These are indeed remarkable days. I can think of few times in recent history when the most fundamental problems of our civilization have been more obviously placed on display. This oil gusher in the Gulf – practically a non-story when it began – has captivated the nation, providing a gross illustration of the true costs of our current energy regime. Who can deny that this disaster was caused by a headlong rush for short-term profit, an obsession with minimizing costs, and a total disregard for human and environmental consequences? That is the model for oil development in the United States and elsewhere. And with this oil-cano spewing endlessly into an extremely sensitive biosystem, the actual costs of this enterprise simply cannot be concealed. There are spills and toxic contamination all the time, but you rarely see it or hear about it. This time is different. This time, the sludge is coming to us.
What, objectively, can our government do? Well, a lot more, it seems. Our regulatory mechanisms are mere appendages of the industries they are charged with overseeing. In many cases – such as with the Minerals Management Service- that was the intention. We’ve also just come off of a long period – eight years – of having former oil industry executives in charge of the government. That greatly enhanced the culture and practice of “hands off” regulation specific to that industry – an approach that was generalized to the rest of the economy. So the first thing that needs to be said about this crisis is that it is in large part another parting gift from George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. Just add that to the pile, right next to the financial crisis, the Citizen’s United Supreme Court decision, the continuing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and so on. What’s next?
That said, there is little point in defending the Obama administration on this score. His appointment of energy industry favorite Ken Salazar as Secretary of Interior was on par with making Tim Geitner Treasury Secretary. Small wonder the Minerals Management Service, already publicly reviled for its cartoon-like symbiotic relationship with extractive industries, has been allowed to remain essentially unreformed up to this point. Were they waiting until a second term to get started on this? Or were they just carrying on what their predecessors had established, with a smiley face slapped on the side for good measure? Apparently the latter. Aside from some relatively muted trash talk, they’ve done little to force BP and the rest of the industry to change their behavior.
We’ve got bipartisan consensus on one thing: offshore drilling must continue. Why? Because it’s making boatloads of money for the suits. Why else?
luv u,
jp
