It is impossible to understand why an accident like
the Deepwater Horizon disaster was inevitable without looking back on an era
when the energy industry dominated government. The oil bidness, as it is known
affectionately in Texas,
could do no wrong under the Bush-Cheney administration, which was run by former
oil executives and their lobbyists. Remember that among the top priorities of
the secretive energy task force run by Vice President Dick Cheney was relief
for Big Oil from "burdensome" environmental regulations.
As The New
York Times reported recently, the Washington
zeal for deregulation let offshore oil drilling proceed virtually without
interference from government, even though scientists and engineers repeatedly
raised safety and environmental concerns over the past decade. Warned
specifically that the blowout-prevention technology drillers were relying on to
avoid an explosive spill was faulty as long ago as 2000, the oil industry did
nothing except to drill deeper.
As for the Minerals Management Service (MMS), the
Interior Department agency responsible for overseeing the drilling operations,
it did nothing, either—except to reduce its inspections of safety equipment.
Presumably, the MMS failed to act because it was infested with crooked
officials who actually took drugs and engaged in sexual relationships with oil
industry personnel—and accepted bribes from them, too. The oil industry was
allowed to drill, baby, drill wherever it wanted, often without even paying
royalties to the federal government.
But the culture of American government, from the
executive branch to Congress and even the judiciary, has been infected with a
disease deeper than corruption: an ideological deference to corporate power, in
the name of "free markets" and efficiency, that enriches a wealthy
few at the expense of the nation. While this pattern can be detected across
many sectors of the economy, its effects are now felt most acutely in the
financial and energy sectors, whose power over government is legendary.
Such an imbalanced system encourages financial firms
to take enormous risks, pocket the profits and let the taxpayers, workers and
communities suffer the consequences. And the same system encourages oil
companies to take enormous risks of a different kind, resist strict
environmental requirements, book huge profits—and then let the rest of us cope
with the consequences of their devastating pollution (although we can hope that
BP will pay for at least part of the Gulf cleanup).
Corporate Profits Trump Safety and Natural
Resources
Free-market ideologues and other corporate shills
insist that this is the most efficient way to do business, which is true enough
for a corporate manager or a stockholder. But it isn't very efficient for the
nation whose public wealth, natural resources and future prosperity are
depleted by these ruinous practices.
In America,
we have been told for more than three decades that there is indeed no other way
to run an economy—and certainly not if we wish to preserve our traditional
freedoms. But looking around the world, it's easy to see through those old
platitudes. Countries that impose stronger regulation on their financial
sectors did not endure the same kind of disruption we did—and emerged more
swiftly from the recession. Countries that impose strict oversight on their
energy sectors, including offshore drilling, are exemplary in protecting worker
and environmental safety.
The world's best record on offshore oil is enjoyed
by Norway, a free and
democratic country where North Sea oil
provides not only a major source of employment, but the funding for universal
health care, education and a panoply of other important benefits. In Norway, oil
drillers are expected to implement the most advanced systems of environmental
protection. That's because the Norwegian people own the oil—and the oilmen
answer to them.
2010 Creators.com
*/?>
I am not surprised to see that you omitted the fact that Obama is the biggest recipient of campaign contributions from BP over the past 20 years. However, I am happy to provide this fact to your readers.
Suck on this, DarkSacks: in 2010 alone, 71% of the Oil and Gas Industry's financial contributions have gone to Republicans. In 2008, Sen. McCain received twice as much money from Big Oil than Obama. Oh, and the Obama money from BP? It all came from employees, not the company itself. This happened naturally, as Obama raised more money during his presidential campaign than any candidate before him. None of the BP money was from the BP PAC. I suppose you just for forgot to provide that fact to us readers.
meepos, thanks for taking the conversation to the gutter with your first sentence. You're a class act.
Whoa. Calm down there, Dave. It was a joke. You've heard of jokes, haven't you, Dave? Wait....are you David Freidman? THE "Suck on this Iraq" David Freidman? Dude, you're a friggin' sensation! By-the-way, Dave, thanks for contributing nothing of value to this conversation.
Yeah, those lousy oil companies making a profit. Lets all ride our bicycles down to the lake and sit underneath the metal beams all welded together thats called a sculpture and strum a folk guitar.
The "OIL RULES" article made good points regarding the lack of effective enforcement and protective regulations in oil drilling operations.
More culpability must be leveled at government legislators and industry officials who compromise environmental safety by keeping their fingers crossed hoping a disaster will bypass them. Now that it did not, who will be held responsible and what will the consequences be? Where is the incentive to abide by effective regulations? Will this disaster awaken government officials to the action of implementing more stringent rules and their enforcement or will it be swept under the rug and politics as usual?
What I am seeing in this article is a not-so-subtle attempt to exploit this tragedy in order to inject the virus of socialism.
Referring to the statements: [ ….."[Norway] a free and democratic country…"
….."That's because the Norwegian people own the oil—and the oilmen answer to them."
The statement above: "free and democratic country" can hardly be associated with the concept of "socialism". The term: "the Norwegian people own the oil" is simply a specious statement meaning "socialism". The Norwegian [people] GOVERNMENT owns the oil! Where is "public freedom" while Socialism, inspired by the
Soviet model of economic development, has advocated the creation of centrally planned economiesdirected by a state that owns all the means of production?
The Real News Network reported the spill may be 19 times larger than BP and Uncle Sam say.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t01tbNCqbio
A good question coming out of this: Why is BP in charge? In my view, they should all be oil-boarded alonside the corrupt poiliticans, wallstreet banksters and speculators, warmongers, fortune 500 and Washington Technology's "2010 Top 100 Government Contractors".
Imperialism, The highest stage of capitalism leads to fascism, aka the corporate state. Welcome to Amerikkka, land of the weak, home of the slave.
A REPLY TO: A good question coming out of this: Why is BP in charge? In my view, they should all be oil-boarded alonside the corrupt poiliticans, wallstreet banksters and speculators, warmongers, fortune 500 and Washington Technology
Why is BP doing this? Because they are footing the bill - not the taxpayers! I’m sure there will be a myriad of inspections to be sure it is complete.
RE. your dark and sinister hate of the people who are providing ingrates such as yourself with jobs [if you even made an effort to get one]: If you really want to be sure of what you believe in, spend some time in the Soviet Union, the Ukraine and the other socialist/Marxist states. Then tell me who is screwing whom and which government gives you the most bang for your buck and the most freedom!
I don’t like being cheated by exorbitant costs, imbalance, unfairness et al, either. I sincerely hope you don’t see any salvation from that in a socialist state!! Good grief, man…..this will never end. You have to improve upon what has proven to be the best form of government and dedicate your efforts to that….not toward a subsequent failure. This is one of the main reasons that you are so bitter. That, and probably addled reasoning that the world owes you a living and that you are entitled to the same benefits that those who have worked hard, failed time and again, but persisted and found success. Now, let’s talk about fairness again!
There will always be delusional minds like Lee Harvey Oswald but even these types eventually see the light after some real-life experiences. That means there is still hope for you!
When corporations run the state that's called fascism John. Mussolini was the founding father, look it up.
This ecological disaster is unfolding into another human disaster while you suck on the phallus of BP. I highly doubt your sitting on the board of directors but you sure know how to deep throat rich people, don't you?
Newsflash for you, the former Soviet Union dissolved into what's known as capitalist Russia and Ukraine, with more billionaire oligarchs for you to wrap your lips around. The only banging your getting from your high-priests of capital is in the rear. There is nothing more dark and sinister than the capitalist system crumbling before your fascist eyes. It is the state that holds a monopoly on violence, your just a hoe getting pimped.
A workers controlled socialist economy oppossed to privately owned anarchic free-markets are absolutely the way to go. Basic human needs should be met before profit.
Food, housing, education, healthcare, energy are all basic human rights that should be free to the people.
There's no reason 50,000 people have to die everyday from hunger, but food production and distribution is held in the hands of a corporate monopoly shooting cream pies in your face.
The function of the state serving capitalism has three functions, I bet you can't even name them. The primary function is to protect and expand capital. Sounds like the crack dealer you patronize every night.
The best socio-economic order is socialism moving towards communism/anarchism, where government and money is no more.When human evolution and development moves beyond your infantile mind of greed, power and domination.
But capitalism and fascists like you never allow it to develop.You'd rather remain in the neolithic.
Remember, after 1500 yrs of monarchy, feudalsim , and imperialism; the 1917 Russian Revolution was met with a 21 nation blockade that starved the people to death.
Your defending the wealth of the minority against the poverty of the majority. The 2009 Merrill-Lynch World Wealth report is instructive, you better get a copy.
John, I wouldn't even bother to try and debate reality with Karl. He lives only in fantasy land, where people will sing kumbaya and hug each other to happiness as soon as "the man" is no longer running the show. He's the kind of person who proves a little knowledge is dangerous to one with a mind prone to delusion - give him a few tidbits of info on a "perfect" system for all mankind where we'll supposedly live in equality and harmony, and in his mind, it becomes the ultimate truth we must strive for at all costs. Never mind the blatant hypocrisy that his kind have in saying that they want fairness for "everyone" that comes at the expense of anyone who has more than they think they're entitled to. Because, as you should know by now, if you take a few college courses or read a book or two on silly failed governing systems you're automatically more intelligent than everyone who thinks that maybe, just maybe, the systems' flaws have been the reason they never worked in the first place. But, the insane and lazy can always dream, can't they?
People like Karl are good for two things and two things only - blaming everyone else for the failures of the world (even if they don't make a positive difference themselves), and making excuses for their real lack of activity beyond being keyboard warriors. We need these people around for the sole fact that they provide exceptional entertainment when they post their ravings of the insane. Without their little anarchist hissy fits, my day would be a little less bright!