Socialize Offshore Oil?

[Sunstone]

Offshore oil is a valuable resource, but private companies don't have the best record of going after it in a safe and effective manner. The pressure for profits makes them take shortcuts with safety. So, maybe the best way to go after offshore oil deposits is for the government to do it. What do you think?

Why Norway's offshore drilling is safer - Gulf Oil Spill 2010 | Gulf Oil Spill Pictures, Gulf Oil Spill News - Salon.com

Norway has made it indisputable that at least one government can operate offshore oil drilling and exploration safer than private companies. Plus, the revenues from oil lower Norway's taxes.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

I really think we should try for alternatives besides oil, but since this thread isn't about that, I think socializing offshore oil would be a good idea.

 

[dust1n]

Yes.

Halliburton May Be Culprit In Oil Rig Explosion | World News |Axisoflogic.com

 

[Darkness]

Considering I am a socialist, I would prefer to see state-ownership of some corporations. Offshore drilling might be a good starting point. Though, part of me is worried the United States cannot handle socialism.

 

[dust1n]

Considering I am a socialist, I would prefer to see state-ownership of some corporations. Offshore drilling might be a good starting point. Though, part of me is worried the United States cannot handle socialism.

True, though part of me is worried the United States can not handle it's capitalism.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

I'm all for Socialism in the US, but I think the right wingers might would go stark raving mad

 

[Darkness]

True, though part of me is worried the United States can not handle it's capitalism.

I do not view socialism and capitalism as mutually exclusive. I am a socialist, but I am also a capitalist.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I believe the government should at least oversee the drilling of offshore oil. They already have OSHA for job safety, so why not a new type of OSHA for oil drilling?

 

[dust1n]

I do not view socialism and capitalism as mutually exclusive. I am a socialist, but I am also a capitalist.

Ugh.. if you are going to be more nit picky, fine. I don't think American can take any more neo-liberal trading policies.

 

[Darkness]

Ugh.. if you are going to be more nit picky, fine. I don't think American can take any more neo-liberal trading policies.

I am a political science major, it is my job to be nitpicky every day.

What is truly sad, is when people think neoliberalism has something to do with the ideology of modern liberalism.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Neo Liberal and Neo Con are both extremes

 

[Darkness]

Neo Liberal and Neo Con are both extremes

Really? You think neoconservativism is an extreme? With its moderate stance on social policy and domestic economics, I always viewed it as a more centrist ideology.

 

[ChrisP]

Everyone who is a socialist likes to say socialism, but when you hear them discuss how socialism is implemented they all seem to have a different idea...

In response to the OP my opinion is that if resources located within the declared and agreed borders of a nation state should be the property of that state (and is under present law afaik.), then the state should not have the right to license other parties to take that asset willy nilly. The state should be able to give license for removal of the resource/asset if they meet a set of criteria defined in that nation's founding documents/legislature.

In short, I think we need more regulation around the pillaging of our available resources that is a trend in recent times. The most effective way, but also the least bureaucratically inefficient method to achieve this, is to socialise all resources/natural assets within a nations borders.

All IMHO. I'm young yet

 

[Mister Emu]

No, to socialized off-shore drilling...

Yes, to regulations which would cover off-shore drilling to limit the probability of this happening again...

 

[JMorris]

Offshore oil is a valuable resource, but private companies don't have the best record of going after it in a safe and effective manner. The pressure for profits makes them take shortcuts with safety. So, maybe the best way to go after offshore oil deposits is for the government to do it. What do you think?

Why Norway's offshore drilling is safer - Gulf Oil Spill 2010 | Gulf Oil Spill Pictures, Gulf Oil Spill News - Salon.com

Norway has made it indisputable that at least one government can operate offshore oil drilling and exploration safer than private companies. Plus, the revenues from oil lower Norway's taxes.

all national resources should be nationalized

but I think the right wingers might would go stark raving mad

how are they not already?

 

[Sunstone]

No, to socialized off-shore drilling...

Yes, to regulations which would cover off-shore drilling to limit the probability of this happening again...

How are you going to get effective regulations when the oil companies have an army of 750 lobbyists on Capital Hill?

 

[Mister Emu]

How are you going to get effective regulations when the oil companies have an army of 750 lobbyists on Capital Hill?

So it would be easier to go against that army of lobbyist when attempting to fully remove the oil companies from off-shore drilling, than it would be to create regulation?

 

[Revoltingest]

How are you going to get effective regulations when the oil companies have an army of 750 lobbyists on Capital Hill?

This raises the question, how do you get effective regulations when the regulating body (ie, government) completely owns that which is regulated? It's like putting a fox in charge of chicken coop security. Moreover, the federal government cannot even be sued for losses without their permission (other than limited situations under the Federal Tort Claims Act). This sounds more likely to result in mischief than private ownership with effective regulation & liability in tort.
Btw, this kind of environmental regulation is far more palatable to libertarians than economic regulation. The former has larger & graver consequences, & is better understood by legislators than economics.

 

[Darkness]

So it would be easier to go against that army of lobbyist when attempting to fully remove the oil companies from off-shore drilling, than it would be to create regulation?

The government would merely begin buying shares in corporations like Transocean.

 

[Darkness]

This raises the question, how do you get effective regulations when the regulating body (ie, government) completely owns that which is regulated? It's like putting a fox in charge of chicken coop security. Moreover, the federal government cannot even be sued for losses without their permission (other than limited situations under the Federal Tort Claims Act). This sounds more likely to result in mischief than private ownership with effective regulation & liability in tort.
Btw, this kind of environmental regulation is far more palatable to libertarians than economic regulation. The former has larger & graver consequences, & is better understood by legislators than economics.

The difference is that the Government has no financial interest in skipping over important safety regulation to save money, because the Government does not need to operate the oil platforms for financial gain.