A lot services in the US, like the power company for example, are privately owned. But it's good where I live, Detroit. At least most people think so. DTE Energy is our local service. And they try to help low income houses, and people who have problems paying their heating bills thru payment plans. Now, the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (which is a service of the local government here) provides the local water for most of the people in metro Detroit. And they sure don't do any of that. In fact, if you can't pay you water and sewerage bill, they eventually shut off your water. And you're left living in that house without water of any kind. How do you cook? How do you bathe? I know I've thought for some time what water and sewerage department should do is give poor people a discount. They don't at all like I said. Or, why not just give it for free to poor people? Especially very poor people? They're the government. They can afford it. And they do it all the time, give stuff for free. Tax dollars usually pay for that. Same thing with bus service in Detroit and the metro area. Last I heard it still cost a dollar. I know when I was still going to high school, I got a student discount bus pass. I think poor people can get a discount bus pass too. But why even have people pay for that? Some can't even afford that. When you're poor, every dollar counts. Why not just give people bus rides for free? And not only in metro Detroit, but everywhere? And what about US mail? A standard letter is 73¢ now. Why? Why does the post office need 73¢ everytime someone just wants to send out one stupid letter? And poor people, sadly, are really the only ones who ever use that service. Why not just give it for free? It's not like the government would miss that money or care. And I have to tell you about peanut butter in the United States. Since the 1930s the USDA has subsidized peanut butter through direct support for peanut farmers. The Agricultural Act of 2014 renewed this plan. I could have heard wrong but they say that when you buy a jar of peanut butter in the US, the US government actually pays for all of it basically. Or maybe most of it. And only peanut butter. Peanut farmers receive twice the amount of federal support compared to other crops. And peanut butter isn't cheap here. At least it isn't free. And I was reading online just now that the US government doing this actually inflates the price of peanut butter. It doesn't make it more affordable. Again, why? If the US government pays for it, why don't we all get it for free then? Or why don't poor people get it for free? The US government used to give out food to poor people, and elderly people who qualified for this program, for free. Things like milk, butter and cheese. Back in the 90s there were even a lot of jokes about "government cheese" in the US. Well, they could give us butter and cheese for free. Why don't they just give us peanut butter for free? They're paying for it anyways. Am I wrong with any of this?
Unfortunately, as with any government program to help or subsidize the poor, all you hear about is the fraud and 'those lazy people who just don't want to work', which, of course is a lot of horseshit. I think if 85% of Medicaid and Welfare and SNAP make it to the right people, that's a success. Nobody is getting rich or well fed off of $155/mo of SNAP to feed poor kids. If you want to bitch about crop subsidy and price supports - look into sugar and corn. Corn is kept propped up for ethanol production - which is an overall energy loser and a big adder to CO2, but 'it's great for America'...as long as 'America' means conglomo corn farming.
The Gubment (as a HUGE flustercluck) allocates funds to multiple thousands of agencies, programs, foreign aid, and a LOT of financial black holes. If you want cheaper stamps, someone has to give up their subsidy to grow rutabagas, etc.
If you want cheaper stamps, you need to not pay every genius that's delivered a bag of letters before hitting the bar a $90k pension at 58.
Erm, doesn't that mean it isn't free?! If you were in the UK or I think an EU country, there is written law that prevents utility companies disconnecting a home's water supply. And if you walk into a bar and ask for a glass of water, they must give it to you (or ask if you'd like a bandage). Tap/potable water; not bottled.
Me (to my financial advisor recently): "Not free is when I pay for it. Free is when someone else pays for it." (Someone always pays for it.)
Poor people don't get billed for water and sewer. Those bills go to the people who own the property. If you are poor, you are a renter, or live in public housing. If you do own the dwelling you should be able to pay ; you won't get a mortgage if you can't. The water bill here is $40.00 per quarter or $160 per year. Over in the five boros of New York City, you pay a fixed rate based on "Frontage" that is how wide your lot is. Our neighbor had a pool and thought to dispurse with the pump, filter and chlorine; and just run the garden hose in the pool all summer with the water running accross the driveway and down the street. We read a lot of news about water in Flint, MI., The City would not shut down the meter and let the balance climb up. Now we read about foreclosed homes, for sale, that are encumbered by a water lien for $20.000.00 that will be the purchasers responsibility. How long does the water go unpaid to acculmate such a balance? So. Can't the City wave the balance to retire the lien? No Flint auctioned the water lien to some vulture capitalist who paid pennies on the dollar and is holding out for full payment; so the property sits vacant. Here in the Jersey Pine Barrens they will close your service after 6 mos unpaid. or $80.00 If you are a mechanic, and can turn your service back on ( like my neighbor ) you will get busted like no tomorrow. In Flint, MI., the City Water was so strapped for cash that they omitted adding a PH buffer to the water supply so that lead leached into the residens water at a greater rate then normal. They could not afford it. The U.S.Mail: They still deliver mail seven days a week. If they could trim that to, say : three days a week the cost savings would drop the cost of your letter. Like we all need to see flyers seven days a week. As to mass transit. Whatever the cost, it it secondary to personal safty. If one will be assaulted on the bus or subway it dwarfs any monetary cost. The ultimate civil right is the right to a safe ride. Clean water and safe transit are precious commodities we should be thankful for them.
