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Might want to add booze to that list when thinking of the Exxon Valdiz
Obviously this Barton clown isnt thinking of the people directly affected by this oil disaster,seems he'd be happy if the payouts were tied up in the courts for the next 10 years,as for shakedown? the meeting seemed like an amicable agreement between the American gvmnt and BP.
That likely is what they want the american people to see. I'm sure obama and the democrats have been laying the hammer down on BP behind the scenes while BP is calling in favors to their cronies on the right. From having little control now, i wouldn't be surprised if barton was just a sacrificial lamb from the republicans to BP for him publicly making an ass out of himself.
Image control is just as important as money. It might actually be more important. It's in BP's best interest to be seen as compassionate towards the parties who have been and will be hurt by the spill.
Remember, they made the statement that they would "pay all legitimate claims" very early in this ordeal, long before anyone knew how bad it was going to get. Perhaps they regret that statement now, but how would it be in BP's interest to have said "We'll determine our degree of fault relative to all the others who are also at fault, and we'll pay damages commensurate to our degree of fault."
BP is a very greedy and dangerous company, but they aren't stupid.
I suspect BP does indeed regret they've been so willing to take full responsibility. They're backing away from taking full blame now! There's nothing wrong with showing compassion by contributing money to a fund to help with the cleanup and financially help people whose lives and businesses have been damaged BUT they should have done so equally with ALL others that may have played a part in this matter.
PS - If BP is a dangerous company that's even more reason why the MMS should have made damn sure that BP met all requirements...and shut them down if they didn't. However, it's been confirmed already that MMS DID NOT DO THEIR JOB. Does that mean that MMS is partly (or maybe even mostly) to blame? Almost certainly they are!!!
I don't really understand that argument, either. If conditions were too risky at that depth, BP had a responsibility to refrain from drilling altogether. Once they commenced drilling operations, they gave an implicit assurance that they knew what they were doing.
They did know what they were doing.. They had all of the proper safety equipment in place.. It just failed.. My thought on the matter is, why would you put safety equipment in place 5,000 feet below the ocean where you cant check it to see if it works from time to time?
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Originally Posted by tablemtn
For example, if the federal government tells me that I can't build a radio mast on a particular piece of land, but I can build it on several other areas, I'm still responsible if I choose to build it in a swamp, and it collapses. That's because no one "forced" me to build it in the first place; I chose to do so. And by doing so, I made an implicit assurance that I would build a sound structure. If I could not build a sound structure, I would have a responsibility not to put it up.
If the government tells me they will pay if my structure collapses because I didnt build on a sound structure, then the government needs to abide by their contract to be liable.. We are a nation of laws, thats the law.. I can disagree that the law is wrong, but that is the law and the law should be followed no matter how ridiculous it is..
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Originally Posted by tablemtn
The argument here seems to be that deepwater drilling simply cannot be made safe at all. But is that actually true? Or did BP's faulty approach cause the incident in the first place?
Deep water drilling isnt safe, its foolish to push oil wells out that far when there are much safer methods to drill closer to land to get the same oil.
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Originally Posted by tablemtn
It would be one thing if the US federal government had given BP a detailed drilling plan, and BP had followed it to the letter, and the well blew out. Going back to my radio mast example, it would be the same as if the government had both ordered me to build the structure, and then told me how to build it, and it fell down.
In a way, thats what happens.. BP had a permit to build in 500 feet deep water, granted by Louisiana. These permits and plans to build were then sent to the federal government, where the federal government said no, that the drilling must be moved in 5,000 feet deep water.. The permits are obtained to build PRIOR to building of a well, so yes, the government approved and co helped design a plan to extract the oil along with BP.. BP is holding up their moral obligation to help pay the damages, but they have no legal one..
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Originally Posted by tablemtn
But that isn't what happened here. BP intentionally chose to drill a well that it could just as easily have never drilled. And it drilled on its own terms, in terms of the approach used.
BP has a legal obligation to its shareholders to drill the oil that they spent vast sums of money to locate. They could be sued for NOT drilling..
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Originally Posted by tablemtn
I don't see how any of that would give rise to US government liability. Do you?
The ONLY thing that gives the government liability is the law.. if you uphold the values of the law then you must uphold the government liable..
I've looking through the live blogging on this - it is clear that the government doesn't understand big business. The CEO is not going to have technical answers to their "why" and "how" questions.
Stupak (D-MI) and Burgess (R-TX) got into it about having MMS their to answer questions also since the CEO is not able to give details.
When, where? I'm a Republican, I dont remember making such statements. Tell me again, are you making this up as you go along?
I remember endless criticism from the Republicans about Obama apologizing to someone....and today I see them support a Republican congressman publicly apologizing for US.
I remember endless criticism from the Republicans about Obama apologizing to someone....and today I see them support a Republican congressman publicly apologizing for US.
You have forgotten?
BP needs to be apologized to... They are under NO legal requirement to send $20B to Obama.. NONE.. If you can answer the question I've asked here before than I'll admit you are right, but if you cant, than indeed an apologize is called for.
UNDER WHAT LEGAL STANDING DOES THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAVE TO DEMAND BP ESCROW $20B?
That saddens me. Just like Limpberger, this idiot will stick around.
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Originally Posted by HappyTexan
IMO I think you're making the wrong assumptions of what the government is responsible for. The MMS exempted them and rubber stamped their shortcuts.
I've always hated the idea to let people who openly suggest that government can never do anything right, run and get elected to run that government. Somehow, they always find a way to prove their point. MMS is just a good example of that.
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Originally Posted by JPD
BP is a very greedy and dangerous company, but they aren't stupid.
I don't think anybody has claimed it to be stupid. In fact, they very well know plenty of idiots will stand up for them, including "legislators" like Joe Fart-uh-ton. He is busy lick-shining their boots, with an eye on political contributions form the company.
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