There’s nothing but bad news lately. Wars, rumors of wars, and the worst oil spill in our nation’s history. The facts–if there are any–are grim. And the truth that the Gulf Coast may be uninhabitable, unfishable for a generation, is too awesome to comprehend. BP fumbles and lies. And the United States government is forced to rely on these criminals because they are unable to put together a response team.
What could be worse than this disaster? Not learning from it.
First, I think the lessons on our dependence on foreign oil are obvious. But we still do not invest in clean energy start-ups that need the cash. Meaningful financial reform must include incentives for investors to put money into businesses who create products and services rather than rewarding Wall Street gamblers who make money on investing money into complex products that, in the end, bankrupt Americans–both literally and figuratively.
Next, those proponents of “small” government are now the ones yelling for Obama to do something. I want him to do something too, but I have this gnawing feeling that he is doing all he can. And what the American government can do is quite limited. Apparently we are good at destroying things, but not so good at building things. As a liberal who blamed George Bush for the catastrophe of Katrina, I am now wondering if he did all he could, too. It’s the inadequacy of our response that is so shocking.
I’d like the public sector to prepare for disasters in a real way, and to be flexible in its definition of disaster. We have, in our Gulf Coast, what may be the worst environmental disaster since Chernobyl. We have to be able to protect ourselves. FEMA? Where are they?
Finally, I want the citizens of the United States to stare, unflinching, into this dark abyss created by a cynical and uncaring corporation. BP has been cited for safety violations for years. Now, 11 men have died, and an entire ecosystem is being destroyed–from Florida to Texas. To make matters worse, BP executives are lying and minimizing the damage. On today’s Early Show, BP executive Doug Suttles declared that he did not believe that there are giant plumes of oil in the ocean. It was a bold, infuriating lie. The private sector is incapable of telling the truth, let alone having all the answers. We need government to protect its citizens–and our environment–form the gluttonous excesses of pernicious corporations.
I also hope to see more public outrage. I know many people are concerned, even heartbroken. But we need more action.
People still fill up at BP gas stations.
I don’t know how the Gulf Coast, or the Obama administration, or our nation, will recover from this. We are witnessing true devastation. BP has already changed us for the worse. I hope they can also change us for the better.
Winter. Icy driveways, short days, dark beers and frozen vegetables. Soggy, sad frozen veg straight from Chile to your freezer–at least until April strawberries and asparagus arrive. Right? Isn’t that we of the four season climate must always put up with? Well, it used to be, but thanks to few forward thinking folks, Long Island now has access to two winter Farmer’s Markets.
