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Exposing the System

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  • Description

    Former Gov. Richard Codey (D-NJ) talks with Alan about his experience going undercover as a homeless man.

  • Duration 9:28
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Talk about the former New Jersey governor Richard Cody knows state senator.

Governor thank -- -- -- and I -- -- -- -- it's amazing what you did -- -- Newark in new decided -- -- undercover and I've seen the pictures and amazing transformation.

Tell me until my wife just get rate twenty years from now to a normal.

Tell me thinking man is what we try to do.

Well you're not the first time I've done something like this about twenty or more years ago went into it state psychiatric hospital.

Got hired as an orderly working -- direct access to the patients.

After about two weeks came out and -- -- I saw and as a result the president is certainly try employees were fired and eventually.

Psychiatric hospital close and mad at various times already boarding houses are -- -- that are deplorable.

And work to close them and I get most of clothes so it's -- of part of my pattern to help these.

People -- did you choose New York into the Cory Booker to mobile haven't yet.

I live in a discounted born raised over represented Newark.

So it was a national and by the way the mayor.

-- a good discussion couple months ago.

Talked about you know the rooming house in -- boarding homes and should you know.

Would want to take a look at some shelters so I didn't found out that if your mail.

Just not too many shelters that once you.

-- -- mentally ill not too many shelters and it's phenomenally government entitlement program they don't want to either because they want to sign you checks over to them.

-- centro is off the street you try to get a -- you can get immediate -- for night but that's about it right.

All of that new -- no not really -- -- together as a social worker to go early to vouch for me.

For -- to get in when I walked in.

Another stiff member.

Process to the gentleman to who was working here who brought me in.

A we don't want them and Soviet an argument nine there and well he won thank god and I got in and then at one point you go around -- and Hazmat.

Who took a shower and if I take a shower there to make it's gonna go off and I.

I'm gonna be a bad situation this.

Gamble if so avoided eye contact.

-- and ensuring got away with that but they didn't have to endure.

Two and a half hours -- watching wrestle mania.

But before we oh absolutely but here here's was here -- -- -- the accommodation by the way under web site Allen yeah it says you know -- bed and so forth and so on what they give you as a -- role which is about an inch thick and it's not really -- And a blanket.

Annually down on the floor that that's what took my hope pulled it up -- -- now my pillow for the night and how long could you sing it.

Why -- stayed there what leader nine ouch but you've gone back the next night.

Not less saying signed up for an entitlement program and sign -- checks over to them now what happens here -- you've thrown out at seven again.

So one of the gentleman that was about eight feet away from me during the -- I -- Went to the vehicle came -- so essentially by the way would you do this seven Miami -- he's a go to libraries.

I go to the soup kitchens -- and I'm really lucky.

He -- I have a free.

-- passed so I ride the buses to keep warm ups and myself.

He is this guy was well spoken seemed nice.

Saying he's lucky because -- at a -- passed.

Keep them warm and I'm saying well things -- -- that I have Illinois you know came from a modest means.

How grateful Monday not to be in his situation.

Did you sense of who these people are and how they wound up in this.

Deliberate it wasn't when I would presume where I think we would.

The stereotype of the homeless says.

Being mentally ill most.

I didn't that no sense of that law and their ages I would say mostly in her forties.

People who were out of work trying to get back to work some -- -- you know trying to hook up with a friend.

Or some distant family -- any -- any person who could give them some lodgings.

So they wouldn't have to go there every night.

One way -- it would these there's no hope these people don't have a future right there's nothing -- -- to them to to get on a path to get their lives.

Alan I have never in my.

Almost four decades of service in New Jersey have seen so many people coming in with -- to my office.

Making saying my son we'll take any thing.

Governor I'll do anything just put food around my cable pay my daughter's tuition.

You name it so it's not the lower class it's the middle class and people who used to be.

Up in the higher classes as well -- -- out of work and suffering from what you know that there's they have on you know gone to a shelter.

There's -- -- from what you've learned what.

Can change in how can -- change.

I think what we need to do is look at the whole structure we fund the shelters.

And the fact that men are really discriminated against without question and mentally ill those and I -- -- -- that.

Anybody who's mentally ill who may be violently prone.

If you can't accept them we have -- some kind of a set up for them.

But the others -- you know just totally discriminated against to make an -- -- Penn Station in order.

And asleep on the benches and the cops think that god bless and very nice to.

But where can they go -- have to worry about.

Writing a bustle they just from a heat.

That is my whole point we've got to have a -- environment and support them so that they can come and go.

And not -- this you're thrown out at seven and you come back it's seven.

-- -- but that doesn't help it.

-- our funding for that what can be done them.

Not right now but I think you've got to work with the federal government in -- on.

With the state government to come up with a system where -- and he can take some money out of their checks but give them leave him some money from some dignity.

With long talk with former New Jersey governor Dick Cody.

What -- -- Chris Christie doing and is -- good on this issue.

Not on the issue of mental illness he want to close -- is considered probably the find the state psychiatric -- nation blessed by Mother Teresa herself.

And -- they facilities over the age who are mentally ill and its own task force recommended against closing it.

But he wanted to close it put more people out on the street.

Listen we're always gonna unfortunately need State's psychiatric hospitals those are some people that just don't sit in the community.

And that they're not enough good -- -- a high rate in the place.

About eight months ago where there's an open sewer line from there was.

Like sixty something violations the next stated that -- found in this room we have people who were housed in a more room to work together.

What they went out -- -- old hospital beds.

And they considered them -- And they were taking their Social Security checks and they it's such a bad neighborhood down that once a month.

The gangsters quote unquote in the neighborhood knew that they get the editor personal need to you about sixty dolls they see them getting -- bank of overhead.

Take the money and leave and you know those people are gonna make a police report.

How can the government do more at a time when it is such.

Pressure to cut and so little money available.

All it is a priority.

There's no question about it and let's be honest these people don't vote.

They don't hire lobbyists.

And they'll think it -- a heck of a lot of money to take care of in the economy that it.

Probably worst we've ever seen without question.

Is -- doing okay.

As governor in your vote.

According to the policies don't all right -- you had -- Blue States I'm not a fan of the bully attitude toward giving your cities.

You know and vindictive kind of a thing I just think it's like some of those policies and listen I voted for some of them and I'll continue to vote his way when I think he's right.

But I believe when you elect to depositions.

That your governor and years gentlemen.

You've had interesting trajectory you're acting governor twice yet they pass well look back and we changed that -- I was just gonna say my Mother Teresa -- -- -- just gonna say that that.

A lowest pass if you governor I think for under it was a 18820.

Days.

The Euro are no longer considered acting so you are and you if you become governor and an acting governor and that happened and your -- sellers is gonna mentioning that point.

So the question is do you want would you run again for governor.

Big question and then all the engines sometimes -- -- myself.

Why don't have to have this question in my mind every day.

It really is is and -- people list you'll time.

And you know I just wanna do what I had been doing for the last.

For decades -- right now and Clinton you make perfect example Alan.

Hope one day -- -- for the politician can be a lifetime.

-- woke up they can you know my and I put semi normal next thing I know people -- only governor and I didn't know that they might like to change.

They're different -- you Begin government questions would you ever go for the position and -- Chris Christie comes up for reelection it simply may even wind up in Washington who knows.

Well is that.

Now you're answering my question as one day -- -- that you know.

Yes so I mean I don't know we don't know that he is your land threatened excellent to secure its as early -- -- the -- forty years.

So I'd pick a governor I think I'll let you look at it is who clear how lucky you know I'll work in men's nonetheless important what you did the -- -- maybe another time thanking them stunning news tonight -- picture.

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