Cuba Nationalizes BP !!!

[Scuba]

Suppose the tiny nation of Cuba suffers damages from the Gulf Oil mess and decides to nationalize BP. They sue them in the World Court and it looks like they have a case. If they win, they'll use future BP profits to clean up the mess and compensate their victims.

Think the US government would suddenly feel differently about this corporation?

[Jamastiene]

1. I've been thinking about that.

What is going to happen when the spill hits Cuba? I hope Cuba kicks their asses.

[dipsydoodle]

2. That presupposes that Cuba recognises the World Court

which the USA dosen't. Under those circumstnces it difficult to grap exactly how the USA could nationalise what excluding BP America isn't a US company.

[barbtries]

3. thought it was a headline.

kinda mean. what are the chances? my money says if they tried it, the US would be back at war with Cuba. i'd love to see the US do it, but we know that won't happen. this whole scenario is so worst-case.

[Scuba]

7. Sorry, didn't mean to be mean...

...I guess I just wanted attention. :blush:

[barbtries]

15. ok i'll let ya slide

this time :)

[Scuba]

22. Thank you !!!!

[Billy Burnett]

4. LOL. Cuba already did.

Cuba's oil infrastructure is nationalized. It was one of the primary reasons for the US/Cuba standoff after the 1959 Cuban Revolution.

Cuba settled all claims except was unable to settle US based claims because the US's Trading With The Enemy act prevents settlements with Cuba (Cuba is officially "the enemy" according to the US Dept of State).

Title III of the US Helms-Burton law (signed into law by Bill Clinton) allows US claims against Cuba's unsettled US owned/based expropriations to be made in US courts - every 6 months every POTUS has signed a waiver of Title III, preventing its use in US courts.


:hi:

[fascisthunter]

19. .

[rhett o rick]

5. You and many are making the assumtion that the "US" wants to do something about BP.

I would love to see some evidence to that effect. The "US" has allowed this corporation to violate safety standards for yeas. Why would we assume that the "US" wants to hold them accountable. What has the "US" done to Massey Energy for negligently killing 29 workers? Who is the "US"? Is it our corporate controlled government? They will only slap BP's wrist. And not even that, because BP doesnt have a wrist, they are a god (read corporation). They are higher than mere mortals.

[William Z. Foster]

24. we have a need to pretend

If we don't continue to believe that the government wants to "do the right thing," then what?

The only reason that Democratic politicians pay any lip service to liberal causes, and make the occasional half-hearted attempt to actually do anything about them, is because that gets us, the liberal half of the population, to accept having the Wall Street agenda forced down our throats.

The Republicans tell their voters "you get to keep your guns" (if you will knuckle under to Wall Street.)

The Democrats tell their voters "you get to keep reproductive rights" (if you will knuckle under to Wall Street.)

But it is a seductive illusion - "all we need to do is get more progressives in Congress! Keep working people! Keep believing!" We have been trained to hope for good things if we only will believe. Letting go of that belief means pulling on a thread that will cause the whole garment to unravel, and then we will see what is behind it. We are trained (and it is reinforced continually every day, right here and everywhere) to fear that - looking at the truth and then actually doing anything about it.

This has an extremely powerful hold on people's imaginations - the seductive lure of working within the system for achieving progressive results, and the terror of having to confront and fight the juggernaut that is destroying the planet and our lives. This keeps our thinking and our actions tightly held within a very narrow set of parameters. It robs us of all creativity, all energy, all intelligence.

We are hamsters on a wheel - "keep running people! Keep believing!" - while the house is on fire, while that fire grows and grows and while the flames creep closer and closer.

[rhett o rick]

26. Yes I agree. I believe we individually have different levels of reality that we can handle.

I totally agree with you but knowingly tell myself otherwise because I dont think I can handle that reality.

[William Z. Foster]

28. yeah we can

We can handle that reality. No choice. It will be better than living in dread and denial about it. It is un-reality we suffer from, the illusion that causes all of the stress. Once we accept the truth, no more stress and anxiety, and we then become too busy to spend time worrying about it. It is an emergency, after all.

Thanks for the discussion. Much appreciated.

[Newest Reality]

6. Normally, I am against the death penalty and find it

abhorrent and assumptive as far as the power of the state goes.

However, in this case, I would advocate piercing the corporate veil and proposing life imprisonment and/or the death penalty for the executives in involved in the creation of this disaster. Mete it out from CEO down.

Why? Well, what are our priorities? On lower levels, (common folk) you get strict, unflinching laws and sentences. One person can easily get the above result for crimes of a lesser magnitude.

I know that happens in China when companies screw-up and it is severe. Yet, it should be the understood outcome in this catastrophe. British Petroleum Executives should be facing major recrimination both as an incentive to solve this and fix the aftermath. If they fail, then its a pound of flesh due, to me. They have dealt death out like there is no tomorrow.

With that dire and gruesome switch in my perspective, we can now go back to our regularly scheduled justice system: they are currently immune and actually in charge.

[BeFree]

10. Ok this is scary

Are you like me but just in another dimension? Cuz, if I could write that well, that's what I'd a rit.

Welcome to DU, Newest Reality. Or welcome back?

Whatever, you keep it up, please, save me from having to type!!

[Newest Reality]

12. Same wavelength?

I just interpreted or channeled it. ;)

I had to smile at your response. Thanks so much! Will do! Hang in there.

[flamingdem]

17. right on, as they used to say nt

[rhett o rick]

27. I remember "right on". nm

[PufPuf23]

29. The Feds that made an absurdity of NEPA and other environmental

laws deserve the same treatment -- Aside I am anti-death penalty and pro-isolation (to no bail life) and rehab (mostly in the case of criminality by circumstance or culture -- and not that sympthetic at all to white collar and government sociopaths -- that are under charged and proscecuted and under punished as far a ripple impacts of their crimes.

[Imajika]

8. No one cares about the world court...

BP would just ignore it. Cuba can't nationalize a British Corporation that has few if any assets in Cuba.

[Scuba]

9. You are correct, that Cuba doesn't have the military forces necessary to nationalize BP.

But we do.

[johnaries]

11. BP is a Multi-National Corporation. Can you imagine the world

outrage if the US tried to nationalize a Multi-National that is based in another country? How would Great Britain react if we tried to nationalize "British Petroleum"? And what good would nationalizing it do?

We need regulatory reform and better oversight.

[Scuba]

13. Well, you don't just say "we now own BP" ....

... but since it's our oil and they have major operations and HQ in our country, it's reasonable to seize those assets and use them to gain reparations for the damage they've done. Using future profits to clean up the mess and compensate the victims of their misdeeds on our land (caused by gross negligence and criminal activity like bribing regulators) is just, although I don't believe we can ever get "fair" compensation - the damage is simply too great.

And why would Great Britian care? BP shareholders would care, and some are British, some are American, others from around the globe. But the British government doesn't own BP.

[socialist_n_TN]

14. Nationalize what we can...............

BP assets in the USA and our sphere of influence. That should be a tidy sum in cash and a lot of physical assets for "Government Oil", a non profit, price fixed retail entity.

[Scuba]

23. +1

[chrisa]

20. Don't believe for a second that we wouldn't use our military to

Protect BP, especially with some rich peoples' investments at stake.

[Billy Burnett]

16. Huh? Cuba did just that.

Then Cuba paid settlement. See my post #4.

[fascisthunter]

18. you kidding me... BP would send in our military

oh wait... it's why we have an embargo on Cuba. Never mind, no need for military action.

[chrisa]

21. Exactly.

"We're acting under the authority of BP. Bomb here!"

[Shining Jack]

25. Yeah...

I've been thinking a lot about Cuba lately.When that crap reach their shores and also the Mexican ones the shit will hit he fan big time for BP but also for the U.S.America is already the most hated country in the world,that sure won't help.