Who pays for Oil Spill damages?

Well I dont think you will find anyone who does not think that BP should pay or will pay, I think most people are expressing that we will pay in the long run because there is some damage that will never be able to be compensated for monitarily. Its going to take 15 years for the fishing industry to recover in the gulf if in fact it does at all. Sure BP will pay for the loss in fishing for the short term, but there will not pay for it for the next 15 years, if we think they will were just fooling ourselves. No amount of money they make or spend is going to replace the eco systems destroyed. So yes the government will make a big stand to show their keeping their boot on the neck of BP. But in the long run we will pay for the bill for this as consumers like we always do.

Mikie that was a very well written and throughtful post.

I have to point out that BP and it's shareholders where not the only ones to profit from drilling. The government gets 13 cents from every gallon of gasoline versus about 6 cents of profit for the oil company. The government has done very well with every well.

I think rubbers are made from oil by products