[GPSCC-chat] Martin Zehr POST on BP Oil Spill

Fri Jul 2 19:10:16 PDT 2010

Dear Green Friends, 

I've said it's important to show Greens are not just "liberal Democrats in a hurry" or true believers in the old "Red" dream of revolutionary socialism nationalizing all production via "temporary" dictatorship. This commentary on the Gulf oil spill by Martin Zehr, including some "politically incorrect" truths about the record of state-owned oil like PEMEX in Mexico is a beautiful example of a fresh progressive perspective.   

Alex WalkerLos Angeles Greens 

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Posted on California Greening, June 19, 2010.
Rescue the Gulf !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
by Martin Zehr

There is an axiom utilized by many people that if you don't have anything constructive to add politically just up the ante of your favorite political party or publicly posture your indignation and scream louder than everyone else. People who advocate nationalization of BP are folks who come to the disaster with their own preconceived notions of the importance of public (read "governmental") control and jump in at every opportunity to present the same solution for every social ill or disaster. These folks would do well to learn that priorities need to be addressed in resolving any given situation. They would also do better to learn from previous experiences in regards to their proposed agenda.

In the case of the BP deep water oil gusher in the Gulf of Mexico, it would benefit all to recall the example of the PEMEX gusher in the Gulf in 1979. This nationalized oil company has the current record for the worst pollution of the Gulf that the Deep Horizon is trying to surpass. No claims were paid by PEMEX for the damages done to coastal areas and aquatic life. Zero. We might also recall the PEMEX gasoline leak that exploded in Guadalajara in 1992. The explosions crushed to death 206 people; injured 1,460 people; damaged 1,148 buildings; and destroyed 350 businesses and 505 vehicles. Eight government officials were jailed. In 1984, 500 people were killed by a natural gas explosion at PEMEX facilities in Mexico City.

One thing we accept as Greens is that "Money cannot buy everything". It cannot buy dead zones in the Gulf and transform them. It cannot restore the tidal basin and marshland ecosystems. It cannot replace the dead flora and fauna and it cannot bring back the sea life that so many are dependent on for their livelihood. The point right now is to demonstrate the capability of cleanup NOW. The point is to utilize the resources of the world community and send a 9-1-1 for the Gulf. The point now is to stop the gusher.

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As stated before, we have seen the failure of "government regulation". We have seen the failure of "Drill, baby, drill!" What we have not seen are the political, administrative, technical and scientific resources of the world focused on our common problem. We have seen how Nigeria has failed to update pipelines to prevent spills and how this has impacted on the people and the environment. We have seen how oil was spilled into the Persian Gulf by Saddam Hussein and oil wells were blown up in the war for oil. We have seen how BP is unable to put the oil genie back in the bottle, as the worst case scenario becomes reality.

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This is how Greens are distinguished from the duopoly parties. We already know the problems that we can anticipate in the future and are prepared to develop the mechanisms needed to maintain the earth's eco-systems. We present a distinct voice in the political arena of the United States. It’s time to listen, to learn and to act with decisiveness. Solutions won’t be any easier in the future, but at the least, we can work on them without the disproportional influence of the corporations shaping policies and tying the hands of public officials.