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Be afraid of what is happening in the Gulf of Mexico, be very afraid. This dwarfs any environmental disaster mankind has ever created, and it is only getting worse.

Co-opting the planet for oil. Dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico swim beneath the oil slick, 05/06/10. (photo: Alex Brandon/AP)
Co-opting the planet for oil. Dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico swim beneath the oil slick, 05/06/10. (photo: Alex Brandon/AP)

 

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+13 # Guest 2010-05-12 16:38
Ain't it wonderful what GREED does?
 
 
+16 # Guest 2010-05-13 05:23
Fine BP and TransOcean ($100 million a day with a progression of $100 million more each day) each and watch how fast the leak stops.
 
 
+8 # Guest 2010-05-13 07:31
Quoting
Fine BP and TransOcean ($100 million a day with a progression of $100 million more each day) each and watch how fast the leak stops.


IT IS UNFIXABLE!

They have already spent more money trying to fix it that it would have cost to do the pre-preventive measures the regulations called for and were put aside as too costly.

If they pay up as BP has promised the hearings early this week they may go bankrupt with the decade long "cleanup" at the expense of the livelihoods of the Fishing industry, the vacation industry which is the lifeblood of the southern shores.

Until we demand regulations on these greedmeisters we are stuck with the Political whores working for the industrial Pimps that rule Washington DC and the Government in general.

Sleeping sheeple caused this debacle.

Wake up!
 
 
+2 # Guest 2010-05-14 09:18
Sounds like the perfect response since all these guys understand is money.
 
 
+13 # Guest 2010-05-13 06:39
the U.S.A. must nationalize the three things private enterprise cannot do without destroying them and U.S.A. with greed.
That is energy, transportation, and medical care !
 
 
+7 # Guest 2010-05-13 09:06
I agree with the addendum that "nationalize" be replaced with possible State agencies, especially in transportation. Also, I would add to that list: Banking. State banks would solve our fiscal crisis, and the Federal Reserve should be brought under the Treasury department. The only state with a budget in the black: North Dakota. Also the only state with a state bank.
 
 
+11 # Guest 2010-05-13 01:05
What an interesting calamity we have here. We really don't even know if we can stop this leak. We don't have a clue as to the long term consequences. We don't know if the gulf will ever recover. But big oil is still getting richer and will still do everything it can to lobby Washington against expanding biofuel by allowing it to ever meaningfully compete with them.

This tragedy is a symptom of something bigger...run amok corporate greed that doesn't give a damn about anything but the bottom line and will willingly risk the survival of the planet in order to make a buck.

If only the corporate personhood of the petroleum industry could be forced to pick up the tab but you know and I know whose going to pay for this in the end, right? On the bright (?) side, if corporate greed ultimately destroys us, no one is going to have to pick up the tab. Gee, what a deal.
 
 
+11 # Guest 2010-05-13 08:17
WE the people, the voters, have done much of this to ourselves. We fell for the big CON know as ''Less Government'' in the belief that WE would prosper if We went along with Reagan's view that 'Government (of Ourselves) IS the Problem' and that if We were to drastically shrink Government, we would find greater prosperity.
Instead, it was all about simple minded Deregulation Schemes to get Government off the backs of huge Corporations and sold to Americans as the pathway to liberty for all.
It worked. And worse, it Multiplied itself exponentially. As Corporations were relived of Regulatory and Tax Burdens, their new found wealth and freedom from oversight, responsibility and accountability gave them ever more wealth and power to throw around and move Government to further deregulate them. They were allowed to grow to the size of 'Too Big To Fail' and such power begets more power and greater wealth begets greater wealth and so.., the circle jerk continues. The Republic fades...
 
 
+8 # Guest 2010-05-13 03:15
You would think this would drive the point home how waiting for peak oil or to run out ain't the way to deal with an economy that is running on oil. Generations to come will ask, "What were they thinking?" and "What were shrimp?"
 
 
+9 # Guest 2010-05-13 03:35
WE NEED to relentlessly pound home the fact THAT WAY TOO MUCH OF CORPORATE INDUSTRIAL-FINANCIAL America is WAYY TOO UNDER-REGULATED. Some Corporate Entities are just too Big. Just a few Global Corporations own almost all the Media in America.

The latest on the oil spill is that it was caused by severe lack of Regulations.

Americans have to wake from their stupor. The last 30 years of Corporate CONservative efforts to bring us all Less Government of Ourselves through relentless Corporate DeRegulation Schemes has done nothing for 99% of Americans and everything to Dis-Empower Americans. We have given up control over both Our Country and Government to big flim flam called 'Less Government''... We have deregulated and de-taxed Ourselves out of power and Corporations into amazing wealth and into greater power and dominion over Us and Our Country.
It was all sold a Getting Government Off Our Backs (GGOOB)... but it was all a lie sold as the pathway to liberty and prosperity.
 
 
+10 # Guest 2010-05-13 04:11
And all this to harvest oil that will sustain the country for about 10 minutes!!!
And lo & behold, Cheney's cronies @ Halliburton are involoved!
 
 
+11 # Guest 2010-05-13 04:28
The Real Terrorists are
World Industries, The Banks, the Fossil Fuel producers, the Insurance companies and industry in general; far worse than the Islamist fundamentalists .

When morality comes back {if ever...certainly not in my lifetime} it could restore some semblance of integrity to the MilitaryComplex Governments we now have.

Sadly...don't count on it.
 
 
+1 # Guest 2010-05-13 19:44
J.Lindsley, I want to thank you for your insight. Indeed, we are manipulated to fear Islamic terrorists when in fact, the most stupendous terrorists reside right here and they wear Brooks Brother suits (or whatever these days).
Like someone throwing on a light switch in a very dark place, you reveal to me a profound truth for which I am greatful. In this day and age, it is the enemy within, not the enemy without, that we must fear.
This might explain the constantly gnawing sense that I have each and every time I pay a bill, fill up at the pump, make a retail purchase and read the newspaper, that I am in a constant state of somehow, in some sense being ripped off. It occurs to me now that being used and manipulated...in every commercial activity that I engage in, it's about how much the system, or someone, is going to be ripping me off.
This is not a nascent paranoia to me. No, in truth, our common good has nothing to do with anything. We are being pimped by the powerful always.
 
 
+13 # Guest 2010-05-13 04:46
This spill is going to cause $20 BILLION dollars in damage. A law should be passed requiring that those responsible pay all costs PLUS an additional 100% in fines. Those fines should then be used to build renewable energy infrastructure. In the present case, those $20B could be used to erect 20,000 wind turbines!

It's time we recognize that 'drill, baby, drill' really means 'spill, baby, spill'! Fossil-fuels are nothing more than self-inflicted domestic terrorism. Drilling is ANTI-AMERICAN!

Build big, beautiful, graceful wind turbines, not ugly disgusting oil rigs.

"SPIN, BABY, SPIN!"
 
 
+7 # Guest 2010-05-13 04:55
The federal government should have seized the site, and all of BP's assets in the US, and taken control. This is our country being destroyed, and it seems that all our President has managed to do is point fingers as well. Someone please wake him up to reality
 
 
+1 # Guest 2010-05-13 19:47
Quoting
The federal government should have seized the site, and all of BP's assets in the US, and taken control. This is our country being destroyed, and it seems that all our President has managed to do is point fingers as well. Someone please wake him up to reality


Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely!!! Every asset, every last penny of the corporations involved should be seized by the government and put to use solving this crisis immediately. Every corporate entity involved should be nationalized and put out of business permanently! They have most clearly proven that they are not capable of handling the responsibilitie s of their enterprise.

What more does it take to prove that these corporations cannot be trusted? And why not nationalize energy, period?!!
 
 
+9 # Guest 2010-05-13 07:29
Dear President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, Senator Reid and all our elected leaders,

We, the people, in order to maintain an imperfect but hopeful union, recognizing that the power of corporations have placed our health, our treasure and our country in grave danger, demand that the process to amend the Constitution of the United States begin immediately with the stated and sole purpose of requiring all elections for public office in these United States be publicly financed and that no special interest entity, including corporations can donate, pledge or provide any material support to any specific or collective public election. The sole purpose of this Constitutional Amendment is to return our government, its institutions and our democracy to the people so that public policy reflects the will of the people in the pursuit of the common good.

Do this now!
 
 
0 # Guest 2010-05-13 19:49
Bravo Mr. Uttaro!

Turn this into a petition for internet signature. It will go viral over night!
 
 
+2 # Guest 2010-05-14 06:28
Thanks, Mr. Fletcher. Any suggestions on how to get this started? We could use it as part of a three pronged attack. I also think we should begin in our cities and counties where small groups of us can have them pass resolutions. That could make the news and get picked up even by bigger cities. University students can advocate for the Administration to make the same resolutions calling for the amendment. Advice and suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
 
 
+1 # Guest 2010-05-14 12:26
I have never organized political action on a scale outside of myself. This is the problem with us little guys who have big ideas...it's hard to connect. In the end though, people like us are going to have to get on the ball. The task at hand is literally that of taking the government back and this does not have to be a partisan matter in the least.
The questions are simply these: What does it take for our government to become of, by and for the people? You propose a great solution and there are others. What about drafting an amendment that clarifies that the guiding principle of government be to serve the common good of everyone, that defines that the function of government must serve the greater good of all or must not impinge on this and must be the litmus test all final legislation must pass?

Extremely idealistic to be sure, but so was Jefferson. You and I and others of like mind need to network. How? Help me here. I'm ready to commit.
 
 
+5 # Adoregon 2010-05-13 08:11
Liability for making the area whole again is the crux.

If BP or any of the other oil corps are not prepared, both technically and financially, for fuck-ups as the result of what they do for profit, then they must not be allowed to drill for oil anywhere.

Perhaps the oil corps need to be required by law to create a "fuck-up fund" into which they all contribute before any more drilling goes forward.

Given how the "Gusher in the Gulf" is shaping up, I'd say 500 billion to 1 trillion $US is a good place to start.
 
 
+1 # Guest 2010-05-13 08:48
One big bomb over the leak would shut it off. That's the way Russia takes care of it's leaks on the gas fields. That's the way we put out the fires in Iraq when the oil wells were burning. Why isn't this being considered?
 
 
+3 # Guest 2010-05-13 17:31
Quoting
One big bomb over the leak would shut it off. That's the way Russia takes care of it's leaks on the gas fields. That's the way we put out the fires in Iraq when the oil wells were burning. Why isn't this being considered?


The explosions are used to put out fires on land rigs like blowing out a candle. Then the well is capped. The explosion doesn't seal the well. This isn't a fire and it's a mile deep underwater. The "bomb" would make things worse - increasing the flow.
 
 
+1 # Guest 2010-05-13 08:50
Blow the hole shut with a bomb. It's done all the time.
 
 
+5 # Guest 2010-05-13 09:05
Robert Uttaro has a good idea, but we need more than a ban on corporate money & power in elections. Without a free press, which, as someone has observed, is only free if you own the press, we will not have the information freely available for people to make good choices. This means something more than NPR & PBS, which serve only the establishment point of view & are nearly as limited as the frankly corporate-owned media. The internet is a good first step toward freedom, but we need a great variety of information channels that are publicly-funded.
 
 
+6 # Guest 2010-05-13 09:23
Corporate greed is our worst enemy... terrorists can retire, we've done it all ourselves...
 
 
+7 # Guest 2010-05-13 09:30
And to think we did it all ourselves, by allowing corporate greed to run the country and lobby for deregulation ---a marriage made in hell, till death do us in!
Greed is our worst enemy, and terrorists can now retire.
Sad sad sad...
 
 
+2 # Guest 2010-05-13 11:42
A new collapse off of Venezuela:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100513/ap_on_bi_ge/lt_venezuela_gas_platform
 
 
+2 # Guest 2010-05-13 15:39
I was in the mood to count and see what Hailey Barbour is up to (in the Governor's Office, not his weight). He has issued a total of 8 press releases so far in May 2010,and 7 of them are related to requests for FEDERAL assistance to help with damage from a recent storm and from the Big Oil Calamity. This morning on NPR the same Mississippi Governor was interviewed and came off as an apologist for the oil industry, declaring that his state has not been impacted by "the spill," Mississippi is "fully open for business," and essentially there is too much hype about the impact on his beloved state. Taking Federal money with the left hand and pointing to some open hotels on the gulf with his right hand. Freaking pathetic hypocrite. Maybe The Feds should just cram Hailey Barbour into the blow out and plug it up nice and snug. I apologize for the ad hominen attacks, but it just feels good.
 
 
+3 # Guest 2010-05-13 18:18
Well,well,well.We reap what we sow.The Dick Cheney,Hallibur ton and big oil all met behind closed doors to establish enregy policy. The decision was made that acoustic shut offs for the 30000 oil rigs in the Gulf were not needed,too expensive.Thanks Dick. The name fits.
 

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