• Utah Senator says Flint doesn't need aid, blocks lead bill
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[URL="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/03/05/utah-senator-says-flint-doesnt-need-aid-blocks-lead-bill/81359766/"]Source[/URL] [QUOTE]WASHINGTON — A Republican U.S. senator from Utah is holding up a federal funding package worth more than $100 million which could help address the issue of high lead levels found in Flint’s water,[URL="http://on.freep.com/1p5L6t7"]saying in a statement on Friday that no federal aid is needed at this time.[/URL][/QUOTE] [QUOTE]U.S. Sen. Mike Lee’s statement, which indicated his belief that the measure proposed by U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, both D-Mich., represented a “federalizing” of water infrastructure, objected to the bill, arguing the state has not directly asked Congress for any emergency spending and has its own surplus to spend if it needs money.[/QUOTE] [QUOTE]“Michigan has an enormous budget surplus this year and a large rainy-day fund,” Lee said. “Relief and repair efforts are already in the works. The people and policymakers of Michigan right now have all the government resources they need to fix the problem. … The only thing Congress is contributing to the Flint recovery is political grandstanding.”[/QUOTE]
Dumbass
While his point about how Michigan should contribute is valid, the fact still remains they are waiting to start digging and they only need Congress's pen to start
Alright so I got into a shitty argument in another chat about how this is clickbait and how the senator is in the right ect ect ect and I just want to know if the guy is in the right. The bill contains water infrastructure upgrades for Michigan among other states. The senator is bitching about how this is federal overreach, and that michigan doesn't need this money because they have enough money plus they are already getting aid. The question is that "Can Michigan support itself with this problem?"
[QUOTE=ROFLBURGER;49875013]Alright so I got into a shitty argument in another chat about how this is clickbait and how the senator is in the right ect ect ect and I just want to know if the guy is in the right. The bill contains water infrastructure upgrades for Michigan among other states. The senator is bitching about how this is federal overreach, and that michigan doesn't need this money because they have enough money plus they are already getting aid. The question is that "Can Michigan support itself with this problem?"[/QUOTE] If the claim about Michigan having a surplus is true then the fact Flint ended up the way it is now is even more horrible. The state government should all be arrested for this and the federal government should start upgrades for the water. The state government has failed and should not be trusted.
This is a state and local issue. We can't have the feds jump in every time something happens. If the people of Flint and/or Michigan are unhappy with their leadership, then they should vote to change it.
[QUOTE=sgman91;49875145]This is a state and local issue. We can't have the feds jump in every time something happens. If the people of Flint and/or Michigan are unhappy with their leadership, then they should vote to change it.[/QUOTE] And continue to get lead poisoning in the meantime. Yeah no. [editline]5th March 2016[/editline] If the state/local is failing to fix this the fed should absolutely jump in. Especially when the state/local caused the issue in the first place.
[QUOTE=sgman91;49875145]This is a state and local issue. We can't have the feds jump in every time something happens..[/QUOTE] Michigan elected Republicans. Saving money by giving children brain damage is great fiscal responsbility. Also, if a disaster happened in Utah I'd bet this guy would beg the feds for aid.
[QUOTE=Levelog;49875149]And continue to get lead poisoning in the meantime. Yeah no. [editline]5th March 2016[/editline] If the state/local is failing to fix this the fed should absolutely jump in. Especially when the state/local caused the issue in the first place.[/QUOTE] If the state and local is failing to do their job, then the feds should prosecute them, not throw money at the problem. [editline]5th March 2016[/editline] [QUOTE=Rangergxi;49875160]Michigan elected Republicans. Saving money by giving children brain damage is great fiscal responsbility. Also, if a disaster happened in Utah I'd bet this guy would beg the feds for aid.[/QUOTE] I don't care if they're republicans or democrats. Making bad decisions isn't relegated to one party or the other.
[QUOTE=sgman91;49875167]If the state and local is failing to do their job, then the feds should prosecute them, not throw money at the problem. [editline]5th March 2016[/editline] I don't care if they're republicans or democrats. Making bad decisions isn't relegated to one party or the other.[/QUOTE] How does prosecuting them help [B]the people suffering from lead poisoning right now[/B]? This needs to be fixed. Now. [editline]5th March 2016[/editline] I don't think you understand that this is a daily danger. Not just an inconvenience for the population.
[QUOTE=Levelog;49875181]How does prosecuting them help [B]the people suffering from lead poisoning right now[/B]? This needs to be fixed. Now. [editline]5th March 2016[/editline] I don't think you understand that this is a daily danger. Not just an inconvenience for the population.[/QUOTE] Yes, and the feds, along with the population of Michigan, should be putting tremendous pressure on the state and local government to get their crap together. The go-to solution is not federal overreach.
[QUOTE=sgman91;49875167]If the state and local is failing to do their job, then the feds should prosecute them, not throw money at the problem. [editline]5th March 2016[/editline] I don't care if they're republicans or democrats. Making bad decisions isn't relegated to one party or the other.[/QUOTE] Yes, obviously the federal government should take the time to prosecute the Michigan government for not dealing with the potentially fatal problem that the people of Flint are suffering from, and in a year or two when the trials are over and they're replaced, they can put in different people who can then get rid of the poison in the water.
[QUOTE=sgman91;49875196]Yes, and the feds, along with the population of Michigan, should be putting tremendous pressure on the state and local government to get their crap together. The go-to solution is not federal overreach.[/QUOTE] From what I understand this isn't solely a Flint issue, there are at least a handful of other cities in other states either having the same issue but not quite as extreme or that have recognised they have the same conditions that caused Flint. Further it's not simply a blank check from the government, it's a package of low interest loans and tax breaks that will be paid back by the States in time so again not a simple check
[QUOTE=sgman91;49875145]This is a state and local issue. We can't have the feds jump in every time something happens. If the people of Flint and/or Michigan are unhappy with their leadership, then they should vote to change it.[/QUOTE] The state appointed emergency manger is why the Flint water crisis happened in the first place. He wasn't elected, he was appointed by the governor.
snyder should be jailed.
[QUOTE=Sableye;49875341]From what I understand this isn't solely a Flint issue, there are at least a handful of other cities in other states either having the same issue but not quite as extreme or that have recognised they have the same conditions that caused Flint. Further it's not simply a blank check from the government, it's a package of low interest loans and tax breaks that will be paid back by the States in time so again not a simple check[/QUOTE] This one-hundred million is effectively earmarked solely for Flint. The proposed fund in particular stipulates that only states with declared states of emergencies stemming from water quality may apply for loans and grants from the fund. Right now, the only city in the nation with a state of emergency related to water is quality Flint. Further, the fund will expire in 2017. The chances of another city declaring an emergency in that time is virtually none. Michigan has a 575 million dollar budget surplus and can easily pay for Flints problems. Instead, they have chosen to dedicate 195 million to the Flint crisis when the cost estimates range from 500 million to 1.5 billion to fully resolve the situation. This is Michigan's mistake and they should have to pay for it, regardless of whether or not they have the money on hand or if they have to take out loans.
I'm ashamed to be from this state. Mike Lee is a fucking nutjob.
My dad and I had an argument about the situation and he thinks that the people of Flint should "fix [the water] themselves" instead of "wasting time" (i.e. protesting, which was on the tv at the time). I don't think he understands how that really isn't possible with what they have. Of course, I'm very limited on the topic, so I couldn't give him a straight answer, but I'm pretty sure this whole situation was fucked from the start regardless.
[QUOTE=Magikoopa24;49876356]My dad and I had an argument about the situation and he thinks that the people of Flint should "fix [the water] themselves" instead of "wasting time" (i.e. protesting, which was on the tv at the time). I don't think he understands how that really isn't possible with what they have. Of course, I'm very limited on the topic, so I couldn't give him a straight answer, but I'm pretty sure this whole situation was fucked from the start regardless.[/QUOTE] Oh ya, my dad did construction in Michigan, he knew how deep they had to bury things to keep them from freezing up there, replacing all their pipes is not going to be cheap, but apparently it won't take too long if enough crews are brought in
[QUOTE=sgman91;49875196]Yes, and the feds, along with the population of Michigan, should be putting tremendous pressure on the state and local government to get their crap together. The go-to solution is not federal overreach.[/QUOTE] They clearly aren't doing enough and are sticking with playing the blame game. I'm not a fan of federal reach ins on everything but this is an instance where the state and local government have completely and utterly failed to look out for their citizens, so someone needs to step in and clean up the mess. That's what these funds are for. And it's not like there won't still be repercussions for those involved. The priority should be helping the people affected.
Can't Obama send in the Army Corps of Engineers to just fix this fucking shit? For all the money that goes into the defense budget I think they can spare it. The local and federal governments are playing the blame game while US citizens are in need.
[QUOTE=Smoot;49878768]Can't Obama send in the Army Corps of Engineers to just fix this fucking shit? For all the money that goes into the defense budget I think they can spare it. The local and federal governments are playing the blame game while US citizens are in need.[/QUOTE] Actually Pontiac I think, had a smaller issue and they've got like a dozen crews experienced in doing exactly this line of work, ready to start as soon as the ink dries. Other cities have experienced this problem, they just didn't have the beurocratic fuckups and coverups that caused Flint's level of bad.
[QUOTE=Smoot;49878768]Can't Obama send in the Army Corps of Engineers to just fix this fucking shit? For all the money that goes into the defense budget I think they can spare it. The local and federal governments are playing the blame game while US citizens are in need.[/QUOTE]Well honestly seeing as the blame can be places squarely upon the state, I doubt the feds are overeager to foot the bill.
[QUOTE=sgman91;49875145]This is a state and local issue. We can't have the feds jump in every time something happens. If the people of Flint and/or Michigan are unhappy with their leadership, then they should vote to change it.[/QUOTE] They're working on it. There's already some petitions demanding a recall and I'm surprised nobody did any of this sooner. Rick Snyder has been a fuckup since day one.
I also like how a lot of the car companies are a big cause of the river being in its current state and GM gave a million. Fuck off, that's more insulting than it is helpful.
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