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US Strikes Back: Interior Secretary To Issue New Moratorium On Offshore Drilling In More Than 500 Feet
Reuters headlines for now, but just goes to show what happens if you think you can take on Obamanataion head on.
From Reuters:
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar will offer The ban was imposed after a well operated by British oil company BP exploded on April 20 and began spewing crude into the sea. "We Salazar But
testimony later on Wednesday on why the government will appeal that
ruling and seek to renew the ban.
see clear evidence every day, as oil spills from BP's well, of the need
for a pause on deepwater drilling," Salazar said in a statement.
will testify to a Senate subcommittee at 11:00 a.m. EDT on Wednesday,
along with Michael Bromwich, the new head of the Bureau of Ocean
Energy, which under its previous name the Minerals and Management
Service was blamed for failing to police the energy industry adequately.
President Barack Obama, also dealing with his top general in
Afghanistan over inflammatory comments in a magazine article, postponed
Wednesday's energy policy meeting with senators which would have
covered the process for passing energy and climate laws this year.
In the meantime, for those interested, below is the full ruling of Judge Feldman granting a preliminary injunction and overturning Salazar's deepwater drilling ban.
h/t Ed
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So much for "Separation of Powers"....if you lose, just play the lotto again...
Been that way for a while, now...
What judicial system?
Just for yucks, consider numerous falls of empire, democratic/republic structures, that have taken place without revolution when an administrative branch has closed out the judicial and legislative without consequence. Silent approval. To grossly oversimplify and not intended to draw comparison, contrast nor political illusion, to wit, 1930's Germany. Subsequent to the torching of the Bundestag thus in absence of new legislation, the judicial branch simply acceded to the decree of the administrative, with the tacit allowance of the military.
Our founding fathers had reason for the separation and respect of powers amongst the branches of government, not intending for acceptance of extreme measures to be dictated by any one over the other. Interestingly, as with fiscal profligacy within the EU, there exists what many might consider no powerful and timely remediation to such transgressions.
Invest carefully.
But which is the more corrupt in this instance. I fancy the judge in that part of the country has many powerful friends in big oil, and especially in big oil drilling, which he himself was invested in. I think this is a case of a corrupt system tripping over itself. We know that the entire .gov two party Punch and Judy show is just a Rockerfeller/Rothchild trick to divide and conquer the 'free' with the illusion of choice as they scam the system. This is simply a little scammer being called out by the master cheaters. Really easy to see from a human perspective, but two wrongs have never made a right.
Absolutely concur. We live in a "One Party System" which merely wear different coloured jerseys for public scrums in order to divert the spectators' attention whilst the looting proceeds apace.
Good point. Happens all the time in South America as well. Heck, eventually one party/conglomerate reaches critical mass and they can buy/manipulate the votes and courts openly to achieve their ends.
... here's Denninger's take, to wit:
It doesn't matter whether you believe it was the right decision or not. You were overruled
by a court of law.
http://market-ticker.org/archives/2438-Open-Contempt-Will-The-Judiciary-...
The war on terror is over, because there are no terrorists. However, we are declaring war on a commodity, an evil one, OIL!
Yep, along with a WAR on the Republic, and the American people.
This crew will not be satisfied until everyone is on the Gv't dole, and broke.That's why the Gv't is not allowing the Economy to recover.............it's part of the Regimes Master Plan..
Sadly, it's so obvious what they are doing I cannot believe Americans are putting up with it.
Wait till the Entitlements stop.............Anarchy will be the order of the day.
We have 33 states on the verge of bankruptcy.............add the Pension nightmare, SS/Medicare, and you have a time bomb ticking.
Dos, well put. I say it starts 7/15,( with teachers/municrapts layoff happen, tax reciepts are showing a massive fall off) goes full blow by 10/15, Obamo calls for martial law a nd suspend elections. Any bets?
If they can't get Cap & Tax, they'll get what they can. Fuck these guys, this is going to hurt Houston and the Gulf, but they vote republican so who cares.
The gulf economies must be wondering why, not only has their government not been able to help stop the disaster, but are now trying to destroy what is left after fishing and tourism has died. Maybe a flood housing foreclosure sales will rebound their economy.
Throw in a hurricane and a ban on domestic refineries and we'll be right as rain.
I feel like the federal gov't is trying to do to the South what the state gov'ts did to the rust belt in the seventies. They are promoting poverty.
@ Rag
The cap and trade is a complete fraud that was devised by Ken Lay and Enron.
That's right Ken Lay thought cap and trade would be a good way to fight "global warming". He even had a meeting at the WH with President Clinton and Vice President Gore in 1997.
Instead of calling it cap and trade why don't we just name the bill in his honor: "The Ken Lay Plan To End Global Warming Act"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A37287-2002Jan12
Enron officials envisioned the company at the center of a new trading system, in which industries worldwide could buy and sell credits to emit carbon dioxide as part of a strategy to reduce greenhouse gases.
I don't understand your post. I stated that since the gov'ts plans for Cap and Tax are on hold they'll take the offshore ban as a consolation prize.
From which the banksters (Think GS and ilk, all of whom actively support such legislation) profit handsomely with respect to the financing of, trading and securitizing of carbon allowances, all within the aegis of the Government. (Think barriers to entry; regulatory, financial, political.)
Another money train for the Power Elite at the expense of us, the consumer in the form of additional taxes and levies.
@ Rag
the offshore ban on drilling and the oil spill itself are being used to advance the cap and tax plan. oil is evil. oil is in short supply. oil causes dirty beaches. we need cap and trade. blah. blah. blah. cap and tax is never on hold.
Rag,
Yeah, Houston is a Sanctuary city, I am sure they vote GOP.Also, Louisiana will not be going Dem in Nov or 2012.......
They are getting screwed royally................20k+ workers out of work(33Rigs idle), and soon to be moved,,,,,never to return for years.IF the moratium stands.............
Those RIGS cost millions, their owners cannot allow them to sit idle for 6 mos..........when moved, our oil crisis will grow 100x's.
Surprise, surprise, PETROBRAS, already has called asking for them.........the same Brazilian Nationalized Oil Co, who George Soros has over 900 Mllion invested in and Obama sent 2 BILLION of our TAX dollars to, out of OUR STIMULUS PKG!!!!.
Anyone smell a rat?. The Hypocracy of this Admin, and the Speaker of the House is criminal.
WHY the hell did PETROBRAS get OUR tax dollars?
nice post by Jesse today
"The economic news this morning was quite dire, and concerns about a 'double dip' will revive as the US enters its 'zombie-like' stagflation which is the natural consequence of policy errors and a failure to reform. How can a country being run by gamblers, control fraud operators, corrupt politicians, and the idiot sons and shills of decrepit oligarchs (W Bush, Clinton, Obama, Palin for example) possibly turn around without a serious reform and change in regime, and a return to the fundamentals that made it great?"
http://jessescrossroadscafe.blogspot.com/2010/06/sp-500-futures-and-gold...
TD, i think you meant "Empire Strikes Back"
From Associated Press
A detailed AP review has shown that reliability questions have long shadowed blowout preventers: Accident reports from the U.S. Minerals Management Service , a branch of the Interior Department, show that the devices have failed or otherwise played a role in at least 14 accidents, mostly since 2005. Government and industry reports have raised questions about the reliability of blowout preventers for more than a decade. A 2003 report by Transocean, the owner of the destroyed rig, said: "Floating drilling rig downtime due to poor BOP reliability is a common and very costly issue confronting all offshore drilling contractors." Lawsuits have pointed to these valves as a factor in previous blowouts. It is unclear why the blowout valves on the Deepwater Horizon didn't stop the April 20 blast that killed 11 workers and has sent millions of gallons of oil spewing into Gulf. Interviews with rig workers conducted as part of BP's internal investigation into the explosion indicate that a methane gas bubble escaped from the well and expanded quickly as it shot up the drill column, a series of events that included the failure of the blowout preventer and explosion of the rig. Transocean claims to have checked the Deepwater Horizon BOP just three days before the blast and found it in good working order.
As I have pointed out, Halliburton stated in Congressional hearings, that THAT well, has 6 BOP's, it IF Halliburton had done the job, required 21 BOP's.
One of the 6 BOP's,was defective(damaged), and completely shut down.
If my math is correct, that left 5, where there should have been 21.
The coagulation that was the states and D.C. is beginning to disperse.The states will begin to tell Martin Feldman and all other servile followers..to proceed to the end of the pier..
I'm going to have oil in my fucking backyard soon. Fuck drilling in the gulf if you can't clean your own mess. Go drill yourself silly in Alaska - nobody fucking lives there.
Federal budget? Who needs that shit?
Federal court ruling? Up their ass, guns trump black robes every time.
States rights? We own your sorry asses - now STFU and get in line!
This sets up a "possible" confrontation between the judiciary and executive branch of government. The injunction will likely stand unless the trial judge committed an abuse of discretion or an error of law. The government's case was poorly prepared and argued. That is precisely why Salazar issued a new decree. It is an attempt by the excutive to circumvent the rule of law by creating a new "case and controversy."
If the court sees it that way it may slap down this new decree as the government attempting to take another bite of the apple in court. (Something you and I could never do. Generally, everyone gets one chance and if you - or your attorney screws up and does not sustain the burden of proof that is it.)
On the other hand, the court could give a wide berth to the government and either reverse the first injunction or by ruling the second decree is materially different than the first which gives the Federal Government a chance to correct their legal errors from the first case.
Most of these cases are resolved at some level, but but this could become a war. If Congress passes a moratorium on drilling the entire thing is rendered moot and I suspect that will be the government's next move.
This could get interesting. Stay tuned.
Next, a moratorium on all human want.
You WILL respect my authoritah!!!
Complete and utter lawlessness on all levels.
I took a look at the pdf of the Judge's investments, that popsicle that the media is running with.
He SOLD a majority of those energy companies. The companies he didnt sell in 2008 (but may have in 2009 or 2010)
Transocean
Provident Energy Trust
Peabody Energy Corp
Atlas Energy Resources, LLC.
EV Energy Partners LP
BPZ Resources Inc.
El Paso Corp.
Ocean Energy Notes
Of those on that short list:
Atlas Energy Resources - develops and produces natural gas and oil in the Appalachian Basin. It focuses on developing the Marcellus Shale, northern Michigan’s Antrim Shale, and Indiana’s New Albany Shale.
BPZ Resources - BPZ Resources, Inc. engages in the exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas in Peru and Ecuador.
El Paso Corp - Owns North America’s largest interstate natural gas pipeline system—approximately 42,000 miles—transporting more than a quarter of the natural gas consumed in the country each day. They also operate in several other countries including Brazil and Egypt. They do have a natural gas E&P arm as well. They also do have a significant presence in the Gulf in both natural gas E&P and transport of natural gas and LNG from the Gulf.
EV Energy Partners - engages in the acquisition, production, and development of oil and gas properties. It holds interests in various properties located in the Appalachian basin, primarily in Ohio and West Virginia; the Monroe Field properties situated in three parishes in northeast Louisiana; the Mid-Continent area properties located in six counties in western Oklahoma, three counties in Texas, and two parishes in North Louisiana; and other natural gas properties in Michigan, and central and east Texas.
Provident Energy Trust - operates as an open-ended energy income trust that owns and manages an oil and gas production business, and a natural gas liquids midstream services and marketing business. It engages in the exploitation, development, and production of crude oil and natural gas reserves located in the areas of northwest, west central, and southern Alberta, as well as Dixonville. The company also involves in the processing, extraction, transportation, loading, storage, and marketing of natural gas liquids in central Canada and the eastern United States.
Peabody Energy Corp - engages in the exploration, mining, and production of COAL worldwide. It owns interests in 28 coal operations located in the United States and Australia, as well as owns joint venture interests in a Venezuelan mine.
Ocean Energy - Not sure who this is. If it's the Houston company Ocean Energy Inc. I'm pretty sure this is a private company not a publicly traded company. However these are notes, so I'm not really sure. In any event, there is no evidence that he does or does not currently own these securities.
Transocean Ltd - no description needed. Same story though. No evidence whether he does or does not own the stock now in 2010.
This is what the outrage is about and the supposed conflict of interest??
There's plenty of legal precedent for the moratorium. We've had Presidential moratoria before. In fact, the last one was put in place by President George H.W. Bush. Now we have activist judges striking down whatever laws they want based not on any legal reasoning but fears that some businesses will lose money. Last I checked, the courts were supposed to make decisions based on legal statutes, not based on oil companies' quarterly earnings. I'm sorry, but if you support the court's decision, you're supporting corporatism.
Mr. Salazar and Mr. Obama need to be introduced to the concept of contempt of court. After a hearing the judge can impose daily monetary penalties. Taken far enough, Mr. Salazar could be imprisoned until he agrees to comply. Let's see how strong a believer in separation of powers this judge is.
To those of you upset about the injunction - you've got to be kidding me. After all the devastation that has been caused you would actually want them to go ahead with drilling without ensuring that there aren't other wells at risk. Yes, I'm sure our friends and Halliburton and the major drillers have everything under control. BP's well was surely a fluke.