Thursday, April 7, 2016

Slow drip of Flint Water Crisis erodes Rick Snyder's approval


At the end of Task force findings on the Flint Water Crisis, I told my readers to "Stay tuned.  I'm sure I'll have more, including the effects the crisis has had on Snyder's favorability ratings."  That's really the least of the state's worries, but it has been in the news lately.  Following my policy of "if it moves, it leads" (pun not intended, given the context), I begin with WXYZ reporting POLL: Governor Rick Snyder takes big political hit over Flint water crisis.

The ongoing Flint water crisis has taken a huge political toll on Michigan Governor Rick Snyder. That’s the finding of a brand new EPIC MRA Poll released first to WXYZ/Channel 7 and their statewide media partners in Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids and Lansing.
The article on WXYZ's website quoted Bernie Porn, President & CEO of EPIC MRA, who said, “In all measurements for the Governor, he has taken a serious hit because of the Flint water crisis!”  The Detroit Free Press quoted Porn again.  "I think the slow drip, drip of it -- the e-mails, the hearings ... I don't think any public relations firm in the world was going to change the direction that this has gone."

That's just from Michigan media.  Follow over the jump for Fortune Magazine listing Snyder among the most disappointing leaders of the past year.

Once again, if it moves, it leads, I begin with Fortune's video The World's Most Disappointing Leaders.

Fortune's list of executives and politicians who bombed over the past year.
The video didn't mention Snyder, but it does include his photo in the preview.  Here's what the magazine wrote about him.
Don’t Blame Me, I’m Just The Governor Award
Rick Snyder, Governor of Michigan

Snyder and his team sparked national outrage after an attempt at cost-savings left the impoverished city of Flint, Mich. with a lead-tainted water supply that is being blamed for illness and brain damage, especially among its youngest residents. Called to testify before Congress, Snyder, who touted his competence in his gubernatorial campaign, labeled the experience the “most humbling” of his life—then attempted to shift blame. He described it as a “failure of government” and blasted the Environmental Protection Agency for its “dumb and dangerous” rules on allowable amounts of lead in water systems.
While the video said that the magazine didn't rank the list, it did place the above passage first.  It also asked readers to rank the leaders themselves.  After a week, Snyder is in second with more than 17,000 votes, behind Dilma Rousseff, president of Brazil with 373,000 votes and ahead of Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini, former FIFA chiefs with 15,000 votes.  A week ago, he was number one.  Still, I can't complain about his fall in the rankings.  After all, he's up against a leader of a country who is being impeached.  Right now, a majority of people in Michigan don't think he should leave office--yet.  Stay tuned to see if that changes.

4 comments:

  1. I would not be at all surprised if the polling data as being misinterpreted; I suspect that it should have read 75% Negative and another 20% were Positive that they were Negative, leaving Snyder with a 5% Approval rating which is half again higher than he deserves.

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    1. Nah, I think it's accurate. After all, 20% of the U.S. population still supported George W. Bush, even as he and the Iraq War became more and more unpopular with the rest of the country. I expect the same 20% in Michigan are supporting Snyder.

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  2. I know these things are prolonged so that the investigators make sure to dot the i's and cross the t's, but there's enough evidence right now of criminal negligence by the Governor's office. Arrest the bastards. You can continue the investigations for more information while they stew in jail.

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    1. I told you back in January that Michigan's Attorney General would do no such thing, although he wouldn't mind damaging the Lieutenant Governor and maintaining an appearance of independence to better run for Governor in 2018. However, the Feds have no such limitations. They could go after Snyder once they're convinced that they can get a conviction. That might take all year, bu the year is still young.

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