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After Two Repeated Court Losses, Obama To Issue New And Improved Offshore Drilling Moratorium

Tyler Durden's picture




 

The jostling between the executive and the legislative branch continues. After a court of appeals denied Ken Salazar and the Obama administration their request to overturn the previous repeal of the offshore drilling ban, AP now reports that Obama is about to issue a "new revised" moratorium on deepwater drilling. In other words, when courts refuse to deal with being strongarmed, the government will just pummel them with new decrees until they relent. We suggest Obama just escalates the issue to the SCOTUS and get his prearranged favorable ruling already.

From the AP:

The Obama administration will issue a new revised moratorium on offshore drilling Monday.

Two administration officials have told The Associated Press of the plans. Both requested anonymity so as not to pre-empt the official announcement.

Last week, a federal appeals court rejected the government's effort to restore its initial offshore deepwater drilling moratorium, which halted the approval of any new permits for deepwater projects and suspended drilling on 33 exploratory wells. It was first rejected last month by U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said at the time that he would issued a new, refined moratorium.

The administration says it wants to ensure that deepwater drilling is safe.

 

 

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Mon, 07/12/2010 - 13:52 | 464565 Johnny Bravo
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And after that, Obama can sue Arizona for enforcing Federal law!

I'm sure glad we got change in 2008!

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 13:55 | 464574 Sudden Debt
Sudden Debt's picture

I wonder what his new slogan will be for 2012...

NO, WE DIDN'T DO IT!!

 

Maybe I should put a patent on it...

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 13:57 | 464579 Johnny Bravo
Johnny Bravo's picture

Maybe his slogan could be "Hey, at least I'm not Palin."

That's about the only thing that can make him look favorable...

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:09 | 464608 Pegasus Muse
Pegasus Muse's picture

no.  actually it's just the reverse.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:23 | 464643 NOTW777
NOTW777's picture

yeah, God forbid we should have someone with brains and integrity.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:25 | 464651 Johnny Bravo
Johnny Bravo's picture

That seems to be the Republican mantra for electing leaders.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:52 | 464706 Sqworl
Sqworl's picture

Were the one's were still waiting for!!!

Tue, 07/13/2010 - 01:27 | 465804 Real Estate Geek
Real Estate Geek's picture

You think Palin is intelligent?  Compared to what?

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 15:30 | 464804 lesterbegood
lesterbegood's picture

"Change you wanted to believe in."

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:01 | 464589 Mad Max
Mad Max's picture

The 2012 slogan will be "It doesn't matter who you vote for, the banks will continue running everything anyway, so re-elect me to reinforce your shallow self-image of being worldly and unbiased."

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:53 | 464711 Sqworl
Sqworl's picture

The Nazi's said that about the banks, but they called them Jew's instead!!!

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 15:05 | 464739 JR
JR's picture

Or Stalin's: "It's not who votes that counts. It's who counts the votes." 

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:32 | 464664 homersimpson
homersimpson's picture

Well, the federal deficit sure changed.. with only a few ticks up in the unemployment numbers to show for it..

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 13:53 | 464566 Sudden Debt
Sudden Debt's picture

what do they say again after 3 strikes?.... HE'S OUT!!

 

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 13:58 | 464580 Johnny Bravo
Johnny Bravo's picture

junk DEEZ, bitchez!

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:13 | 464620 tmosley
tmosley's picture

You've made a lot of enemies, JB.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:24 | 464646 Johnny Bravo
Johnny Bravo's picture

So what?

Now I have to "watch over my shoulder" as people that made "stupid investment decisions" hate on my because I was right?

I should consider the junks a badge of honor, coming from people with their heads so far up their asses that they can see out their mouths...

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:26 | 464653 Johnny Bravo
Johnny Bravo's picture

Translation: You can junk me all you want, but it won't bring back all the money you pissed away buying gold at its peak.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:35 | 464671 Internet Tough Guy
Internet Tough Guy's picture

You should have stuck with being a mailman, John boy.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:54 | 464715 Sqworl
Sqworl's picture

At least he would have a pension and learn to speak Chinese!

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 16:07 | 464901 tmosley
tmosley's picture

Being widely hated for being a troll is a badge of honor?

This is why no-one likes you.  You callously disregard other people.

And how were you right again?  I thought gold was supposed to be $700?

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 13:53 | 464570 MayIMommaDogFac...
MayIMommaDogFace2theBananaPatch's picture

It never ceases to achieve a higher level of surreality.

Maybe Obama and Roberts could arm-wrestle over the issue?  Just a thought.

(I'm taking credit if they actually do it...:)

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:01 | 464590 Ms. Erable
Ms. Erable's picture

I'm waiting to read the headline that one of the "conservative" Supremes returned from his hunting trip with Cheney in a bodybag.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 13:59 | 464585 Mad Max
Mad Max's picture

We also suggest that Obummer resign, along with a prearranged resignation of Biden and every other submoronic idiot in his cabal, in the hopes that we might get someone at least moderately useful and having at least a tiny sliver of honesty and courage.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:56 | 464722 Porkbellytrader
Porkbellytrader's picture

Now, if that happnened Nancy Pelosi would be in charge.  Obama or Pelosi?

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 15:28 | 464799 Mad Max
Mad Max's picture

I have nearly 100% confidence that there would be a military coup of Pelosi got anywhere near the White House.

Also, starting January, it may not be Pelosi in that role any more.  (Not that the Fingerlicans' choice will necessarily be any better.  Less ugly, certainly.)

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 15:54 | 464870 Clayton Bigsby
Clayton Bigsby's picture

True dat shit.  I'd rather get butt-fucked by Shaq than have Pelousy in the White House

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:02 | 464593 fsudirectory
fsudirectory's picture

Wow, it's just so wrong to reissue a moratorium that will allow some time to adjust regulations to better protect our shores and ocean, effectively circumventing a ruling from a judge who has owned a considerable share of Oil companies up until the days before his most recent judgment.

 

What a *-ist this guy is (insert your preference, Mao, Commun-, etc)

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:17 | 464628 delacroix
delacroix's picture

a considerable share?  what he owned, was peanuts, and he lost any potential benefit, when he sold. if you have a 401k, or a pension,   then you too own oil stocks. do your homework, before you come to class.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:30 | 464660 CrockettAlmanac.com
CrockettAlmanac.com's picture

fsu,

 

Let me understand this.... are you saying that people occupying powerful positions in government are corrupt and therefore we must make a greater effort to rely on the decrees of big government?

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:34 | 464669 fsudirectory
fsudirectory's picture

No, I'm saying there are some common sense things that should be done when a disaster occurs, especially one of this size, such as determining the cause, potential remedies and additional proactive measures needed before attempting to continue said risky activity.

Who else besides the Fed's can achieve that?

Also, this isn't a perm ban, so wtf is the problem here? Would ou prefer another rig blow up?

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:49 | 464702 CrockettAlmanac.com
CrockettAlmanac.com's picture

Who else besides the Fed's can achieve that?

 

Anyone other than the Feds would have a much better chance of acheiving that. Who told BP to drill where they drilled? Who told BP to maintain no more than a 75 million dollar account for liability in this venture? Who regulated the operation from its inception to this very day?

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 16:18 | 464954 fsudirectory
fsudirectory's picture

so hinge on one line and ignore the rest of my comment, great tactics.

 

No one told BP where to drill, BP asked and they said OK, and if they didn't, they would go to Nigeria.

No one told BP they couldnt maintain additional insurance.

Regulation from an entity that Cheney co-opted in private meetings is a futile argument in my book, BP should have been responsible enough, acting in their self interest, to prevent this and appropriately plan for a disaster.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 16:23 | 464967 CrockettAlmanac.com
CrockettAlmanac.com's picture

so hinge on one line and ignore the rest of my comment, great tactics.

OK, here's another:

You said: Also, this isn't a perm ban, so wtf is the problem here? Would ou prefer another rig blow up?

 

Tell me why you don't support a permanet ban. Do YOU want another rig to blow up?

 

See, that's the problem with strawmen, they are easily uprooted and set against you.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 16:31 | 465000 fsudirectory
fsudirectory's picture

1) Lets start with a response to BP having responsibility and not relying upon the GVT, since you can't seem to answer that one.

2) I do not support a PERM ban, I support a review of the situation and remediation efforts being put in place prior to continuing.

Could you really argue that a rig has just as much of a chance of blowing up if a review is performed or not? For example, with it known that many companies BS'd their BOP reviews and there were high failure rates, if they then revisit these BOPs and fixed them during this moratorium, would it not reduce an obvious risk?

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 16:50 | 465058 CrockettAlmanac.com
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Do you not recognize that there is a human cost to an increase in oil prices which would accompany a drilling moratorium?

 

Of course it's possible that shutting down all energy production and having some government experts (who always get things right) look things over might reduce the chance of a future accident by some degree. That is possible.

 

But it is a certainty that with every increase in the price of fuel more people will go hungry and homeless and jobless. That's a fact.

 

The 7 billion people on this planet can only be fed because we use 9 calories of fossil fuel energy for each calorie of food we produce. Any reduction in energy production costs lives. I trust neither you nor Obama to be the one to say who will live and who will die.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 17:31 | 465126 fsudirectory
fsudirectory's picture

So you are telling me that you prefer the loss of 100000's of jobs, leading to homelessness and poverty, by allowing companies to drill unabated?

Please tell me how Exxon Valdez worked for those fisherman, oh wait, they are still trying to get paid 20 years later.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 18:09 | 465204 CrockettAlmanac.com
CrockettAlmanac.com's picture

How many times are you going to imply that I am unsympathetic because I don't want to reward the people responsible for the disaster -- the corporations and the government?

 

Maybe you're right. Let's give more power to government and corporations via regulation and then when more folks are hurt at least we can feel good about making a big mistake in good faith.

 

Unbelievable. Stop supporting the criminals already.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 15:01 | 464732 gringo28
gringo28's picture

i gather you went to FSU. the moratorium is stupid for several reasons but namely since it has been junked by the court twice, lacks popularity and yet they continue to harp on it - makes it moronic to continue on this path. the short answer is 'no'. you don't shut down an entire industry when the problem is isolated and known. idiot's delight fail to realize the chain reaction this is going to have on oil prices. but then again, we are dealing with a wannabe Rooseveltian who most likely plans on freezing energy prices if things don't go his way.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 15:06 | 464740 CrockettAlmanac.com
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a wannabe Rooseveltian

 

Well, America does seem to be in a state of infantile paralysis these days....

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 21:15 | 465540 TexasAggie
TexasAggie's picture

So drill rigs that rent for what, $2Million per day are going to sit around for 6 months while people that know nothing from Harvard - remember - these smart people all went to Ivy League schools - and say that drilling shouldn't resume because we cannot guarantee that another accident will not occur.

PO had 18 months in office and he replaced the previos head of m & M of DoI with his own choice.  So if the other rigs leave to go to South America and drill for Petrobas - guess who is happy - George Soros - BO's buddy. Remember, the US Government has guaranteed $2B of loans for Petrobas to develope the deep water field.  How much did George Soros spend to not re-elect George bush in 2004 and how much to elect BO in 2008.  Never mind, it will not affect BO's decision. If you believe that, I have ocean front property in AZ to see you. 

In your line of work, how many accidents occur. So you want Fed regualtions to prevent all accidents in your line of work. If you want that, you will join the 8 million unemployed tomorrow.

 

Also, when gasoline goes to $5.00 in Oct, PO will want to nationalize the petroleum industry because they aren't sell gasoline at a loss. PO is not happy - he got his Obamacare and what happened, ins rates are going up.

Where do I send my increased fuel cost because you supported Hope and Change?

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:35 | 464672 The Professor
The Professor's picture

It's about checks and balances between branches of government. You see, while we are rapidly headed toward a banana republic, we actually don't have a king just yet.

Thank goodness we have the enlightenment of people like you and Obama to steer us beyond those pesky and outdated Constitutional hurdles.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:43 | 464691 fsudirectory
fsudirectory's picture

Yes, no Administration.... EVER, D or R, has ever challenged a ruling and/or adjusted what was needed to get what they want.

The same way corporations and wealthy individuals never challenge a law over and over again to get what they want.

I hope your safe house has a lot of water and food.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:54 | 464714 CrockettAlmanac.com
CrockettAlmanac.com's picture

Yes, no Administration.... EVER, D or R, has ever challenged a ruling and/or adjusted what was needed to get what they want.

 

If you follow that argument to its logical conclusion all misdeeds become acceptable: Lying is OK because he did it. Stealing is OK because she did it. Murder is OK because they did it.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 15:01 | 464733 koaj
koaj's picture

If you follow that argument to its logical conclusion

------------

do this with progressive libtards and their heads will explode

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 15:30 | 464806 fsudirectory
fsudirectory's picture

I'll respond to you, the guy under you is pointless.

You can take any argument to 'logical conclusion' its just a matter of whose making it up, seeing as Glenn Beck can come up with a logical conclusion to anything if he has enough chalk.

I guess I just dont see the evil in challenging a ruling that will help to keep the shores of my state free of oil. Wade, LeBron and Bosh aren't going to counteract oil covering the coast of FL, but maybe some additional regulation will.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 15:48 | 464851 CrockettAlmanac.com
CrockettAlmanac.com's picture

a ruling that will help to keep the shores of my state free of oil

 

That's the problem with the statist point of view. You seem to believe that government officials tell the truth about their motives and that they have the power, ability and intention to do the right thing.

 

Do you really believe that if Obama gets his moratorium there will never be an oil spill which effects Florida? You certainly seem to be leaning that way in your post: "a ruling that will help to keep the shores of my state free of oil."

 

Tell me this, why haven't the millions of pages of existing government regulation been sufficient to keep the shores of Florida free of oil? What makes you think that just a little more regulation will cure problems that all previous regulation actually exacerbated?

 

Look at the track record of government. War on drugs increases drug crimes, war on terrorism increases terrorism, ownership society leads to housing crash and foreclosures. If you care about your beaches you should demand that the government stay as far away from them as possible.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 16:01 | 464889 fsudirectory
fsudirectory's picture

The enforcement of the current regulation has been extremely lax due to some regulatory capture (Cheney's private meetings) and obviously failed.

 

The moratorium will not absolutely prevent a future oil spill, but could help to determine the causes of this one so it doesnt happen again, say, in a few months. If it is able to be proven that no other rigs suffer from the same pitfalls this one did, including operating procedures and contingency plans, then fine, no moratorium. If you cant, well fuck it, wait 6 months and fix your shit up so the fucking rig doesnt blow.

I really don't get the big deal here.

I don't think every gvt action is good, who could? But, holding drilling to find the problems and fix them? Gimme a fucking break. You dont have to always be on full blast CT every moment of your life.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 16:54 | 465067 CrockettAlmanac.com
CrockettAlmanac.com's picture

Why the fascination with Cheney?

 

Until you get past the flaw in your thinking constituted by the false dichotomy of right vs left you'll contine along the wrong track.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 17:02 | 465085 fsudirectory
fsudirectory's picture

please respond to substance, you can respond to minor criticisms in the same post btw.

Cheney is known to have met with oil industry behind doors to redraw the regs, since you know, his stint at Haliburton probably played no role in that.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 17:10 | 465096 CrockettAlmanac.com
CrockettAlmanac.com's picture

since you know, his stint at Haliburton probably played no role in that.

 

Thanks for proving my point.

 

Government regulation exists for the benefit of its big cronies. Therefore your insistence on more regulation makes no sense whatsoever.

 

And now I'm off to fix a couple of nice juicy Buffalo burgers. Tasty and organic, too!

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 17:24 | 465117 fsudirectory
fsudirectory's picture

It's got 0 to do with L vs R, it's what some dude did.

If Obama jerked off the industry to eliminate regulation, id say the same thing. You are stuck in this false dichotomy, as I never once referred to a party, i referred to an individual who did something that lead to this.

However, you have yet to be able to respond with anything other than blaming government for an action a company could have still prevented by being proactive, rather than reactive. No one says regulations are a ceiling, and it's BPs fault for treating them as such, leaving them where they are.

Enjoy dinner

 

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 18:18 | 465219 CrockettAlmanac.com
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Obama biggest recipient of BP cash

BP and its employees have given more than $3.5 million to federal candidates over the past 20 years, with the largest chunk of their money going to Obama, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Donations come from a mix of employees and the company’s political action committees — $2.89 million flowed to campaigns from BP-related PACs and about $638,000 came from individuals.

 

On top of that, the oil giant has spent millions each year on lobbying — including $15.9 million last year alone — as it has tried to influence energy policy.

 

During his time in the Senate and while running for president, Obama received a total of $77,051 from the oil giant and is the top recipient of BP PAC and individual money over the past 20 years, according to financial disclosure records.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0510/36783.html#ixzz0tVcX6oNT

 

 

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 21:08 | 465533 StychoKiller
StychoKiller's picture

Nixon:  "It's NOT illegal if the President does it."

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 15:03 | 464735 gringo28
gringo28's picture

it's Bush's fault! it's Bush's fault! waaaaa waaaaa

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 15:10 | 464751 fsudirectory
fsudirectory's picture

Actually, I was referring to every single administration in History.

 

you can play again later

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 15:17 | 464769 CrockettAlmanac.com
CrockettAlmanac.com's picture

I think I'll play again now.

 

Are you saying that Obama is as corrupt as any other administration and that's why you support him on this issue?

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:06 | 464598 digalert
digalert's picture

We had a space shuttle blow up, therefore all space exploration should be halted. Obama is an idiot.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:16 | 464626 tmosley
tmosley's picture

More like, we had some E.coli tainted produce, so lets ban all farming in the US.

Remember, he isn't talking about shutting down a government program, like NASA, but a PRIVATE industry.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 16:32 | 465001 hedgeless_horseman
hedgeless_horseman's picture

Or like, we had a politician from Chicago that is crooked, therefore arrest all Chicago politicians, for the good of the country.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 21:05 | 465523 MsCreant
MsCreant's picture

And this is a problem, why?

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 21:09 | 465535 StychoKiller
StychoKiller's picture

Finally!  A change I could believe in!!

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:18 | 464630 fsudirectory
fsudirectory's picture

So are you saying they didn't pause missions and examine what went wrong and what to fix before trying to launch again?

Oh wait, they did.Thats what you do when you fuck up, you examine, and correct, not go back to doing what you did in hopes that it doesn't happen again.

You absolutists are such fucking idiots, it boggles me how you could even complete the captcha

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:34 | 464668 nonclaim
nonclaim's picture

Of the ongoing/planned deep water drilling, how many have the same risk as the faulted one? Really now many, and why not stop only those? All others use the same old tried and true technology.

Obama bowed to the Saudi, remember? Maybe higher oil prices would please his master...

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:40 | 464685 fsudirectory
fsudirectory's picture

If you can defend the oil companies right to drill in deep water when their contingency plans were nearly identical and included clean up plans for wildlife that doesn't currently exist, and hasnt for a few million years, as a way to negate the need for government involvement, and now, even conspiracy with the Saudi's (which the Bush family was owned by), then I really can't help you dude.

Everything is tried and trued, until it isn't, which is why regulations are in place.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:55 | 464720 nonclaim
nonclaim's picture

I made a mistake on my post and have to amend:

Of the ongoing/planned [scrap: deep water] offshore drilling, how many have the same risk as the faulted [deep water] one? Really now many, and why not stop only those? All others use the same old tried and true technology.

Regarding the space mission, only the failed equipment was held back, all other were kept on schedule... In one thing you are right:

You absolutists are such fucking idiots, it boggles me how you could even complete the captcha

---

BTW, sidestepping the Obama bow reference with a bush whack does not make it go away.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 15:23 | 464789 fsudirectory
fsudirectory's picture

So if I were to follow this line of logic above:

Regarding the space mission, only the failed equipment was held back, all other were kept on schedule

The blow out preventers on all of the rigs in the Gulf right now should be reexamined and drilling haulted until the review is completed, seeing as that was the failed piece of equipment, right?

ps: You never responded to if you actually trust a company that doesn't have applicable and detailed contingency plans to continue doing what they were doing, w/o any review.

And the Obama bow is a stupid wack compared to Bush's fam who actually does profit off the Saudi family. Bow vs Independence Conflict, whats worse, Bush holding the Kings hand?

 

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 15:03 | 464734 CrockettAlmanac.com
CrockettAlmanac.com's picture

(which the Bush family was owned by), then I really can't help you dude.

 

Obama has and is sucking up cash from BP, Goldman, etc. If you can't see that there isn't a dime's worth of difference between Bush and Obama then there is no help for you.

 

The government's regulations always fail because they can not anticipate the actions of 300 million individual Americans and 7 billion individuals inhabiting the globe. Governments attempt to stop free markets from exercising their natural ability to regulate human interaction. Government destroys true regulation when it attempts to limit the freedom of individuals to make the best possible lives for themselves.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 15:17 | 464771 fsudirectory
fsudirectory's picture

While in some respects there are some striking similarities between the administrations, it is apparent that "true regulation" didnt exist as BP had little to no regulations to contend with on their deep water rig and they didn't take the needed measures.

Apparently the 'adverse effect' of the rig exploding was not enough for them to determine that additional safety precautions were needed.

That's where this 100% free market no regulation argument fails plain and clear, with an Ocean full of oil.

Also, you cannot argue the lack of the enforcement of the regulations standing was the reason the company decided to be lackluster with their precautions, as that still would be adverse to the free market principles, since that should still lead to BP to being proactive, regardless of regulatory agency efficacy, to prevent a disaster since that would be acting in their best interest.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 15:58 | 464878 CrockettAlmanac.com
CrockettAlmanac.com's picture

The BP spill did not occur within a free market. No one owns the ocean, it is in the stewardship of the government. If individuals such as fishermen, tour operators, etc. owned the ocean in the same way that they can own a piece of land then they would not have permitted a risky oil well to be drilled on their property.

 

But the government stewards DID allow it. No free market there.

 

The government told BP to hold no more than $75 million on account for liability in this venture. In a free market, BP would have had to purchase insurance based on actuarial accounting, not political dealsmanship. No free market there.

 

If you are going to continue to blame the free market (which actually means that all individuals should have the freedom to make their own choices and the reasonsibilty to make amends for their own errors) please give some concrete examples of how the free market caused this oil leak.

 

Thank you.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 16:16 | 464944 fsudirectory
fsudirectory's picture

Neither the Free Market nor the lack of reasonable regulatory enforcement are RESPONSIBLE for this oil spill and is a useless argument when who is responsible, BP, is at fault. They are a company of grownups. They know what they did and didnt do that caused this.

The fact the Goverment gave them a floor (some 20+ years ago) does not prevent them from having additional money on hand to account for potential liability if they determined that the well was riskier than the government felt it was. Additionally, many signs in this case point to negligence, which is exempt from that cap.

Why are companies only expected to maintain a baseline level of precautions vs going above and  beyond what is mandated, as to be better than the standards? We have come to a place in our country that we feel every rule has a grey area that can be played in, instead of trying to exceed.

Personally, I'm with you, there shouldn't be a liability cap at all, however, the inclusion of one shouldn't prevent BP from being a good player (which they have made overtures at being with the $20b fund)

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 16:31 | 464999 CrockettAlmanac.com
CrockettAlmanac.com's picture

So, you think it's an accident that the government's regulatory failures have played into the hands of BP?

 

That was the plan all along. Big government exists solely to benefit its big cronies. Individuals like you and me are not part of the equation. The rules set down by the rich and powerful will always benefit the rich and powerful. I'm amazed that some folks still don't understand that simple point.

 

Free markets and individual sovereignty form the only possible bulwark against problems like the Horizon disaster.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 16:35 | 465015 fsudirectory
fsudirectory's picture

They obviously played into the hands of BP, that's why Cheney met with them in private to come up with the rules of the game.

But, does it prevent BP from taking additional precautions, which, would serve to reduce their risk of an incident like this?

You are being absolute in your statements and that makes it hard to agree or not. Not all rules benefit big cronies. What big cronie did desegregation or suffrage benefit?

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 17:05 | 465089 CrockettAlmanac.com
CrockettAlmanac.com's picture

You are being absolute in your statements

 

Of course I'm absolute in my statements. What is the point of having principles if one is going to fudge them. It was the non-absolute application of existing regulations that helped this disaster along. What you repeatedly fail to understand is that's the whole point of the game. Governments make rules which are malleable for the benefit of their friends to the detriment of everybody else.

 

One can not function in a world where 2+2=4 and any other number one can come up with. Reality IS an absolute.

 


Mon, 07/12/2010 - 18:08 | 465202 RichardP
RichardP's picture

Reality IS an absolute.

And you know enough to know what that absolute is, right?  Remember that we don't respond to what is.  We respond to what we perceive out of what is.  How can you be certain that your perceptions are correct?  Someone got it right when they said education is the process of going from cocksure ignorance to thoughtful uncertainty.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 18:25 | 465231 CrockettAlmanac.com
CrockettAlmanac.com's picture

But 2+2 does equal 4.

 

I'm quite sure of it. Do you disagree?

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 21:06 | 465528 MsCreant
MsCreant's picture

An Almanac and a Directory are having an argument on the blog...LMAO!

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 22:03 | 465601 CrockettAlmanac.com
CrockettAlmanac.com's picture

An Almanac and a Directory are having an argument on the blog.

 

That's one for the books.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 23:07 | 465679 MsCreant
MsCreant's picture

[Rim shot] Ba-da-bing!

 

That is so clever and corny I have only the deepest respect for you. 

 

Tue, 07/13/2010 - 00:16 | 465744 CrockettAlmanac.com
CrockettAlmanac.com's picture

Thank you and goodnight!

(Exits on high note).

Tue, 07/13/2010 - 10:05 | 466149 fsudirectory
fsudirectory's picture

Count it, lol.

 

at least my dir was for porn!

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 16:12 | 464916 tmosley
tmosley's picture

I must have missed the part where they shut down all the other space programs due to a NASA fuckup.

BP sucks.  Other companies suck much less.  Forcing them all to shut down operations is a nice way to send your economy straight into a black hole.  If that is your goal, then by all means, keep trying.  

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 16:37 | 465021 fsudirectory
fsudirectory's picture

BP is a British company and there are other companies that would take their place.

NASA fuck ups dont ruin the coast of multiple states and the economy of 10000s of fisherman and restaurants. They kill a few really smart people and waste some money, and until recent, there hasnt been other space companies.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 18:29 | 465238 CrockettAlmanac.com
CrockettAlmanac.com's picture

NASA occasionally sends up payloads containing plutonium. I once read that if these vehicles disintegrated in orbit the resulting toxicity could kill every living thing on Earth.

 

A bit over the top? Perhaps. Besides, we have nothing to worry about there because NASA is run by the government and the government has the ability to control events everywhere and at all times (because you couldn't let 7 billion people go around minding their own business, you know...)

 

Yada, yada, yada.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:25 | 464649 duo
duo's picture

There's this beaurocracy called the FAA.  They meddle, pass rules, and continuously jack with the airline industry (and aviation in general).  Gee wiz, planes aren't falling from the sky becausre the Feds are involved. 

A necessary hassle, OK.  Unfettered corporate greed and government incompetence sometimes work together for the greater good.  Last time I looked, jet travel was much cheaper than it was in the 70's.  Safer, too.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:06 | 464600 LoneStarHog
LoneStarHog's picture

Hey, Messiah 2.0, do us all a favor and just resign and get the hell outta MY country.  And while you are at it, take that DRY DRUNK JESUS FREAK that preceded you and put him in your baggage.

When you are settled, send us your new address so that we can send you the Clintons, Summers, Geithner, Paulson, etc. etc. etc.

Just make sure YOUR new country has no stupid things like our EPA rules which would consider the DUMPING of all this TRASH an illegal creation of a TOXIC DUMP!

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:07 | 464605 theopco
theopco's picture

The reason we have to drill for oil is that it's manufactured in the underworld...

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:07 | 464606 zevulon
zevulon's picture

the oil companies get court hearings quickly. the average businessman or american can wait 6 months to years for a hearing. 

people sometimes spend over a year in jail awaiting a trial because they can't afford bail.

this demonstrates that in america you get justice, a reasonably prompt court hearing, only if you can afford it. 


Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:11 | 464615 poorold
poorold's picture

 

actually, if you can afford it, your transgressions never even get examined closely enough to ever have to go to court.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:22 | 464639 MachoMan
MachoMan's picture

Not really...  too many variables...  venue, importance of question to be decided, probability of harm in the interim while awaiting decision, etc.  The waiting time is generally universal...  and generally fairly long. 

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:39 | 464679 CrockettAlmanac.com
CrockettAlmanac.com's picture

the oil companies get court hearings quickly. the average businessman or American can wait 6 months to years for a hearing.

 

A moratorium on offshore drilling would likely have an unhealthy economic impact on the livelihoods and lifestyles of average people. Do you believe that letting folks hang by their fingernails for six months to a year as energy costs escalate would be a good thing for the little people?

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:09 | 464609 weinerdog43
weinerdog43's picture

"The jostling between the executive and the legislative branch continues."

Um, wouldn't that be executive and judicial branch?

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:25 | 464650 LoneStarHog
LoneStarHog's picture

It would IF we actually had one, instead of the farce that "writes from the bench" rather than "interprets from the bench".

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 15:20 | 464778 weinerdog43
weinerdog43's picture

Zing!  You got me.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:11 | 464614 Testicular Cancer
Testicular Cancer's picture

HOPE for CHANGE

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:12 | 464618 Testicular Cancer
Testicular Cancer's picture

No guarantee that SCOTUS will necessarily side w/ the commies.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:25 | 464648 Johnny Bravo
Johnny Bravo's picture

Yeah, they're still stacked with fascist Bush appointees.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:19 | 464632 LongShortSally
LongShortSally's picture

Screw the oil companies.  Obama should exhaust every means possible.  

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 15:10 | 464753 CrockettAlmanac.com
CrockettAlmanac.com's picture

Obama should exhaust every means possible.

 

That's exactly what Commies do. They exhaust all the means by which folks live and prosper. They make a desert and they call it peace.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:22 | 464636 Mercury
Mercury's picture

 

After Two Repeated Court Losses, Obama To Issue New And Improved Offshore Drilling Moratorium

 

John Derbyshire's maxim on matters judicial comes to mind:

It a'int over until the Left wins.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:21 | 464637 the not so migh...
the not so mighty maximiza's picture

Obama keeps going, and going, and going, and going and going and.....

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:26 | 464652 Internet Tough Guy
Internet Tough Guy's picture

Tyler, the courts are not the legislative branch.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:27 | 464656 Chemba
Chemba's picture

The great Fascist leader Obama has spoken, so unless you want your economic balls cut off, do as he says

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:30 | 464661 buzzsaw99
buzzsaw99's picture

Someone should slap a spending moratorium on Owebummer & crew.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 21:07 | 465529 MsCreant
MsCreant's picture

Nah, someone should just slap them.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:38 | 464678 NOTW777
NOTW777's picture

hear the sound of drilling rigs, business and jobs running from obamas scourge

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:39 | 464682 theopco
theopco's picture

All you dipshit oil cartel apologists can go eat a tarball sandwich as far as I'm concerned.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:42 | 464688 buzzsaw99
buzzsaw99's picture

Do you really think it matters anymore?

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 21:09 | 465534 MsCreant
MsCreant's picture

We are all eating tar now!!

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:42 | 464689 Internet Tough Guy
Internet Tough Guy's picture

You must be on your solar-powered, plastic-free laptop. Or did you just peg the irony meter?

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:53 | 464712 theopco
theopco's picture

Well, for one thing, I would rather have our oil made into plastic laptop parts than spread all over the goddamn eastern seaboard. Better use of an non-renewable resource if you ask me.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 15:13 | 464757 CrockettAlmanac.com
CrockettAlmanac.com's picture

our oil

 

If it's your oil, then maybe you ought to clean it up, huh?

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:55 | 464718 LongShortSally
LongShortSally's picture

Hey tough guy, he/she conceivably could be using one of those laptops without the crushing influence of the oil cartel on politicians of all stripes as well as on our economy. 

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 15:20 | 464780 Internet Tough Guy
Internet Tough Guy's picture

The real oil cartel, OPEC, would love us to stop pumping oil. And you don't elect them at all, so they don't respond to your cries as they jack the price up over 100.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 16:11 | 464925 LongShortSally
LongShortSally's picture

Jacking up the price over 100 would mean nothing to us if we weren't dependent on oil, now would it? This is the price our country pays for losing its will to be at the forefront of innovation in alternative energy.  Everything these days is about instant gratification instead of investment for the future.  We will remain in our generation's equivalent of the horse and buggy age for quite some time unless we change our outlook.  I fear that our pioneering spirit is a thing of the past.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 16:42 | 465033 CrockettAlmanac.com
CrockettAlmanac.com's picture

I fear that our pioneering spirit is a thing of the past.

 

Pioneers sometimes depended on big government in cases such as the OK land rush. However, no pioneer ever made a go of it by relying on big government to tell them how to suceed in life.

 

We are dependent on oil because only oil, gas and coal are cheap enough to support our population. Every dollar increase in the price of oil means that more people will go hungry.

 

Government subsidies can not lift up so-called green technology to the point where it can replace oil because somebody still pays for those subsidies in obtaining an inferior product at a higher cost.

 

Only a dearth of regulation and a freeing of markets will allow sustainable technology to develop. Look at history, you'll see that this is true. No boon to mankind has ever been created by government decree. Unfettered entrepreneurs make better products more inexpensively and that's the only road to happiness for regular folks who need to affordably feed, house and cloth their families.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 17:11 | 465098 LongShortSally
LongShortSally's picture

Nowhere do I call for big government.  In fact, government has protected the oil and oil service companies, and their compadres the Big 3 car companies at the expense of innovation due to the rampant influence pedding in Washington.  We have wasted treasure and limb protecting our oil interests rather than directing our resources to research and development and nurturing new technologies.  

Oh, and do I recall a government decree to reach to the moon by the end of the decade back in the 1960's.   Seems to me that quite a bit of new technologies were generated from the research done at the time.  And didn't the internet arise from military work? C'mon, get out of your big government, deregulation box and think out of it for a change.  

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 18:35 | 465249 CrockettAlmanac.com
CrockettAlmanac.com's picture

Nowhere do I call for big government.

 

and

 

C'mon, get out of your big government, deregulation box and think out of it for a change.

 

Contradictory much?

 

 We have wasted treasure and limb protecting our oil interests rather than directing our resources...

 

Is that the royal "we" or the Commie "we?" To the best of my knowledge you and I share joint ownership of...nothing. Unless you wanna give me half your stuff, comrade.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 21:51 | 465591 LongShortSally
LongShortSally's picture

Contradictory - only if you think linearly, Archie.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 22:13 | 465610 CrockettAlmanac.com
CrockettAlmanac.com's picture

Contradictory - only if you think linearly, Archie.

 

I suppose that lying to others comes naturally to someone who so easily lies to herself, Little Girl.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:43 | 464692 DC73
DC73's picture

"The jostling between the executive and the legislative branch continues"

This contest is between the executive and the judicial branches.  Frankly, I hope it does get elevated to the SCOTUS quickly - they have a bone to pick with the POTUS...

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:43 | 464694 francis_sawyer
francis_sawyer's picture

DOUBLE SECRET Offshore Drilling Moratorium...

"Point of Parliamentary Procedure"... Don't worry he's in pre-Law... I thought he was in pre-Med... What's the difference?

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 14:55 | 464719 francis_sawyer
francis_sawyer's picture

Two administration officials have told The Associated Press of the plans. Both requested anonymity so as not to pre-empt the official announcement.


Just so that I have this straight...

 

- A LEAK sprung up, which is the motivation for the offshore drilling moratorium

- Drilling moratorium was then overturned

- Same guys now LEAK to the press that a revised moratorium will be presented which is in response to the reaction to the initial LEAK

 

Are my facts straight?

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 15:15 | 464763 spekulatn
spekulatn's picture


We suggest Obama just escalates the issue to the SCOTUS and get his prearranged favorable ruling already.

 

Poll it, TD.

My $$$ is on SCOTUS ruling against the admin. Which I would argue is prearranged, favourably.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 21:11 | 465538 MsCreant
MsCreant's picture

Good point. Then Obama can say "See, I tried."

Tue, 07/13/2010 - 08:08 | 465963 Moonrajah
Moonrajah's picture

Yup. And they'll reply "Yes, you can".

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 15:36 | 464818 winks
winks's picture

No oil company is going to drill with the threat of a drilling moratorium hanging over them. Obama doesn't need to get an actual moratorium, he just needs to keep filing for new ones each time he gets rebuffed. Eventually all of the drillers will leave and he will have achieved his objective- a "green America". Of course America will be paying through the nose for what energy there is to be had.

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 15:55 | 464872 Clayton Bigsby
Clayton Bigsby's picture

Stop!  Or I'll say Stop againnnn!!!

Mon, 07/12/2010 - 16:09 | 464917 docj
docj's picture

Pretty obvious that Barry "The Won" Ostumblefuk isn't used to hearing the word "No".  Either that or he honestly does believe himself to have been elected King, or something.

Not sure which is worse.

Following FDR's playbook as closely as he is, I can only wonder when the calls from his allies and hacks for court packing will commence.

Tue, 07/13/2010 - 08:05 | 465959 Moonrajah
Moonrajah's picture

Fool me once, shame on... shame on you. Fool me... you can't get fooled again.

Tue, 07/13/2010 - 13:12 | 466568 dantes1807
dantes1807's picture

This is the ultimate political stunt by a very political administration. They're using the oil spill to their advantage. The only gulf coast state that the dems might get is Florida. Florida is anti-drilling because tourism outweighs the oil profits and oil jobs. So Obama is giving the finger to Texas, Louisiana, Miss. and Alabama in favor of Florida. Next we'll hear how Obama is Florida's friend and supporting their tourism to gain votes.

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