President Barack Obama visited Detroit, Michigan last week mostly to discuss the resurgence of the auto industry. Indeed, it was President Obama who decided to save the auto industry and it has since returned to rightful place. But beyond auto, Michigan is in a crisis.
During his visit to the UAB, President Obama shared his views on the Flint water debacle by saying. “I am very proud of what I’ve done as President, but the only job that’s more important to me is the job of father,” President Obama said. “And I know that if I was a parent up there, I would be beside myself that my kids’ health could be at risk.” Days later, he set aside $80 million in a relief effort to help right the wrong of Michigan’s governor.
But more than money is needed to fully understand this disastrous situation. President Obama may have to walk the streets of Flint and speak with the residents who have been poisoned by their state leaders. He should also combine efforts with the Department of Justice to discover if any criminal acts were committed by government officials in Michigan.
And after President Obama leaves Flint, he should take a trip back to Detroit to better understand the issues with the Detroit Public Schools. Teachers have participated in sick-outs to protest low wages, and the dilapidated conditions of the schools and crowded classrooms. Nearly 100 schools were closed last week as a result of the protest. The DPS leaders responded by filing a lawsuit against the teachers who protested. Mostly poor and Black kids in Michigan are being affected by the negligence of adults.
So while the auto industry continues to thrive in Michigan, there are other major problems that are destroying an American state.
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