Pdog wrote on May 31
st, 2010 at 8:11am:
you know the history of how the lack of regulation took place in the oil industry?
and, without this happening, imaginer your reaction, if a policy to reverse that had taken place... hmmm! Governemnt takeover, of prvt. industry... and the reform of healthcare, is the greatest legislation in 45 years... needs alot of work, like most things like SS and civil rights, but it is a start...
maybe you disagree, but BP is too blame because we allowed the Fox to watch the chicken coop... and we are wondering why it is all messed up. we're lucky this ain't worse... if this type of event was to take place 4 or 5 times in say a decade around the wrold... life as we know it could end... remember, the oceans gave life and sustain life on this planet... and we are killing them.
The oil industry is one of the most regulated industries in America. So too is the banking industry. The government completely screwed the pooch with the banking industry when Jimma Carter passed the Community Reinvestment Act in 1977. This idiocy was doubled down with Bill Clinton when he forced banks into making sub-prime loans, and what did we get? We got the collapse of the housing market because of another brilliantly run government agency(s), Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Bravo government!!
Who ran Fannie and Freddie? The government did! Under the watchful eye of Chris Dodd and Barney Frank banks were forced by legal fiat to grant loans to people that had no way of paying these loans back. What happened next? The mortgage crisis that helped sink the economy, and destroy the housing bubble. It was all too obvious what would happen, but the government, being the great panacea of all things right, just, and fair made damned sure that private industry got screwed! In the name of
the people, mind you. Then, as if their idiotic meddling wasn't enough, they found a way to cast all blame on private industry which in turn made the
historically clueless class rise up and scream-"We need more government!"
There is a country in Europe right now that is bringing the economy of all European nations to the brink. Which country is that, Pdog? The answer is Greece. Why? Because Greece has over regulated, and completely usurped the private sector in favor of big government. In Greece two out of every three people work for the government. However, since government employees pay a much lower tax share than do private sector employees the country can not afford the programs which it has put in place. Sound familiar? It's called deficit spending. In Greece's case it has brought the country to the brink of bankruptcy. Now the people of Greece are rioting because the same government that they have depended on for so long can not fulfill it's obligations.
Chernobyl was a government run operation too, Pdog. Accidents happen, and no matter how much regulation is put in place they will continue to happen. That's the nature of things. The same government that you are now calling to regulate and take over private industry has managed to ruin Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, dumb down public education (got to throw the teachers union a bone!), and reek general havoc on every industry it touches, save the military.
You seem to think that the government is the honest mediator here. You forget that the government is run by people too. They have their own agenda, and if you think that that agenda is assuring happiness for one and all then you are living in an idealist alternate universe.
Do you think that countries that allow the government to run all industry are being charitable and nice to their citizenry? Ask the people of Venezuela how they feel about Hugo Chavez and his philanthropic works. Ask the people living in North Korea how they like their ever-so-kind government. Perhaps the good people of Cuba could clue you into the brilliance of state run industry.
You might ask yourself why all these big government run countries are all piss poor. The reason is obvious if you're willing to actually take the time to study the issue. The USSR went belly up because Reagan was wise enough to know that they could never economically keep up with the USA when it came to defending itself. The USSR had zero profit margin (such is the case with communism), and what happened? They collapsed under the weight of an all powerful, all encompassing, state run, top down, centralized government. Reagan knew that all he had to do push them to the brink economically in order to destroy them, and he did so brilliantly.
No. More government is not the answer at all. More accountability? Absolutely, but if you think that the CEO of BP is rubbing his hands together and counting his money with glee than you are sadly mistaken. BP has every incentive in the world to stop this damned leak. It may well end up killing their company. Deservedly so some might argue. Now what would happen had this accident happened to a state run oil rig, (and it just as easily could have)? Do you think that you could take the federal government to court and get honest restitution for damages done? Good luck with that option.
Less government is better government. Or, put more succinctly from the genius of Thomas Jefferson--
"A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government." - Thomas Jefferson
Riffy
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