Mike Pence May Be Damaged Goods Before Stepping Into White House

[Alekzander]

Since our corporate media has become sitting ducks feeble in the lobby of Trump Tower, you probably have no idea there’s another lead crisis happening in the Midwest.

East Chicago, Indiana, a low-income neighborhood predominately made up of Hispanics and African Americans, received notice in July, 2016 that the West Calumet apartment complex had 218 times the “allowable” limit of lead in its ground soil and air.

This was a fact surprising to residents and citizens throughout the community—even though the complex had been built on top of a lead smelting plant, and the EPA and city officials knew about high levels of lead dating back to the 1980’s.

Officials never informed the residents that living near and on-top of a lead plant; lead emitters; the corroding, 6-8 decade old lead pipes underground; and chemical companies DuPont and Atlantic Richfield, could jeopardize their health.

Most egregiously, apparently after knowing about the high lead levels for 30 years, the EPA didn’t do a full, comprehensive test until 2016—when it found the dangerously high levels.

entire Mediaite Article @: http://www.mediaite.com/online/mike-pence-may-be-damaged-goods-before-stepping-into-white-house/

[scscholar]

1. "May Be?"

Talk about moving the goalposts.

[Turbineguy]

2. This is why the EPA needs to be shut down.

Now if we had gotten Sarah Palin into the Whitehouse we would have never found out and everything would be fine.

[Drahthaardogs]

3. There are only two tests for total lead in the environment

EPA Method 6010 or 6020. What do they mean about "failed to do a comprehensive test'?

[pnwmom]

4. They're only testing sink water and not shower and heating system water. n/t

[Drahthaardogs]

7. HUH?

Who cares unless you all have reverse osmosis systems on your sinks in the kitchen. Water is eiher potable or not.

[pnwmom]

11. It's what the article said. I was just paraphrasing.

This will haunt Pence as he enters the White House—the situation in East Chicago is growing into more of a disaster by the day, and the EPA’s lead-testing is now under the microscope as it comes out their only selectively testing house sink water, but neglecting to check shower water and home water heaters, the latter being the most important source to check since hot shower water is connected to the home water heater.

[Drahthaardogs]

13. I know my point was the article is done poorly

As a professional in this field, I don't understand what he is trying to say. Houses typically only have one pipe coming in. In addition, if the lead was from a foundary I would be testing soil.

The journalist did a bad job

[pnwmom]

21. Can't there be lead in individual faucet fixtures? They just tested in our schools

and found some individual faucets that had elevated levels -- even though there was only one pipe coming in.

And, yes, of course they should have been testing the soil. (Maybe the air, too.)

[mopinko]

22. that is caused by water sitting in pipes.

if water is running freely and often through a tap, it will likely be clear. if it isnt used often, it lets the leachate sit and build up. if the faucet has lead solder, sitting w stagnant water will leach it out.

still boggles my mind that this doesnt seem to be very well known. the trouble in flint would be half what it is if they just flushed all those pipes well. now w people not wanting to use the water, it is probably making it worse.

[Drahthaardogs]

26. Sure there could be

But EPA has nothing to do with it. They protect the environment, not household plumbing.

And on edit: No, there is no reason to test the air. Lead does not volatilize.

[Paka]

30. You beat me to the punch.

Thank you for the addition of that very basic scientific fact. Lead does not volatilize.

[pnwmom]

34. Then how does lead get into the air?

Basic Information about Lead Air Pollution | Lead (Pb) Air Pollution ...
https://www.epa.gov/lead-air-pollution/basic-information-about-lead-air-pollution
Mar 30, 2016 - Sources of lead emissions vary from one area to another. At the national level, major sources of lead in the air are ore and metals processing and piston-engine aircraft operating on leaded aviation fuel. Other sources are waste incinerators, utilities, and lead-acid battery manufacturers.

[Drahthaardogs]

39. The lead in air was from combustion from a foundary

that has been closed for decades FFS...

Just stop. You do not have the chemistry experience to argue this.

[pnwmom]

40. I was asking, not arguing. Do you know what a question mark means? n/t

[Drahthaardogs]

43. Oh, sorry then...

Yes, I was not 100 percent accurate when I said lead does not volatilize. It does but only under extreme heating conditions, heat high enough to melt it.

Anyway, any airborne lead has long ago precipitated out and is now back to earth.

[pnwmom]

44. And the problem is that little kids play near and sometimes with the dirt.

Our oldest tested at a level of 12 when she was just a baby, which the doctors dismissed as unimportant at the time. (I was the one who requested the test -- at the time lead poisoning wasn't considered to be a problem in our area.)

They tested the water and the paint and the house was okay, so they never figured out what the problem was. But we were living near a busy road and there was still leaded gas -- so maybe that was it. We had been growing food in the garden (we stopped) and maybe that soil was contaminated.

I haven't had a lot of confidence in the testing since all that happened. (Her level was down a year later -- though elevated by today's standards -- and a few years after that we moved.)

[CajunBlazer]

9. If you are testin sink water, you are testing the hot water system

First, when you test sink water you are testing both the hot and the cold water.

And let's not be stupid about this - you do know that the hot water system simply heats up the cold water which comes from the city water supply. If the cold water, directly from the city water supply, does not contain lead, it is highly unlikely that lead from the surrounding environment is going somehow creep into the hot water tank and contaminate city water that was used to fill the tank.

If the hot water somehow contains lead which the city water does not, that contamination would have to come from the hot water tank or the hot water system piping. It couldn't come from the contaminate environment.

By the way I think the original article was written by a clueless nitwit.

[pnwmom]

10. I'm not being stupid, I'm paraphrasing from the article. That's what it said.

This will haunt Pence as he enters the White House—the situation in East Chicago is growing into more of a disaster by the day, and the EPA’s lead-testing is now under the microscope as it comes out their only selectively testing house sink water, but neglecting to check shower water and home water heaters, the latter being the most important source to check since hot shower water is connected to the home water heater.

[CajunBlazer]

28. The author of the article is a clueless nitwit...

...who is totally ignorant about the subject he is writing about. Paraphrasing his written words is not something you should be proud of.

[pnwmom]

33. Insulting me for correctly answering someone's question about what the writer meant

is not something you should be proud of.

I am not the enemy.

[CajunBlazer]

36. I apoligize

You should not have not the object of my scorn - if you felt that you were, that's my fault.

I just get concerned about the lack of quality of articles found on the web and the propensity of even our allies to put their faith in poorly written and researched articles as long as the seem to say what they want them to say.

[pnwmom]

37. It's easy these days to react that way because we're all under a lot of stress.

It's not easy to apologize - and I appreciate your doing that.



Yes, it is concerning to see what is happening on the web. So much info and so much of it is wrong.

[malaise]

5. His history of spending campaign finance money shoud have prevented

him from ever holding office

[TheBlackAdder]

6. What Conservatives were appointed or assigned to run the Region 5 EPA office?

[CajunBlazer]

8. What! How can Pence be held accountable?

There is certainly no indication of that in the section of the article you posted. Reading the entire article I saw very little that Pence fcan be held responsible.

When the article references to the "EPA", one normally brings to mind the federal agency. Unless the "EPA" in this case is a State of Indiana environmental protection agency, how can Pence as governor be held responsible for what the EPA did or did not do?

If anyone were stupid enough to try to lay the blame on Pence for this disaster, I could see him pointing out that the fault lay with the EPA, a federal agency, which is under the direct leadership of the executive branch of the US government. So essentially he could easily shift the blame directly onto President Obama.

I don't like being put in the position of having to defend a Republican like Mike Pence who was stupid and self serving enough to sign on with Trump, but we need to be careful about making stupid accusations ourselves. If we cry "Wolf!" when there is no wolf, who will believe us when the wolf is really at our door.

[Alekzander]

12. He as Governor is accountable as any governor of a state disaster is.

Why does Pence refuse to even go there? Are you saying the Governor of a State who is in charge of the State Agencies has no responsibility? Of course, the EPA will have some as well but for you to say Pence has no fault is totally & completely ludicrous.

As to what extent his responsibility is, nobody knows yet but he is running as hard as he can from this disaster. Your defense of him as if he had or has no information on any of this is just like the Governor of Michigan has tried to do.

[CajunBlazer]

15. BS: If a hurrican hits Florida, is the governor automaticlly responsible for the property damage?

Was Pence running the city/county agencies which approved the sites and issued the building permits? Was his administration responsible for building the complex? Is the Indiana state government involved in the case? Was Pence even governor when the buildings were built?

The answer to those questions are "NO!", "NO!", "NO!" and and emphatic "NO!". I did some quick research and found that it is the Federal EPA that is involved and that the West Calumet housing complex was built 44 years ago. Nothing in the original article gave any indication that this is something that can be hung on the Pence's door.

I pains me to have dispute this kind of BS when it comes from from political allies, but the person who wrote the original article is totally clueless.

[Alekzander]

17. Man you don't compare this to a natural disaster but the Governor is responsible for how he reacts

even to a natural disaster & he is responsible for the agencies under him as well as the people he hired to run them.

You are totally ridiculous in your zealous defense of Pence for whatever your reason. This is a manmade disaster.

Again, he was & is the Governor & as to what totally he is responsible for we do not & will not know until further in the investigation but yes, he is responsible which is probably why he is hiding from it.

Now go try to get a job with his Admin, he would like you I am sure.

As for clueless, you are showing yourself to have that marker with your saying has absolutely no responsibility in this matter.

What do you think a Governor is; a CEO is; POTUS is. When you take on those jobs, you take on the responsibilities that go with them as well & that included disasters like this & especially one like this.

[CajunBlazer]

24. Again, from everything I have read about this Pence is blameless

I am not for Pence, I am against stupidly regardless of its source.

Since the housing project was built 44 years ago, generations of people have lived there since it was built and the people who made the decisions to build on that site are probably dead and certainly no longer involved in politics.

By the way, the Mayor of East Chicago is a Democrat and a black man. Is he responsible for this disaster because it it was discovered in his city 44 years after bad decisions were made to build on that site? No, of course not, he is no more responsible than is the Governor of Indiana.

The person who wrote the article is a clueless nitwit and you, because you continue to push this.... well, I would rather not say.

[Alekzander]

31. Yeah, keep attacking & yes I will say it, your shrilling for Pence is certainly being clueless.

It does not matter when this happened the Governor is in charge & he is now responsible.

Enough said because you are going to defend Pence at all costs.

So be it.

[Hekate]

32. The previous poster is not "shrilling for Pence," Alekzander, but asking for a FACTUAL accounting...

...of the circumstances and probably outcome. Which you are not exactly providing.

[Alekzander]

35. You again, would expect such from you. Actually it appears it is just you & the other. Nobody else

is having a problem.

[Paka]

41. +1

[dionysus]

42. First off, he's not defending pence, second, he's right, pence has nothing to do with this, third,

Responding with hyperbole doesn't suit you.

[Alekzander]

45. Your opinion & no he is totally wrong and yes, he is going nuts trying to defend Pence. Anyone can

see that.

What I find hilarious is his extreme defense of Pence then a couple of his cohorts jumping in like yourself trying to say as Governor Pence has no responsibility in the matter. Try a little research on it.

[dionysus]

47. There is PLENTY to go after the rethugs on... no need to blame them for shit that

for once isn't their fault.

[Hekate]

46. Heh. I guess I'm not the "only one" after all.

[dionysus]

48. Counting incorrectly is Pence's fault...

[Drahthaardogs]

14. If there is lead in the pipes or water tank

That is not EPAs jurisdiction anyway

[Alekzander]

19. True.

[CajunBlazer]

20. True enough

From what I have been able to read, the lead is in the soil. This is what you would expect when you build something where a old leas processing plant used to sit. The big concern is people, especially kids, being exposed to the dirt and tracking it into their homes.

I can't imagine how contamination in the soil could possibly contaminate the city water supply to the housing complex. Water moves through the pipe system under positive pressure. If there is a leak, the water would flow into the soil, not the other way around.

What we have here is a clueless guy writing the original article and people who haven't thought the situation through here on DU defending it.

[Drahthaardogs]

25. Exactly what I would expect from this type of industrial use

soil contamination. Perhaps groundwater as well, but lead is typically not very mobile unless conditions are quite acidic. The article is a disaster and the journalist should be called out for this.

[CajunBlazer]

27. Agree, you sound like you know what you're talking about

I am a mechanical engineer, by training anyway; what is your background?

[Drahthaardogs]

51. Environmental toxicologist

been doing t his stuff for twenty years

[Bettie]

16. But here's the sticking point

poisoning a bunch of not-white people is a badge of honor among his people.

It doesn't damage him, it makes him a hero to his party.

[Alekzander]

18. Absolutely correct on that as well, we have seen that. Pence is running from this even more than

the Michigan Governor. No wonder he wanted to get out of there also knowing he could not get reelected but with this disaster on his plate even more so.

[CajunBlazer]

23. Again, from everything I have read about this Pence is blameless

Please recall that the Michigan Governor was on the hot seat because it was his agency which made the decision to push the City of Flint into starting to us the Flint River (which had lead contamination) for the city's water supply and it was a state agency that covered up the situation up while people got sick.

Since the housing project was built 44 years ago, the two situations are not remotely similar. Generations of people have lived there since it was built and the people who made the decisions to build on that site are probably dead and certainly no longer involve in politics.

By the way, the Mayor of East Chicago is a Democrat and a black man. Is he responsible for this disaster because it it was discovered in his city 44 years after stupid decisions were made? No, of course not, he is no more responsible than is the Governor of Indiana.

The person who wrote the article is a clueless nitwit and you, because you are pushing this.... well, I would rather not say.

[pansypoo53219]

29. pfft. john oliver had a LEAD primer on his show, showing the government purposely used LEAD

in poor areas. for decades.

[Initech]

38. Worst. Administration. Ever.

[phylny]

50. Defunct oil refineries there.

The entire place is a toxic dump. I used to live just south of there years ago.

[Alekzander]

52. Pence and his administration has essentially checked out on al this. The Governor has run from it,

refuses to even go there to East Chicago but yet, he has visited the flood victims in Iowa, Louisiana & tornado victims in Kokomo. Many think because it goes against Pence's main talking point that industries are "way too over-regulated" by the Government.

Months after the crisis surfaced, Pence did have a phone conversation with Julian Castro. It is clear Pence is refusing to accept his responsibility in this matter & is totally abandoning his role as Governor in the matter even though he has as well as his administration & agencies under him known about this for some time trying to ignore it.