There are too many Flints

[kennetha]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by GP6971 (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: MSNBC

What’s happening in Flint, Michigan, is unconscionable.

A city of 99,000 people — 56 percent African-American, 40 percent living below the poverty line — has spent nearly two years with poisoned water.

Nearly two years of boil orders, foul smells and false reassurances that the water was safe to drink.

Nearly two years of having residents’ concerns dismissed and belittled by the state government.


Read more: http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/there-are-too-many-flints

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powerful piece by none other than Hilary Clinton. Sanders was offered a chance to weigh in and apparently declined. Maybe he's never really thought about it, since probably not much a problem in Vermont. Hilary on the other hand says:

I’m not new to this fight. As first lady, I worked with the EPA to bring attention to the link between air pollution and child asthma. In the Senate, I made this a central issue, fighting for more support for lead paint and soil remediation in New York and across the country, pushing the EPA to establish indoor air quality standards for schools, and working across the aisle to call for a national program tracking the health effects of pollution. At the State Department, I took the fight for environmental justice worldwide with the Clean Cookstoves Initiative.

[Turbineguy]

1. That's why we elect republicans.

Do Harm.

[Laurian]

3. Excellent editorial by Hillary.

[DhhD]

4. GOP Carpetbaggers in Michigan

https://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0SO8ywp46xWCRAAf6pXNyoA;_ylc=X1MDMjc2NjY3OQRfcgMyBGZyA3NmcARncHJpZAM0dmwzN1JVOVRwR2VkLnI5T2V1RWpBBG5fcnNsdAMwBG5fc3VnZwMwBG9yaWdpbgNzZWFyY2gueWFob28uY29tBHBvcwMwBHBxc3RyAwRwcXN0cmwDBHFzdHJsAzU1BHF1ZXJ5A1RoZSB0YWtlIG92ZXIgb2YgRGV0cm9pdCBhbmQgRmxpbnQgYnkgR09QIENhcnBldGJhZ2dlcnMEdF9zdG1wAzE0NTQxNzA5MTE-?p=The+take+over+of+Detroit+and+Flint+by+GOP+Carpetbaggers&fr2=sb-top-search&fr=sfp

[Bluenorthwest]

5. Sanders: Michigan Governor Must Resign over Flint Lead-Poisoning Crisis. January 16, 2016

BURLINGTON, Vt. – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders on Saturday called on Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder to resign for his administration’s failure to deal with a lead-poisoning crisis that has sickened thousands of children in Flint, Michigan.

“There are no excuses. The governor long ago knew about the lead in Flint’s water. He did nothing. As a result, hundreds of children were poisoned. Thousands may have been exposed to potential brain damage from lead. Gov. Snyder should resign,” Sanders said.

Problems with Flint’s public water system date to a decision nearly two years ago by a receiver, appointed by the governor, who decided to cut costs by drawing the city’s drinking water from the polluted Flint River instead of from Lake Huron.

The governor and other state officials knew – but did not acknowledge until last fall – that the river water was corroding pipes and causing lead to leach into the drinking water. The decision not to add chemicals to prevent corrosion of the pipes was made at the direction of the governor’s Department of Environmental Quality. The state health department in Michigan apparently knew about elevated lead levels in the blood of children but did not warn the public.

“Because of the conduct by Gov. Snyder’s administration and his refusal to take responsibility, families will suffer from lead poisoning for the rest of their lives. Children in Flint will be plagued with brain damage and other health problems. The people of Flint deserve more than an apology,” Sanders said.

CNN covered that two weeks ago, MSNBC claims Bernie has not weighed in? Maybe they need to watch CNN.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/16/politics/bernie-sanders-rick-snyder-michigan-resignation/

[Suprk]

8. +1

[houston16revival]

6. Lots of homes

with copper pipes have solder containing lead

This is happening to many Americans

America needs an upgrade

[happyslug]

9. But the problem is lead pipes

The lead in solder is a minor problem at best. At the time of the replacement of lead with silver, the amount of lead was small so replacing it with silver was not that big change and experts questioned the need to do so.

Also remember the solder seals the connection between pipes thus water has minimal contact with those seals. My point is the lead in old solder is a minor problem at worse.

The problem are actual lead pipes, such pipes were popular in many cities (in my home town the preference was wooded pipes, they still transport water in Johnstown, Pa, but we still have lead pipes, smaller then the 36 inch diameter wooden pipes).

Lead pipes have been popular since Roman times. Lead entering the water depends on the water. In Italy the water is "hard" thus little transfer of lead (thus the old saying that the Ancient Romans went insane do lead had no basis in fact, Roman water is to hard to absorb water). Thus the change in the source of water does affect lead in the water content.

Thus most cities are very selective of water source. If the water source is to "soft" or acidic, you have to replace any and all lead pipes. If the source of water is "hard" it will leach lead from lead pipes.

It is the lead pipes that are the problem and that can be "solved" by being selective of your water source. The manager screwed up in regards changing water sources and NOT taking into type of water.

[Marty McGraw]

7. So sad

to see DU posters that rush to Slander w/o making the slightest effort to do minor research before intentionally twisting the truth.

Weak opinion piece.

[GP6971]

10. Locking. This is an opinion piece, not LBN

Please repost in GDP