If you are a Republican or a member of the TEA Party, and are elected to public office, you will likely remain in office, even if your resignation was appropriate. Michigan Governor Rick Snyder is a perfect example.

By now everyone knows the story. In 2014 Snyder switched Flint, Michigan’s water supply from Detroit’s to the Flint River. Without sufficient research prior to the change, residents in the city of over 100,000, began to notice that the water smelled and tasted strange. Lead was discovered in the now light brown liquid coming from the taps. Before state officials decided that the water was unsafe to drink, cook, or bathe in, General Motors ceased using Flint water; it was corroding the automaker’s parts.

Discussions are ongoing regarding a solution two years after the decision Snyder made as an austerity measure. Snyder blamed his staff, and denied knowledge of the severity of the problem.

Although Flint residents, who are approximately 60 percent black, have demanded his resignation, he refuses. But his problems may just be beginning.

Snyder is now facing a racketeering lawsuit claiming that he “formulated an intentional overarching RICO scheme based on Flint’s run of the mill fiscal problems in order to balance the books of the City of Flint by collecting $50 million dollars for water bills for toxic water from the free Flint River water source”. They look like they’re executing flawlessly in their plan. “Governor Snyder avoids the headache of Flint going bankrupt”.

“As a result of the acts of Governor Snyder and his staff, the emergency managers, MDEQ, and MDHHS, unthinkable harm has been inflicted on the residents of Flint,” the suit said.

Republicans lack financial ability and knowledge to lead states or our federal government. Austerity measures do not increase jobs or benefit business. There must be a balance of spending where needed while lowering costs. The difficulty lies in the fact that ‘doing things the right way’ requires a great deal of work and research. Republicans in Washington prove that they work hard during elections, but then do nothing credible after they obtain their privileged jobs in our nation’s Capital.

I am unaware if Snyder will attend the Republican convention in Cleveland, Ohio, in July; Flint is approximately 250 miles away from Quicken Loans Arena. Whether he is in attendance or not, a large number of protestors are expected to be outside of the proceedings. Citizens from Flint, representatives of Black Lives Matter, individual residents of Cleveland who decry their police department, and anti-war Americans will likely be in attendance.

A lesson to Republican politicians; you can run, but you cannot hide.

Op-Ed

By James Turnage

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Photo Courtesy of DonkeyHotey

Novels by James Turnage available on Amazon’s Kindle