My take on what to do about PG&E

[diane in sf]

Time for the state to do a hostile takeover and turn PG&E into a user/worker co-op.
if the state doesn’t buy it, either the same crew will keep it, or another vulture capitalist like Singer will grab it. If vulturing happens, they’ll strip it of its assets, fire a lot of workers, can all the green programs, and raise the rates as they wish. Maintenance would also get worse.
It is unacceptable to have this level of murderous incompetence and greed threatening the people of this state and the regional powerhouse of the 5th largest economy in the world. Pakistan and India would be embarrassed by such a performance.
Let’s fire all the top executives, keep all the workers, and make the company and state as green as possible.
And oh yeah, shut down that stupid nuke plant sitting on a fault, prone to tsunamis, and planted where its poison crud would blow onto millions of people and where we grow a large part of our country’s food supply.
Sacramento and Los Angeles (among other places) have publicly owned power companies. And guess what? They cost less, have actual maintenance, and they’re not committing accidental arson all over the place every fall.

[diane in sf]

1. If you want to know more, check out Greg Palast, gregpalast.com

He’s been tracking utility fraud since before Enron. I’ve been reading his material since then. And tonight he gave a great interview on the PG&E situation during the evening news on KPFA. You can listen on Kpfa.org.

[alwaysinasnit]

2. Thanks for the tip. Palast is great.

[NBachers]

3. I think this is a great suggestion. They have lost any defense against being taken over by the state

They've turned into another continuing criminal enterprise, using public rights-of-way and socialized risk approaches to enrich themselves while jeopardizing the lives, property, resources, and safety of state residents.

That said, I also think there's an epidemic of arson being committed. Some may be by sick firebugs; some may be by sick republican California-hating domestic terrorists. "Burn the state down!"