Flint, Michigan, has given the world legendary athletes—now meet one of its rising musical icons.  Joe Ryan III is a producer, songwriter, composer, engineer, and DJ whose creative reach spans television, film, and the global music scene. At just 30, he’s worked with FOX, ABC, NBC, MTV, VH1, ESPN, and BET, crafting scores for Lethal Weapon, The Voice, Teen Titans Go!, Ellen DeGeneres, Dancing with the Stars, and more.In this Radio Free Michigan interview, Arthur Busch revisits Joe’s early days in Flint and his viral song Flint, Michigan — recorded with his 90-year-old grandmother — to trace his path from local talent to Hollywood composer. Ryan reflects on evolving recording tech, creative independence, and what it means to represent Flint’s spirit in a global industry.-------<ul><li>Learn more about Joe Ryan III and his musical career at his <a href='https://www.joeryaniii.com/'>website Joe Ryan III</a></li><li>Read a profile article of  Joe Ryan III,  <a href='https://www.radiofreeflint.media/a-profile-of-telepix-composer-joe-ryan-iii'>Telepix Composer Joe Ryan III: A Multi-Talented Music Wizard</a></li><li>Read an interview with Joe Ryan III, <a href='http://voyagela.com/interview/meet-joe-ryan-iii-iiinspire-hollywood-media-district/'>&quot;Meet Joe Ryan III&quot;</a> by LA Voyage Magazine</li><li>YouTube video of Joe Ryan III and his 90-year-old- grandmother, Odessa Houston as they perform the song <a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5z9ldoXgOI'>&quot;Flint, Michigan&quot;</a></li></ul>--------- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message👉<a href='https://www.radiofreeflint.media/'>Subscribe to The Mitten Channel</a> Join us for the full experience. Subscribe to <a href='https://themittenchannel.substack.com/'>The Mitten Channel on Substack</a> to receive our latest narrative essays, audio stories, and deep-dive reporting directly in your inbox. Explore Our Series: <ul> <li> Radio Free Flint: Narrative storytelling and community perspectives on industrial resilience.</li> <li> The Mitten Works: Essential history and analysis of labor and economic policy.</li> <li> Flint Justice: Critical insights into the legal and institutional challenges facing our state. </li> </ul> Visit our <a href='https://www.radiofreeflint.media/'>Mitten Channel website</a> for our complete library of podcasts, videos, and articles. The Mitten Channel is a production of Radio Free Flint Media, LLC. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.

<description>&lt;p&gt;Flint, Michigan, has given the world legendary athletes—now meet one of its rising musical icons.&lt;br/&gt; &lt;b&gt;Joe Ryan III&lt;/b&gt; is a producer, songwriter, composer, engineer, and DJ whose creative reach spans television, film, and the global music scene. At just 30, he’s worked with FOX, ABC, NBC, MTV, VH1, ESPN, and BET, crafting scores for &lt;em&gt;Lethal Weapon&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;The Voice&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Teen Titans Go!&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Ellen DeGeneres&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Dancing with the Stars&lt;/em&gt;, and more.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this &lt;em&gt;Radio Free Michigan&lt;/em&gt; interview, Arthur Busch revisits Joe’s early days in Flint and his viral song &lt;em&gt;Flint, Michigan&lt;/em&gt; — recorded with his 90-year-old grandmother — to trace his path from local talent to Hollywood composer.&lt;br/&gt; Ryan reflects on evolving recording tech, creative independence, and what it means to represent Flint’s spirit in a global industry.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;-------&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Learn more about Joe Ryan III and his musical career at his &lt;a href='https://www.joeryaniii.com/'&gt;website Joe Ryan III&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Read a profile article of  Joe Ryan III,  &lt;a href='https://www.radiofreeflint.media/a-profile-of-telepix-composer-joe-ryan-iii'&gt;Telepix Composer Joe Ryan III: A Multi-Talented Music Wizard&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Read an interview with Joe Ryan III, &lt;a href='http://voyagela.com/interview/meet-joe-ryan-iii-iiinspire-hollywood-media-district/'&gt;&amp;quot;Meet Joe Ryan III&amp;quot;&lt;/a&gt; by LA Voyage Magazine&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;YouTube video of Joe Ryan III and his 90-year-old- grandmother, Odessa Houston as they perform the song &lt;a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5z9ldoXgOI'&gt;&amp;quot;Flint, Michigan&amp;quot;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;--------- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/radiofreeflint/message&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;👉&lt;a href='https://www.radiofreeflint.media/'&gt;&lt;b&gt;Subscribe to The Mitten Channel&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Join us for the full experience. Subscribe to &lt;a href='https://themittenchannel.substack.com/'&gt;&lt;b&gt;The Mitten Channel on Substack&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; to receive our latest narrative essays, audio stories, and deep-dive reporting directly in your inbox.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Explore Our Series:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;b&gt;Radio Free Flint:&lt;/b&gt; Narrative storytelling and community perspectives on industrial resilience.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;b&gt;The Mitten Works:&lt;/b&gt; Essential history and analysis of labor and economic policy.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;b&gt;Flint Justice:&lt;/b&gt; Critical insights into the legal and institutional challenges facing our state.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;Visit our &lt;a href='https://www.radiofreeflint.media/'&gt;Mitten Channel website&lt;/a&gt; for our complete library of podcasts, videos, and articles.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Mitten Channel is a production of Radio Free Flint Media, LLC. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Flint, Michigan, has given the world legendary athletes—now meet one of its rising musical icons.  Joe Ryan III is a producer, songwriter, composer, engineer, and DJ whose creative reach spans television, film, and the global music scene. At just 30, he’s worked with FOX, ABC, NBC, MTV, VH1, ESPN, and BET, crafting scores for Lethal Weapon, The Voice, Teen Titans Go!, Ellen DeGeneres, Dancing with the Stars, and more. In this Radio Free Michigan interview, Arthur Busch revisits Joe’s ear...

Joe Ryan III: From Flint to Hollywood — The Sound of a New Generation

Do federal officials have “absolute immunity” from state criminal law? No. But they do have a powerful defense described as the Supremacy Clause immunity.  This legal doctrine can block a state prosecution when a federal officer was acting within lawful federal duties and used only what was necessary and proper. <a href='https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/are-federal-officials-immune-from-state-prosecution'>See Lawfare</a> for more details.In this episode, former prosecutor Arthur Busch breaks down the real test courts apply, how cases can be removed from state court to federal court under the federal-officer removal statute, and what facts tend to decide these cases in practice. And one point that gets misstated constantly: a presidential pardon does not reach state crimes—so it cannot wipe out a state conviction. 👉<a href='https://www.radiofreeflint.media/'>Subscribe to The Mitten Channel</a> Join us for the full experience. Subscribe to <a href='https://themittenchannel.substack.com/'>The Mitten Channel on Substack</a> to receive our latest narrative essays, audio stories, and deep-dive reporting directly in your inbox. Explore Our Series: <ul> <li> Radio Free Flint: Narrative storytelling and community perspectives on industrial resilience.</li> <li> The Mitten Works: Essential history and analysis of labor and economic policy.</li> <li> Flint Justice: Critical insights into the legal and institutional challenges facing our state. </li> </ul> Visit our <a href='https://www.radiofreeflint.media/'>Mitten Channel website</a> for our complete library of podcasts, videos, and articles. The Mitten Channel is a production of Radio Free Flint Media, LLC. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Do federal officials have “absolute immunity” from state criminal law? No.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt; But they do have a powerful defense described as the &lt;em&gt;Supremacy Clause immunity.  &lt;/em&gt;This legal doctrine can block a state prosecution when a federal officer was acting within lawful federal duties and used only what was necessary and proper. &lt;a href='https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/are-federal-officials-immune-from-state-prosecution'&gt;&lt;em&gt;See Lawfare&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;em&gt; for more details.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this episode, former prosecutor Arthur Busch breaks down the real test courts apply, how cases can be removed from state court to federal court under the federal-officer removal statute, and what facts tend to decide these cases in practice. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And one point that gets misstated constantly: &lt;b&gt;a presidential pardon does not reach state crimes&lt;/b&gt;—so it cannot wipe out a state conviction. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;👉&lt;a href='https://www.radiofreeflint.media/'&gt;&lt;b&gt;Subscribe to The Mitten Channel&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Join us for the full experience. Subscribe to &lt;a href='https://themittenchannel.substack.com/'&gt;&lt;b&gt;The Mitten Channel on Substack&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; to receive our latest narrative essays, audio stories, and deep-dive reporting directly in your inbox.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Explore Our Series:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;b&gt;Radio Free Flint:&lt;/b&gt; Narrative storytelling and community perspectives on industrial resilience.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;b&gt;The Mitten Works:&lt;/b&gt; Essential history and analysis of labor and economic policy.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;b&gt;Flint Justice:&lt;/b&gt; Critical insights into the legal and institutional challenges facing our state.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;Visit our &lt;a href='https://www.radiofreeflint.media/'&gt;Mitten Channel website&lt;/a&gt; for our complete library of podcasts, videos, and articles.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Mitten Channel is a production of Radio Free Flint Media, LLC. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Do federal officials have “absolute immunity” from state criminal law? No.  But they do have a powerful defense described as the Supremacy Clause immunity.  This legal doctrine can block a state prosecution when a federal officer was acting within lawful federal duties and used only what was necessary and proper. See Lawfare for more details. In this episode, former prosecutor Arthur Busch breaks down the real test courts apply, how cases can be removed from state court to fede...

Can Minnesota Prosecute an ICE Agent?

Over the past thirty-five years, the United States has quietly transformed its criminal-justice system into something resembling a permanent domestic battlefield.In this episode, we trace how successive “wars” at home—the war on crime, the war on drugs, the war on terror, and the war on immigration—have steadily altered the relationship between the citizen and the state. Each was justified as temporary. None truly ended.Drawing on constitutional history, crime data, and lived legal experience, this episode examines how fear replaced evidence as the engine of policy, even as violent crime fell dramatically across much of the country. The language of emergency survived the numbers that once justified it.We explore how punishment displaced treatment, how surveillance migrated downward toward the poor and powerless, and how federal authority expanded deep into local policing. From welfare drug testing to armored vehicles on city streets, the tools and posture of war became normalized in everyday American life.The episode also looks at what happened to the Bill of Rights under pressure—how guarantees of counsel, bail, due process, and protection from unreasonable searches were narrowed by exception, doctrine, and rhetoric. The Constitution remained on the page, but its reach shrank in practice.Finally, we examine how immigration enforcement and the war on terror completed the turn inward, creating parallel systems of justice and “Constitution-lite” zones where ordinary protections fade. The result is not chaos, but something more troubling: a stable, militarized normal.This is not a partisan argument. It is a structural one.A republic that repeatedly declares war on its own internal enemies must eventually decide whether rights are promises—or obstacles.👉<a href='https://www.radiofreeflint.media/'>Subscribe to The Mitten Channel</a> Join us for the full experience. Subscribe to <a href='https://themittenchannel.substack.com/'>The Mitten Channel on Substack</a> to receive our latest narrative essays, audio stories, and deep-dive reporting directly in your inbox. Explore Our Series: <ul> <li> Radio Free Flint: Narrative storytelling and community perspectives on industrial resilience.</li> <li> The Mitten Works: Essential history and analysis of labor and economic policy.</li> <li> Flint Justice: Critical insights into the legal and institutional challenges facing our state. </li> </ul> Visit our <a href='https://www.radiofreeflint.media/'>Mitten Channel website</a> for our complete library of podcasts, videos, and articles. The Mitten Channel is a production of Radio Free Flint Media, LLC. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.

<description>&lt;p&gt;Over the past thirty-five years, the United States has quietly transformed its criminal-justice system into something resembling a permanent domestic battlefield.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this episode, we trace how successive “wars” at home—the war on crime, the war on drugs, the war on terror, and the war on immigration—have steadily altered the relationship between the citizen and the state. Each was justified as temporary. None truly ended.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Drawing on constitutional history, crime data, and lived legal experience, this episode examines how fear replaced evidence as the engine of policy, even as violent crime fell dramatically across much of the country. The language of emergency survived the numbers that once justified it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We explore how punishment displaced treatment, how surveillance migrated downward toward the poor and powerless, and how federal authority expanded deep into local policing. From welfare drug testing to armored vehicles on city streets, the tools and posture of war became normalized in everyday American life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The episode also looks at what happened to the Bill of Rights under pressure—how guarantees of counsel, bail, due process, and protection from unreasonable searches were narrowed by exception, doctrine, and rhetoric. The Constitution remained on the page, but its reach shrank in practice.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Finally, we examine how immigration enforcement and the war on terror completed the turn inward, creating parallel systems of justice and “Constitution-lite” zones where ordinary protections fade. The result is not chaos, but something more troubling: a stable, militarized normal.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This is not a partisan argument. It is a structural one.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A republic that repeatedly declares war on its own internal enemies must eventually decide whether rights are promises—or obstacles.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;👉&lt;a href='https://www.radiofreeflint.media/'&gt;&lt;b&gt;Subscribe to The Mitten Channel&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Join us for the full experience. Subscribe to &lt;a href='https://themittenchannel.substack.com/'&gt;&lt;b&gt;The Mitten Channel on Substack&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; to receive our latest narrative essays, audio stories, and deep-dive reporting directly in your inbox.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Explore Our Series:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;b&gt;Radio Free Flint:&lt;/b&gt; Narrative storytelling and community perspectives on industrial resilience.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;b&gt;The Mitten Works:&lt;/b&gt; Essential history and analysis of labor and economic policy.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;b&gt;Flint Justice:&lt;/b&gt; Critical insights into the legal and institutional challenges facing our state.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;Visit our &lt;a href='https://www.radiofreeflint.media/'&gt;Mitten Channel website&lt;/a&gt; for our complete library of podcasts, videos, and articles.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Mitten Channel is a production of Radio Free Flint Media, LLC. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Over the past thirty-five years, the United States has quietly transformed its criminal-justice system into something resembling a permanent domestic battlefield. In this episode, we trace how successive “wars” at home—the war on crime, the war on drugs, the war on terror, and the war on immigration—have steadily altered the relationship between the citizen and the state. Each was justified as temporary. None truly ended. Drawing on constitutional history, crime data, and lived legal experien...

A Republic at War With Itself: Militarized Policing and the Slow Erosion of Civil Liberties

Flint on the Brink is a clear-eyed examination of an American rust-belt city struggling to decide who controls its future.In this episode, former Michigan prosecutor and legal educator<a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthurbusch/'> Arthur Busch</a> reads and expands on his essay Flint on the Brink: How Broken Systems, Billion-Dollar “Saviors,” and Flint-First Leadership Are Fighting for the City’s Future. The episode explores how decades of economic decline, segregation, and institutional failure have weakened Flint’s economy and its ability to govern itself and plan for what comes next.But Flint’s story is not only one of collapse. It is also a story shaped by powerful outside actors, fparticularly large philanthropic institutions that have poured enormous sums of money into the city. While philanthropy has funded important programs, cultural institutions, and physical improvements, it has also created an unhealthy dependence on a small number of private funders to support basic city functions, including at times police and fire services. When grants substitute for sound taxation, budgeting, and public accountability, structural problems are masked rather than solved.The episode examines how this pattern has influenced decision-making in Flint, encouraging leaders to ask what foundations will pay for instead of what residents truly need and how those priorities should be funded. It revisits major cautionary episodes such as AutoWorld and the downtown redevelopment that followed—projects driven by optimistic studies, philanthropic money, and outside vision, but which failed to deliver lasting economic transformation and permanently removed valuable land from the tax base.At the same time, the episode acknowledges Flint’s real strengths: a deep sense of community, a lower cost of living, cultural institutions.  These assets matter—but only if they are woven into a realistic, locally driven vision for the future.Ultimately, Flint on the Brink argues that no foundation, state agency, or outside “savior” can substitute for accountable, Flint-first leadership. Public money and philanthropy can help repair damage and support good plans, but civic confidence and self-governance must come from within. The city’s future depends on leaders willing to level with residents about hard truths, right-size infrastructure, confront segregation, and insist that decisions affecting Flint are made by people answerable to Flint voters.This episode is part of <a href='https://themittenchannel.substack.com/'>The Mitten Channel</a>, a Michigan-based podcast and media network examining law, public policy, labor, and life in America’s industrial communities. A full transcript is available, and listeners are invited to explore the broader archive and subscribe for future episodes.👉<a href='https://www.radiofreeflint.media/'>Subscribe to The Mitten Channel</a> Join us for the full experience. Subscribe to <a href='https://themittenchannel.substack.com/'>The Mitten Channel on Substack</a> to receive our latest narrative essays, audio stories, and deep-dive reporting directly in your inbox. Explore Our Series: <ul> <li> Radio Free Flint: Narrative storytelling and community perspectives on industrial resilience.</li> <li> The Mitten Works: Essential history and analysis of labor and economic policy.</li> <li> Flint Justice: Critical insights into the legal and institutional challenges facing our state. </li> </ul> Visit our <a href='https://www.radiofreeflint.media/'>Mitten Channel website</a> for our complete library of podcasts, videos, and articles. The Mitten Channel is a production of Radio Free Flint Media, LLC. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Flint on the Brink&lt;/b&gt; is a clear-eyed examination of an American rust-belt city struggling to decide who controls its future.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this episode, former Michigan prosecutor and legal educator&lt;a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthurbusch/'&gt; &lt;b&gt;Arthur Busch&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; reads and expands on his essay &lt;em&gt;Flint on the Brink: How Broken Systems, Billion-Dollar “Saviors,” and Flint-First Leadership Are Fighting for the City’s Future&lt;/em&gt;. The episode explores how decades of economic decline, segregation, and institutional failure have weakened Flint’s economy and its ability to govern itself and plan for what comes next.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;But Flint’s story is not only one of collapse. It is also a story shaped by powerful outside actors, fparticularly large philanthropic institutions that have poured enormous sums of money into the city. While philanthropy has funded important programs, cultural institutions, and physical improvements, it has also created an unhealthy dependence on a small number of private funders to support basic city functions, including at times police and fire services. When grants substitute for sound taxation, budgeting, and public accountability, structural problems are masked rather than solved.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The episode examines how this pattern has influenced decision-making in Flint, encouraging leaders to ask what foundations will pay for instead of what residents truly need and how those priorities should be funded. It revisits major cautionary episodes such as AutoWorld and the downtown redevelopment that followed—projects driven by optimistic studies, philanthropic money, and outside vision, but which failed to deliver lasting economic transformation and permanently removed valuable land from the tax base.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;At the same time, the episode acknowledges Flint’s real strengths: a deep sense of community, a lower cost of living, cultural institutions.  These assets matter—but only if they are woven into a realistic, locally driven vision for the future.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, &lt;em&gt;Flint on the Brink&lt;/em&gt; argues that no foundation, state agency, or outside “savior” can substitute for accountable, Flint-first leadership. Public money and philanthropy can help repair damage and support good plans, but civic confidence and self-governance must come from within. The city’s future depends on leaders willing to level with residents about hard truths, right-size infrastructure, confront segregation, and insist that decisions affecting Flint are made by people answerable to Flint voters.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This episode is part of &lt;a href='https://themittenchannel.substack.com/'&gt;&lt;b&gt;The Mitten Channel&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, a Michigan-based podcast and media network examining law, public policy, labor, and life in America’s industrial communities. A full transcript is available, and listeners are invited to explore the broader archive and subscribe for future episodes.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;👉&lt;a href='https://www.radiofreeflint.media/'&gt;&lt;b&gt;Subscribe to The Mitten Channel&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Join us for the full experience. Subscribe to &lt;a href='https://themittenchannel.substack.com/'&gt;&lt;b&gt;The Mitten Channel on Substack&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; to receive our latest narrative essays, audio stories, and deep-dive reporting directly in your inbox.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Explore Our Series:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;b&gt;Radio Free Flint:&lt;/b&gt; Narrative storytelling and community perspectives on industrial resilience.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;b&gt;The Mitten Works:&lt;/b&gt; Essential history and analysis of labor and economic policy.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;b&gt;Flint Justice:&lt;/b&gt; Critical insights into the legal and institutional challenges facing our state.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;Visit our &lt;a href='https://www.radiofreeflint.media/'&gt;Mitten Channel website&lt;/a&gt; for our complete library of podcasts, videos, and articles.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Mitten Channel is a production of Radio Free Flint Media, LLC. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Flint on the Brink is a clear-eyed examination of an American rust-belt city struggling to decide who controls its future. In this episode, former Michigan prosecutor and legal educator Arthur Busch reads and expands on his essay Flint on the Brink: How Broken Systems, Billion-Dollar “Saviors,” and Flint-First Leadership Are Fighting for the City’s Future. The episode explores how decades of economic decline, segregation, and institutional failure have weakened Flint’s economy and its ability...

Flint on the Brink: Who Governs After Collapse—Broken Systems, Billion-Dollar Philanthropy, and Flint-First Leadership

When water systems fail, the damage is not the same for everyone.  In Flint, the deepest harm lives in children’s brains.  In other cities, the damage is buried in pipes, mains, and hydrants. In this episode, <a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthurbusch/'>Arthur Busch</a> examines what really gets damaged when public water systems fail—and why the law treats those harms very differently.The episode opens in Flint, Michigan, with the story of Lee Anne Walters and her twin sons, who lost developmental skills after drinking lead-contaminated tap water. Their experience illustrates what lead exposure looks like up close: not statistics or charts, but children who had to relearn colors, numbers, and basic coordination, and who continue to struggle years later. This is the most enduring harm of bad water—damage carried inside a child’s body and brain for life.From there, the episode draws a critical distinction between human damage and infrastructure damage. In Flint, the deepest injury is neurological and developmental, raising issues of justice, lifetime support, and accountability. In other cities, such as Miramar, Florida, and Greenville, South Carolina, the primary damage has been mechanical—corroded copper plumbing, failing ductile iron pipe, clogged mains, and compromised fire flow. Those cases focus on replacing pipe, repairing systems, and preventing the next failure.The episode explores how these different kinds of harm move through the legal system. In Flint, class actions and civil rights claims seek compensation for children’s injuries, medical monitoring, special education needs, and property loss. In Miramar and Greenville, lawsuits target cities, engineers, and manufacturers over defective design, testing failures, and pipe performance, aiming to shift future repair costs away from ratepayers.Along the way, the episode examines how water crises have become a litigation business model, with large contingency-fee cases driving accountability only after harm has already occurred. It also looks at how new Lead and Copper Rule requirements are reshaping evidence, documentation, and liability—often after cities have already gambled with aging infrastructure.Ultimately, this episode asks a hard policy question: Is our system designed to protect the public, or mainly to manage liability after failure? Pipes can be replaced. Children cannot. The choices judges, regulators, and lawmakers make about prevention, accountability, and funding will determine whether future crises are stopped early—or simply paid for later.This episode is part of <a href='https://themittenchannel.substack.com/'>The Mitten Channel</a>, a Michigan-based podcast network examining law, public policy, and life in America’s industrial communities. A full transcript follows.👉<a href='https://www.radiofreeflint.media/'>Subscribe to The Mitten Channel</a> Join us for the full experience. Subscribe to <a href='https://themittenchannel.substack.com/'>The Mitten Channel on Substack</a> to receive our latest narrative essays, audio stories, and deep-dive reporting directly in your inbox. Explore Our Series: <ul> <li> Radio Free Flint: Narrative storytelling and community perspectives on industrial resilience.</li> <li> The Mitten Works: Essential history and analysis of labor and economic policy.</li> <li> Flint Justice: Critical insights into the legal and institutional challenges facing our state. </li> </ul> Visit our <a href='https://www.radiofreeflint.media/'>Mitten Channel website</a> for our complete library of podcasts, videos, and articles. The Mitten Channel is a production of Radio Free Flint Media, LLC. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.

<description>&lt;p&gt; When water systems fail, the damage is not the same for everyone.&lt;br/&gt; In Flint, the deepest harm lives in children’s brains.&lt;br/&gt; In other cities, the damage is buried in pipes, mains, and hydrants. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this episode, &lt;a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthurbusch/'&gt;&lt;b&gt;Arthur Busch&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; examines what really gets damaged when public water systems fail—and why the law treats those harms very differently.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The episode opens in Flint, Michigan, with the story of Lee Anne Walters and her twin sons, who lost developmental skills after drinking lead-contaminated tap water. Their experience illustrates what lead exposure looks like up close: not statistics or charts, but children who had to relearn colors, numbers, and basic coordination, and who continue to struggle years later. This is the most enduring harm of bad water—damage carried inside a child’s body and brain for life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;From there, the episode draws a critical distinction between &lt;b&gt;human damage&lt;/b&gt; and &lt;b&gt;infrastructure damage&lt;/b&gt;. In Flint, the deepest injury is neurological and developmental, raising issues of justice, lifetime support, and accountability. In other cities, such as Miramar, Florida, and Greenville, South Carolina, the primary damage has been mechanical—corroded copper plumbing, failing ductile iron pipe, clogged mains, and compromised fire flow. Those cases focus on replacing pipe, repairing systems, and preventing the next failure.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The episode explores how these different kinds of harm move through the legal system. In Flint, class actions and civil rights claims seek compensation for children’s injuries, medical monitoring, special education needs, and property loss. In Miramar and Greenville, lawsuits target cities, engineers, and manufacturers over defective design, testing failures, and pipe performance, aiming to shift future repair costs away from ratepayers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Along the way, the episode examines how water crises have become a litigation business model, with large contingency-fee cases driving accountability only after harm has already occurred. It also looks at how new Lead and Copper Rule requirements are reshaping evidence, documentation, and liability—often after cities have already gambled with aging infrastructure.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ultimately, this episode asks a hard policy question: Is our system designed to protect the public, or mainly to manage liability after failure? Pipes can be replaced. Children cannot. The choices judges, regulators, and lawmakers make about prevention, accountability, and funding will determine whether future crises are stopped early—or simply paid for later.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This episode is part of &lt;a href='https://themittenchannel.substack.com/'&gt;&lt;b&gt;The Mitten Channel&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, a Michigan-based podcast network examining law, public policy, and life in America’s industrial communities. A full transcript follows.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;👉&lt;a href='https://www.radiofreeflint.media/'&gt;&lt;b&gt;Subscribe to The Mitten Channel&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Join us for the full experience. Subscribe to &lt;a href='https://themittenchannel.substack.com/'&gt;&lt;b&gt;The Mitten Channel on Substack&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; to receive our latest narrative essays, audio stories, and deep-dive reporting directly in your inbox.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Explore Our Series:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;b&gt;Radio Free Flint:&lt;/b&gt; Narrative storytelling and community perspectives on industrial resilience.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;b&gt;The Mitten Works:&lt;/b&gt; Essential history and analysis of labor and economic policy.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt; &lt;b&gt;Flint Justice:&lt;/b&gt; Critical insights into the legal and institutional challenges facing our state.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;Visit our &lt;a href='https://www.radiofreeflint.media/'&gt;Mitten Channel website&lt;/a&gt; for our complete library of podcasts, videos, and articles.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Mitten Channel is a production of Radio Free Flint Media, LLC. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

 When water systems fail, the damage is not the same for everyone.  In Flint, the deepest harm lives in children’s brains.  In other cities, the damage is buried in pipes, mains, and hydrants.  In this episode, Arthur Busch examines what really gets damaged when public water systems fail—and why the law treats those harms very differently. The episode opens in Flint, Michigan, with the story of Lee Anne Walters and her twin sons, who lost developmental skills after drinkin...

Bad Water, Kids, Big Money, and Lawyers

&nbsp;The Mitten Channel is a Michigan podcast and media network created by former Genesee County Prosecutor Arthur Busch. We produce original programs that blend legal expertise, investigative storytelling, and deep Michigan history — including true crime analysis, environmental investigations, employee rights, and rich biographies rooted in Flint’s working-class culture. Our mission is to preserve Michigan stories, examine the systems that shape our communities, and give voice to the people who define our industrial past and future. Mitten Channel Podcast Shows:&nbsp; Radio Free Flint, Flint Justice, The Mitten Works, Mitten Environmental and The Mitten Biography Project To listen to full audio podcast interviews visit https://www.radiofreeflint.media&nbsp; Radio Free Flint is a production of the Mitten Channel where you can find podcast shows Mitten Environmental, Flint Justice, The Mitten Works. &nbsp;

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