It sounds like you think we need effective US policy and enforcement of it. Those would come from government's regulation and enforcement of those regulations. I'm not sure then why would you not place blame on government for ineffective policy and/or enforcement? We have the institutions and framework for these. We need to hold those institutions accountable to make effective policies and enforcement.
Because when there are policies, they are neutered because there is a significant sized voter bloc who is adamantly opposed to any and all government regulations. A bloc whose world view thinks that eschews personal and corporate responsibility in lieu of mockery of "alarmists". Or it's all just God's Plan™. At the end of the day, the politicians are just reflections of the general electorate they represent. Most lobbying efforts are modest compared to the gains realized for corporations. Corporate lobbying only works because the electorate at large does not care.
The electorate at large seems very concerned over this event. Now, perhaps part of that is just politics (some of it is definitely just politics), but still, here is the opportunity, when both sides seem to be for accountability, hold institutions and the private sector responsible accountable and set new regulations and penalty level adequate enough to hopefully reduces the chances of future events like this. Now, if the public just doesn't care, then so be it. That's how democracy works. I happen to believe that it does care, just that most of them are not aware or are indifferent until something bad like this happens. How we respond to this either gives some confidence in a government that is responsive to close these gaps or a government that is all talk and it's all the same old same again. Again, the institution and framework exist - but only can improve for the better if they are held responsible. In this case, specifically, the train operator must be held financially (and even criminally if they broke the law) responsible to the fullest extent possible. Congress should update / add new regulations to help prevent these events. The admin should push for new regulations and enforce existing ones.
The profit motive far exceeds the insurance cost (what business would be viable if this was not the case). That's why safety isn't really that important of a market force. If it were, you wouldn't need OSHA or the FAA for instance.
The train operator can just declare bankruptcy and the line will be covered by a new carrier management with all the old staff. These people won't see any punishment.
Could you imagine trump officials going door knocking in a liberal neighborhood in San Francisco. Cmon
Pro-Moscow voices tried to steer Ohio train disaster debate | AP News Soon after a train derailed and spilled toxic chemicals in Ohio last month, anonymous pro-Russian accounts started spreading misleading claims and anti-American propaganda about it on Twitter, using Elon Musk’s new verification system to expand their reach while creating the illusion of credibility. The accounts, which parroted Kremlin talking points on myriad topics, claimed without evidence that authorities in Ohio were lying about the true impact of the chemical spill. The accounts spread fearmongering posts that preyed on legitimate concerns about pollution and health effects and compared the response to the derailment with America’s support for Ukraine following its invasion by Russia. Some of the claims pushed by the pro-Russian accounts were verifiably false, such as the suggestion that the news media had covered up the disaster or that environmental scientists traveling to the site had been killed in a plane crash. But most were more speculative, seemingly designed to stoke fear or distrust. Examples include unverified maps showing widespread pollution, posts predicting an increase in fatal cancers and others about unconfirmed mass animal die-offs. ...
We’ve sent hundreds of billions to Ukraine, surely we can sparse 1 or 2 to help out our brothers and sisters in East Palestine?
CDC team gets sick investigating health impacts of Ohio train derailment https://6abc.com/east-palestine-ohio-train-derailment-norfolk-southern-justice-department/13059514/
Another day another train derailment. https://www.eastidahonews.com/2023/...-in-yellowstone-river-due-to-bridge-collapse/
, 3 months later, Norfolk Southern Files Motion to Dismiss Lawsuit Over Ohio Train Derailment , saying that it was not responsible 14 months later, on 9 April, 2024 Norfolk Southern Settles Derailment Suit for $600 Million
I love the old, "were not guilty but here`s a butt load of cash to make you shup up", often times these types of issues last for years and can be generational because the crap there hauling can take years to decades to do the damage, so $600 million really isn't al that much....granted I have not read the entire article so I am not sure if medical is part of it, but I will read it when I get home. When I was in college, I had an internship at the UPRR in Omaha in logistics and people would be very nervous if they really knew what was in the railcars barreling down the tracks through your town while you sleep and the lack of real humans on the trains
So for 5000 people that’s around 120,000 a person to deal with God knows what for the rest of their natural lives. They got railroaded…
