As many have heard by now, there was a very unfortunate chemical spill in West Virginia last week, which has left more than 300,000 people without safe water. They've been unable to drink water, shower with it, brush their teeth with it, use it for anything except flush the toilet.
Due to a lack of such regulations in the Mountaineer state, the Elk River storage facility hadn't been inspected since 1991 - a full 23 years ago!
Speaking for common sense, West Virginia Senator Jay Rockefeller (Democrat) called for tougher regulations, saying this:
"Our legislature is in session, so the legislature should take action. But if they don't, then we have to get Congress all over it."
So, what did Republican House Speaker John Boehner have to say about new regulations in the wake of the spill? Just the following:
"The issue is this: We have enough regulations on the books. And what the administration ought to be doing is actually doing their jobs. Why wasn't this plant inspected since 1991? ... I am entirely confident that there are ample regulations already on the books to protect the health and safety of the American people. Somebody ought to be held accountable here. What we try to do is look at those regulations that we think are cumbersome, are over the top, and that are costing the economy jobs. That's where our focus continues to be."
In this quote, Boehner comes across as more ridiculous than a diabetic going on a Cinnabon diet. Allow me to recap what the House Speaker is essentially saying:
"West Virginia already has tons of regulations! The fact this plant was inspected 23 years ago should be proof enough! So, come on, we don't need more regulations! By the way, why wasn't this plant inspected since 1991? Someone should be held accountable for this! For having too many regulations and too few inspections! Regulations cost people jobs. That's what we have to focus on - not people's health. If people die, so be it. It's all about the jobs. And if we halt all these regulations, which forced this plant to be looked at 23 years ago, and continue with inspections, so that it gets looked at more, then we'll all be happy."
In other news, Boehner and his GOP brethren have bragged about cutting the Environmental Protection Agency's funding by 20% since 2010. It's quite the strategy - defund groups responsible for regulation and then point the finger elsewhere when that lack of regulation results in events such as the chemical spill in West Virginia. It'd be like following scenario:
Setting: A college classroom
Professor Mike Isa Dick: "Okay class... I'm about to hand you all your final exams. You'll have til the end of class to finish it. I will not allow anyone to continue taking it after class is over in two hours, so for any questions that go unanswered, they will be marked wrong. If you have any questions, I probably won't be able to answer them, but please, don't hesitate to ask. Best of luck!"
::he hands out the exams, before taking one away from a student::
Raymond Gurney: "May I have my test back please?"
Professor Dick: "No, sorry"
Raymond: "Why not?"
Professor Dick: "I feel I've handed out enough tests already. This should be good enough."
Raymond: "Wait... What?!?"
::after the teacher has graded the tests, he hands one back to Raymond::
Raymond: "A 0%? But you took my test away! That's not fair!"
Professor Dick: "Don't give me any of that! It's all your fault, mister!"
Raymond: "But I came to class on time, came prepared, and you took my test away from me before I even had a chance to look at it!"
Professor Dick: "Yeah, it sucks to be you, doesn't it?"
John Boehner to the people of West Virginia: "Yeah, it sucks to be you, doesn't it?"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/14/john-boehner-chemical-spill_n_4595897.html
Due to a lack of such regulations in the Mountaineer state, the Elk River storage facility hadn't been inspected since 1991 - a full 23 years ago!
Speaking for common sense, West Virginia Senator Jay Rockefeller (Democrat) called for tougher regulations, saying this:
"Our legislature is in session, so the legislature should take action. But if they don't, then we have to get Congress all over it."
So, what did Republican House Speaker John Boehner have to say about new regulations in the wake of the spill? Just the following:
"The issue is this: We have enough regulations on the books. And what the administration ought to be doing is actually doing their jobs. Why wasn't this plant inspected since 1991? ... I am entirely confident that there are ample regulations already on the books to protect the health and safety of the American people. Somebody ought to be held accountable here. What we try to do is look at those regulations that we think are cumbersome, are over the top, and that are costing the economy jobs. That's where our focus continues to be."
In this quote, Boehner comes across as more ridiculous than a diabetic going on a Cinnabon diet. Allow me to recap what the House Speaker is essentially saying:
"West Virginia already has tons of regulations! The fact this plant was inspected 23 years ago should be proof enough! So, come on, we don't need more regulations! By the way, why wasn't this plant inspected since 1991? Someone should be held accountable for this! For having too many regulations and too few inspections! Regulations cost people jobs. That's what we have to focus on - not people's health. If people die, so be it. It's all about the jobs. And if we halt all these regulations, which forced this plant to be looked at 23 years ago, and continue with inspections, so that it gets looked at more, then we'll all be happy."
In other news, Boehner and his GOP brethren have bragged about cutting the Environmental Protection Agency's funding by 20% since 2010. It's quite the strategy - defund groups responsible for regulation and then point the finger elsewhere when that lack of regulation results in events such as the chemical spill in West Virginia. It'd be like following scenario:
Setting: A college classroom
Professor Mike Isa Dick: "Okay class... I'm about to hand you all your final exams. You'll have til the end of class to finish it. I will not allow anyone to continue taking it after class is over in two hours, so for any questions that go unanswered, they will be marked wrong. If you have any questions, I probably won't be able to answer them, but please, don't hesitate to ask. Best of luck!"
::he hands out the exams, before taking one away from a student::
Raymond Gurney: "May I have my test back please?"
Professor Dick: "No, sorry"
Raymond: "Why not?"
Professor Dick: "I feel I've handed out enough tests already. This should be good enough."
Raymond: "Wait... What?!?"
::after the teacher has graded the tests, he hands one back to Raymond::
Raymond: "A 0%? But you took my test away! That's not fair!"
Professor Dick: "Don't give me any of that! It's all your fault, mister!"
Raymond: "But I came to class on time, came prepared, and you took my test away from me before I even had a chance to look at it!"
Professor Dick: "Yeah, it sucks to be you, doesn't it?"
John Boehner to the people of West Virginia: "Yeah, it sucks to be you, doesn't it?"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/14/john-boehner-chemical-spill_n_4595897.html
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