Detroit Cuts Off Water To Thousands Unable To Pay Their Bills

Are you saying that Michigan is ran by Democrats? That's a laugh. The GOP gerrymandered the $hit out of my home state, in a extremely undemocratic display.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-...-what-most-u-s-wants-with-gerrymandering.html

Here are some maps from the Michigan legislature

http://michiganredistricting.org/resources/



This one's the funniest. They divided Michigan into 5 large districts, and made the densely populated Democrat areas unbelievably small.





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What a load of crap. Michigan only flipped to Republican in 2010, prior to that it was controlled by Democrats 64 to 42. Michigan has been under Democratic rule for over 40 years. Are you going to argue that Detroit was a shining example of up until 2010 and only after that did it go to hell? Detroit has ONLY had Democratic mayors since 1962 so take your bull(*)(*)(*)(*) and peddle it somewhere else. The most pathetic part is that you claim to actually live in that state and you can't even bother to know your own local politics.

 

Oh, I get it. I think you misunderstood me. I was not referring to the state, but the city of Detroit.

 

Oh, as for Detroit, it really hasn't been the fault of the right or left. Most of its blamed on the old mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick, who embezzeled, bribed, and sold billions of government money. He "borrowed" about the same amount of money that were now in debt for. People used to call him a scape goat for the cities problems, but its a pretty big goat. But yeah, the last 4 mayors we've had have been helplessly corrupt.

The new mayor has been getting stuff done though. He's created 100's of jobs, gained tons of foreign investment, and pretty much fixed up the cities crime problem. The crime response went from 20 minutes to 15, which is still bad, but not terrible. The real fate of Detroit resides in the legislature though.

 

(laughs) I'm not arguing with you. The U.S. government can not (or will not) use tax regulation to goods and services. In order to become profitable, recover production in U.S. . Because the oligarchs (owner of the U.S. government) lose their profits. Because America will continue to turn to Africa. Where are the people to bathe and drink water, have to go to the lake. Detroit - this is what will turn the United States. Once thriving city in ruins. Welcome to the new world.

 

Those with extremely limited understanding and blatant bias should refrain from expecting their commentary to be taken seriously or used in the debate process.

 

This is appalling. In Britain the water utilities are legally prevented from cutting off water for reasons of public health irrespective of how much you owe them. What are people with children supposed to do, take a bucket down to the river, crap in a hole in the ground? God bless America and typhoid !

 

The world including the US is littered with ghost towns, economies change. it happens.

 

I don't know why people stay there if there is no work. North Dakota could use more hands, I'm sure.

 

Thanks for actually quoting me this time. Your still not answering my question. You continue to act like its an entitlement to have free things you can't pay for. The US government doesn't let them starve. We spend billions on welfare, UI benefits, and 100's of social and job services. Our citizens in Detroit are more than being taken care for on the governments expense. Your only claim is that Detroit is a $hithole for not giving free water. How? So, you have to go to the community center to get your water.

Why do you continue debating on this weak argument.

 

Unfortunately you can't make people move across the states that easily. A man with no job and children, will likely stay where he is for more jobs to turn up. Sure, you can tell me now, that you would move states if you lost your job, but I doubt the decision is that easy for many.

 

Appallling? Why can't these people go to the community center, where running water is already provided? Or down to the lake? Michigan has 10,000 lakes, and Detroit is on one of the largest fresh water lakes in the world. Hell, they can take a drive up to Superior, which is the largest lake in the world. Tell me, how is it appalling to not give people things they can't pay for? The Michigan legislatue specifically made this law, because citizens can already get free water from the state?'

Even the welfare checks more than entitle water expenses.

 

Taxcutter says:
Detroit is out of other people's money.

 

(laughs) You enjoy the glory? I do not know what financial opportunities of the U.S. government and individual states. I think that turning off water - do not. For example, you can collect the debt giving people social work. I know that, for example, is prohibited in Russia disable people from water. There are ways to collect debts without infringing civilization. Eg. Confiscation of the car, TV and other equipment. Replacement Housing - housing smaller area and so on. Public Works, finally. But in Russia it is very cheap payment for utility services.

 

Russia is a federal nation, right? The federal government didn't cut off water, just the Detroit city council. The US is much larger and densely populated than Russia. There are 1000's of miniature governments in America, and you can't criticize the actions of each one. Detroit is a different situation. We are paying so much into the citizens there, that even if they got a job, it would take about a decade a piece to pay back their debt to the government. The Detroit City Council will have more money to spend on roads, energy, and other things.

And at what cost? 10% of the jobless citizens there need to take a walk to the lake? Do they have much else to do? Its a good decision IMO! BTW, you seem to be under the impression that the government is the one providing the water. This is not the case. Its the companies who collect and distribute it who are suffering. Were forcing businesses to provide free things.

 

In Russia banned turning off water to the population feds and municipalities. Civilization and health standards - a priority. African methods are unacceptable. Nobody can send people to bathe and drink water in a lake or river. In addition, Russia is very cheap utilities. In Russia prohibits torture, so nobody has no right to deprive people health standards.

 

I recommend you also read the book for the answers you are seeking.

 

This isn't because the people cannot afford to pay--it is because the city is so mismanaged that it cannot afford to continue to provide, so this is what happens. My city does have a rule that it won't cut off water or electric if there are children or elderly in the household, and it also provides water and electric at a loss currently to everyone. It is unsustainable as there is a special fund to offset the losses, but that fund is being bled dry. We will be raising rates and losing money just to mitigate the losses some, but the population is unwilling to support the necessary steps to even break even right now because that would require very large rate adjustments. In a decade, we will be having these Detroit-type issues because the politicians are more worried about keeping their jobs than bucking up and leading.

 

Afford? A man who was featured in a newspaper article as a poor helpless homeless person was subjected to a follow-up interview by another reporter. The homeless man admitted that his first priority for spending was alcohol and everthing else came later and as a result he couldn't always "afford" food and certainly couldn't "afford" rent. A student I knew was complaining that another student did a study trip to Oaxaca but she couldn't afford that. The trip was over spring break so I asked the girl what she did for spring break. Palm Springs. Afford? A girl called me because she was housesitting in a very fancy home for a couple on vacation with their kids in Tahiti. The electricity had been turned off because the bill hand't been paid in six months and the girl said she couldn't just leave because there were three dogs. I got the electricity turned back on but how can you "afford" a vacation in Tahiti but you can't "afford" to pay your electric bill. It's called priorities.

If you want to see totally screwed up priorities, look to the federal government.

Perhaps it's a matter of priorities.

 

Electricity isn't essential for life, health and sanitation. Water is.

 

Wishes - this one. Reality - is another. Detroit - it is reality.

 

Yes it is a reality that when the left wing bleeds the turnips dry, they can longer afford to buy both the votes of the poor and the unions, so the poor get tossed by the wayside like aborted babies since there is no more water in the toilet for them to swim around in. Poor people need to take back their city from the democratic intelligentsia (if ever there as an oxymoron), and as I stated, they should begin by bypassing their local straw boss masters and rehooking their water up themselves. Who knows, they might feel so empowered afterwards they will burn the big house and escape the plantation.

 

Its un polluted fresh water. Cry me a river.

 

As far as I understand it, the primary cause for Detroit's current fate was setting up massive pensions and benefits for public sector workers without setting aside the proper funding to keep it solvent. It's somewhat similar to Greece's situation.

Another component involves Detroit's impractical approach to moving forward with a post-industrial economy. Other cities have shown much better results, like Pittsburgh. Detroit could follow in their footsteps with the right steps for attracting businesses like pharmaceutical corporations.

So, the city leadership clearly needs improvement. Beyond that, there appear to be annexation issues when it comes to dealing with huge amounts of property tax evasion just outside of the city's limits.

 

Free water for moochers?