Life Support

Bedridden with a chronic lung disease, Patricia Alsteen depends on machines to help her breathe.

But the mother of four said she's worried that her electricity will be shut off because she can't pay a sizable power bill that accrued, in part, because of her life-support equipment.

For more see The Flint Journal

I imagine most New Zealand readers had the same thoughts I did when reading that article. But I didn't link to it to show another shocking case. I linked to it because right now, near me, there are people living in uninsulated, damp, drafty houses, who aren't turning the heaters on because they can't afford to. Some of those people are already sick, others will get sick.

It's no good, this profit based system, where you only get the necessities of life if you can pay. We have to stop it. For Patricia Alsteen and Folole Muliaga, and all the people who die and we don't even know their names.

Link via the Gimp Parade