You don’t see any stories about a solar energy spill.

Correct. However, it’s not enough just to move from fossil fuels to renewables. We also need to reduce consumption, and that’s literally impossible under any kind of market economy.

Put another way, it’s literally impossible to be both pro-capitalism and pro-environment. But when do you ever see any of the big-name environmentalists or environmental groups acknowledge this fact? If your answer was, “Never,” then you win.

The left refuses — absolutely refuses — to discuss capitalism, except in the most hushed tones. The left absolutely is in total agreement with the most virulent parts of the right wing that capitalism is absolutely sacrosanct — a dogma not to be questioned, a faith not to be challenged.

It’s humorous if you think about it. For all the fulminations against, say, Karl Rove, that appear on, say, Firedoglake, FDL writers are in complete, total, absolute, utter agreement with Rove that the U.S. economy should be organized along private-enterprise market economic lines — “private-enterprise market economy” being the economists’ technical jargon for capitalism.

Think about it. You, the reader of this screed right at this moment, most likely loathe Rove. Yet, were a serious challenge to capitalism emerge, you’d be picking up a sword and fighting next to him against the barbarians (i.e., people like me) who would fight to overturn the U.S. economic system. You only consider Rove an enemy because neither of who have been challenged on what you two really do care about: your own class privileges.

The coordinator-class left, which sees only the 99% and the 1% (i.e., workers and owners), has no idea what I just said. But if a true three-class analysis of the economy ever emerges, the left will be fighting it just as hard, if not harder, than the “hated” Republicans (will fight it).

The Left refuses to discuss Capitalism?

Will Free market forces stop natural gas fracking or will the 1% demand a tax break and loans from the government? 2

http://my.firedoglake.com/thingscomeundone/2012/11/05/will-free-market-forces-stop-natural-gas-fracking-or-will-the-1-demand-a-tax-break-and-loans-from-the-government-2/

Why does China get to find out what is the secret of Fracking Fluid but the EPA is not allowed to know?

http://my.firedoglake.com/thingscomeundone/2012/11/05/why-does-china-get-to-find-out-what-is-the-secret-of-fracking-fluid-but-the-epa-is-not-allowed-to-know/

Rare Earth Minerals China’s Undeclared Trade War

http://my.firedoglake.com/thingscomeundone/2011/02/06/rare-earth-minerals-chinas-undeclared-trade-war/

I got lots more :) And I am not the only one

How about a market economy where 50% of the population lives in poverty (where we are headed) and can’t afford electricity or things that run on electricity.

The US is on track to become the Saudi Arabia of oil,

Snark tag needed Canada has tar sand oil yes we are increasing oil production here but we do not have enough oil to even fill half of domestic demand let alone export oil like the Saudis do.
If you are including fracked natural gas in the list at current natural gas prices fracking is losing money and will lose even more money in the future as fracking production in other countries takes increasing supply thus decreasing costs check my links at my 3.

The left absolutely is in total agreement with the most virulent parts of the right wing that capitalism is absolutely sacrosanct — a dogma not to be questioned, a faith not to be challenged.

Most of the folks here think capitalism is gambling and that without bank reform/ no more gambling we will have another banking crisis despite everything Obama does to help the economy.
We thought if Mitt won the economy would get worse quicker. But yes stop banks from and capitalism might work.

Mr. White says the Dec. 11 financial-reform bill will exempt nearly half of the $600 trillion in outstanding derivatives transactions from clearing requirements

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704718204574616470817688220.html

Imaginary Economics

A 600 trillion market is a fantasy there is not that much money on the Planet. The reason why Derivatives are exempt from margin requirements is because requiring banks to post even a 5% margin requirement on all their Derivative contracts would mean the banks would have to find 30 trillion dollars.

The entire World’s GDP is only 60 trillion dollars the banks do not have half the worlds GDP in their vaults. Thats why the margin requirement was dropped

http://my.firedoglake.com/thingscomeundone/2011/07/26/another-lecture-on-imaginary-markets/

Precisely, and you didn’t mention the trillion cu. ft. of Nat. Gas Brazil is sitting on. All our problems with energy are solvable if we were actually interested in solving them. Lots of people will die unfortunately from accidents like this one and from exposure to the elements as austerity goes forward and regulations go backward.

Getting back on topic obviously the free market oil companies cannot regulate themselves and need more safety inspections of their oil rigs.

My article was already to long I thought mentioning China, Poland, Ukraine, Lithuanian fracking deals:)

GOPers complain that government regulation drives up the cost of everything however government regulation save lives and lives have a cost as do injuries.

In the EU, for instance, 150 million workdays are lost each year due to work accidents, and the insurance costs to be borne by industry add up to 20 billion. And American businesses spend US$170.9 billion a year on costs associated with occupational injuries and illnesses.

http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/press-and-media-centre/insight/WCMS_075615/lang–en/index.htm

http://my.firedoglake.com/thingscomeundone/2011/11/02/question-all-assumptions-2/

I think you would be wasting your efforts anyway; remember Capitalism will always be the best economic system as long as it has Socialism to bail it out every ten or so years.

Oil prices it should be noted are already to high Canada’s oil needs to be high in order to break even around $80 a barrel I believe.
Just how much would it cost to enforce new safety regulations and environmental regulations?
Also the cost of global warming, pollution and the war with Iraq must be factored into the cost of oil.
Factor that in and solar and wind power are much cheaper.

Yes, and in Australia & Canada where there are more banking regulations, they’ve experienced much less & drastic of a recession/depression than in USA. Not to mention that – gasp! shriek! – both countries have more nationalized health care, which works better for all concerned, including businesses & corporations.

But don’t let a few FACTS stand in anyone’s way…. esp when sniffing Ayn Rand’s panties & kowtowing to the 1%…

Apparently the wrongful death settlements are also just a cost of doing business like “record” fines and penalties.

I think you would be wasting your efforts anyway

I like laughing at GOPers who claim they are making free market profit but are getting government tax breaks, handouts etc. I presume that new oil and natural gas tax breaks will be passed by Obama soon because the math on fracking making a profit is that bad.
I wonder if Bankers and oil companies get more cash than welfare queens? Add up the bank bailout and the cost of the Iraq war plus the drop in the economy because of higher gas prices hmm might have to post on this.

Interesting got a link? also did their real estate markets crash like ours did?

As long as someone else pays the costs. Can a settlement bring back a father and or mother provide a child the good parenting that would make that kid a good productive citizen?
Think about all the uninsured victims of hurricane Sandy oil companies are not being asked to help them despite global warming making the hurricane stronger and rising the sea levels.
GOPErs want all the profit but none of the cost of their actions.

Look at Japan where the citizens are paying all of the risk cost associated with Fukushima and Tepco is basically nationalized. GE made nothing but profit from all those Nuclear plants and have no responsibility for the human cost. Instead of BP hiring the unemployed to clean up the gulf coast all the BP employees including Tony Hayward should have been forced to scoop up the muck and clean the pelicans and GE exec should be forced to eat all the fish caught in Japan with 10x the cesium and strontium 90 found before the earthquake.

Agreed!

I’ve got$20 bucks that says no news helicopters or planes will be allowed within a mile of that fire to film it, and if they get that close, they will be warned off by none other than the U.S. Coast Guard.

Out of sight, out of mind…kind of like the corexit plumes…