Re: What?....


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Posted by Steve on Thursday, March 27, 2008 at 03:52:45 :

In Reply to: What?.... posted by MoparNorm on Wednesday, March 26, 2008 at 22:32:36 :

Norm,

With all due respect, you've been listening far too much to Fox news and Rush Limbaugh.

Lots of hot air and no experience actually implementing solutions or familiarity with legal issues of why things have been done a certain way.

Keep in mind, most govt regulation came about from individuals or taxpayers being taken advantage of in one form or another.

I would think it's pretty damn clear at this point that industry is unable to self regulate.

You can beat the anti-govt drum all you want, but time and time again industry has shown it can't regulate itself. If they think they can get away with something, they will try.

Do you have any superfund sites in your town? I know here in Seattle we do. They are the direct result of industry not being regulated and thinking they can get away not properly disposing of waste.

That has literally cost you and I and John Q Taxpayer billions.

I'm not saying that govt should run the oil industry, but damn, there needs to be SOMEONE setting a uniform policy and ensuring we don't continue to get screwed.

Thus far, the two party system has prevented any cohesive strategy from taking place. That also needs to change.

You admitted yourself above that it looks like the industry is doing what they can to stall the mass adoption of diesel.

You're damn right they are because you are also correct in that it will cut overall fuel usage by ~30%!!!!

And you think they should just be allowed to do that?????

Wrong!!!

Who are they to decide whether I should be able to buy or afford a diesel or not?

Somehow the fat cats need to be kept in line and I believe it's the role of govt to do that.

Here's a little tidbit for you from first-hand experience:

I used to work for the King County here in Seattle. Fourth largest county in the Country... Anyway, when the EPA passed the NPDES code (National Pollution Discharge Elimination System) we at the County level had to implement it.

Staff went around first trying to get businesses to rethink the way they were discharging runoff into the environment and down the sewers. They were by fought tooth and nail by the businesses... The main argument? We can't afford it and it's going to cost jobs...

Turned out to be a completely untrue! Many of the biggest polluters have now changed how they do business. Sure, with a few it took the threat of enforcement, but with most it did not.

And here's the most interesting part - THEY TOLD US that they were actually saving money compared to how they had been doing business previously. This was not just one business saying that, but rather across the board. It was like a snowball effect where once folks started to realize the benefits, they were excited to get on board.

Further, because they were members of the County Green Business Program, they received radio advertising talking about how they were doing their part to improve the overall picture blah, blah...

Point is that when implemented, they found themselves making more money than before and at the same time improving the environment.

It was a win, win for both.

It was one program that worked.

The problem with the examples you cited is that special interests have been allowed to take over govt. It is crippling govt and at the same time hurting all of us. That needs to change.

With big oil, a complete re-thinking of that industry is needed. They need to be kept in check because it directly affects our national security.

I firmly do not believe that manipulation or speculation has any place in the driving forces underpinning the economy. You are seeing the direct results of it first hand with the current state of the economy.

Think about it - folks on the east coast have no option in winter but to buy heating oil. Californians have no option but to buy gasoline for commuting. These are not luxury items in one's life; yet they are being treated in the same manner (from an economic standpoint) as a product that is purely a luxury item.

It flat doesn't work.

The industry needs to be regulated in the manner similar to utilities where they are allowed to make X percentage with some sort of a cap. Beyond that, any additional profits should be pumped back into securing future supplies, reducing product costs and rebated back to the consumer via lower fuel prices.

Again, energy is NOT a luxury item that people can choose not to use. At the most basic level they have no choice if they want to stay alive.

Should that be open to manipulation or profits by others?

I don't believe so.



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