Mushroom Cloud in the Midwest and Neoliberalism’s multiple Trainwrecks

Crawdads and Taters: Red State Rebels

In this episode, we take a deep look at the Norfolk Southern train derailment in Palestine, Ohio on Feb. 3rd, and how this incident is connected to the corporate management of the railways– a topic that we dove into, in depth, in our last episode, Off The Rails.

The United States averages 1,700 train derailments per year. Since the disaster in East Palestine, there have been dozens more derailments to date. Norfolk Southern averages approximately 164 derailments and three hazardous material releases per year. This Ohio disaster was only exceptional–only widely reported – because of the incredibly dramatic, visceral and toxic nature of the event - a two-mile-long “bomb train” of 141 cars, holding up to 32,000 gallons each of highly flammable toxic chemicals. In addition to the spill, an out-of-control fire raged for days afterwards, sending the cargo up into a giant mushroom cloud above a small Ohio town of some 5,000 residents.

As East Palestine residents continue their battles with toxicity-related illnesses-- headaches, nausea, rashes, and chemical pneumonia, we look at the response from the Biden Administration, the Transportation Secretary, former President Trump, and compare these responses to the donations that both parties have received directly from Norfolk Southern.

On President's Day, the Proud Boys handed out water to Ohio victims whose water was poisoned. Trump promised Palestine residents they would not be forgotten. And Biden went to Ukraine to sell more weapons. It is in this upside-down world, we feel compelled to examine how Democratic failures to fight for the working-class continually create a vacuum and an opening for fascism.

And finally, we talk about what Railroad Workers United is still demanding after all these months- nationalization of the railroads. Perhaps this could be a first step on the path toward socialism.

Links

Chris Hedges: The Age of Social Murder - scheerpost.com

Music - The Revolutionary Communist Progressive Labor Party

Support Public Ownership of the Railroads

Pete Plays IDENTITY POLITICS While Failing at His Job

The Ohio Train Disaster: Corporate Greed & Regulatory Failure | The Problem With Jon Stewart Podcast

Norfolk Southern BAILS on Town Hall in East Palestine

Corporate Greed and Deregulation Fuel Threat of More Bomb Trains as East Palestine Demands Answers | Democracy Now!

Dems STRUGGLE to Defend Biden as Trump Plans East Palestine Visit - w/ Punch Up Pod

Outraged Ohio residents erupt at town hall: 'Where's Pete Buttigieg?'

East Palestine derailment aftermath: How worried should people be?

A History of Norfolk Southern Train Crash Reports - Columbus Underground

Spilled drink: train derails beside Montana river, tipping out cases of beer

Raymond, Minnesota, train derailment: Cars carrying ethanol rupture and ignite. Now crews assess 3 more cars with highly flammable material | CNN

Union Pacific reopens Cima Subdivision after derailment of runaway iron ore train

Train derails in rural North Dakota and spills chemicals | AP News