HRC's visit to Flint won't achieve much. She has no power to help people there now...

[Ken Burch]

Last edited Sat Feb 6, 2016, 07:52 PM - Edit history (1)

...and she would have no power to help them as president(in case you missed the fact, our current Dem president hasn't been able to do anything for Flint.


(thread title edited to be slightly less sweeping.

[guillaumeb]

1. The racism behind Flint should be exposed. I hope that she does it.

Flint is the inevitable result of GOP cost cutting policies. The same policies have ruined water in white areas of West Virginia.

[LuvLoogie]

2. Really. Senator Sanders already authentically called for Snyder's genuine resignation.

Anything more is just more show-boaty, networky, problem-solvey stuff.

[Siwsan]

3. My hope is her visit will bring more pressure on Snyder to do the right thing

From what I've read, this is going to be more of a high visibility event for the media, but not so much for the people. So I have mixed feelings about this visit. But, it does bring more national attention, and hopefully pressures Snyder.

[Ken Burch]

4. I'd be fine with that, too. n/t.

[Siwsan]

6. I do think that Bernie would make this a much more public event

It is being held at a church, so there is very limited room for the public. I'd love to see it being held at Atwood Stadium.

[PoliticAverse]

5. Does bringing further publicity to a problem have no value?

Note that there's a current bill in Congress concerning Flint:
http://www.kxly.com/news/politics/600-million-bill-to-help-flint-faces-tough-road-in-congress/37695362

[TTUBatfan2008]

7. It's not meaningless

Any attention she can help place on this horrible situation in Flint is a good thing in my opinion. The media moves on very quickly from these disaster situations but I am glad she is not letting them move on from it. The more attention that is placed on it, the more likely people around the country will want to help resolve the problem.

[cali]

8. Codswallop

[Ken Burch]

12. I've always wondered what that word means.

Is it some sort of Shakespearean seafood dish?

(Look, it might bring a little more attention by accident...but the country pretty much already knows about this.

[Teamster Jeff]

9. Best she could do is rip the GOP Governor a new one in front of the entire country.

That won't help the people though.

[Skid Rogue]

10. Rachel said, during her townhall in Flint,

that we shouldn't let the story die, not until real measures were taken to fix the problem. Where our candidates go, the press core follows. That's tons of exposure for an issue that needs a massive amount of resources and National attention... and it needs that attention NOW. People are still being poisoned. I wish Bernie would go, too. Hell, if it would give the crises a greater sense of urgency, I'd be happy to see Trump there, or the Food Network, or LeBron James and Martha Stewart.

[procon]

11. Most public figures who have visited Flint

have gone to talk with the people and listen to their stories, to stand in solidarity and use their brand and name recognition to focus media attention on what happened there, and heap blame and shame on the state's Republican leaders. It keeps the tragedy alive in the public eye and if its in the news the Republicans can't easily hide what they did or sweep it under the rug if they wait long enough.

As you point out, there is no Federal funding to cover Flint, and the GOP majority in Congress is unlikely to pass a special bill to fund the necessary repairs to Flint's water crisis. There is no solution coming from the GOP led state government who have made little effort to deal with the situation that impacts poor communities of POC.

That leaves the media with their notoriously short attention spans to cover happenings in Flint, which is almost totally reliant on appearances by celebrities and Democrats to keep the pressure on the Republicans to act. It's not "meaningless" when people are suffering and there are some politicians willing to join the queue and take the time to lend their voice to those who are demanding redress for the crimes committed on the residents of flint.

[msongs]

13. Bernie's visit to New Hampshire is meaningless. He has no power to help the people there now nt

[Ken Burch]

14. But he will when elected. n/t.