Partisanship is the order of the day in Michigan, where state and federal authorities are trying to sort out what has become known as the ‘Flint water crisis.’ Flint is a city of approximately 100,000 that is marked by vanished industry, abandoned homes and businesses, demographic collapse and the resulting drop in government revenues, as well as an aging infrastructure. Last week, under growing pressure from advocacy groups, Gov. Rick Snyder (R) declared a state emergency in the city that has seen lead levels spike in the delivery of water to its residents over nearly two years. Snyder made a request to the White House for a disaster designation for the stricken city, and requested some $95 million in federal aid. The request was denied by the Obama administration.

As the presidential election campaign season was warming up, so did the rhetoric from progressives and Democrats both inside and outside of Michigan. On the January 15-16 weekend, famed activist Jesse Jackson showed up and demanded action. “We should have ... tape around the city because Flint is a crime scene,” Jackson said at Heavenly Host Baptist Church in Flint. “The people of Flint have been betrayed.” Also speaking at the church on January 17 was state Rep. Woodrow Stanley of Flint, who drew applause when he told the black church, “Somebody needs to go to jail.”

Stanley served as Flint’s mayor for three terms, but was recalled after allegedly failing to address the city’s $30 million+ deficit. When he was ousted, Stanley accused opponents of racist motivations. He is a visible supporter of newly elected Mayor Karen Weaver – the first black female in the job. Stanley has been a fixture in local and state politics, having served variously as mayor, state representative, and county commissioner. Ignoring the millions the city has received for decades in federal aid for low-income housing, police protections, and other programs, Stanley did acknowledge the Flint’s problems go deep. “Right now, the water issue is the cause célèbre,” he said. “Everyone wants to come to Flint because it’s on the front page. But it’s not always going to be on the front page. Flint is a city without a safety net. We had failing schools before we had a water crisis. We had high unemployment.”

During the January 16 debate between the three Democratic party presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton said in her closing remarks that Snyder should have acted sooner, while Sen. Bernie Sanders demanded the governor’s resignation.

Once considered one of the most segregated (albeit not legally enforced) cities in the country, the city is now has a black majority and an active black political class that has been reliably part of the Democratic Party for decades.

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