I have never ever spent the first night on the street? Let me tell you about that first night. It was early January 2001. I had a temporary home at the Veteran's Center on the corner of Park and Temple in Detroit. I had just failed a drug test. Crack cocaine. I was ordered to leave the premises immediately. I did. Out into the cold. I spent the rest of the day wandering around in a daze. Why I didn't just break down right then and there, I'll never know. I just kept moving. I had to. I'll never forget being overcome by this terrible black despair when I approached the abandoned towers of the Jeffries Projects. I spent that night wrapped up in a dirty blanket with a mattress of cardboard boxes, shivering, and thinking of how I was going to make it... All right, I have told you about my first night as a homeless man. Now, please, tell me your story.

As long as he is not hurting anyone, what is the problem? People don't have to give him anything. I think people will find any excuse to give our lawmakers an excuse to pass more laws, Isn't there enough laws already?

Begging falls under the $200 permit and you have to buy insurance? Maybe the city is the big beggar we should all be concerned about.

People don't HAVE to give beggers money, you can just walk away. If the public didn't give out money, then beggers wouldn't bother. Simple.

NO should not be legalize, if he collecting welfare, made $60,000, IS the government going to tax him on that money?

Several States enforce their vagrancy laws; and because of that, there are thousands of bums that vacate those States, and come to San Francisco for their monthly Statewide Gift, for Medical Marijuana, and other mind-altering chemicals, which can run an Annual City Budget up at an increase of several million dollars. Many of the City Supervisors are extremely proud of the influx of out-of-state transient "gift-collectors"; and because of that, they lay down the welcome mat and open their bridges widely for the promotion of such filth and garbage, as well as unhealthy living practices, that these citizens bring.

There is DEFINITELY lots and lots of tax-free riches to be gained. I agree.

WHY don't you have an "OTHER" choice?? I didn't know asking for help was illegal.

go aheqd surw go for it but people should go out and work for the money. asking juzt makes you look bad. wtf? making $60000 begging aint going to make you look that good. but i gotta give props to the guy. thats kinda cool

It will only promote organized crime. Hard to believe it is illegal. There are so many people begging in cities like Cleveland.

I'm getting approached more often lately, in the WalMart parking lot, gas stations and 7-11s. One to watch for is a fairly worn out vehicle parked at a pump, the person then proceeds telling you he only needs a couple dollars gas to get to his home minutes away.
I imagine at a 20% success rate, canvassing say 50 stations, it could be quite lucrative.

but you gotta know "the approach." You've gotta seem genuine. Someone just out of Yale couldn't pull it off.

So true!

If it's legalized and requires a license, than they would have to pay taxes on their income the same as the rest of us.

It's already legal... corporations do it all the time.
Plus, if it was legal, it would be highly regulated, like any other trade... you wouldn't be allowed to just wander around harassing people... just make the beggars claim their wages.

Yep you're right ! They arrest a beggar for 60k, but JP MORGAN pisses off billions..and they give them more billions to piss off again !! LOL ! We're in the Twilight Zone !!

don't bitch about where we are when the Donkey has been driving !

But corporations pay taxes.

IK is just another occutard who does not know her ass from a tax return and just "knows' that rich people are holding back on tons and tons of $$$$$$$$$$$

Corprotard, I'm well versed in my taxes and I see the value of the rich, so try pulling your head out...

And if this was legal, beggars would have to, as well.

I didn't think it WAS illegal to be a beggar! At least he's not on welfare!

funny story , here in Orlando we elected a bunch of Democrats to the city and county board and they chose to make it a law that you have to get a permit to beg and you can only do it in the designated "blue boxes" they created .....gota love them liberals ! LOL

For some reason, I'm not at all surprised!

Sure. Just because they ask for money doesn't mean you have to give them anything. If you ban begging, you might as well ban advertizing too, because it's the same thing.

When was it a crime to ask for help? That seems rather anti-human.

...you would have to ask people like Democrat Glenda Hood why they created laws against begging ....LOL

that's awful.

God Fearing? Wow. Unbelievable.. :\

sorry bud but if you get off your lazy ass and look it up you will find its your side who has criminalized begging in the places where it has come to be illegal -

My reaction to 'god fearing' had nothing to do with the context of your rebuttal.

Arrest people who beg. Make them pay taxes and fines. Discourage them from harassing people and avoiding the legal process of business.

Encourage them to find work and real jobs that add value to society.