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Be carefully blaming Blackout-03 on Deregulation - the consequences

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cspiguy Donating Member (679 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Aug-15-03 06:24 PM
Original message
Be carefully blaming Blackout-03 on Deregulation - the consequences
if the solution is massive re-regulation. Cause right now, big time regulation would be written be a puke senate and pukier house, signed by a simian president. Regulation is largely a foodfest for special interests and we have to make sure they are OUR special interests when they get redone. Better to blame it on poor management and planning by weak-minded pukes and push regulation after we win it all back in '04.
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kentuck Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Aug-15-03 06:28 PM
Response to Original message
1. I'll take regulation right now ....
and reform if and when we ever win back the House. What type of regulation could you envision that is a food fest for special interests moreso than it is at this moment?
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LEFTofLEFT Donating Member (381 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Aug-15-03 07:06 PM
Response to Reply #1
7. I agree.
We must fight the rightwing monsters like the future is at stake.

IT IS !!!

They will destroy us all if we let them.
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donco6 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Aug-15-03 06:31 PM
Response to Original message
2. Regulation right now will HELP the energy co.s
Under deregulation, the power companies base success on profit. Capital investment (such as that required to upgrade the grid) bites into profit. Therefore, you keep running the same equipment until it fails. Then you make the capital investment.

Now, in this current scenario, taxpayers pay for these upgrades through a newly regulated industry, then they get deregulated again. The energy co.s get all their capital costs paid for, and can merrily roll along into even higher profits.
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pw Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Aug-15-03 06:42 PM
Response to Reply #2
4. Every time the equipment fails
Consumers already pay billions of dollars in the form of lost work, damaged food and other goods, heat-related illness and death. Pretty much any amount of rebuilding the infrastructure is cheaper than that.
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donco6 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-16-03 12:25 AM
Response to Reply #4
11. My point is that the energy svc co.s should be made
to foot the bill. But they know they can get away with it, because we're stuck. It's not like we can enjoy a true capital market, since there is no competition. So they get the best of both worlds: on the one hand, they are free to charge whatever they can get away with, they don't have to keep equipment running terribly well, and if things do go bad, they know the feds will step in and replace all the equipment they should have been replacing all along.
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Pompitous_Of_Love Donating Member (142 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Aug-15-03 06:32 PM
Response to Original message
3. Well, blaming it on deregulation has one virtue...
It's the truth. And Hell itself will freeze over before the Rethugs ever re-regulate anything. If the Dems don't ride this pony hard, they simply need to disband.
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sandnsea Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Aug-15-03 06:45 PM
Response to Original message
5. Deregulation has caused every problem in recent years
It's time Democrats expose it all and show what a disaster it really is. From Enron energy fraud to corporate fraud to telecommunications to the blackout, it's all been an absolute nightmare. Everybody knows Republicans promote privatization and deregulation. Democrats tried it, it doesn't work. The way to get them OUT of the House and Senate is to show how horrible their policies are.
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NYC Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Aug-15-03 07:02 PM
Response to Original message
6. Years ago, we had the Public Service Commission
to protect us from Con Ed. Now, they gouge.
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Kellanved Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Aug-15-03 07:12 PM
Response to Reply #6
9. exactly: regualtion and privatization aren't exclusive
The European model of controlled private enterprises works pretty well. Of course those enterprise are more privatized in some member nations than in others and commit felonies regularly (for example nuclear power plants with disabled auto-shut down sequences), but a large-area blackout is almost impossible (and the required back-ups last far longer).
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Minstrel Boy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Aug-15-03 07:08 PM
Response to Original message
8. Whatever happened to the
concept of a public utility?!?
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Capn Sunshine Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Aug-15-03 07:14 PM
Response to Reply #8
10. public utility? what are you, a commie?
or Canadian, same difference............
//sarcasm off.
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SoCalDem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-16-03 12:32 AM
Response to Original message
12. If my neighbor wants a fancy new car..I am NOT paying for it
the same goes for these "de-regulated" energy facilities.. Why should the public PAY for the "necessary fixes", just so some rich guys can pollute the water, the soil, and the air....and in the end gouge me on my usage , while he shovels money into his pants???


Where is the logic??



Communities need to UN DO "the grid" and go back to what worked... Community based co-ops..

the plants were run by the locals (they are less likely to foul their own communities).. Costs were covered by the rates, and the whole process was about PROVIDING A NECESSARY SERVICE to the community at a price that was enought to cover costs, but no more..
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fabius Donating Member (759 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-16-03 01:25 AM
Response to Original message
13. I say beat 'em up hard...
...and stall the inevitable Repuke bills on the grounds of the massive corporate welfare that is certain to be included. Hope Daschle can muster the troops.
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PATRICK Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Aug-16-03 01:47 AM
Response to Original message
14. excellent point
Especially since a lofty debate on that issue helps get the goof-ups who let this problem slide even with California and 911 off the hook. This is criminal unpreparedness andwith ALL predictable wanrings years ago. AGAIN they come through with another de facto LIHOP where it is not even important to show they "planned" it this way, only that lack of obvious action made it happen, that such a connected chain of disasters was allowed to remain a major threat to our security.

While we discuss issues, they spin political power gain.
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