Summary:
In a significant setback for railroad safety reform, contributions from a major oil corporation may have stalled critical legislation in Congress. Occidental Petroleum, the producer of the toxic chemicals released during a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, earlier this year, donated $2 million to the Senate GOP’s super PAC as bipartisan rail safety legislation was delayed. The American Chemistry Council, Occidental’s lobbying arm, also donated $250,000 to the House GOP’s super PAC while campaigning for amendments that would weaken the proposed bill.
The rail safety bill, initially presented as a landmark opportunity to impose new regulations on the rail industry, appears doomed six months after the East Palestine disaster. Despite comprehensive amendments proposed by Senator J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) and Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash), the legislation is still not expected to garner sufficient Republican support for Senate passage. As part of the amendments, the deadline to replace older, puncture-vulnerable tank cars with safer models was extended by three years — a move heavily promoted by chemical and rail supply industry lobbyists. The derailment in East Palestine involved flammable and carcinogenic vinyl chloride being transported in such outdated tank cars.
The brazen display of corporate power, as exemplified by Occidental Petroleum’s monetary influence over critical safety legislation, illuminates the pervasive degradation of our democratic systems. It’s nothing short of an affront that crucial regulations, designed to safeguard the public and born out of tragedies like East Palestine, are so easily thwarted by industry interests.
The lack of attention paid by mainstream media and politicians to these incidents is both disheartening and revealing, demonstrating the tendency to obfuscate corporate misdeeds and the adverse impacts of unfettered capitalism on public safety.
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there used to be press, full of journalists, who would do a pretty good job of investigating and outting such bullshit. unfortunately they were financially supported by real estate listings and classifieds and retail ads. those cash channels all died with the internet, and nobody wants to pay for news subscriptions. now its clickbait and corporate propaganda and diversions.
They also have to compete for viewer attention with sensationalist “news” outlets that are setup for the sole purpose of acting as echo chambers and providing entertainment. Blame Reagan.