Costs Exceed the Benefits

Things valued above People, it's a real thing.

An economic calculation that often keeps good regulations from happening as in the case of East Palestine, Ohio train derailment is exactly what is printed above. The cost of a fix or general industry standards exceed the benefit. Meaning the cost in dollars required to fully commit to safety regulations raises the operation costs greatly.

The known but often unsaid portion continues that it is less expensive to the bottom line to simply pay the fine associated with non compliance. Compliance averted and cost kept down as well with the only downside as safety. To people.

Quickly, the governor of Ohio, Mike DeWine was immediately called and Biden offered help. DeWine declined the help and he did not call Biden back after the initial phone call. The reaction after those facts were to flog Biden and Buttigieg through the media since the derailment.

For context, during the Trump administration, which is likely a typical four year total of the following events that happen effecting the rail system are noted below. Stats are from Meidas Touch.

5,103 train derailments.

44,360 accidents involving trains, some with fatalities occurring.

58,900 hazardous waste leaks, deaths and injuries in 26 of these.

FEMA was reportedly not needed or involved in any of these events.

In the above listed train events, not one was visited by Trump or Chao, his Secretary of Transportation. Not one. They were however, all handled by the appropriate government agencies. The idea that is being pushed here by media and the right wing outrage community is that Biden should be showing up everywhere because if he doesn’t he doesn’t care or is a failure and Trump is or should have been mumble mumble president.

The East Palestine train derailment is a major government failure say them all. All talking points from the GOP handbook of “WHAAAA”. Media, do your job! Quit being stenographers for politicians with an ax to grind.

It is true also that Trump weakened regulations for train breaks specifically along with a boat load of other things that likely led to this specific derailment. Everyone remember the ribbon cutting for blank sheets of paper? All to save money. Scrap all those regulations that cause investment in equipment and other safety measures that often translate into workers pay.

Trump went to East Palestine, criticized the name and seemed to save the day for the townspeople as about 20 or so seemed enthralled to get hats and bottled water in his OP after a speech. Not to diminish that the people of East Palestine in any way as they expressed they had been truly frightened because of the incident. Fixed(!) with hats and water. The reality sometimes is not well explained.

Arguably, DeWine lied to the nation and the media. The point he made was and is the misinformation/disinformation/propaganda. Some words are more scary than others. They are all appropriate to the situation. The push from the top of Ohio politicians was to hurt the federal government because Joe is not their guy. The point is the unspoken hate, blame and recriminations. These are everywhere lately. They are pointed lies that are made to fool for an advantage and people are hurt by them.

DeWine made a pretty serious call not to have the feds come in right away. Looking just so was more important than the population of about 5,000 East Palestinian souls. The chemicals spilt and then burned as a way of avoiding an even worse explosion were the chemicals to make the plastic, vinyl chloride. A particularly toxic group of chemicals.

The message of the GOP is a message of anger and hatred for this country, the people in it and the people in charge who are running it. The message is of less help of all kinds to all, politically decided limits on education. Rejection of science as it relates to saving lives both in the medial field and in the world challenges of climate science are paramount.

As we wander down the road to our collective futures we will see much more of these antics as we likely will see an increase of anger in the world as we cannot help but focus on Ukraine and the war that is pushing to uncork. We have a real base line of division that is hardening along lines that seem to indicate a divergence to be reckoned. The sides are poised around nations and ideologies they are built upon.

The case for aiding Ukraine will be attacked as were the calls to enter WWII. There were Hitler sympathizers in the US even though we took up the fight, and won. It will likely be a number of years before we fully understand the insanity we see daily. The performative nature is a seat of the pants near improv of hate. It’s meant to inspire our hate.

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