Heard of the malady termed “do-somethingism”? Certain elected officials are particularly susceptible, especially after a much-publicized disaster.
It works like this: See a problem. Look to do something, anything, in response. In other words — do something.
And to be sure, this certainly happens. But not every effort to fix what’s wrong is a simple case of do-somethingism.
Because there are times when lawmakers see a problem and look for ways to fix that problem. Which is a big part of their jobs. And so it is with a bipartisan group of senators — three Republicans and three Democrats — who are looking to make changes to the laws regarding the nation’s railroads after the Ohio train crash that spilled toxic chemicals in a small town in the northeastern part of the state.
Was this nothing? Of course not. But was it the greatest environmental disaster since Chernobyl? Obviously not.
What actually might make sense would be to make adjustments to the laws governing rail traffic across the land.
The proposed fix would impose new safety procedures for trains carrying toxic chemicals, would improve protection against wheel bearing failures, and would mandate two-person crews aboard all trains. Consider: Something went dramatically wrong in the East Palestine, Ohio, rail crash that sent toxic chemicals into the groundwater and streams and into the air above the area.
The smartest question to ask right now: Is there something that can be done to keep something similar from happening again? Probably. At least to a degree. Here’s another way of looking at it: Doing nothing clearly isn’t the answer.
The senators have proposed a fix that could go some way toward improving the situation. Would it make everything perfect? Of course not. But would it be likely to help, bettering a situation that is obviously in need of some improvements? Yes.
Sen. J.D. Vance, a Republican from Ohio, the state where the crash occurred, and Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, the state next door that had its air sullied by the plume of smoke from the burning chemicals, have teamed up on the bill that seeks to prevent a similar occurrence. Good for them.
Folks who don’t want the government to do much of anything will dismiss this as more do-somethingism. But it’s an honest effort to do some good where some real good is obviously needed.
— Tribune News Service
