Podcast 3/6/2016: Democratic Debate Color Commentary and Tuesday Predictions

On this episode, Vinny and I give the play by play on Sunday's Democratic debate.

We apologize for the quality of the audio.

http://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-np3pc-5d5389/download

NSFW

*Music is brought to you by Bensound.com

Gov. Snyder is Lucky it's Only a Political Problem (So Far)

www.umhoops.com Gov. Snyder getting kicked in the face.

For those of you who are unaware, a man-made disaster is underway in Flint, Michigan.  The citizens of Flint have been ingesting lead tainted water since the city switched water sources from Detroit to the Flint River on the orders of Flint's emergency manager appointed by Governor Rick Snyder.  This was brought up in the closing statements of the last Democratic debate by Hillary Clinton saying, "...if the kids in a rich suburb of Detroit had been drinking contaminated water, and being bathed in it, there would have been action."

Snyder responded "And what I would say is: Politicizing the issue doesn't help matters.  Let's focus in on the solution and how to deal with the damage that was done and help the citizens of Flint and make Flint a stronger community."

Here is the problem for Snyder:  This is a manufactured disaster created by political decisions he made.

It was a political decision to appoint an emergency manager who is accountable only to the governor and not the citizens of Flint.

It was a political decision to change water sources.

It was a political decision to ignore scientists who said that the water would corrode pipes and that for $100 a week; an additive could have been added to the water that would have prevented the corrosion.

It was a political decision to ignore the doctors and researchers who said there were elevated levels of lead in the water.

It was a political decision not to act and provide the citizens of Flint with clean water.

Now Snyder is going against his small government and free market principals and asking the federal government for emergency aid.  These political decisions have resulted in serious health consequences that will stay with the children of Flint for the rest of their lives.

If it is determined that environmental regulations were ignored and/or the civil rights of the citizens of Flint were violated, it may be more than just a political issue for the Snyder Administration...It will  (hopefully) become a legal one.

Austerity kills.