Quote:<a class="bbc_url" href='https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flint_water_crisis'>https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flint_water_crisis</a>
There's a whole lot more going on than "The democrats did it! Thanks Obama!"
Complaints about Snyder's involvement revolve around how early he knew about the crisis and how he did nothing.
Your link supports the summary I referenced. There was nothing in it about Snyder knowing the full problem before the facts were released early this year. Snyder accepted the findings of the state environmental agency. He had no reason to believe they were wrong, and most of them were appointed by Dem governors long before Snyder took office.
The Dems responsible do not include Obama, and I never said that. On the federal level, the EPA suppressed internal findings they initially disagreed with (but which proved to be true), but that was the extent of the federal government's failure.
The State screwed up mainly through their own environmental department. Snyder's mistake was trusting them and appointing Dems as financial managers for the city.
The Detroit city officials could have averted this problem by extending Flint's contract until June 2016. Instead the legions of the easily offended running Detroit took offense at Flint seeking a new source of water and screwed Flint in every way they could, forcing Flint to seek a different temporary solution while the pipeline to Lake Huron was being built.
The root problem was the mismanagement of the city of Flint over the last 50 years. Lead pipes should have been replaced long ago. The city wouldn't have even had a state appointed financial manager if it weren't so disastrously far in debt to begin with.
Quote:Your link supports the summary I referenced. There was nothing in it about Snyder knowing the full problem before the facts were released early this year. Snyder accepted the findings of the state environmental agency. He had no reason to believe they were wrong, and most of them were appointed by Dem governors long before Snyder took office.
The Dems responsible do not include Obama, and I never said that. On the federal level, the EPA suppressed internal findings they initially disagreed with (but which proved to be true), but that was the extent of the federal government's failure.
The State screwed up mainly through their own environmental department. Snyder's mistake was trusting them and appointing Dems as financial managers for the city.
The Detroit city officials could have averted this problem by extending Flint's contract until June 2016. Instead the legions of the easily offended running Detroit took offense at Flint seeking a new source of water and screwed Flint in every way they could, forcing Flint to seek a different temporary solution while the pipeline to Lake Huron was being built.
The root problem was the mismanagement of the city of Flint over the last 50 years. Lead pipes should have been replaced long ago. The city wouldn't have even had a state appointed financial manager if it weren't so disastrously far in debt to begin with.
The infrastructure is terrible in America. Terrible. One of things Bernie aims to fix.
Quote:The infrastructure is terrible in America. Terrible. One of things Bernie aims to fix.
City water pipes are NOT a federal matter.
Quote:City water pipes are NOT a federal matter.
Things that work. Give me those. For someone who is so anti-government, you sure like your red tape.
Quote:Things that work. Give me those. For someone who is so anti-government, you sure like your red tape.
Bernie Sanders has no more business discussing or spending money on the water pipes in Flint than I do. Local matter, local solutions.
Quote:Bernie Sanders has no more business discussing or spending money on the water pipes in Flint than I do. Local matter, local solutions.
I prefer practical solutions regardless of the ideology but hey, that's just common sense. What do I know!
Quote:I prefer practical solutions regardless of the ideology but hey, that's just common sense. What do I know!
Here's the most practical solution: the people of Flint should pay for their own damn pipes to be fixed. You're welcome.
Quote:I prefer practical solutions regardless of the ideology but hey, that's just common sense. What do I know!
Lol. Increasing taxes by 15 trillion dollars is practical?
Imagine our nation's interstate highway system had it been left up to the states or, even better, the private sector.
Quote:Imagine our nation's interstate highway system had it been left up to the states or, even better, the private sector.
Have you driven the interstate on a cross country trip? Lets not pretend that its consistently well maintained. Frankly the private sector would've done it better, but I've no objection to it as a neccesity to interstate commerce.
Private sector will always spend minimum on maintenance of infrastructure be it electricity or roads. Someone else can deal with the costs in 20 years time after they have had all their bonuses and share options linked to the impressive bottom line. Because people don't have adequate alternatives you need the regulation or public ownership. Free market and monopoly mix terribly for consumers.
Quote:Private sector will always spend minimum on maintenance of infrastructure be it electricity or roads. Someone else can deal with the costs in 20 years time after they have had all their bonuses and share options linked to the impressive bottom line. Because people don't have adequate alternatives you need the regulation or public ownership. Free market and monopoly mix terribly for consumers.
And only Sith deal in absolutes.
So you think a private monopoly is better than a public one? Care to explain why?
Do you think the private sector should be in charge of street lighting?
Quote:So you think a private monopoly is better than a public one? Care to explain why?
Do you think the private sector should be in charge of street lighting?
No, I dont. I also dont believe the federal government of the USA has a compelling interest in the public utilities of a city in Michigan.
Quote:No, I dont. I also dont believe the federal government of the USA has a compelling interest in the public utilities of a city in Michigan.
Why not? Maybe you should read the preamble of your beloved Constitution...
Quote:Why not? Maybe you should read the preamble of your beloved Constitution...
Perhaps you should reread Federalist 39.
Quote:Private sector will always spend minimum on maintenance of infrastructure be it electricity or roads. Someone else can deal with the costs in 20 years time after they have had all their bonuses and share options linked to the impressive bottom line. Because people don't have adequate alternatives you need the regulation or public ownership. Free market and monopoly mix terribly for consumers.
So the answer is to give a monopoly to a government that can never realistically be abolished? hows that working out for Flint Michigan about now? What about the carelessness with which the US government disregarded safety of online customers with the launch of healthcare.gov?
We do not appeal to the Butcher's good nature. We appeal to the fact that if his meat is subpar or tainted that he will go out of business. Its not trust, its accountability and mutual self interest.
A butcher is a free market though, loads of alternatives and we don't even have to eat meat at all...
You seem to agree...
That capitalism is the most efficient and productive way to allocate resources? Yes...
Quote:That capitalism is the most efficient and productive way to allocate resources? Yes...
Well to do it properly you have to grant everyone access to the water source and let them all build separate infrastructure...
The barrier of entry is so high it will never work as a proper free market.