Water everywhere and not a drop to drink (safely)

I live about a half hour south of the city of Flint, Michigan which this week had to declare a state of emergency because the number of children in their city with above average levels of lead in their bloodstream has doubled since 2014 when the state of Michigan switched their source of water to the Flint River, from it's original source, the city of Detroit.  Flint's mayor, Karen Weaver, is declaring the emergency in the hope of getting federal funding to help with the developmental issues that are sure to rise in Flint's children in the years ahead.

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, in typical republican fashion, has already begun blaming the victims, as a spokesman released a statement this week saying the water was safe but the problems are arising because of lead in certain citizens' water pipes--without ever explaining what exactly it was that caused the lead in their pipes to suddenly appear in their water after the changeover to the Flint River, but not when the water was coming from Detroit.  A lawsuit has been filed alleging that Snyder and his minions knew about the toxicity in the water before the switch but went ahead with it anyway.  Considering that Snyder hired a private contractor that served food infested with maggots (among other creatures) to Michigan prisoners, it doesn't come as much of a surprise.  An old businessman himself, Snyder knows that in today's Michigan, profits come before people.

In the end, though, one wonders how much longer we as a nation can afford to tolerate republicans' disdain for spending the money necessary to improve our dilapidated infrastructure.  It's hard to not believe that this tragedy in Flint could not have been prevented with the proper care of both the Flint River and its water system.

But that's the republicans world--if poisoning our children is the price we pay for tax cuts for millionaires, so be it.

Peace,
emaycee