Missing the Point

I have not addressed this topic because it is so disgusting and infuriating but after watching an interview with Presidential candidate John Kasich this morning, I was left speechless at his comments.

The issue is Flint, Michigan and Kasich's comment was a criticism of Hillary Clinton saying Governor Rick Snyder should resign. Kasich claimed Clinton's call was outrageous. He was then quite dismissive of the situation and saying casually that there is Federal money available to help with clean water. It is Kasich's comment which is outrageous.

Flint, Michigan doesn't have a simple water problem. Governor Snyder has used emergency powers to take over certain towns and cities in Michigan which are in desparate financial condition. He has suspended local governments powers and appointed a lone dictator answerable only to him, to make decisions for entire communities.

The dictator in Flint had the brilliant idea to switch their water supply from Lake Huron, which is viewed as one of the cleanest lakes in the country, to the Flint River which is filthy and filled with lead. Their water was carried to them through pipes coming from Detroit. This was done to save money.

We know that when this idea was presented a sole member of Snyder's team said that was a bad idea but if it was to be done the water must be treated everyday for ninety days before the switch in order to counter the lead. When asked how much that would cost the response was $100.00 per day. Snyder said no and the switch was made.

The documentation is extensive, Snyder and his team lied about what they knew. They tried to discredit those voices which spoke out and warned what was happening. Only after the national spotlight turned to Flint did Snyder address it and lied about what he knew. He hired a high price public relations firm from New York to help him craft his spin.

This is not about Snyder being a Republican, it's about his incompetence or worse, his complete dismissal of the health and general welfare of an entire city. General Motors stopped using the Flint River water because it was rusting the parts they were manufacturing.

We are only at the tip of what the long-term damage to Flint's children is going to be. As a nation we spent billions of dollars to guarantee that citizens can turn their tap on and get clean and safe drinking water. This situation is beyond a disgrace and warrants a full investigation by the U.S. Justice Department.

The State of Michigan failed and so did the regional E.P.A. office and there needs to be a day of reckoning. Rick Snyder should absolutely resign and the fact that Kasich and other Republicans have been nearly mute on this subject raises serious questions about their own understanding of the problem and a willingness to live up to their own rhetoric about accountability.

The people of Flint are still having to pay monthly water bills for the poison spewing  from their taps. Where is the justice in that and where is the bipartisan moral outrage of all of our leaders and would be leaders?