Out Like Flint, Con't

With Michigan's primary on Tuesday, both parties are battling for votes, and the Flint Water Crisis has been front and center for GOP Gov. Rick Snyder.  Snyder is complaining that Democratic candidates in his state for last night's debate will be gone by Wednesday, but that Snyder will be around to deal with the problems.

I will fix this crisis and help move Flint forward.

— Governor Rick Snyder (@onetoughnerd) March 7, 2016

Only one problem with that: Snyder knew in January 2015 that Flint's water was poison and sent water for state employee offices there, doing nothing for Flint residents.  No wonder then that both Clinton and Sanders have now called for Snyder's resignation.

For the first time, Hillary Clinton called for the resignation of Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder during the Democratic debate Sunday night. 

“The governor should resign or be recalled,” Clinton said, staking out a bolder claim on the issue. 

Clinton has made the Flint lead crisis a centerpiece of her campaign, and has repeatedly criticized the Republican governor for his role in the disaster. Sanders has not emphasized Flint as much as his rival, but he’s been calling for Snyder’s resignation since January. Clinton had stopped short of calling for his resignation.

Sanders made the call for Snyder’s resignation again at the debate, before Clinton was asked about Flint. 

“One of the points that I have made is the governor of this state should understand that his dereliction of duty was irresponsible,” Sanders said. “He should resign.”

As far as the people in Flint are concerned however, it's not like Republicans actually give a damn if people have water to drink in a city that votes blue.

A couple of U.S. senators including Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah continue to delay review of a $220 million Flint-inspired bill, pushing a vote on the measure into next week. 

Among Lee’s problems with the legislation are that it didn’t go through the Senate’s ordinary procedure, and the funds designated to pay for the legislation are repurposed from a stimulus appropriation, according to a Senate staffer familiar with the deliberations. 

Lee is also concerned that the bill is federalizing what has traditionally been a local issue — the maintenance of public water infrastructure.

So who knows if or when Flint's water pipes will get fixed?  Republicans are more concerned with Senate procedure than kids with lead poisoning, you know.

Just another day in GOP-controlled America.