Bernie and Hil head to flint

[icenine]

Originally Posted by finnbow

Huh? Michigan's delegation in Congress has already started lobbying for $600 million in Federal dollars for a permanent fix for their problem (i.e., pipe replacement) by burying it in an energy policy bill.

http://blogs.rollcall.com/wgdb/michi...or-flint-aid//

The people of Michigan elected Snyder and his governing philosophy and chose to reap the benefits or pay the price of his budgetary decisions. Should US taxpayers also bail out Kansas for the stupid budgetary decisions of Brownback (the Flint problems also resulted directly from budgetary decisions)? The rich folks living in Grosse Pointe and other such wealthy enclaves put Snyder in power. Let them pay for it.

One can't bitch about Federal mandates and states rights (and run and win on such a platform) and then demand a Federal bailout when they (deceitfully) ignored said mandates under the cover of states rights. The Federal government should demand a fix by Michigan, but shouldn't spend a dime itself in its implementation.

But was Snyder only doing this to constituents he knew were politically opposed to him and also poor and black? Would he have made this decision for a wealthier white city? I understand what you are saying but he replaced the local Flint authorities with an emergency manager who took control over a city without an election. What if Snyder and Michigan don't want to bail out Flint?

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by icenine

But was Snyder only doing this to constituents he knew were politically opposed to him and also poor and black? Would he have made this decision for a wealthier white city? I understand what you are saying but he replaced the local Flint authorities with an emergency manager who took control over a city without an election. What if Snyder and Michigan don't want to bail out Flint?

They have no choice. They're just trying to get the Federal government to bail them out for their own stupid, deceitful decisions.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by finnbow

Huh? Michigan's delegation in Congress has already started lobbying for $600 million in Federal dollars for a permanent fix for their problem (i.e., pipe replacement) by burying it in an energy policy bill.

http://blogs.rollcall.com/wgdb/michi...or-flint-aid//

The people of Michigan elected Snyder and his governing philosophy and chose to reap the benefits or pay the price of his budgetary decisions. Should US taxpayers also bail out Kansas for the stupid budgetary decisions of Brownback (the Flint problems also resulted directly from budgetary decisions)? The rich folks living in Grosse Pointe and other such wealthy enclaves put Snyder in power. Let them pay for it.

One can't bitch about Federal mandates and states rights (and run and win on such a platform) and then demand a Federal bailout when they (deceitfully) ignored said mandates under the cover of states rights.

As I said, the issue of replacing the pipes isn't part of this (our) conversation. Neither is it a necessary component of a responsible response.

I think we're going to have to agree to disagree on this, Pat. If there were a way to make only those in Grosse Pointe pay the bill, I'd be all for it but the truth is they'll not pay for it at all. They won't be forced to pay higher taxes to cover it and they won't be required to pay more for their water. The costs will be passed to the people already harmed by Snyder and his goons. They'll get stuck with astronomical water bills and perhaps a city sales tax as well.

[CarlV]

We should do a GWB and let MI fix it just like when he sat there and let his Texas cronies Enron bankrupt California so they could recall the Governor and put a a stooge with a name, like Arnold, in to gut Worker's Comp, cut grade school education, and last but not least pull the rug out from under the truly disabled(cut in home care in half). Oh, and give all that money into tax credits to the insurance industry.
Kinda like having the maid who is pregnant with your child taking care of your pregnant, also with your child, wife.

Carl

[Tom Joad]

$600 million bucks for water pipes?

For a city of 100,000?

That's $6,000 for every man, woman and child. $24,000 for a family of four.

WTF?

Are they going to trade in the lead pipes for gold ones?

[barbara]

Originally Posted by Tom Joad

$600 million bucks for water pipes?



For a city of 100,000?



That's $6,000 for every man, woman and child. $24,000 for a family of four.



WTF?



Are they going to trade in the lead pipes for gold ones?

Not that I know anything about water pipes or how much it costs to put them in the ground.... But $ 6,000 per person doesn't sound so far off to me.

[Tom Joad]

Originally Posted by barbara

Not that I know anything about water pipes or how much it costs to put them in the ground.... But $ 6,000 per person doesn't sound so far off to me.

Then make the Koch Brothers pay for it.

They won't even notice $600 million being gone.

http://www.fool.com/investing/genera...net-worth.aspx

[barbara]

Originally Posted by Tom Joad

Then make the Koch Brothers pay for it.



They won't even notice $600 million being gone.



http://www.fool.com/investing/genera...net-worth.aspx

Didn't realize the Koch brothers had anything to do with the bad pipes. 😏

[Tom Joad]

Originally Posted by barbara

Didn't realize the Koch brothers had anything to do with the bad pipes. 😏

If the Republicans can blame everything on Obama, I can sure as Hell blame everything on the Koch brothers.

[Rajoo]

Originally Posted by Tom Joad

$600 million bucks for water pipes?

For a city of 100,000?

That's $6,000 for every man, woman and child. $24,000 for a family of four.

WTF?

Are they going to trade in the lead pipes for gold ones?

Probably half of that will be pocketed by the insurance companies since plumbers pay some of the highest insurance premiums in the construction trade.