West, Texas... Republican Dystopian Paradise

As Gov. Rick Perry jets around the country trying to lure businesses to his state, you kind of wonder what he has to offer these businesses. One possible perk for businesses is the lack of any kind of regulatory oversight Texas brags about. Texas has been ranked #1 for businesses for the last 7 years according to the CEO Survey by ChiefExecutive.net. Lack of regulations is one of the criteria the survey is based on.

What could possibly happen?

Senator: Texas explosion has exposed 'toothless' chemical regulations​

By Megan R. Wilson - 04/25/13 04:04 PM ET​

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A Democratic lawmaker says he intends to strengthen “toothless” regulations surrounding plants that process large amounts of dangerous chemicals.​

In the wake of a fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas, that killed 14 people and left hundreds more injured or homeless, Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) introduced a bill that would make avoiding chemical reporting requirements a federal crime.​

“The chemical reporting laws on the books today are toothless and do little to help us protect communities from chemical explosions. Facilities that break the reporting rules today essentially get away with just a warning,” he said.​

The blast at the plant last week caused a tremor in the earth equivalent to a 2.1 magnitude earthquake.​

Fertilizer is partially composed of the highly explosive ammonium nitrate because of its effectiveness in providing oxygen to crops – not to mention its availability and inexpensiveness.​

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Reports have surfaced that the plant in Texas had more than 1,350 times the amount of the chemical that would have put it under the watch of the Department of Homeland Security.​

A government official told Reuters last week that the company, West Fertilizer, did not tell DHS about its ammonium nitrate supply. Fertilizer plants must report when they hold 400 pounds or more of ammonium nitrate, according to the story.​

Since the substance can also be used in bombs, terrorism regulators are put in charge of monitoring the chemical.​

“We may have been able to save lives in West, Texas, if first responders and regulators had knowledge about the chemicals stored on-site,” Lautenberg said in a statement. “Millions of Americans live near chemical facilities, and we owe it to them to ensure that safety measures are being taken to prevent deadly accidents.​

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Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/legislation/296251-senator-texas-explosion-has-exposed-toothless-chemical-regulations#ixzz2RbDSGWtZ​

I know that the Right will fallback on their usual mantra that the Left is using another tragedy to push their agenda but if the Right's agenda is realized, we will all pay the price of their short-sighted money-driven vision where the average Joe becomes fodder for their reckless ambitions. ​

 

That's right. Regulate, regulate, regulate... The only way to build business is to regulate them until they bleed, right? More laws, more regulations, more rules. It's the only answer.

 

Regulations could have prevented the company from storing their explosive product improperly and kept the amount stored there down to safer levels. Regulations could have prevented the company from being so close to other private and public property, especially the school. Regulations could have prevented the explosion. Regulations could have prevented other people's property from being destroyed. Regulations could have prevented people's deaths.

But, some people don't give a crap about that, because they view regulations as being bad....because they are idiots. Want proof? The rebuttal will likely include the fact that I used the word "could" instead of "would", so they will dismiss my points completely, as all idiots do.

 

Hey, Teddy. Do you know why the last US oil refinery was built in 1977 (in Garyville, Louisiana)? Because the regulations imposed are so costly it is now cheaper to export the crude and then import the gasoline. Guess where that puts all of the jobs! BTW, I will bet you that all of the crude gets exported on FOREIGN tankers and, in turn, the refine oil is re-imported on FOREIGN tankers. It seems we have also regulated that industry and its jobs into foreign hands also.

 

Maybe we can have your rationalization inscribed on the 14 dead people's tombstones. Or better yet, have it tattooed on each surviving family members arm so that they can take solace and comfort from your opinion. No, no wait, lets change the name of West, Texas to:

"Do you know why the last US oil refinery was built in 1977 (in Garyville, Louisiana)? Because the regulations imposed are so costly it is now cheaper to export the crude and then import the gasoline. Guess where that puts all of the jobs! BTW, I will bet you that all of the crude gets exported on FOREIGN tankers and, in turn, the refine oil is re-imported on FOREIGN tankers. It seems we have also regulated that industry and its jobs into foreign hands also.", Texas.

BTW We have been a net energy exporter for years.

 

Seems like the only "blood" you are willing to tolerate, is the blood of the 14 dead victims. Nice!

 

No, no, no, no, no...if those 14 people were unborn he'd be incensed...that that foreigner, that al Qaeda-supporting Obama, didn't prevent their deaths.

 

You probably think it was a right wing conspiracy to blow up the plant for some reason. Idiot.

 

Wait a minute. We're not talking about holding a private corporation responsible for killing people are we? Wouldn't that be an impediment to job creation?

 

Look up the phrase "conspiracy theory" sometime and then realize that you are using it poorly. Dumbass!

 

Idiot.

 

Yes, regulations greatly reduce productivity. However, they do not add to responsibility and I never implied that they should not be responsibility. You will notice in the OP that they were not to have more than 400# of ammonium nitrate (Now think about that. They make ammonium nitrate probably at least 400# per shift, but they cannot have that much?) How well was that enforced? Yet, somehow you think that making more regulations will result in better enforcement! Lets see. An overworked enforcer gets more work. Therefore, he enforces both the old and new regulations better!?!?!

As for the company's responsibility, I think manslaughter/murder charges should be brought if they were truly that negligent. Yes, I said that the government should help those harmed. I said that because they need help NOW - not 10 years from now when the courts get done analyzing all the existing regulations.

 

BTW, Teddy, you need to learn just who enforces DHS regulation. Rick Perry has nothing to do with that. And further, your author of the article you cited needs to learn what ammonium nitrate does. Plants do not need oxygen from the ground/fertilizer. Look it up since you probably will not believe me.

 

You seem to think that any change in regulation can only mean more regulation. That makes no sense. You also seem to think that the government must step in in an attempt to alleviate what is strictly a private disaster. On this board that is Socialism. But since you're good with government intervention here, why the Federal government? Texas has a government. Of sorts. Why not let Texas take care of Texas? Among other things it would be good practice for what life will be like there when they secede.

 

It's only socialism if the other 49 states get the same amount of money that Texas gets. Oh, and if they get a free phone, too.

 

From the OP "One possible perk for businesses is the lack of any kind of regulatory oversight Texas brags about." That kind of implies more regulation. I would be all for coordinating and combining regulations. That might even increase enforcement.

And the federal government ought to do it because they have an agency charged with doing so. And I don't think 51+ agencies could do it better. Socialism? I never said the company/owners were not going to pay eventually. You still have not explained why the people should suffer in the mean time.

 

So Texas has no programs or procedures in place for emergency response and management including assistance to victims? It would hardly surprise me if they didn't. But let's assume that they do. Even then the rugged anti-Washington individualists to go running to the Feds to bail them out when things go off the tracks in their little Republican paradise. Again, it's a Texas problem let Texas deal with it.

 

So Sandy was a New York problem, Katrina a Louisiana problem, Andrew a Florida problem, etc.?

 

If you are going to be consistent in your Republican anti-big government, personal responsibility, the government will only make it worse mentality, yes. Although those disasters were natural, massive, and affected vast areas of numerous states as opposed to being man-made and of minimal or no impact outside few square mile area. I mean we're talking about one little town here. Texas needs Federal help to deal with this? I mean if this is more than they can handle how is secession going to work out for them?

 

Au contraire mon amis.

Assuming some of those 14 killed had jobs those jobs must be filled. Hence job creation.

If they rebuild the factory even more job creation.