I'd go further: public ownership under the joint active control of the utility workers and consumers of every locale in California.
I could provide many more details, but at this point it is more important to grasp the political nature of the strategy. It is crucial to deny the technical or market gambit, to instead insist on the truth: that 'we' are being made war upon by a tiny oligarchy of capitalist energy suppliers and their right wing political supporters. They only make war, however, because they believe they can escape the political consequences, to which they know they are very vulnerable. So, escalate the political war.
That would require a political movement, of course. There are great risks, of course. But look at Grey Davis: it is a joke that Davis is talked about as "Presidential candidate material." To play devils' advocate for a moment: Someone in Davis' position who carried out a bold political counteroffensive could not only weather the impending summer crisis by declaring a state of siege and engineering a rationing system (not the pathetic 'conservation' efforts now currently employed for propaganda purposes - 'environmentalism' heavily utilized for reactionary purposes) as a public response to a clearly identified embargo on Californias' access to electricity - which is exactly what it is. Anyone who took such bold measures and won even a partial victory would be a shoo-in for President. And what the hell is Washington going to do - 'sanction' California like it sanctions Iraq? I'd love to see that one.
But don't expect that sort of boldness from grey, grey Davis and his deathly grey, pallid, lifeless Democratic Party. Such a fitting public persona for his Party. Like the French officer corps before the Nazi onslaught in 1940, they are only around to negotiate the surrender. Call it Vichy Sacramento. I understand your despair if you place any hope there. Right Nathan?
So once again we see the pressing need for an _independent_ "progressive" (another broadly loaded term to be dissected elsewhere) politics that seeks to build a mass base. Unfortunately, it is too late for the big crisis promised this summer, but if it really is that bad there will be plenty of fertile ground in the mass anger that follows in its wake. Especially in the middle of a recession.
After all, what do we have to lose (but our chains)?
-Brad Mayer Oakland, CA
>
> Hey, if I was Energy Czar, I'd cap the rates. But I'm
> not. I live in L.A. where power is stable and rates
> are cheap, you, from your tag, live in Oakland, where
> you are probably not so lucky. So what do we do?
>
> The State is hemorrhaging money, natural gas prices
> will undoubtedly spike upwards again the summer, we
> will have little hydro power coming from the Northwest,
> the QFs (qualifying facilities who produce alternative
> power) can now sell into the grid rather than being
> forced to sell to non-paying utils guaranteeing less
> power for the State.
>
> I don't have any answers. What do you think should be
> done?
>
>
>