If you missed the broadcast, what I saw behind the video camera was kind of interesting from a sociological perspective. At a gross level, there were 3 interests – the county regulators, the environmentalists, and the industry proponents.
The county regulators were difficult to observe. Their job appears to consist of taking any fact pattern that they can conceive might some day occur, and plumbing it for every opportunity they can imagine might provide an excuse to make some sort of regulatory process for controlling it. It’s a very low standard, subject only to their flights of fancy, political whims, prejudices, malleable linguistic flyers, and a firm belief that what they do will lead to a more perfect society.
The environmentalists were also difficult to observe. Their shtick was to load as many hyperbolic expressions into short sound bites, and never to allow a reasoned rebuttal to put them off track from their prejudgments.
Probably the easiest to observe were the industry proponents. With their abundant experience, they walked a fine line between the other two groups, stroking the vanity of the regulators as necessary to keep them happy, and skillfully avoiding confrontations with the environmentalists who never stopped trying to provoke them.
The game was interesting, but definitely not for idealists. The regulators have no clue of the unintended consequences they ambitiously set in motion. The environmentalists are reality challenged. And the industry proponents actively sell to both of these groups somewhat like used car salesmen.
And so went the sausage factory writing the law last night that we will all have to obey some day. This was government in action. It was not a pretty sight.
Next installment next Tuesday the 12th. Same time, same channel.
B_Imperial