Quote:
Originally Posted by finnbow
That said, it makes more sense to criticize Republicans deliberate deregulation of rail safety systems (track inspections and breaking systems) than it does to blame Buttigieg for serving in a department whose safety regulations were watered down by the previous administration.
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In your twisted logic, maybe.
Two problems with your...uh....analysis:
1) The elements of the regs that were repealed by the DOT in 2018 had nothing to do with the incident in Ohio. It's sophistry and media malpractice to make that claim.
2) The specific regulations that were repealed regarding rail safety were pretty
specific:
"The sidelined rules would have, among other things, required states to conduct annual inspections of commercial bus operators, railroads to operate trains with at least two crew members, and automakers to equip future cars and light trucks with vehicle-to-vehicle communications to prevent collisions."
"After the comment period closed, DOT said it would repeal a 2015 rule opposed by freight railroads requiring trains that haul highly flammable crude oil be fitted with advanced braking systems that stop all rail cars simultaneously instead of conventional brakes that stop cars one after the other."
When the train derailed in E Palestine, it wasn't carrying crude oil. Even if it has an advanced braking system, there's no evidence such as system would have prevented a train derailment caused by a failed axle.
3. The derailment in Ohio is still in the news, not because of any deregulation of train safety systems, but what caused the rail cars to derail, what the rail cars were carrying, and what toxics they released when they burned.
4. There are existing regulations that would require railcars carrying the type of chemicals that were being transported via rail must be identified with HazMat tags. There's reporting that indicates those regs were not followed.
Your position that it "sense to criticize Republicans' deliberate deregulation of rail safety systems (track inspections and breaking systems)" is only something that your one-track mind would find supportable. There's nothing indicating that either track inspections or braking systems played a role in this case.
Quote:
Originally Posted by finnbow
Accordingly, what is happening here is that Republicans are once again engaging in misdirection/projection - cynically heaping blame on Buttigieg to distract from the fact that Trump relaxed rail safety regulations aimed at reducing the likelihood of events like East Palestine.
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And that's different than what you're doing, how? You and your fellow travelers are attempting to suggest that this incident has something to do with repealed regs that have no bearing on what happened. You need to brush up on the meaning of the word "hypocrite".