Dear Readers: Being an environmental health and safety professional, I am often called to assist companies preparing for agency inspections. It is a very stressful time, as my clients strive to come into full compliance with arcane requirements and regulatory minutia that seems to have no bearing on science or common sense. However, all of my clients work hard to create the healthiest environment and safest work place possible. So, the Goddess of Flaming Capitalism is in a rage today over the tactless, soulless, vile words of an EPA bureaucrat: Exciting new EPA enforcement method revealed: Single out a few offenders and crucify them
(Via Weasel Zippers and the Foundry) A video surfaced on Wednesday showing a regional administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency comparing his agency’s philosophy with respect to regulation of oil and gas companies to brutal tactics employed by the ancient Roman army to intimidate its foes into submission.
EPA’s “philosophy of enforcement,” said EPA’s Region VI Administrator Al Armendariz, is “kind of like how the Romans used to conquer little villages in the Mediterranean: they’d go into little Turkish towns somewhere, they’d find the first five guys they’d run into, and they’d crucify them.”
“That town was really easy to manage for the next few years,” Armendariz added.
I invite you to go to fellow SLOB Word Warrior for the video clip featuring this buffoon. UPDATE: HOT AIR recovers the video that the EPA seemingly wanted to have disappear. Yes, the EPA is covered in shame!!!!
I would have to strongly disagree with Armendariz on comparing post-crucifixion results. For you see, the Roman legions often restructured civic management so that there was even more prosperity (e.g. Roman Egypt was extremely productive, as can be attested to by the “Valley of the Golden Mummies” that were the burials of regular merchants and farmers). The Romans brought in a quasi-meritocracy, in which a slave could eventually become free and wealthy (e.g., Gaius Julius Zoilus, the freed slave of Julius Caesar who founded the affluent and cultured city of Aphrodisias). The Romans helped unify their world via language and culture. Hell, they even allowed children to work on farms!!!
There is no way in hell any of Rome’s post-takeover accomplishments resembles those of the Obama Administration’s. And to compare Rome’s bureaucratic efficiencies with those of of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Labor, Transportation Security Agency (or most other government entities outside of our military) is incomprehensible. And, as a bonus, we now have cultural/race division galore. Instead of meritocracy, Team Obama imposes rampant crony capitalism.
Also, comare PAX ROMANA with POX OBAMA, with the legacy of the Arab Spring and all the other foreign policy chestnuts we will be dealing with for many years!!!
Check out the “If I wanted America to Fail” video via Lipstick Underground for more instances of ineptitude and incompetence that differentiates the success trajectory of Rome versus the full-of-fail approach of Team Obama/Big Government Minions.
As another example to refute the Armendariz assertion, while Romans had problems dealing with their barbarian invasions, at least they didn’t sue the Governors of provinces that decided to stem the flow of invaders. SoCal Tax Revolt Coalition’s Dawn Wildman had a chance to opine today about the Supreme Court’s hearing on Arizona’s SB 1070:
San Diegans on high court’s take on Ariz. immigration law
This goes to a question of states’ rights, including whether a state has the right to maintain and keep its citizens safe and secure its borders.
We knew Justice Antonin Scalia may be on board for at least most of the law and even justices Clarence Thomas and John Roberts. With Justice Elena Kagan recusing herself, as she should, we could see a divided court at 4-4. I hope this isn’t the case.
The justices seemed worried about the effect of SB 1070 on the Fourth Amendment. They showed real due diligence when it comes to making sure the Constitution is followed in its totality and not just the parts one group or another would like to see supported. I was impressed with how Paul Clement (representing Arizona) handled the questions.
One of the most stunning and interesting aspects of the questioning revealed that the federal government does not seem to be enforcing current laws for dealing with illegal immigration. We are cautiously optimistic that Arizona’s law will remain and other states will then secure their borders.
I will admit that Obama has a certain celebrity complex, like Emperor Nero or Caligula. And Israel was a pain in Rome’s posterior, like it seems to be for Obama. But, I digress with these meaningless similarities.
At least the Roman senators had the decency to offer straight-up bribes for votes. Charles Caesar is following the story of a Spanish firm that is poised to be put in charge of this country’s electronic voting: Scytl… a [Spanish] company which purchased SOE and now will process U.S. election results overseas. From the Scytl About page and confirmed here…Prior to joining Scytl, Mr. Valles was Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer of GlobalNet, a NASDAQ publicly-traded telecommunications company headquartered in Chicago. A quick look at Obama donors from KPMG hits the jackpot. Four pages of Obama donors is definitive of Senior Manager Pere Valles’ team. Anyone who has worked in a consulting company can attest to the “birds of a feather” associations. While not a direct connection to Barack Obama, this is circumstantial evidence.
And while the Romans were game to eat nearly any living thing, including dormice in honey and brown bear, there is no evidence that Fido was on the menu.
VS
As the data plainly indicate, Rome knew how to create wealth. And, despite the fact that Roman soldiers had little qualms about inflicting pain, I would also argue they showed more compassion during their crucifixions than the EPA does during theirs.
Temple of Mut 