Big BP Mistake

[Cheaper2buyit]

crew I agree lets get all the help we can lets put the epa on task. lets all just look at wants to be done now. Ok so we hav 20 bill for the people hurt . we 100 mill for the oil workers & 50 for health problems. now we have bp saying they will pay to get it cleaned up. now we need to get as many countrys who know what they are doing to help right I think thats were we are now right.
ok somebody explain sen barton & the slush fund thing what do you think about that.

[KCJoe]

Originally Posted by lacrew_2000

I have not heard anybody defend BP here.

I wasn't referring to members here, but in general, those politicians who seem to be in the pocket of the oil industry.

While some fault the EPA over the actions they take, or prevent from taking place, would anyone find this to be a better alternative?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010...er-delta-shell

I think this is a example of just what the oil industry thinks of the environment and how little they care about the impact their operations have on "the little people".

[Cheaper2buyit]

who watch the hearing today. what do you think about it.
And the repub will put it to a vote next week to let in other countrys in to help. lets see if obama gets off his ass & speeds it up. see I am not a left or right man just don't like the blam blam thing.

[CuteOldGuy]

I didn't ask the government to clean this up. It's BP's problem, they should do it. But there are numerous federal laws that prevent BP from acting quickly and responsibly. All kinds of help was offered in the first week, but due to federal laws, BP couldn't take them up on their offers, so the government got in the way. Hey, you drill for oil, stuff is going to happen. The best thing to do is turn it over right away to people who know what they are doing. The government got in the way of that, so here we are. In almost every area except national defense, the government does its best work when it does nothing.

[Starry69]

Let's not forget that BP way low balled the estimates of the oil leaking out of the ground.

If they had been more accurate, whether it was intentional or not, things might have happened more quickly.

But that's something we can never know for sure.

[kcbigpapa]

Originally Posted by KCJoe

I wasn't referring to members here, but in general, those politicians who seem to be in the pocket of the oil industry.

Isn't that pretty much all of them?

[dirty dog]

Originally Posted by Starry69

Let's not forget that BP way low balled the estimates of the oil leaking out of the ground.

If they had been more accurate, whether it was intentional or not, things might have happened more quickly.

But that's something we can never know for sure.

Stary orginal quotes released by the Corp of Engineers and Thad Allen had numbers lower than BP.

Whether its 100 gallons or 100 million the government needs to get out of the way and let things take place.

[Longermonger]

Originally Posted by lacrew_2000

I have not heard anybody defend BP here.

Republican Congressman from Texas Joe Barton took to their defense in part recently. He Then tried to cover up his true colors later that same day.


BARTON: I'm speaking totally for myself, I'm not speaking for the Republican Party, I'm not speaking for anybody in the House of Representatives but myself. But I'm ashamed of what happened in the White House yesterday. I think it is a tragedy of the first proportion that a private corporation can be subjected to what I would characterize as a shakedown, in this case a $20 billion shakedown -- with the Attorney General of the United States who is legitimately conducting a criminal investigation and has every right to do so to protect the interests of the American people -- participating in what amounts to a $20 billion slush fund that is unprecedented in our nation's history, that's got no legal standing, which I think sets a terrible precedent for the future.

If I called you into my office, and I had the subcommittee chairman Mr. Stupak with me, who was legitimately conducting an oversight investigation on your company, and said if you put so many millions of dollars in a project in my congressional district, I could go to jail and should go to jail. Now, there is no question that British Petroleum owns this lease, that BP made decisions that objective people think compromise safety. There is no question that BP is liable for the damages. But we have a due process system where we go through hearings, in some cases court cases, litigation and determine what those damages are and when those damages should be paid.

So I'm only speaking for myself, I'm not speaking for anybody else, but I apologize, I do not want to live in a country where anytime a citizen or a corporation does something that is legitimately wrong is subject to some sort of political pressure that is again in my words amounts to a shakedown. So I apologize.

[john_galt]

The latest from today. Bobby Jindal had 16 barges in the delta sucking up pools of oil from the Mississippi. Tuesday all was well. Thursday morning he found that all 16 had been taken off their jobs by the Coast Guard so they could be inspected for life jackets!!!
This and the Jones Act are the total responsibility of the White House. When the earthquake hit San Fransisco in 1989 the governor suspended a number of regulations about work hours, safety, and the environment. Same with the midwest floods and Katrina (though you never heard about it). Why is Obama sitting on his hands instead of getting the job done? Could it be because he did not carry the south in the election? After all he did not help out in Kentucky (2 killer blizzards) and Tennessee (floods) and they did not vote for him either. Is that what it comes down to? Obama only helps those who voted for him??? Maybe the one congressman is right and Obama doesn't particularly care for half of his heritage. The white half.

[Longermonger]

Originally Posted by john_galt

Is that what it comes down to? Obama only helps those who voted for him??? Maybe the one congressman is right and Obama doesn't particularly care for half of his heritage. The white half.

quoting you so you can't delete your own words later when you sober up...

[dirty dog]

There are those that say he is allowing this crisis to get worse so he can use it as a means of pushing his cap and trade/climate change bill through and there are those who say he wants to let it get to the brink and then come rushing in to save the day. Of course these are the same folks who said Bush blew up the world trade center. Maybe Micheal Moore will do one of his movies about how Obama handled this mess, call it bowling for brown seaguls.

I think, that no matter what anyone does in an emerency management situation, someone is not happy, doesn't matter who the President is. Its just the way things are, I am not saying ur wrong JG but I am sure there is more to this story there always is. I am not confident myself in Thad Allen, I am not sure he is the kind of guy you need running things, I think he was put in charge for his ability to not say stupid things, but I am not sure he is an effective leader. The thing is now that all of our focus has been in the oil damage and is no longer on the oil leak itsself, what is BP going to do about the leak itself. If there going to drill a relief well then get started. Its obvious these stupid caps are only a temporary answer. Thats the key, you stop the leak, you stop the oil, then you worry about skimming it off.

[lacrew_2000]

Joe Barton was not defending BP...he was defending the rule of law. Lucy, let me 'splain it to you:

BP's stock value is now below book value...they are going down fast, and by all accounts there will be many billions in claims against them...much more will be claimed than will ever be available.

So how do you get in line for BP money, if you have been harmed?

Well, there is the good old fashioned way, known as our legal system.

And, there is the new-fashioned way of letting some politicized Czar dole out the money.

Either way, BP pays out...just this new way skips past pesky details like due process, equitable distribution, etc. On the plus side, people filing claims will get to experience the incredible efficiency of the federal government

Look at the stimulus watch web-sites...a disproportionate amount of ARRA moneys have gone to blue states, compared to red states. Remember when the gubment took over GM and Chrysler and closed all those dealerships....it turned out that all but a handful of the targeted dealerships were owned by GOP donors.

Call me skeptical, but I would much rather BP get dismantled by the courts...just a little bit afraid that the blue vs red distribution of BP money will easily be broken down by county in the future.

And what about the families of the 11 who died? In case you missed it, here is what happened:

1. AG Holder starts a criminal investigation over the deaths
2. Obama summons BP leadership to WH and says 'Hey, I have no legal authority to demand $20 billion, but I want it'...wink wink, nudge, nudge
3. After a 20 minute 'conversation', he gets the $20 Billion

Now, if I were a family member of one of those who died...I would be extremely suspicious. Are they still going to prosecute? Is holder going to go for the toughest charge he thinks will stick? Was an 'agreement' made to reduce to a lower charge?

Of course I'm just speculating...but that's exactly what happens when the system gets circumvented, and all transparency is lost (that silly legal process happens in the public square)

Anyway, just watch. There are people at BP who were criminally negligent. There is strong evidence that pressure test results were falsified. People died...and people should go to prison. We'll just see if they do.

...and for pointing that out, the messenger Barton has been blamed...as (sigh) expected.

[lacrew_2000]

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/bp-oil-spil...ry?id=10946379

Above is the story JG mentioned. The story is from ABC news...not exactly a right wing outfit. The barges were halted for almost 24 hrs, due to inspection for life jackets and fire extinguishers, and for some reason the CG needed to contact the barge owners for info.

Sure, life vest and fire extinguishers are important...but an attitude of urgency seems to be lacking. How bout the CG loads up a ship with extinguishers and vests...and bee-bops around the gulf handing them out...so the ships can continue with the mission? Instead, red tape ruled the day, and that one day was lost.

[Bartman1963]

WHAT? Joe Barton has been roundly dismissed for his words Monger quoted. In fact he was told by the Republican leadership to retract them or he would lose any ranking memberships he had. He also had to apologize for making them, which he did in a statement through John Boehner's office.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/201...-update1-.html

John Boehner made Barton do that because Obama's actions were wrong?

Do you actually want the families of the people in the Gulf region to have to wait for legal actions to be won? Against a multi-billion dollar international corporation? While they are collectively losing money into the millions each day?

Here is a link to what was agreed to and what the fund will be used for:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/...pill-claims-bp

Barton was fellating BP on the floor of congress. He got trampled for it. Good.

[BiggestBest]

Originally Posted by Bartman1963

Barton was fellating BP on the floor of congress. He got trampled for it. Good.

I assume you mean "filleting" not "fellatio". LOL