[ale] OT: Republicans Outsource

[tfreeman at intel.digichem.net]

On Fri, 29 Aug 2003, Andrew Newton wrote:

> James P. Kinney III wrote:
> > I like protectionism. Makes me feel like the yahoos in DC actually WANT
> > me to be able to pay taxes. Use the tariff cash for some thing
> > important, like finding a transportation method that doesn't involve oil
> > or idiots with steering wheels in their hands juggling cell phones.
> 
> It makes me feel like I live in France.
> 
> > Level the playing field. Make the miserable places that are getting our
> > jobs install the EPA stuff and health care and workers comp insurance.
> 
> 100% agreed!  That's why Kyoto is wrong.

I'm not getting into health care or workers comp (although workers comp is 
a way to keep the lawyers out of the loop), but my overall experience with 
EPA  regs is frustratingly positive. Years have passed since I was in the 
chemical industry, but the EPA (and a much lesser extent OSHA) made my job 
easier, and I suspect the company more efficient. Prior to the Regs coming 
out, precisely what was in our products was subject to turf wars and 20 
years industry experience. I left before the transition was complete, but 
not having to perform competative analysis on our own products for two 
weeks in the lab to find out what was in there was a _big_ help. I've also 
been involved with a waste dispute or three with the regulators, and just 
_knowing_ what is in the products going down the sewer is a big help.

Having had the joy of growing up in the "Mistake on the Lake" (thats 
Cleveland for those without regional pride), and being aware of a couple 
cubic miles of water go from a viable fishery to a sewer within a decade 
due to anthropomorphic inputs, with loss of jobs (and food), yes, I _do_ 
support environmental regulation. I _don't_ like the legalistic form we 
have always, and I object to environmental excuses for NIMBY for socially 
needed projects fairly often. However, environmental collapse can come 
swiftly, and isn't reversable (see a prehistory of Easter Island, and 
there are other examples).

> 
> -andy
> 
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