Once upon a time I’d have thought that the losers in Gulf rationalization would now be spending their time positioning themselves for the coming calamity. Aside from the financial moves they might make, there would also be the social side. When you see that your neighbor is about to be set over you for all time, it tends to alter the social arrangement. After all, we know that those who toady up the first and most to their future lord have the best chance. We know that. It’s in our genes.

But instead the loser group has done the opposite, as evidenced by last Tuesday’s showdown. But it seems to me that, while it was the end-all display of anti-ratz sentiment to date, there was something missing.

The people were there with an unmistakable message but where were our two governments and our “taskforce”? Individual members testified on various topics on various days but I’ve yet to find any substantial official position.

I asked around and one person who attended most of the meetings laughed and said that our officials were into “spectator sports.” I may be wrong. Is it the duty of any of our local governmental agencies to support the interests of the community in this fight?

Tuesday’s showdown will soon be on KMXT’s Web site, but for those who will never hear it on that venue there is Laine Welch’s Mirror column of June 12, a collector’s item.

But here’s something interesting. Tuesday, according to NPFMC chair Stephanie (I’m proud of the work we’ve done on Crab Rats) Madsen, was “off the record.” Go figure. Tuesday’s tapes can be purchased at KMXT but I’ve yet to hear what Selby, Freed, or others said in other venues on other days.

One thing that I did hear though is that the NPFMC members left with a feeling that they’d weathered the worst of it, survived and could continue on as per plan. The people have to bring their governments up to speed. In an election year this process is sure to be interesting.