Bottled water while still paying some of the highest water bills in the county. In this democracy now special report, we go from flint to Mecosta County, michigan, where the Worlds Largest water Bottling Company, nestle, is pumping millions of gallons of water from aquifers that feed Lake Michigan. Being trucked out from nestle , taking the water from our aquifers and shipping at all over the world. Amy how much do they pay for the 200 gallons of water per minute that they are sucking out of the aquifer that feeds Lake Michigan . As far as i know, theyre paying nothing. In ago today, voices from the front line of michigans water wars. All that and more, coming up. Welcome to democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. President obama says he expects the senate to do its job and confirm his nominee to replace Justice Antonin Scalia on the supreme court. Scalia died on saturday. Obama says he will nominate a qualified candidate to replace him. Theres not going to be in a particular question on an issue that determines whether or not i nominate them, but im going to present somebody who disputable is qualified for the indisputably is qualified for the seat and any fairminded person, even someone who disagreed with my politics, with with honord serve and integrity on the court. Amy a rising number of Senate Republicans have indicated they say they will block any nominee until after a new president is in place 11 months from now. A new poll finds democratic president ial candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are virtually tied ahead of saturdays caucus in nevada. The cnn orc poll finds 48 of likely caucus goers back clinton, versus 47 for sanders. The United Nations humanitarian chief says yemen is experiencing a humanitarian catastrophe. Stephen obrien spoke to the u. N. Security council tuesday. 2015, more than 35,000 casualties, including over 6000 deaths, have been reported by Health Facilities across the country. The United Nations has confirmed that at least 2997 of those killed and 5659 of those injured are civilians. Conservative estimates suggest well over 700 children have been killed, and over 1000 more injured. Amy the United States and cuba have signed an agreement to flightsu. S. Commercial to cuba for the first time in more than half a century. U. S. Transportation secretary anthony foxx spoke in havana. A historic day in the relationship between cuba and the United States. This morning with the signing of this document, were signaling for the first time in more than five decades, the United States and cuba will allow scheduled or service between our two nations. Amy the Obama Administration has also approved the first u. S. Factory in cuba in more than 50 years, allowing a company from alabama to assemble tractors for sale. In utah, more than 100 protesters disrupted a federal auction of oil and gas leases, spontaneously bursting into song until they were forced to leave. Author and activist terry tempest williams, registered as bidder 19, successfully bid on 1750 acres of land to spare it from fossil fuel drilling. When asked by a bureau of Land Management official if she was making a legitimate bid for Energy Development, tempest williams said, you cant define what energy is for us. Our Energy Development is fueling a movement. Climate activist Tim Dechristopher spent 21 months in prison when he posed as a bidder in a similar move in south 2008. Dakota could become the first state to ban transgender students from using bathrooms that correspondent to their gender identity. A bill passed by the south Dakota Senate tuesday would force students to use bathrooms and locker rooms they correspond to the sex they were assigned at birth. South Dakota RepublicanGovernor Dennis Daugaard has not said for sure if he will sign it. In chicago, a dozen protesters were arrested after blocking traffic outside an immigration and Customs Enforcement office to demand the dismantling of ice, which they call the Largest Police force in the country. The protesters climbed atop ladders and chained themselves to cement boxes to highlight what they say is a history of abuse and wrongful detention by local immigration officers. In rhode island, the president of Providence College has signed a list of demands to improve diversity after dozens of students occupied his office to protest racism on the campus. President Brian Shanley agreed to take steps toward curriculum reform and more diverse hiring. Among other changes. The Catholic College is the latest to see protests by students over failures to address campus racism. Boutros boutrosghali, whose has died at the age of 93. He led the u. N. And 1990s, time. Arked by violence his opposition to natos Bombing Campaign in bosnia angered the United States. In 1996, thenpresident bill clinton and u. S. Representative to the u. N. Madeleine albright blocked his renewal, making him the only you and secretarygeneral to serve only a single term. And those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Today, we go to flint, michigan, for a democracy now special, thirsty for water the poisoning of an american city. In april 2014, an unelected emergency manager appointed by michigan Governor Rick Snyder switched the source of the detroit system, which they had been using for half a century, to the corrosive flint river. Officials thought they could save something like, 5 million. Soon after, residents were complaining about discolored and foul smelling water, which was causing a host of health problems. First, the water was infested with bacteria. To treat the bacteria, the city poured in chlorine, which created a cancerous chemical byproduct called trihalomethanes, or tthms. A deadly outbreak of legionnaires disease, which is caused by a waterborne bacteria, then spread throughout flint killing 10 people and , sickening dozens. At the same time underground the , flint river water was corroding the citys aging pipes, poisoning the Drinking Water with lead, which can cause permanent damage, especially in children. Well, this past weekend, we went to flint to learn the remarkable story of how michigan Governor Rick Snyder and other officials ignored and covered up residents complaints for a year and a half, and how the city fought back with protests, citizen journalism, a new elected mayor, and a massive resident lead testing project. What took so long . Who is responsible . Today, thirsty for democracy. Flint, michigan at the golden gate restaurant, a cold, snowy saturday morning. Inside the Flint Democracy Defense League is having breakfast and a meeting. I want to go in and talk to claire mcclinton, one of the lead organizers for democracy in flint against the poisoning of the flint water. She has been challenging the Emergency Managers for years. Lets go inside. Snyder011, governor signed into law a law called the emergency manager law. It enabled the governor defend an emergency manager under the guise of being fiscally responsible to cities and School Districts that they deemed financially in fiscal crisis. It just so happen most of these places were majority africanamerican citys. Advertising services and selling off assets that is their main purpose. Well, here in flint, they have privatize our garbage collection. They have sold off our parks. Was santa claus sold off . Low we have is how gotten. They sold santa claus. The santa claus that was mounted on top of city hall every year. Amy tell us what happened. Theres a coordinated effort to privatize our water system, and that is how we came to this poisoned water catastrophe. Amy how . We were being told the detroit water system, which we got our water from, was charging too much money and we were going to build this new pipeline so you folks can have cheaper water. While we build the pipeline, why dont we go to the river . You know, the one at General Motors dumped all that crap and stuff in . All of the additional toxins . We will go to that river in the interim. These decisions were made back in emergency manager. And that is the untold story about the problem we have here. We dont have just a water problem, we got a democracy problem. We got a dictatorship problem. We got a problem of being stripped of our democracy as we have known it over the years. And for someone to come to our city, a proud city where the with the rich liberty history. Amy you have a long history here. Talk about how that influence you. We had the first city of our size to elect an africanamerican mayor. We passed an open Housing Ordinance in the city of flint, one of the first. Very historic. We have such a rich history. The sitdown strike in 1937. Were not the type of people that are used to being walked on. Amy that is clever clinton. While she was conducting her breakfast meeting, a woman came in extremely upset. She said she needed to get clean water to her infant grandson. Another woman, a member of the meeting, audrey, said she had just bought water and she would give it to the woman. They went out into the parking lot to take the water from audreys trunk and put it into kiawanas. If you came in restaurant and you met with this woman who you just bumped into. Can you tell me your name . Audrey mohammed. Amy you heard she is trying to get clean water for her infant grandson. Why do you have this in your trunk . I went to the store the other day and purchased the water for myself and i just had not taken it out of the car. She can have it. I will get some more. That is not a problem at all. I appreciate it. I really do. I appreciate it. Amy what we do with this water . It is for my grandson. It is for my grandson. My first grandchild, and it is a boy. It is for my grandson. He was born february 6. That is my concern, my grandson. That is my concern. In 2016, andhame we are living like this. In this man wants us to pay for this. Any cookie have to pay for water . On water been to drink. Amy i mean, paying for the water in your taps . I just paid a 196 shut off water notice. Amy they were going to shut your poison water off . I got the shutoff notice the day after christmas and it was for the 29th. They told me my water was about to be shut off at any time. So a friend of mine, while i was at work, she went down and paid my shutoff notice, 196. Amy how do you feel about paying for this contaminated water . I am not comfortable with it at all and i dont think it is fair 02 17 16 02 17 16 the cold water, specially, in my kitchen, when i turned it on, it had this file, raw egg smell. Amy this is when they first connected to the river . Whats right. I went down to the city i talked to howard. Even my postman was complaining about the smell. At that time he was the head of the public works. My post man parked his truck right in front of my house and there is a train. We thought it was something in the sewage, ok . But it got worse. Especially beehive days when flint was like 85, 90 degrees. On, itu turn the fossett was dark brown and as the water ran, goes golden brown. Re called it said they were coming out to test the water and the professor was doing it for free, i volunteered. They came to my house the first week of august. I got my results back and i tested positive for lead. Im going to use this for my grandbabies. I want to ask Governor Snyder, because he has been having a town hall meeting during earlier in the day and im at work. Amy where do you work . Tiw automotive and tyrone township. I got a message on my phone telling me to hold the line. When they called, was like 10 30 in the morning. I have to be at work at the clock. It was his grandchild. Would he want this . I dont have the money he has. Him because he is the governor of michigan. But if it was his grandchild, would he want it . Amy weve just come from the golden gate restaurant in flint. Ashley, flint township. This is interesting, where the Democracy Defense league was meeting over breakfast. That particular restaurant gets water from flint township, which is not the corrosive flint river, but right across flushing road, you got it, flushing road, that is where they are linked up to the flint river. Right here at st. Michaels church, scores of people have gathered. They will be canvassing houses, single people need. Their formulating demands for the governor. Help us to reestablish good Drinking Water here in flint on a regular basis, as a basis that we can learn to trust again amy physically and flint rising. Can you talk about with the big challenge is today . What theye dont know use with their water, with the lead in our water and also the challenge of Accurate Information, so that is the need of us going doortodoor, handing out Accurate Information, lifting up everyones stories because everyone has been impacted by this water crisis. And to make sure they have their freshwater,met so, filters, replacement filters. We are also delivering those, too. Amy can you talk about your response to the governor recall, the attempts to recall the governor . There are many people around the state who feel like his response to this crisis has been inadequate and really a violation of human rights. Amy what do you think should happen . The people who want to recall him as the petition goes in front of me, i will sign it. But right now, my effort is to make sure that people have Accurate Information and that we push for some of these longterm solutions that regardless of who is in office, theyre going to have to address. Amy what are those longterm solution . Pressed to have archives replaced test for us to have our types replaced, advocate health care, for everyone who has been impacted by the water crisis, so the children who have lead poisoning, was one of Lifetime Services are going to be available to them, making sure that residents not only like the types water mains a replace, but appliances are replaced. Were still paying a premium price for toxic water, so we need to remedy that. Ngoi am lori with a small based out of ann arbor michigan. We are activated based on these canvassers to go out and they find their estate in the houses, they find where they need water, water filters, theyre homebound, elderly, if ever other social service needs. We have a team of social workers were pumped up with the National Association of social workers out of michigan. They are volunteers. We are all volunteers. Manus people, paramedics, firefighters who go out in teams to the houses and provide services. Amy maybe we could go inside and you could introduce me to some folks. Filters, pregnant moms, seniors, homebound folks. Those are the priorities. Just to add one thing, if someone asks for water, we give everybody water. If they need water, ask for water, we dont ask any questions or id or name, it is yes. You may bring water in and you see the have a whole wall of water already. They are hoarding water. Some folks are really put off by that. I have a different take on that. I could a family and not get water to them, i sure as hell would be hoarding every bit. You dont know when the next donald water is coming to you. My name is leo. Were with the local 38 from detroit. Amy what are you doing here today . We are here to volunteer and help pass out water, campus, whatever the aflcio needs us to do. Can you talk about how you got word and how your organized to come here . From was kind of willed up our last union meeting. These guys were talking about it after the meeting and just wanted to do something. Water you fighting for . Amy do you live in flint . I do. Amy how have you been affected by the poison water . All three of my sons are animate. They have bone pain, and as a lot of school because theyre constantly sick. Their immune systems are compromised. I have seizures, diverticulosis. I have to go in february 25 on a consultation for liver biopsy. Been damaged. E im getting calls from people that are so sick and they dont know what to do. Amy how old are your boys . 11, 12, and 17. They put forth this effort to get straight as in good grades. My oldest, Little Things he forgets like plus and minus, different words he cant there is a brain fog that is settled on everybody. Amy mayor weaver has called for 50 finally and dollars to replace the lead pipes. Is that happening . We are still waiting. The governor said, you can have 20 finally and dollars of that. 50 finally and dollars is just the start. Theyre also talking about how the lions gate igo as well as galvanized. Any kind of metal has been corroded of these byproducts are neurotoxicity of copper, lead, aluminum, chromium, things that our bodies are not handled in these pipes need to go. The 55 million is a start to get to the most needed people, the pregnant, those small children, and out of 55 million, he said 20 finally dollars. Amy what should happen with Governor Snyder . He is been standing in the way of us getting the funding we need to get these pipes replaced to get cruz and here to