Cornwall ON – There’s a lot of talk about the big BP Gulf Oil spill. It’s what this world is coming too, the protection of big corporations over people. Who has more clout with the government? If anyone ever wanted an answer to those type of questions all you have to do is look at the last several years.
People losing their homes; come the defense of banks! Car companies can’t make money; bail them out, but not do much for those that lose their jobs; homes; or hope.
Remember the Exxon Valdez? Do you think Exxon paid their fair share? Right now BP, because allegedly a penny pinching pound loss psychology and good government lobbying, are going to devastate the shores and waters of the US and Canadian Eastern Seaboard.
The impact of this will probably take generations to repair. You’re seeing a lot of stories in the news, and online, but the bottom line is this shouldn’t have happened and even cutting off a few heads won’t fix it.
It also shows the inter dependency of governments, and big corporations. I read one story lamenting the impact on certain pension plans if BP truly had to pay for the damage that they clearly have created.
Frankly; after this mess has been stopped, properly, the management team, especially those responsible for their niggardly behaviour, should be forced to resign.
BP should be held financially accountable and not be allowed to spend a generation or two appealing damages.
And new laws and regulations need to be put in place to avoid this from ever happening again, and finally if this disaster doesn’t tell you why we need cleaner options besides oil nothing ever will.
What’s really funny is the price of oil has taken a beating. The reason we were all gouged recently we were told were demand issues. I’m thinking it was more market manipulation and simply societally sticking it the little guy at a world level.
People need to take back control of their environments and that includes our governments, and what they should be there to do.
For more on this issue here’s great article by Bob Cesca that was in The Huffington Post.
Exxon almost entirely escaped financial damages from the Valdez. In fact, it spent most of the last 21 years appealing its financial liability related to the Prince William Sound disaster. Why?
Mitigating losses, and increasing revenues. There’s no reason or evidence to believe that BP will be any different, lest anyone think they’re in this to take full responsibility and do whatever it takes to repair the Gulf waters and its coastline.
Predictably, BP has lied or misrepresented the truth all along the way.
This article is a must read as I think it really spells out a lot of the situation, and why BP and companies like it need to be held fully accountable for this sort of mayhem.
What do you think Canada? You can post your comments below.
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I agree with everything in this article, but I think what a lot of people have forgotten is that 11 people died in the accident because the execs cut corners. Why is nobody talking about slapping manslaughter charges against upper management? BP is going to walk away with minimal consequences. These guys even helped get the Lockerbie bomber get out of jail. They are a bunch of crooks!
Yeah, if BP was assuming full responsibility, then the price of oil wouldn’t be going up now would it.. just another way to shaft it to the end user for their own mistakes..
Responsible business would proceed placing respect/care for people and our environment above profit. Honestly, I do not know how any responsible loving person or organization could live with themselves doing business in any other fashion. Their children, our children; have to live with the results of their actions.
From what I am led to believe, BP has spent over One-and-a-half Billion Dollars so far on the oil leak. It’s costing them nearly $30 Million per day in expenses. They seem to want to do the right thing if you listen to their CEO. It will be all cleaned-up and compensation will be paid for any losses. An accident is an accident and they’re taking care of business. The oil lost so far would be equal to the amount of oil that the USA uses in one day! Go figure.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/30/oil-spills-nigeria-niger-delta-shell
Ok, I admit I don’t know how to create a link. Please check out this story on the evil deeds of Shell and Exxon in Nigeria, where their pipes have been leaking oil into the Niger Delta for deaceades now. In some instances the leaks pump out as much oil every year as the BP leak has kicked out to date. However, since neither Americans nor Europeans are suffering, it goes practically unnoticed on the world front.
Check out this video. I think it says it all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY8dTM7vgbA