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> The utility is a company: But humans actually need clean water for basic life. There are ways of getting assistance, it's not really clear how many of those

> The utility is a company: But humans actually need clean water for basic life. There are ways of getting assistance, it's not really clear how many of those due to have utilities shut off have pursued them.[1] The bigger issue is that Detroit is a wasteland, and it's not fair to the poor that they're stuck in an economic cesspit. I'd be all in favor of programs to get Detroiters relocated to places with better employment prospects. [1] http://www.needhelppayingbills.com/html/need_help_with_electric_bills.html http://www.needhelppayingbills.com/html/need_help_with_elect...

Broken_Hippo 12y ago
Michigan might have higher standards, but most of the assistance is underfunded (Indiana county offices would run out of money mid-year at times) and the cutoffs are low enough in some states that working full time at minimum wage is enough money to be denied help. There are a few crisis places, but they aren't exactly well known, especially if you are newly 'poor'. Once i lacked transportation, I couldn't even get to some of the places, and my experience has been that utility companies do not offer much outside of what is legally required (did short collections for a phone company; What you got depended on state laws where you lived). Detroit, you are correct, has unique problems. I think reloction might work for some people, but it is hard to say where to put people. I often wonder what the residents would do to the neighborhoods and city if money wasn't an issue, but unfortunately that isn't going to help people have utilities or street lighting or things like that. Granted, I don't have actual solutions either. I support socialist policies because from what I can see, they work, at least better than the patchwork of assistance that is available in the US. Even with that in mind, it all comes down to money, and the only ways I can see to fix it involve money and someone or another is going to complain that they are 'losing'.

Broken_Hippo 12y ago

Michigan might have higher standards, but most of the assistance is underfunded (Indiana county offices would run out of money mid-year at times) and the cutoffs are low enough in some states that working full time at minimum wage is enough money to be denied help. There are a few crisis places, but they aren't exactly well known, especially if you are newly 'poor'. Once i lacked transportation, I couldn't even get to some of the places, and my experience has been that utility companies do not offer much outside of what is legally required (did short collections for a phone company; What you got depended on state laws where you lived). Detroit, you are correct, has unique problems. I think reloction might work for some people, but it is hard to say where to put people. I often wonder what the residents would do to the neighborhoods and city if money wasn't an issue, but unfortunately that isn't going to help people have utilities or street lighting or things like that. Granted, I don't have actual solutions either. I support socialist policies because from what I can see, they work, at least better than the patchwork of assistance that is available in the US. Even with that in mind, it all comes down to money, and the only ways I can see to fix it involve money and someone or another is going to complain that they are 'losing'.