Fukushima Japan: Refueling the Regulation Renaissance

Not many people unaffected by nuclear power plants.

The Fukushima nuclear power plant disasters will be the flame that ignites the fuse to the re-regulation bomb, both figuratively and literally. It was always going to be an event that stoked this fire, however no one could have anticipated anything this dramatic.

The course to deregulation was also determined by events, namely the seizure of 44 US Embassy personnel in Iran coupled with an Arab oil embargo that quadrupled the price of gasoline. Added to high unemployment and interest rates, Jimmy Carter’s defeat was a fate accompli. Since Ronald Reagan was the only other person in the race, he was the beneficiary.

I expected people to take to the streets after the banking crisis and then the BP oil disaster in the Gulf, but evidently they have more patience than do I. Now, with more than two thirds of US citizens living with a nuclear reactor in their backyards, we’ve reached a tipping point.

It begs the question, how far will we go in re-regulating business and industry this time?

In 1973, an Arab oil embargo against United States pushed the price of crude oil from less than $20 to almost $60 per barrel, causing a sharp increase in the number of applications and approvals for nuclear power plants. At least until March 28, 1979, when the Three Mile Island nuclear reactor near Harrisburg, PA, suffered a partial meltdown. Application approvals came to a screeching halt.

Although the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), et al., declared virtually zero negative health effects as a result, those findings are not without dispute. Steve Wing, Associate Professor of Epidemiology at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, re-examined the data and found significant increases in cancer rates across the spectrum. Residents in the area are inclined to agree with Wing.

Outraged citizens and anti-nuclear demonstrations intimidated politicians, and no new nuclear plants have been approved since. While it’s unlikely that Ronald Reagan or Bush I would have done so, being deep in the pockets of the fossil fuels industry, Bill Clinton may have been so inclined, and Bush II actually did. People have short memories.

Now there’s a new sheriff in town, and Barack Obama has proposed huge loan guarantees for the nuclear industry for new plants, despite sniping by the likes of Ralph Nader. He must’ve figured that many who remember Three Mile Island are long since dead, and a younger, nuclear naïve generation has replaced them in the voting booths. Since they comprise a large portion of his constituency, he obviously felt safe in moving forward with new nuclear facilities.

They are nuclear virgins no longer, and now they’ve seen for themselves the horror caused when a reactor melts down. Far more likely to identify themselves as greens or environmentally friendly, this disaster won’t be lost on them. But it’s more than that.

This generation that cut their political teeth on Obama’s campaign in 2008 is realizing their political power in Wisconsin, Tennessee and other places around the country. They’re organizing and showing up and suiting up over issues that passed under the radar of the last two generations. They’ve been emboldened, and they will be a formidable force.

The last major piece of regulatory legislation passed is probably the Americans with Disabilities Act, voted into law in 1990. It forced businesses to make major modifications to their buildings to provide access to people with disabilities. These changes were at their own expense, however there were tax credits given to help ease the pain.

Most people under 35 likely don’t remember this battle, nor do they recall a time when buildings didn’t have ramps or automatic door openers. It’s always been a part of their reality, so they’re unaware of the battle that was waged to get this legislation voted into law.

However, walk back 20 more years and you’ll see that Richard Nixon, a Republican, signed into existence by Executive Order the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). He wasn’t even forced to take before Congress to get it done, nor were there any successful legal challenges to his actions. Interesting how things change, because in 1970 we have a Republican president signing into existence the EPA, and in 2010 we have a Democratic president making massive loan guarantees for nuclear power plants.

In the 70s tons of regulations were placed on businesses. Hippies, yippies, feminists, gay rights and other activists had their own legislation printing press set up, and they were cranking out paper faster than Congress could vote on it, or the president could sign it. The American people had their boots to the neck of business, but all that was changed by the election of Ronald Reagan.

Today we have a Democratic president who’s been pushed as far to the right as Richard Nixon was to the left, but that’s changing. Millions have already taken to the streets over GOP union-busting measures, and they’re about to be joined by millions more who fear for their lives because of their proximity to a nuclear reactor.

When this happens and they have some success, and they WILL have success, there’ll be no stopping them. The majority of people are fed up with the banks, off shoring of jobs and the treatment of gays and lesbians. Once these people realize the effect they can have on elected officials, much of the deregulation accomplished since Reagan will be rolled back, and new regulations will be put into place.

It’s amazing how many changes can be made by an outraged citizenry willing to take to the streets. Unfortunately for the Republicans, large portions of their constituency are too old or will die in the next few years, meaning that most of the people in the street will stand against them. It’s likely the reason for their overreach in the last couple of months, since they realize that soon they’ll no longer have the political backing they need.

Democrats will be pushed far to the left by constituents concerned about corporate abuses, nuclear safety and social issues. Unfortunately, 40 years down the road they’ll be guilty of the same overreach we’re seeing on the part of Republicans today, assuming we haven’t killed ourselves off before then. Fortunately for me, I likely won’t be around to see it.

Republicans and right-leaning Democrats are about ready to be taken to the woodshed. Angry Americans have had enough, and they’re determined to express themselves in the streets. They’ve been radicalized by the actions of Republicans, and I don’t expect them to slip quietly into that good night. Shit’s on, and we have a front row seat.

It’s going to be a very exciting year.