For the record, I'm a die hard capitalist who believes in the power of free enterprise, which means I think the government should promote, support and encourage private enterprise and entrepreneurship and not be planting creative obstacles in its way in the form of double- and triple- dipping taxation. On the other hand, government has a responsibility to protect the public and the environment -- which belongs to all of us -- from stupid business practices, excessiveness, folly and waste.Earlier this year a Hawaiian court ruled against the superferry and for the activists who wanted service stopped until after an environmental study had been completed. Sounded like a reasonable course of action to me. But now we learn the Hawaiian government passed a new law in emergency session that will force the courts to allow the superferry to run. If this isn't a case of big business buying government I don't know what is. Hasn't anybody bothered to see if Governor Linda Lingle's bank account has appreciated lately?
Who am I to suggest the Hawaiin governor and the state legislature would stoop so low?
Clearly, there's a lot of money at stake. But at some point we have to say to business: "You know what, we really have enough shit going on right now? Come up with something less environmentally controversial."
-seabgb
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