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US Prepares To Provide A Billion To Ukraine As Detroit Plans Mass Water Shutoffs Over $260 Million
Moments ago the CBO released its estimate of what S. 2124, aka "Support for the Sovereignty, Integrity, Democracy, and Economic Stability of Ukraine Act of 2014", better known as the "Payment of Overdue Gazprom Invoices Act" - here is the verdict: "CBO estimates that enacting the bill would decrease direct spending by $373 million over the 2014-2024 period. S. 2124 would achieve that decrease mostly by rescinding funds that were provided as an emergency requirement. Certain sanctions, if enacted, would affect revenues, but CBO estimates that those effects would not be significant. Pay-as-you-go procedures apply because enacting the legislation would affect direct spending and revenues. CBO estimates that the statutory pay-as-you-go effects of S. 2124 (which, by law, do not including the effect of rescinding funds provided under the emergency designation) would be to increase the deficit by $320 million over the 2014-2024 period." Of course, the total amount authorized is substantially higher at $1.3 billion, and will be met through various loan guarnatees, and other US-backed promises, which the CBO is assuming right now, will not result in outlays (they will).
Either way, one thing is certain: in order to enforce the fading Pax Americana in the Ukraine, and to keep the funding to the otherwise insolvent Ukraine flowing, which as everyone knows will be first and foremost used to pay Russia's Gazprom, the US is about to send lots of money abroad. As in, not in the US.
So when it comes to priorities, whom does Putin have to thank for the billions in Western funds he is about to receive? Maybe he can start in Detroit, where the local utility is planning mass water shutoffs over $260M in delinquent bills.
In other words, while the US is enforcing some odd international law, according to which a democratic vote is not credible but a violent coup is, US citizens are about to have no drinking water over a paltry $260 million. From Detroit News:
The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department has a message for Detroit residents and companies more than 60 days late on their water bills: We’re coming for you. With more than half of the city’s customers behind on payments, the department is gearing up for an aggressive campaign to shut off service to 1,500-3,000 delinquent accounts weekly, said Darryl Latimer, the department’s deputy director.
Including businesses, schools and commercial buildings, there are 323,900 Detroit water and sewerage accounts; 164,938 were overdue for a total of $175 million as of March 6. Residential accounts total 296,115; 154,229 were delinquent for a total of $91.7 million. The department halts cutoffs through the winter because of complications associated with freezing temperatures, such as damaged pipes. But this spring, a new contractor has been hired to target those who are more than two months behind or who owe more than $150 — twice the average monthly bill of $75.
The department says it’s now ready to “catch up” with cutoffs halted because of the unusually harsh winter weather. DWSD is looking to show there are consequences associated with not paying water bills, Latimer said.
“Not everyone is in the situation where they can’t afford to pay,” he said. “It’s just that the utility bill is the last bill people choose to pay because there isn’t any threat of being out of service.”
People pay up more when they see the department out cutting off water to neighbors, and the statistics bear that out, officials said. In July, for example, before contractors started on the shutoffs, the department cut off 1,566 customers. That month, it collected $149,000 in water bills. Extra contractors started working on cutoffs last summer. Attheir peak in October — before cold weather caused a halt to the disconnects — 3,700 cutoffs occurred. The department collected more than $350,000 in overdue bills that month. That number of cutoffs translated to more than double for warm weather months compared to last year.
“We’re trying to shift the behavioral payment patterns of our customer base right now,” said Constance Williams-Levye, DWSD commercial operations specialist. “And so aggressively we’ll have a team of contractors coming in, in addition to our field teams.” Up to 20 additional contractor crews are expected to be employed working on the cutoffs, DWSD officials said.
The department bills monthly and sends out notices when bills are overdue. When an account is more than 60 days late, a notice goes out saying service could be cut, Latimer said.
Residents don’t necessarily have to move out but Latimer said there were instances, in the case of households with children, where the department of social services will come in and say the kids will be removed from the home if water is not restored.
“Usually folks will then come in and make some kind of arrangement,” Latimer said.
While we respect the DWSD's "behavioral" experiment at making Americans accountable and taking responsibility for their action, such as paying for services rendered, it is far too late - the entire fabric of US society would tear apart, with disastrous and deadly consequences, if such an approach was taken at the wholesale level. Confused why? Just look at the $17.5 trillion in public obligations the US government is on the hook for, and which it will never repay, aka the "Minsky Moment" with the only footnote that for now the US is the world's reserve currency, so the Fed can always print more $ and monetize even more debt. Sadly, this always ends in tears.
In the meantime, since everyone in the US is merely living from can kicking to another can kicking, one wonders: wouldn't the $373 million in funds destined to pay off Putin's oligarch buddies not be better used to pay overdue DWSD bills, which would then allow several tens of thousands of Detroit residents to have running water for a few more months?
Not that we advocate either course of action, but we do wonder: just who sets capital allocation responsibilities at the White House. Because last time we checked, Russian billionaire oligarchs don't even vote in the US.
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well now we know what the US government really cares about
file on time, SERFS!
Hey, In The usA Whats' Fair Is Fair...
Now, Pay Your OmaboaCare Bill And Run Along Nicely...
Maybe they'd get some cash if a phone call was leaked of Detroit's mayor threatening to nuke Windsor.
For those who are used to living out in the country (or at least in the burbs where burning is allowed), you know that it's best to let your burn pile dry out for a few months before lighting it. Then all it takes is one well-placed match.
What's the order on that again? water, power, rent, shoes.
wouldn't the $373 million in funds destined to pay off Putin's oligarch buddies not be better used to pay overdue DWSD bills, which would then allow several tens of thousands of Detroit residents to have running water for a few more months?
Nothing new there.
http://thinkprogress.org/security/2013/06/28/2230481/sigar-afghan-helico...
Within the last month, the Defense Department announced that it would be purchasing over $700 million dollars worth of aircraft for the Afghan armed forces.
The Russian helicopters were ordered despite a specific ban from the Congress on buying from Rosoboronexport so long as the Russian company continues arming the Syrian government. However, the Pentagon determined that there was a vital need for the helicopters, justifying the purchase through using funds allocated to the 2012 fiscal year, rather than the 2013 funding pool to which the ban applied.
Vital no doubt, particularly considering Afghanistan doesn't have an airforce lol
Whatever you do, don't cut that gawddamn defence budget! Every cent counts.
per detroit water shut offs
harbor freight sells the water main tool for under twenty bucks, and its nice and long to reach the recessed city mains
anyone in the area who wants to start a little cottage industry turning back on shut off water, you're welcome
and dont over charge these people dammit...like frikkin darkest africa in the US these days turning off peoples water
Should we take bets on how many "fiscally responsible" tea-baggers jump on board with Ukraine payoffs?
FUCK AMERICANS
LET THEM DRINK PISS
I AM CHUMBAWAMBA.
fuck you with your morally relative blame game. "i fucked my neighbor's wife, but at least i didn't fuck my wife's sister." your sissy-ass liberal skirt is showing, dumbass!
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF PEOPLE IN THE WORLD:
1. THOSE WHO UNDERSTAND SATIRE; AND
2. THOSE WHO CAN FUCK THE FUCK OFF!
I AM CHUMBAWAMBA.
Just don't shut the Natty Ice off and my EBT!
I don't know about Michigan, but in many states it is illegal to cut off the water to an occupied house. The occupants have to be evicted first. I imagine some of the homes are rented to people who aren't directly responsible for paying the water bill.
Has any Detroit politician, at any time, ever said anything remotely close to resembling this:
"My fellow Detroit residents. I apologize to you for being a complete fuck-up as a representative of the people and am guilty of negligence as well as malfeasance. On the other hand, I have an ego the size of a Cadillac, am completely self absorbed and at the end of the day, you dip shits voted for me, three times. Not only that, I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night and got the complementry cocaine & Crystal with my hooker. Adios suckers. I'm off to WashingtonDC where I'll be on the government payroll as a consultant. BRAA HA HA HA"
I'd like to think that a few of the $65B/month Benyellen the Felon spends each month bailing out the banksters would be money better spent.
Wouldn't the $373 million in funds destined to pay off Putin's oligarch buddies not be better used to pay overdue DWSD bills, which would then allow several tens of thousands of Detroit residents to have running water for a few more months?
That's just kicking the water can down the road as well. Fact is the free shit army that makes up 90% of Detoilet's population don't believe in payin' for nuffin'.
FSA wants free water to their taps in their ObamaHomes (to compliment their free heat, free electricity, free cell phone service & free EBT/SNAP Cards - now accepted at Starbucks).
Obama, his "leftist friends'" along with JohnMcCainus/NancyLindseyGraham & their "right wing" friends (Red Team/Blue Team paradigm), want 1 billion USD "liver eater" loan for Ukraine.
Americans still working in the private sector - the new slaves.
And since the majority of middle class taxpayers are White...
Say, that's just a coincidence, I'm sure!
Massa got me workin' Massa got me picken'; someday Massa set me free!
No worries....no one, I mean no one shuts off the FSA's water or anything else
I think that as well but at some stage the printers will go on fire. And then sit back and enjoy the greatest chimpout the world has ever seen.
No shit. See the harbor freight comment above, or any half-assed plumber. I'm surprised they haven't nigger-rigged bypasses on the gallon counter already.
They will be now!
I can see cottage industries popping up. It's free enterprise at its finest!
A good buddy of mine lives in Jacksonville, Fl. He just posted on crapbook that there's a store around the corner from his apartment that accepts food stamps for edible underwear. LMFAO...where exactly would you file that under for the fsa? Hilarious and sad all wrapped up in one. Fucking ludicrous!
do the underwear have usda stickers on them for nutritional content?
Hey, Williambanzai7:
Time for a poster advertising free "ObamaWater"®
The free bottled water for embattled Detroit welfare recipients...
but can you drink it?
Not until a teleprompter tells you that you're thirsty.
Ukraine = white people
Detroit = brown people
I saw a white there once.
He was running like hell.
Hellstheproblem? If Detroit burns down frm a lack of water, we'll label it urban renewal,
and MOVE ON, BITCHES. Lean Forward!
"Every night sounds like the 4th of July in Detroit."
--Anonymous 10mm semiauto owner
p.s. The same shit (failure to pay utilities) is going on in ever growing numbers across the USSA. Recovery Year Number 5, bitchez.
Lean forward. Shit. Bend over!
racial jokes are so 20th century.
stop showing your age and a disregard of determinism.
Really. We have a racial joke as president right now in the 21st century,
or hadn't you noticed ?
i don't judge a president by the color of his skin, but by the content of his character and actions.
All are dark.
NAW, DON'T WORRY, I'LL SAY IT:
THEY'RE ALL NIGGERS.
THERE.
I AM CHUMBAWAMBA.
His actions, and his character just happen to perfectly fit the worst rascist stereotypes.
Maybe its an act to generate tension.
And no ,I'm not a rascist , far from it.
I DON'T KNOW, I THINK YOU MAY BE STRETCHING THIS A BIT...I DON'T SEE HIM EATING A LOT OF WATERMELON.
I AM CHUMBAWAMBA.
oh shit, you're not!
I remember, you're that guy from youtube who replied on a bunch of coryc videos. Goatee and all, most comments were racist and all your videos were yelling.
Right here under my nose the whole time.
Your other ZH account with the same nickname from youtube went silent.
Years ago.
Well how about that, you've been here all along.
I know who you are, you're not CHUMBAWAMBA.
I AM SLATTERY.
I remember you.
Barry wants to be "judged"...or rather "accommodated" based on the color of his father's skin. Not his mother's. Just sayin'...
You assume he knows who his father was.........
Very well put. So the current and past 8-9 presidents were what?
NIGGERS.
Hey Chumbawamba what are you trying to say?
I am not familiar with that word. Based on my genetics I can not say it. Other people based on their gentics can say it so many different ways you need "Jive Talk Dictionary" to understand the meaning.
SLATTERY
i don't judge a president by the color of his skin, but by the content of his character and actions.
Yeah, right. The only time skin colour seems to matter is when it comes to affirmative action. Then race is no longer a social construct.
He's a pathetic stupid fuck both ways. Case closed.
Touche, Winston, touche!
Ukraine = One of the most agricultural fertile places on earth.
Detroit = cars that catch fire when you crank them.
you're a big picture kind of guy.
Actually, Tesla isn't produced in Detroit.....
And one of the largest urban farms is underway in.....Detroit!
Maybe we should let Joe Taxpayer keep his hard earned money, instead of buying favors overseas or bailing out deadbeats at home
http://stuffblackpeopledontlike.blogspot.com/2014/03/an-emp-didnt-hit-de...
+1 Dave for the Paul Kersey link:-)
Damn I won't even link to SBPDL; hard core man, hard CORE!
it's sad but true.
american society is being overrun by a strong political current of schizophrenic, psycho-capitalist, white, right-wing conservative, (anti)christian bigots
debt jubliee for detroit would solve its problems and then some. they'd be back on their feet again.
instead, you have a bunch of sick bastards who want to watch a real-life reality show of a depression and get off on their racial jokes.
Yeah sure because 86% blk population of Detroit just reeks of self motivation. lmao!
Debt forgivness should be country wide. Never will happen. It will require a default or defaults. Then stay as much out of shit system as possible.
Good idea, but it'll never fly because they don't want people to be free. They want them constantly worried about next month's rent, and the grocery bill and the electric and water bills. They don't want a population of people who aren't under their thumb.
white, right-wing conservative, (anti)christian bigots
You think that is the cohort overrunning society? Can you send me some of what you are smoking?
it's hyperbole, but yes i do think there is a strong risk of the current situation worsening.
the tendency is also rising in certain parts of europe.
Christians are no different. They use Jesus as a scapegoat and have no clue what he was all about
I can't reconcile your notion of being Christian and not knowing what Jesus is all about.
Sad but true. America has no problem spending money on brown/black people...unfortunately a drone or political instability is usually the delivery system of payment!!
Ukraine = people taking your tax dollars for handouts
Detroit = people taking your tax dollars for handouts
You = dumb shit
.
The quickly evacuated Ukrainian gold followed a somewhat
Libyan pattern, kind of worthless if with a truly trusted custodian because it is no longer for sale. That should
get demand and prices down ! Nothing to do with an illiquid
market void of any physical !
Clearly the U.S. is less of a priority than pissing on the World Stage of misguided diplomacy. How deliciously American !
Does Dtroit have any gold? Then F off!
...and it's not US. Which I don't have a problem with. Because I hate my Government!!! I love my country but the Government is not my country! Nuff said.
Detroit, you need to start a "Pro-Western" revolt of your own.
I am keen to see pro-EU flags waving all over Detroit, and van Rampuy and Barroso loudly agitating in Grand Circus Park.
there are not enough Detroit police to march in such a rally.
BTW, break all the real or economic windows you want, in all the ethnic areas you want, and it won't make a difference in DC, NY or Hollywood.
But if you really want some serious attention from DC and the MSM/LSM*, you first break the windows of a prominent Detroit Synagogue and when the MSM rolls in, you say: "Can you hear me now? Bitchez." Call it a wild, crazy hunch.
* Main/Lame-Stream Media
Careful with that truthiness around here, Pilgrim;)
Thanks. I was gonna add that you hire Samuel L Jackson to deliver that line ("Can you hear me now? I said... can you hear me now!? Bitchez!") -- in classic Pulp Fiction style.
ps. NSA, AIPAC, I understand that we are all equal, and the none of us are more equal than others in USSA.
Kirk has been kirk off style from the start, beware.
From my intuition foreign agent.
Adapting , but not fast, so probably from Europe.
Careful with that truthiness around here, Pilgrim;)
Or you'll be joining Francis Sawyer in ZH limbo.
They did and this is how it ends.
That's like telling a zebra to change the direction of his stripes.
It is essentially inborn to generations that they do not pay their utilities because the city will not turn off the utilities. Free shit - a 'right'.
You have the guns...
SO START FUCKING USING THEM!
yellen can print that in 2 seconds, WtF?
For how much longer? The rest of the World will not tolerate this unlimited printing for much longer. This cherade will end very badly
When will we see "Naked and Afraid in Detroit" on cable TV?
Every night on the ten o'clock news should cover it.
When will we see "Naked and Afraid in Detroit" on cable TV?
When YKW know longer own the media, i.e. never.
Detroit will do what they do in Mexico - dig up the streets and run their own plumbing for access to water.
But that's ok, Detroit will recover - NOT.
Perhaps the US should just deed all of Detroit to the illegals in the country. At least we know they will clean the place up, prepare kick-ass food and the lawns will be immaculate. It's a win-win situation.
I think the Chinese are ahead of you on that one, bro.
"Because last time we checked, Russian billionaire oligarchs don't even vote in the US."
No, but they still have a truck-load of money, and face it, George Soros hasn't exactly been bad for the Democrat agenda. Yes, I know, Soros is Hungarian. The point is the source of the money doesn't matter. :-O
Definition: irony (see link)
We should not be sending any money to war-torn third world countries such as Detroit.
Exactly! We have a lot more brown people to drone and bomb the shit out of in AfghanIraqistan...Ten years later and we can't take out a decentralized AlQeada. What in the world makes us think we could take on a country like Syria, much less someone like Russia?
CONgress needs to be publically hung, disembowled with bankers hanging from their entrails! Mother fuckers.
Free money... unless you have nothing of value to steal.
+1
"We are trying to shift the behavioral payment patterns of our customer base right now".........why do people always feel the need to tip toe around shit?
Call a spade a spade, tell it like it is. You are behind on your payment and we are not a fucking bank.
Were you referring to Detroit or Ukraine?
If a bank or bankster needs money the public purse is open.
If taxpaying citizens need money the public purse is closed.
Welcome to the U.S.S.A. Kleptoligarchy.
That's why they call it privatizing the profits, and socializing the losses.
The US bully doesn't care about the serfs, er citizens of USSA, only being the biggest bully in the global playground
Well, with no water Detroit can be razed even quicker. So at least we have that going for us.
I keep wondering why a city long on the brink of insolvency never bothered to collect righty-due monies owed to them. Apparently for years. All of a sudden some genius figures out, way too late to matter, that they need to actually collect that money?
$260MM is a LOT of overdue $30/mo. water bills.
It's like trying to collect debts on the parking meters. Sooner or later it becomes more expensive to try to collect from people who don't have any money then what it does to write it off.
A (non-union) man can shut off approx. 150/200 meters a day, but to dig them out and put a lock on them.... (that will be cut off in 24 hours) no more than 50 a day.
Good luck with that.
I hope the Detroit Fire Dept has paid its bill?
Some people might hope not.
In Detroit don't they intentionally set fires?!
Cut back on big ticket items like Escalades, 5 TV's' 300.00 sneaks or the top line butcher cuts.
Dat's rayciss
If only Detroit were nestled up on Russia....
The Russian version is called Chechnya
The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department has a message for Detroit residents and companies more than 60 days late on their water bills: We’re coming for you.
Hope and Change was supposed to pay that bill dammit!!!
Seems to be Franklin Templeton Aid to Ukranian Bond Exposure.... MOBIUS TRAPPED¡ with more than 6,000 Mn USD¡
No doubt our $1 Billion in tax dollars will go to banks and financiers, or to pay Gazprom bills.
Stop the insanity!
My friend, you must understand that 'most' "Americans' are ignorant or willfully blind to what is going on. Those 'in the know' have already stopped feeding the BEAST...There are also those whose 'survival' depends on maintaining the status quo. They are the ones who will be on the bluntest end of the stick that smacks this down...
nice catch.
November 10, 2013 5:12 pm
Franklin Templeton takes $5bn Ukraine debt gamblehttp://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/9c9ed01c-48a0-11e3-a3ef-00144feabdc0.html
February 20, 2014 6:17 pm
Franklin Templeton’s Ukraine bond bet in the redhttp://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/549f5eae-9a57-11e3-8e06-00144feab7de.html
Did they find Gas or Oil under Detroit?
Is that why they want everyone out?
Idiots. Might as well send that billion directly to Putin, and save a few brief stops along the way.
And Detroit has to get the money somewhere. After all, what is the property tax on a house appraised for eleven dollars?
Probably a thousand a year. Ha ha ha. maybe. really?
They could sell the Belle Isle Bridge!
Just simply more proof the "America" was taken over some time ago.
I really don't see why states like Texas and Utah bother sticking around at this point.
Same reason they both keep gold: Tradition. :-)
They are still getting more benefit from this system than leaving for a new system (sucking this one dry). Once this well is dry, they will be saddling up their pony and moving on.....
Hazardess duty, I hope the guys shuttin off the water get body armor.
Comparing foreign aid to no paying utility bills is a bit of a stretch. The aid from one broke dick country to another. But hey, it's pitcher's and catchers now.
The sad part is that if Obama ran a third time, he'd win by a landslide in Detroit.
Sad? It's simple tribalism. You all better figure out right quick what tribe you're in - or someone else soon will provide a sharp lesson.
Not allowed have a tribe if you're White. That's HATE baby.
No pity for Detroit and their sponging, parasitic unions.
Turn off the water, gas, electric and plow it under, you reap what you sow.
what better place & time to start a real-live enactment of The Road.
Good thing Detroit was already in stellar condition to enter such a state... oh wait...
oh the humanity. The chillrens will die of thirst. Free Water for Detroit. Just use your Obomber phone to call your Section-8 rep or Welfare counselor. Just dial 1-8//-FUK-WITY....
Poor saps in Detroit. They need to start an insurgency or open up some insolvent banks -- that will bring an aid package....
It's OK, it's fake money.
Maybe they should get rid of some of the government leeches that work in Detroit. And cut their salaries in half so they can join the REST of the populace as broke. Soon the people will understand that the people who are telling us what the problems are, ARE the problem.
There goes the car wash employess!
George Bush doesn't care about black people
He cares more about black americans than Obama ever will care for any american. Obama sees black americans as voting pawns to be conned.
Detroit Is not worth a soilent green factory.
Our war is with the FED and the Globalists in Washington D.C. it is not with Russia. I think that is what the article hints at.
Wish I were running for a political position but we don't have politicians on q99x2.
If Putin has a sense of humor, he'd loan Detroit the $260 Million.
you know what he really should do is set up a web site that allows residents of Detroit who are behind on their utilities to apply for relief grants directly from Moscow...
the address could be Putincares.RU.GOV
there tag line could be something like this..."while Washington only cares about bailing out the banksters, liver eating terrorists and neo nazi fascist governments, Moscow is here to help you."
I give it three weeks before there would be a referendum circling the motor city to become the newest Russian Federation territory.
winning.
Lolz, kinda like Chavez' Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program?
The only question would be if Russia would allow Communists to join....
Except a check from his bank can't be processed cuz its sanctioned.
And that's what would double the lulz considering where the money is going from America, to Ukraine.
Don't worry John Kerry says we're rich bitchez.
As an American taxpayer (aka fool) I would rather pay Gazprom the money than pay for all those fucking leeches in Detroit.
Forward komrades!
False dilemma. Some of us don't want to pay Ukrainian debt or pay Detroit's tax bills, thank you very much.
In most US cities, the water bill is just another name for municipal tax bill. Unlike sales taxes or property taxes, might only take a quorum at town hall (or a completely separate water board) to change retail rate structure and fees.
the aim is to reduce world population to below 1 billion people
what part of this policy dont you understand ?
Let them drink Soda.........!