Keeping us in the dark
Blackouts Watch
Here is one of the most astute things I have read about the latest big blackout, and the political and economic fallout likely to come from it:
In this article, the folks from Liberal Oasis argue cogently that the reason the energy grids are so stressed is that deregulation of our power companies results in energy being transferred back and forth between suppliers. And that ending deregulation would be an excellent way to relieve some strain on the power infrastructure, for which no one now has an economic reason to maintain. Finally, sadly, they outline how the latest blackout will be used as an excuse to take much more money from billpayers to line the pockets of the deregulated power companies, in much the same way as 9/11 was used as an excuse for all kinds of other chicanery. It is a very important and I believe prescient article. An excerpt:
Electronic Vote Theft Watch
Ok, time for the tinfoil hats again. The CEO of Diebold, one of the largest manufacturers of electronic voting machines, whose machines have been shown to be susceptible to hacking because their security is built on Microsoft software, is also a huge backer of the Republican party, holding fundraisers in his home with invitations that state he is "committed to helping Ohio deliver its electoral votes to the President next year." Can you say "the appearance of conflict of interest"? Maybe nervousness about electronic voting machines wouldn't be so widespread if the CEOs and boards of these companies weren't so right-wing, fundamentalist Republican. Then again, maybe we need to have voting with voter certifiable paper trails.
This is the foundation of our way of governance, and if we can't trust it, we are in for some bad times indeed.
Here is one of the most astute things I have read about the latest big blackout, and the political and economic fallout likely to come from it:
In this article, the folks from Liberal Oasis argue cogently that the reason the energy grids are so stressed is that deregulation of our power companies results in energy being transferred back and forth between suppliers. And that ending deregulation would be an excellent way to relieve some strain on the power infrastructure, for which no one now has an economic reason to maintain. Finally, sadly, they outline how the latest blackout will be used as an excuse to take much more money from billpayers to line the pockets of the deregulated power companies, in much the same way as 9/11 was used as an excuse for all kinds of other chicanery. It is a very important and I believe prescient article. An excerpt:
Prior to the price spikes of 1998, the number of traders increased over 50 fold; the quantity traded increased several hundred times.
Basically, power that used to just go from point A to point B -- from the plant to you -- is now shuttling back and forth between wholesalers, straining the system.
Electronic Vote Theft Watch
Ok, time for the tinfoil hats again. The CEO of Diebold, one of the largest manufacturers of electronic voting machines, whose machines have been shown to be susceptible to hacking because their security is built on Microsoft software, is also a huge backer of the Republican party, holding fundraisers in his home with invitations that state he is "committed to helping Ohio deliver its electoral votes to the President next year." Can you say "the appearance of conflict of interest"? Maybe nervousness about electronic voting machines wouldn't be so widespread if the CEOs and boards of these companies weren't so right-wing, fundamentalist Republican. Then again, maybe we need to have voting with voter certifiable paper trails.
This is the foundation of our way of governance, and if we can't trust it, we are in for some bad times indeed.
posted by ProfessorPlum | 7:00 AM
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