The trouble is, is that the money earmarked for the people or programs never gets there because of the corrupt government that hoards the commodity to sell to their own people.
We use our money to buy friends and influence people which I think is wrong. We even send our out spoken enemies their welfare checks.
We've destroyed the foreign governments and installed our own puppets that are willing to give us unfettered use of their natural resources and drive their own people towards poverty wages to build our frippery. Decades ago, we justified it as curbing Communism. People in that business have admitted to it. Ugly but true. Read "Confessions of an Economic Hitman".
Environmental disasters happen: Ships run aground, trains derail and pipes break---poop happens! This world heals its self and it was designed that way by its CREATOR.
Natural disasters are far worse but now the distinction between natural and man made has been used as a political tool to change policy---for whom and why.
We, the people can demand responsible harvesting of resources where minor environmental spills can be monitored, contained and cleaned up responsibly.
Or we can have our multinational mining interests lobby for untested oil platforms with management that deliberately disable and override all their safeguards and unfortunately kill their workers in a giant fireball, dump unknown quantities of oil into the ocean, kill and deplete the native species that feed and inspire us, and force the government to deploy military planes to carpet bomb the ocean with the most cancer-causing chemical possible to conceal and make the oil blend into the ocean. This sounds unbelieveable, but this was the Deepwater Horizon and the coverup by BP. Just walking on the beach will make your skin blister and peel.
The Earth may eventually heal after we humans drive ourselves into extinction, but even then life will not look the way it did before we touched it. Species are gone forever. It's easier to live with that decision to irresponsibly drill if we never have to witness the aftermath in our backyard.
But do we resign ourselves to that course of action and say it's part of a natural or political cycle?
Would you make the plastic Tupperware perfect for SLAVE wages in a Chinese scooter plant? My Bad.
Sam, my friend, you may not have to enjoy Apple products, but hold one of their smartphones or laptops or tablets in your hand sometime. Their 'Tupperware' is quite perfect. People prize these things.
Please understand I am not looking down at you or your countrymen as dumb Americans with money. It can be tempting to paint ourselves in that corner when someone challenges our comfortable views and not have to deal with the fallout from our policy makers and powerful corporate interests. Some of your fellow citizens are actually quite brilliant and aware that the current path which the USA is on is unsustainable. The trick is feeling aware and empowered enough to take a stand and find other like minded people to lobby your governor. Because if we don't do it, big business is more than happy to step in and make their thoughts heard.
Such is the trouble of capitalism. We assume the invisible hand acts in the interest of the people for our best. In contrast, it acts to grow and consume at any cost. Overfishing is good for business, because when bluefin tuna get rare, those with money will pay a pretty penny to have it. Those without will do without and without and without, until there is nothing left to sustain us. Wait until it's a commodity like clean water that is in short supply in a first world former superpower.