Except for the occasional anecdotal report by a DU'er, nothing I read here about the Gulf disaster

[Atticus]

is worthy of belief.

It seems clear that our government has pretty much decided to let BP and their shills determine what we're told about the oil gusher polluting our seas and our shores.

We see what they let us see.

We are told what they absolutely have to admit or can get away with inventing.

They feed figures---flow rates and such---to the Coast Guard and, as soon as the Coast Guard releases the figures, then quotes them as "Government figures".

Current "government figures" tell us the well is gushing 19,000 barrels of crude per day. BP says the recently installed "cap" is capturing 10,000 barrels per day. BP's CEO, Tony Hayward, characterizes this as "capturing the vast majority of the leaked oil".

Surely---please---SURELY we have someone in the upper echelons of our elected government who has the integrity and the spine to look Mr. Hayward in the eye and say something like: "'vast majority' my ASS!" followed by:

"Sir, and I use that appellation very loosely, you are finished. Clean out your desk and two US Marshals will escort you from the building within the hour. BP's American operations and all assets located within our boundaries or our control will be, until further order, operated by a receiver appointed by the US Attorney General and approved by the US Senate. The assets will be held in trust for and operated for the overriding purpose of compensating all persons and local government damaged by your incompetence and greed. Once all such claims have been fully satisfied, the remaining assets and funds will revert to BP and its shareholders.

In keeping with the above, no dividend will be paid and any and all employment contracts exceeding $250,000 per year will be declared null and void. Attempts will be made to renegotiate reasonable compensation for personnel deemed necessary to the effective and efficient operation of the assets. If agreement cannot be reached with American citizens now employed as managers for BP, we would consider drafting said individuals into the US Army and deploying them in their prior positions 'for the duration'.

While these may seem like drastic measures, they seem to us necessary and appropriate in view of the nature and scope of the unprecedented disaster BP, under your leadership, has brought to our shores and the world's oceans.

Your bank accounts are being frozen. You may not access any computers or take any documents with you. Your passport has been revoked and you are advised to consult counsel soon.

You are excused. We'll be in touch."

[Angry Dragon]

1. I could live with that

And to be tried for murder.........

[Scuba]

2. I like your recommendations except...

..for the receivership guy being approved by the US Senate. Most of those guys are in bed with big oil too.

[gleaner]

3. The amount of oil being captured is estimated to be ....

about 1% of what is gushing out of the ground. Even the spokesman for BP admits that when the vents on the cap are closed it "probably" won't work. I think we can be sure it won't work. They are completely incompetent and do not have the slightest idea or concern for what they are doing. It isn't their coastline or sea life or ecology. It is ours. And our government won't do what it takes to make sure that someone with knowledge or skill is put in charge of attempting, and mind you I say attempting because I don't know if anything can stop it, to close of the leak and help clean up.

I love what you are suggesting, but the only people who have the power to implement it are the people who make up the US government starting with the president. So far he seems to be enabling BP not trying to get them out of here. They do control what we see, but he lets them. There is something very, very wrong with that; with all of it. Thanks for the post Atticus, it needed to be said and you said it well. K & R.

[Statistical]

9. So the Gulf spill is gushing 1 million barrels (42 million gallons) a day? Really?

10K bpd collected being 1% thus 10K/0.01 = 1 million bpd (42 million gallons / day)

[gleaner]

17. Sorry if I am mistaken, I am not a statistician ..

I was repeating a figure I heard on MSNBC. This was right after they began capturing the oil. I think what they said later was BP was collecting oil at the rate of 1800 bpd and that they estimated that this was about 5% of the total. This would mean that the total being poured into the gulf is 90,000 bpd less 1800 which would equal 88,200 bpd still going out. They also claimed that they would tamp down some valves slowly to increase the amount being captured but had to do this slowly to avoid causing the BOP from exploding. I record some of their shows to watch them at my leisure and I did not hear the revised figures until late in the day.

Cool math. I'm verbal myself.

[sabrina 1]

4. 'Clean out your desk'

Yes, that would make sense so why hasn't it happened? More and more it is becoming obvious that the U.S. government has no power over the corporations who have apparently bought this country piece by piece. But who sold it is the question, without permission from the American people?

The U.S. doesn't even own the oil that BP is drilling for. They own it and if we want it we have to buy it back from them. Yet, our Government officials tell us that offshore drilling is necessary so that 'we can become independent of ME oil'. How can that be if we don't own it? If we allow all these foreign oil corporations to take it and sell it to whoever pays them for it?

I have read that all the American people get from giving these Corps permission to drill for oil off our coast is 12% royalties. If this is true, I would like to now who made this deal on OUR behalf, and where was the media when all this was going on? Where is the benefit to the American people for their own resources?

Alaska is the only state where the residents receive benefits from the oil they allow to be drilled.

Someone needs to start looking into this and find out who is really running this country because it definitely doesn't look like anyone we elected. And how much more of it has been sold off to the highest bidders? Who are our real bosses?

Gibbs said it clearly when asked why the government didn't just take over BP 'we can't do that, they are a private business'. Yes, a private business that just caused great harm to this country and he says 'we can't do anything about that'? I think he was telling the truth.

[DURHAM D]

6. That 12% (actually it is 12.5) was the going rate in the beginning - going back decades.

You know - when it cost less thant $10 to purchase a barrel of oil.

I think it is essential to change the amount to the going rate that other countries (that are not totally corrupt) get paid - like 50-70%.

[trof]

5. And I would like to kick the 'vast majority' of Tony Hayward's ass.

Not ALL of his ass.
Just the vast majority.

[blondeatlast]

7. Leave him one area, about half of a hand size, in an awkward place, so that he can sit on that

spot.

Just that single spot--how he chooses to position himself is his concern.

[Statistical]

8. Under what legal authority does that happen?

In the real world not the fantasy land where Obama is a dictator and can rule by fiat.

[glitch]

11. Right, only corporations are allowed to damage by fiat -- governments need not apply. nt

[jotsy]

12. Not sure the Bushcos would see that as fantasy.

I'd have to go back and check on what nuts and bolts might be applicable in this instance, but I believe ground work for something like this has been laid through an executive order of the previous administration. I wonder if that kind of power was viewed by them as dictatorial when it was written.

[Atticus]

13. "Under what legal authority" have the last several wars been commenced?

"Under what legal authority" did Bush torture people?

"Under what legal authority" was Bush inaugurated?

"Under what legal authority" were the reputations of John Kerry and Max Cleland tarnished by outright lies and purchased innuendos?

"Under what legal authority" do Bush and Cheney and their acolytes walk the streets as free citizens, unstained by the crimes they committed or the blood they shed without factual justification?

Why do we only get our panties in a twist about this "legal authority" strawman when it is DEMOCRATS who want to do something extraordinary?

"Invade a small nation without any provocation?" Why, HELL YES! Next question---

"Step on corporate toes and adversely impact their bottom line in order to TRY to save the Gulf of Mexico, two thirds of our national shoreline, perhaps the planet Earth?" Well, gee---do you have any specific statute that clearly say we can do that?

Bullshit!

The place is here; the time is now: lead, follow or get the hell out of the way.

[Statistical]

14. IF Obama weilds power illegally like Bush then he is no more legitimate than Bush.

That being said Obama isn't going to act without legal authority so I ask the question again under what legal authority.

Otherwise the who thing is just a bunch of verbal diarrhea. It won't happen unless Obama can do so without going down the same road as Shrub. I doubt he wants to be remembered by history are Shrub 2.0.

[Atticus]

15. The term "legitimate" has been used to justify all manner of outrages. Slavery, miscegenation and

denying women the vote come to mind.

"Legitimate" has also been used to excuse inaction when those who control things really want to preserve the status quo despite cries from the people to "do something" and "make things right".

If we truly lived in a democracy, I would have more respect for your "legal authority". But, the fact is that the people who are hiding behind the "legitimacy" issue are the same ones who wrote the laws that created and preserved that issue.

When you "legally" enter an intersection and an 18-wheeler "illegally" runs a red light at 70 mph., you have the "legal authority" to be in its path. Does that help you at all?

If you approach my wife in my presence and, without touching her, make vulgar, lewd and very offensive suggestions to her, I have no "legal authority" to strike you, but I assure you that I will plant your ass.

Obama is in a position to CREATE "legal authority" in a way that would earn him the respect and gratitude of most of the people in this country. He should do it.

Finally, I don't think anything Obama could do would take us "down the same road as Shrub" and I think suggesting that this would make them similar or equivalents is "jumping the shark".

[jotsy]

10. I hope your post

is on its way to the oval office via some hopeful gopher now!

Way to clear the field Atticus.

KICKED
RECOMMENDED
PROUDLY
HOPEFULLY

[GeorgeGist]

16. As history has sometimes shown ...

CYA-syndrome can be fatal.