Watching this story unfold and, after learning its root cause was the lack of Government oversight, I couldn't help but flash back to that explosion at the fertilizer plant in the little town of West near Waco Texas, back in 2013.
Regulations. We don't need no stinking Regulations!
(idiots!)
Fertilizer Plant Explosion In West, Texas
Dozens of people are feared dead tonight and well over 100 are injured after this massive explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas about 35 miles north of Waco.
Eyewitnesses likened the event to a nuclear bomb blast and it sent a massive fireball into the sky. The explosion registered a 2.1 on the richter scale, instantly leveled dozens of houses in the area and shook others as far away as 50 miles.
Officials are evacuating parts of the town as the plant contained 54,000 pounds of the chemical anhydrous ammonia, a pungent gas with suffocating fumes. When exposed to humans, it can cause severe burns if it combines with water in the body. And exposure to high concentrations can lead to death.
This tragic event casts a massive spotlight on concerns over the lack of funding for inspection agencies like OSHA - the Occupational Health and Safety Administration.
OSHA understaffing means they can only inspect plants like this one once every 129 years. Just 6 fertilizer plants in the entire state of Texas were inspected by OSHA over the last five years and, naturally, the West, Texas fertilizer plant was not one of them.
Another regulatory body that would have overseen the plant, the Chemical Safety Board, was coincidentally criticized today in a piece by the Center for Public Integrity which highlighted the dwindling productivity of the agency.
When the West, Texas fertilizer plant was cited for OSHA violations way back in 1985, the fine was a mere $30.
Yeah, the US government has done a great job of keeping us out of senseless wars over the years. They are also fantastic at stopping other terrorists attacks like the Beirut Barracks bombing and 9-11. I could go on ......
Characterizing this area as "Libertarian" is one of the more obtuse things i've read in quite a while. At least by the Libertarian party definition that is.
It's analogous. Point being,government bureaucracy doesn't always stop such incidents either.. There is plenty of middle ground to be had here. Neither under-regulation or over-regulation are the answer and the devil is in the details .... finding the sweet spot is the tough part.
You are correct, but this was a result of a complete lack of oversight, of people just doing whatever the hell and a perfect illustration of libertarianism.
Perhaps but governments do stupid shit like this all the time as well. Overlook or over-regulate the wrong things, legislate and tyrannize what shouldn't be, etc, etc.
Nothing is perfect but there is a lot to like about the Libertarian platform imo.
- Encourages smaller Federal Government
- Opposes gun control
- In favor of strong civil liberties
- Pro self determination vs government regulation
- Etc, etc
Tough to agree with everything of any party but the key to it liberty for all. Not liberty for only what i agree with like both major parties push on a regular basis.
Perhaps but governments do stupid shit like this all the time as well. Overlook or over-regulate the wrong things, legislate and tyrannize what shouldn't be, etc, etc.
"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies."
That's what kills me about libertarians. They want no government oversight of anything.
So I guess we should do away with the FDA, OSHA, EPA, and all those other bureaucracies whose job it is is to make sure we don't get sick or die from the food we eat, the work we do, the water we drink, or the air we breathe
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
[deleted]
This is such a Duh!!!
Watching this story unfold and, after learning its root cause was the lack of Government oversight, I couldn't help but flash back to that explosion at the fertilizer plant in the little town of West near Waco Texas, back in 2013.
Regulations. We don't need no stinking Regulations!
(idiots!)
Fertilizer Plant Explosion In West, Texas
There was a huge ammonium nitrate explosion in France - company called AZF, in Toulouse, about 25 years ago. Same problem of insufficient oversight.
AZF was right next to a chemical plant. The results were poisonous.
Yeah, the US government has done a great job of keeping us out of senseless wars over the years. They are also fantastic at stopping other terrorists attacks like the Beirut Barracks bombing and 9-11. I could go on ......
Characterizing this area as "Libertarian" is one of the more obtuse things i've read in quite a while. At least by the Libertarian party definition that is.
What does that have to do with industrial safety?
It's analogous. Point being,government bureaucracy doesn't always stop such incidents either.. There is plenty of middle ground to be had here. Neither under-regulation or over-regulation are the answer and the devil is in the details .... finding the sweet spot is the tough part.
O... M... G !!!
We agree.
Lol ... it was bound to happen sooner or later.
Really it was
...
...
... feels wrong, somehow...
Which ..... in and of itself .... is the really "wrong" thing.
O... M... G... O... M... G... O... M... G... O... M... G...
We agree... again!
You are correct, but this was a result of a complete lack of oversight, of people just doing whatever the hell and a perfect illustration of libertarianism.
Give it time .....
Perhaps but governments do stupid shit like this all the time as well. Overlook or over-regulate the wrong things, legislate and tyrannize what shouldn't be, etc, etc.
Nothing is perfect but there is a lot to like about the Libertarian platform imo.
- Encourages smaller Federal Government
- Opposes gun control
- In favor of strong civil liberties
- Pro self determination vs government regulation
- Etc, etc
Tough to agree with everything of any party but the key to it liberty for all. Not liberty for only what i agree with like both major parties push on a regular basis.
"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies."
Ernest Benn
Great quote!
That's what kills me about libertarians. They want no government oversight of anything.
So I guess we should do away with the FDA, OSHA, EPA, and all those other bureaucracies whose job it is is to make sure we don't get sick or die from the food we eat, the work we do, the water we drink, or the air we breathe
Yep! Because "freedom", or bigfoot, I don't know, fuck you!
-Your friendly neighborhood libertarian