Readers know TPOL frequently points out stupid government tricks at all levels in all lands. But it is not only governments who are stupid. American societies (like the rest of the world) have our share of stupid people. As this commentary will again remind us all.

The meme is a simple one: it is really stupid to put gasoline in plastic bags. Really.  Really stupid.  At first glance, then you would think that it is really stupid for a government agency to TELL people it is really stupid to do that.  From Mercury News: CPSC warning: ‘Do not fill plastic bags with gasoline’  The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission on Wednesday warned Americans to not fill plastic bags with gasoline as fuel shortages worsened on the sixth day of a pipeline outage and consumers raced to secure supplies. “Do not fill plastic bags with gasoline” the agency said on Twitter, followed by “Use only containers approved for fuel.” The story goes on to explain: A ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline last week halted 2.5 million barrels per day of fuel shipments. On Wednesday, fuel shortages worsened in the southeastern United States, as gasoline stations ran out of supply in some cities. 

Actually, many stations ran out of fuel within HOURS last Friday, and even more over the weekend. But there is more: … the agency … also tweeted an acknowledgement that “when people get desperate they stop thinking clearly.” The agency asked consumers to tell people using a container not meant for fuel: “please let them know it’s dangerous.” Frankly, there are many, MANY people in the Fifty States (and the rest of the planet) who never STARTED thinking clearly.

Clearly a lot of them are in these states. (The friend who first told me about the gasoline baggies was certain this was happening in California, simply because she deals with Californians’ stupidity on a daily basis.)

So for once, a government agency demonstrated it is NOT as stupid as many individual Americans.  Sadly, as the old punchline reminds us, “… and they VOTE.” CPSC also pointed out that it does not mean to talk down to consumers. “Sometimes when we put out a safety message like this people use it as a way to look down on others. We ask that instead you use this as an opportunity to reflect on safety in your own life,” it tweeted.  Gee, maybe they DO need to talk down to stupid idiots who use plastic bags for carrying fuel around in.

Except… there ARE flexible, plastic bags that ARE designed and are safe (within limits) to carry gasoline around in.

And…

Except… it was government stupidity that created this in the first place:

… the woman and others are almost certainly products of government-run, tax-funded schools who teach all about how the correct pronoun is essential and the evils of white supremacy but NOT how to deal with flammable substances.

… the parents of these stupid people, again products of GRTF schools, let government fail in teaching fuel safety (along with math, reading, and real science).

… government failed to (a) come up with countermeasures for these hacks, while claiming it was “their responsibility” and so failed in its self-admitted responsibility to defend the States against enemies, whether private or public hackers.

And many more reasons, of course.

But remember, the stupidity of government, at least in large part, is the result of the stupidity of people who trust it and let government have power over us – power with no true accountability.

So, stupid people, or stupid government?  Both. And the problem is just getting worse. Much worse.