Looks like the oil spill is Bush/Cheney's bad. (Surprise!!)

[gulliver]

It's not looking good for Bush/Cheney and the Republican Party.

http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=10521078

...

In a letter sent last year to the Department of the Interior, BP objected to what it called "extensive, prescriptive regulations" proposed in new rules to toughen safety standards. "We believe industry's current safety and environmental statistics demonstrate that the voluntary programs&continue to be very successful."

That was one in a series of clashes between the industry and federal regulators that began during the Clinton administration. In 2000, the federal agency that oversaw oil rig safety issued a safety alert that called added layers of backup "an essential component of a deepwater drilling system." The agency said operators were expected to have multiple layers of protection to prevent a spill.

...

But according to aides to Sen. Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat who has followed offshore drilling issues for years, the industry aggressively lobbied against an additional layer of protection known as an "acoustic system," saying it was too costly. In a March 2003 report, the agency reversed course, and said that layer of protection was no longer needed.

"There was a big debate under the Bush administration whether or not to require additional oil drilling safeguards but decided not to require any additional mandatory safeguards, believing the industry would be motivated to do it themselves," Carl Pope, Chairman of the Sierra Club told ABC News.

[crikkett]

1. Way to keep us safe, guys n/t

[spanone]

2. imagine if Obama held secret meetings with the oil companies...then went to court to keep it secret

[lonestarnot]

5. Will not stop a demand for payment with ALL of their money for the damage they have caused..

Leave them homeless and I will not be angry or shed a tear for them.

[lonestarnot]

3. Why are we still calling that thing a spill?

Appears to be more of a volcanic erruption of oil. And it's blowing not spilling. Ships spill, earth blows.

[BeFree]

7. It needs a good name

Maybe a modern day Pandora's box?

Pandora's oil well?

What? A little help here people.

[RC]

11. What happens when the pressure behind the oil is gone and

the weight of 5000 feet of water collapses the oil dome. How big will the tidal wave be?

[malaise]

4. Don't look for Liz(ard) Cheney to be on TV defending

her Dick of a father. Indeed watch carefully for diversion...like a new terror alert.

[lonestarnot]

6. Certainly brown or black alert!

:scared:

[FBI_Un_Sub]

8. K&R

K&R :kick:

[The Straight Story]

9. Why didn't Obama know about this and fix it already?

:evilgrin:

[cbdo2007]

10. "industry would be motivated to do it themselves"

We hear that about every business and industry - banking, oil drilling, etc., etc. - but they just keep proving to us in different ways that they need heavy regulation.

I believe in capitalism but the fact is that it will not work without heavy regulation because (generally speaking) industries are assholes and will do whatever they can to make money. Just like cars - I think it's great that people can have cars and travel wherever they want to faster but only because there are many regulations in place to protect us all.