Public? Private? Partnerships?

It’s a dreary, snowy day. I’m not sure when this will get posted because there’s an “area network problem” affecting our DSL. Would that we had an option instead of Frontier! Lousy, unreliable service and no credit on the bill for times when there’s no internet connection of speed is half of what it’s supposed to be. [Internet service was returned about 3 pm. It disappeared about 9 am.]

Time to repeat, multiple times, the Serenity Prayer:

G*d, grant me the serenity
to accept things I cannot change
courage to change the things I can
and the wisdom to know the difference.

It’s that last part that usually trips me up. I hope your day is going better.

This morning, before our internet connection disappeared, I was looking at some analysis on what led to PG&E’s system problems that triggered wide-spread power shut off for multiple counties on the West Coast. That has to be even worse, in some ways, than Xcel Energies’ natural gas supply problems last Winter during the Polar Vortex. I haven’t looked to see what kind of bonuses Xcel executives may have collected during the last year or so.

As far as I can see, we the people have failed miserably in creating a more perfect Union. In fact, unions have become almost nonexistent. We are often pandered to enough that we vote for politicians who are more dedicated to representing the interests of corporations that fund PACs, that fund campaigns, rather than demanding politicians who represent ordinary people. Yes, I am bothered by the campaign rally that occurred yesterday at the Target Center. I fail entirely to understand how anyone who isn’t already collecting grift can support an incompetent buffoon because he manages to “shake things up.”

Gaylord Nelson: "...sacrifice something today for future generations..."

Photo by J. Harrington

The politicians might not be as much of a problem if they would focus on politics, laws and policy and leave bureaucrat regulators to regulate. Several folks have suggested a solution to the PG&E issue of funding dividends and bonuses instead of system maintenance would be to place the grid under public ownership. That’s how we ended up with grossly underfunded infrastructure for roads, airports, public transportation and situations like the lead in the water supply in Flint, MI. We still are missing a long term, safe nuclear waste storage facility. I bet you can come up with your own samples of infrastructure problems attributable to political and/or regulatory mismanagement. What’s the model number of the Boeing jet that’s been grounded for how long because there was inadequate oversight of its design and construction? Our governments have been failing us too often in too many ways.

would more decentralization of power generation help?

Photo by J. Harrington

And now, at a world class scale, governments are failing to adequately respond to the climate we’ve broken. Insufficient emphasis is being given to correcting the problems and adapting to the consequences already occurring. It’s not as if there isn’t already a compendium of solutions (drawdown.org). It’s not as if an obvious place to begin is to STOP SUBSIDIZING FOSSIL FUELS! In 2016 because too many neoliberals stayed home and too many deplorable voted, we ended up with the regime currently wielding a wrecking ball in Washington, D.C.

How is it some governments are trustworthy and others, not so much?

Photo by J. Harrington

Is it becoming clear why I’m hesitant to believe that public ownership and / or management of our electric grid is any kind of solution. As I recall, at one time the internet was entirely under the control of the government, and commercial use was prohibited. Would that, had it continued, have avoided the problems of mis and disinformation that is reported to have affected the 2016 presidential election? We’ll never know.

Several groups of folks are thinking about and working on what they think are better ways for us to try to govern ourselves. We’ll share some thoughts on those efforts in the upcoming days, sort of like early Christmas presents, or, at least, some things to be thankful for. Even with all my gloom and doom, parts of what’s left of our world are still beautiful and it’s not hopeless just yet.

2008, XII

Wendell Berry - 1934-

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…
Hosea 4:6

We forget the land we stand on
and live from. We set ourselves
free in an economy founded
on nothing, on greed verified
by fantasy, on which we entirely
depend.  We depend on fire
that consumes the world without
lighting it.  To this dark blaze
driving the inert metal
of our most high desire
we offer our land as fuel,
thus offering ourselves at last
to be burned. This is our riddle
to which the answer is a life
that none of us has lived.

********************************************
Thanks for visiting. Come again when you can.
Please be kind to each other while you can.