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I'm Thom Hartmann here
on the news you need to know that's more than 300,000 West Virginia residents are
facing their fifth
day coping with a massive chemical spill and Bima
top in state and local agencies ensure that residents have access to safe
drinking water
amis taxpayers are already covering the cost
the spill and we could be on the hook for cleanup expenses as well
make matters worse state environmental officials are now saying that the
chemical leak
could be substantially worse than first believed early reports estimated between
two and five thousand gallons a bit dangerous coal processing chemical
leaked into the Elk River but now residents are learning that as many as
7,500 gallons
might have contaminated the drinking water West Virginian
American water company says it may be several days before residents can use
their tap water for anything other than flushing toilets
many schools and businesses remain closed because the dangerous
bill and stores can't keep up with the demand for bottled water
West Virginia chemical spill is a perfect example of why corporations are
more responsible when dealing with dangerous substances they keep all the
profits in the public is forced to cover the cost to the screw-ups
just like those responsible for oil spills these companies are never forced
to pay
all the true costs of their reckless behaviors
Patricia Mason a fifty four-year-old retired West Virginia resident said
it seems like no one watches these companies to get away with this all the
time and we're the ones who pay for it
were the ones who are suffering it's just wrong and
but our nation must enact stricter regulations to govern these toxic
chemicals
we need to enforce the laws we have by holding corporations responsible for the
real cost
the damage they do to our environment and our lives
in screwed news in 2012 the total cost evolved
college tuition was about $62 billion dollars in our government spent three
times that amount to subsidize universities
and make a profit on student loans money we're spending on tax breaks grandson on
processing to pay for every student to get a free college education
rather than helping our young people were spending more than a hundred eighty
billion dollars a year
maintain a shoddy patchwork attempts to make college affordable
and we're allowing for-profit universities in lenders to make billions
in the process
providing a free college education would actually save money for taxpayers
it would allow young Americans to compete with their global counterparts
we also avoid click crippling them with massive debt
but a serious strain on our economy for decades to come
said line the pockets universities in lenders we should be provided every
student free college education
the best to the rest to the news the moral Monday's movement is spreading
throughout the south
this week progresses in Georgia will hold their first moral Monday protest
and South Carolina will be putting their own twist on the event very next day
progressive activists will gather in Columbia South Carolina for a truthful
Tuesday event
which is being organized by a wide range labor groups in progressive
organizations
it's like the protests in North Carolina and Georgia organizers in south carolina
are calling for the protection of voting rights and better funding for public
schools
in addition they're asking protesters to wear black to symbolize the 1300 people
who will likely die in their state
because Republicans refuse to expand Medicaid the protests in all the states
show that Americans are sick
entire to these right-wing policies and no longer will they sit quietly or
Republican lawmakers destroyed States
according to read cast at Art radiation levels are calmer around our nation they
know that the weather has settled down
Durham North Carolina is averaging 30 counts per minute spike 246
Chicopee mass it's a new forty-three with highs at sixty five counts per
minute
better wisconsin is hovering at 48 counts per minute with spikes 273
Greg montana's averaging 40 with highs 68 counts per
in its Arizona city forty-three council met with spikes 263
chico california is averaging only thirty eyes 68 counts for
in Vancouver Washington sovereign at 37 counts per minute with spikes 255
red cast doubt words alert level is a hundred counts per minute
the right remind us that there is no such thing as a safe level
radiation maryland is doing something about the rising cost of health care
at state will be the testing ground for some strict regulations on medical
prices
there aimed at reducing overall health care spending these new rules will build
on maryland's previous success
rainin costs which already has led to medical prices that state be
3 percent lower than the national average Governor Martin O'Malley said
we need to shift away from our near exclusive focus on treating
illness and move to a balanced approach that encourages prevention and wellness
bill saying goes an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
merrill its improved it's also worth some huge cost savings
and finally if you rode the subway this weekend in Los Angeles Washington New
York
you may have seen more than you bargained for as his sunday was the
official no pants subway ride
which is happening in many major cities since 2000 to
this year's event Washington inserted 2 p.m. near the National Mall
those who joined in whereas to maintain a calm demeanor an act
like riding the subway in your underwear was the most normal thing in the world
people are asked to bring pants with them in case they were ordered by an
official
but back on no news yet whether there was a large turnout for the No Pants
subway ride
for new yorkers just but the people underwear was a tip son
and that's the way it is today Monday January 13
2014 I'm Thom Hartmann on the news
I'm