Big BP Mistake

http://www.bp.com/sectiongenericarti...tentId=7062345

Above is the web-page to make a claim against BP. They have paid out many millions in claims already, for items ranging from lost work to clean up costs. As of yet, nobody has had to go to court....but the option would be there if a claim were in dispute.

Now, I'm not even sure why they still have the claim form on the web-site...if the money is now being handled by the government.

I'm not advocating making people wait...I'm actually skeptical that the model of efficiency known as the federal government will process the claims any faster than BP.

I know Barton got slapped down...politicians generally don't have much space between the lines to manuever in...before they get kicked out of the club (and party affiliation doesn't matter)...doesn't make what he said any less important or true.

Lets take a slide down the slippery slope, shall we.

Lets say we have a bad hurricane season, and the EPA comes to the conclusion that global warming is the culprit. In order to pay for the hurricanes, a $20 billion fund is set up. All of the coal power companies in the country are required by the executive branch of the federal government to pay a proportionate share of the $20 billion...which they of course will pass on to customers. Would that be right?

How about another one. A very wealthy man is discovered to be a serial killer. He is arrested and waiting trial. The mayor of his town visits him in jail, and convinces him to set up a $20 million fund for the relatives of the victims. A few weeks later, when the DA drops the 11 counts of murder to manslaughter...would you be suspicious....has justice been served?

And with all the hot, young, ambitous congressional staffers, I bet there has been some late night fellating on the floor of congress.
Bartman1963's Avatar
JG are you referring to the Merchant Marine Act of 1920?

If you are, then are you suggesting that Homeland security seek a cabotage waiver? Or are you suggesting that they seek a waiver of Seaman's rights? Please explain for us whichever one you are suggesting would be helpful at this time.

As to the disasters you mention I don't recall those being man-made, or there being a huge corporation that can be made to pay for them.

Did the Governors of the States you mention request that their states be declared Federal disaster areas? If so, then how many requests were made for Federal assistance in those disaster areas can be shown to have been decided on the basis of race? Isn't that against the law? What is the ratio of white to black voters that can show they were harmed by those disasters directly compared to who requested and further who received and who was denied federal aid?

Are you suggesting that the President asked for and received information to show who was black and who was white in these disaster areas so he could decide who got help? And by implication that said request for information has never been made public by his political enemies? Are not most of the fishermen and others dependent on the gulf for their way of life white too? Are they being screwed over because the President dislikes his white half?

I wish you would flesh out this part of your statement, because as it is, I can't see the evidence is there to agree with you.
Bartman1963's Avatar
LA, I just can't buy that something this big is going to set a precedent for the local DA, or even the EPA.

I think it was a President standing up for the people of the Gulf region, and an idiot on a committee in congress shot off his mouth about it and got pimp slapped by his own guys for being a dumb ass.
dirty dog's Avatar
No BB I think me meant that he was performing Fellatio on them.
dirty dog's Avatar
In response Bart I will add this, why Barton will be beaten up even by the Republican leadership, because well you know, votes. The essence of what he was saying is true, its not the Presidents job to make law. I also wonder with this administrations willingness to "make deals" if there will be any criminal legal action against BP, was that the price of the deal, we wont charge your ass of you give us 20 billion, kind of rings along the same lines as dont run in this election and we will give you a job in the white house.

I will sit back and wait and see how much of this 20 billion is wasted and how long it will take to see it doled out. I am willing to bet though, within 90 days we will be hearing people in that region screaming that they have not been paid. Well see, I hope I am wrong, but government is government and I have never seen anything handled by the government that is not riddled with abuse, theft, corruption and an operation that moves at the pace of a snail.

BY they way, anyone heard anything on the plan to seal the well, NOPE guess not, I guess thats not a story anymore.
dirty dog's Avatar
I dont think Bart that JG is saying it was based on race, rather political affiliation.
Let me ask a question. If BP had said 'no'. We will continue to pay claims as we have, and go to court over any disputed claims, but we will not set up a government controlled escrow account...

What would Obama do?

What could he do?

No legal authority to force the issue...

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he does have BP leadership by the nuts criminally...

maybe he could reword his demand...

you know...you scratch my back, I won't send your ass to prison...

good. Done deal.

Can you see how this looks bad? Can you see why the normal process would prevent this conflict?

Time will tell. Somebody at BP needs to be charged will 11 counts of manslaughter, if early testimony is true. Will they be charged? Will they be given max sentences? If they don't, there will always be $20 billion questions in the back of my head.
Cheaper2buyit's Avatar
since now every is so unhappy that those poor people in the gulf will at least get 20 bill. lets put it all together its 20 bill for losses it 100mill for out of work oil guys its 50 just to see what health & long term problems. AND REMEMBER THE 20BILL IS NOT CLEAN UP ITS LOSSES. Now who can be mad at that. who every would go to court for this crime is not only super rich but dosn't live in the usa all the time so he an't going to jail. IF YOU GOING TO BE MAD THEN SAY HAY OBAMA YOUR BITCH ASs SHOULD HAVE ASK FOR A 100 BILL. BUT to mad because he took it out of their hands & all their lawyers who don't want to pay & put it in someone hands who will pay is crazy. Ok if you to be mad because the clean up didn't start faster then thats fine. But if you ask the fishers which I know some then they want the money.
dirty dog's Avatar
since now every is so unhappy that those poor people in the gulf will at least get 20 bill. lets put it all together its 20 bill for losses it 100mill for out of work oil guys its 50 just to see what health & long term problems. AND REMEMBER THE 20BILL IS NOT CLEAN UP ITS LOSSES. Now who can be mad at that. who every would go to court for this crime is not only super rich but dosn't live in the usa all the time so he an't going to jail. IF YOU GOING TO BE MAD THEN SAY HAY OBAMA YOUR BITCH ASs SHOULD HAVE ASK FOR A 100 BILL. BUT to mad because he took it out of their hands & all their lawyers who don't want to pay & put it in someone hands who will pay is crazy. Ok if you to be mad because the clean up didn't start faster then thats fine. But if you ask the fishers which I know some then they want the money. Originally Posted by Cheaper2buyit

Is oil still pouring out of the ocean floor, if so then maybe we should be concentrating on forcing BP to deal with that instead of worrying about the money. I will buy a case of beer for every regular liberal on that participates here, if in 90 days or less we are not hearing stories of people who are still not getting their money.

Why worry about clean up if you still have not stopped the leak. Thats sort of worrying about what color your going to repaint the kitchen, while the fire is still roaring.
Bartman1963's Avatar
The President does have several other ways to "manage" BP in order to get what he wants. He doesn't have to give them an immunity from prosecution deal and I don't believe he would do that.

Permanent barring from drilling anywhere in the US is one action, and on executive order he can have the military shut down any BP rig in the open seas around the US that he deems a clear and present danger to the interests of the US. He can ask the justice department to get to work on declaring them a criminal enterprise and bar them from doing business in the US at all. I believe that these were the things the President used to get his way.

There are many options for the President to work with, and he doesn't have to sell out the people related to the ones who died, or give up on criminal prosecutions.

CEO's and board members are harder to convict than Mafia Don's. Too many layers between them and the people with their prints on the dirty work. And too much money for the best lawyers. That Swedish piece of work who met with the President will never face one day of jail time, and neither will the guy who just got "removed" from day to day operations regarding the disaster. And yes, that last one is the one that Barton was giving a rusty trombone to in committee the other day.

As to whether the governments plan works better... follow the link in my first post this thread, and I believe you will find that the plan is well thought out. And I certainly believe it will be quicker than court actions.
Bartman1963's Avatar
Seal the well? What well...lol
Bartman1963's Avatar
I did hear the other day that many oil rig experts think that when the blowout preventer failed they lost the well head and the well casing. Meaning they aint got a way to stop the oil until the relief well is finished. Hope that's wrong....
Cheaper2buyit's Avatar
liberal why the name calling I am no liberal or conservtive I am a common since happy person. With all the money we spend on weapons & the pentagon you would think that we would have something in area 51 or something to fix this mess. look even if its not plugged yet their are people out of work or have lost their biz & they can't wait for it to be plugged nor can they wait to talk to the bp who will nickle & dime them. Its a big problem & dosen't matter if its plugged now or 30 days from now the oil is there. shits going to be fucked up for years & years. But atleast they won't fuck those people. Wasn't the cap like 75 mill or something. unless you big brain people know how to stop the leak then be happy that bp is not just getting away with nothing.
john_galt's Avatar
Barton was not defending BP, he was defending the rule of law and the US Constitution.
http://www.breitbart.tv/sen-nelson-o...ral-authority/
Senator Nelson agrees; Obama does not have legal (constitutional) authority to do some of the things he is doing but Nelson still likes it. That was what Barton was calling attention to.

FYI I do not drink...
Cheaper2buyit's Avatar
Bill ol'rilley agrees with me he said obama should have gotten the money hell there is no law or consititutional thing of ma gig about making people pay when they mess with the usa.
barton a duose bag of the first degree first he sucked up to bp then backed down when the boys didn't have his back what a dumb punk.
Somebody please explain the 75 mill cap get me a link crew