my impression of the BP hearing so far

[Whisp]

I have not read any others opinions of this here yet today.

Some thoughts:
The questioners know damn well most of the things they are asking is going to be answered by 'ongoing investigation', etc., as that is what council will obviously tell Hayward to say. You don't have to be Perry Mason to figure that out. Questions like: Are you the baddest mudderfucker bastard in all known Universes, Mr. Hayward?, of course he is not going to admit fuck all.

Not defending BP at all here, but that is a given and they should know that they are going to get NOTHING out of him.

What this is is just a forum for them to act all outraged and do some theatre for the great unwashed. They are just taking turns at who is going to ask the most daring question and get some pol points out of it but it will do fuck all for anything.

I don't even know what the whole point of this all is except just hilight how idiotic the system is with their dog and pony shows.

[aquart]

1. Your contempt is noted.

As well as your admission of ignorance.

[Whisp]

4. what are they really getting from him?

Has he said Anything that would somehow be of help?

Am I missing something, please fill me in.

[BelgianMadCow]

6. totally, absolutely nothing

he sounds like Ari Fleisher during Plamegate, if you remember.

[AngryOldDem]

2. What's pissing me off right now...

(and maybe it shouldn't) is that here is Hayward, the CEO of this organization, refusing to take not one iota of responsibility for his company's recklessness and negligence here. Here we have a man who is getting compensated about $4 million a year (according to a blurb I saw on CNN) and he is refusing to basically do his damn job. Guess what, Tony, when you get that high in the food chain, the buck does indeed STOP WITH YOU.

This is what steams me about most corporate chiefs these days. Nothing is their fault, but damn, they like collecting those paychecks. :mad:

[AnArmyVeteran]

3. And conservatives worship CEOs like they are gods...

[AngryOldDem]

5. And get screwed in the process.

As we all do. What a racket.

[Whisp]

7. I know what you mean, of course I do.

But its the system that is protecting him. He doesn't have to admit piss all.

I want to see him suffer, I want him to break down and cry and beg for forgiveness. I hate the bastard as he is representative of all the evil that mega-corporatism is responsible for.

but please tell me how this hearing is supposed to do anything, and for whom?

[AngryOldDem]

11. There is something to be said by watching a CEO squirm in front of the nation.

We all know that Hayward is weaseling his way out of honestly answering these questions. My beef is that the whole once-honorable concept of "responsibility" seems to be cliche and passe. Just hand me my millions, please.

[Statistical]

14. He is doing "his job"

Unfortunately his job is to maximize shareholder value. At this point admitting anything is contrary to that job. He has no loyalty to Congress, American people, employees, etc.

Perfectly illustrates that corporations exist for one purpose and purpose only.... to maximize shareholder value. PERIOD.

If BP could legal kidnap babies and convert them into oil and doing so was more profitable than drilling for oil they would.

[AngryOldDem]

16. Yep.

As I said, I guess I shouldn't be pissed at business as usual.

[spanone]

8. embarrass mr hayward at every possible chance...that's what the forum is for

and i'm all for it.

[Whisp]

9. I don't think Hayward cares about being embarrassed.

He cares about his money, he cares about not being in jail. He knows that the other corporatists back him up thats all that matters.

but embarrassed? nah.
As long as he can get out of this without jail time and not lose personal property he gives a shit about embarrasment.

[OHdem10]

10. Congress knows anyone under INVESTIGATION is not going to be

able to talk. This is our Legal System. They knew before
calling Hayward that BP is being investigated and therefore
his comments would be limited.

[nc4bo]

12. I guess I should apologize in advance for feeling exactly the same way.

What's the point, really.

Every one's outraged and happy to show it for the cameras. Every one has their chance to toss a fat brick. Tony has lots of nonanswers (and lies) to questions, looks cool, comfy or medicated to the gills.

It's all sorta like watching a WWE wrestling match.

Boy this country's in a mess of our own making.

[Statistical]

15. Exactly. It is political theater.....

so those politicians can go home and loudly explain how they ask BP the "tough questions".

Complete waste of time/energy/resources.

[JDPriestly]

13. It is called catharsis. It is why theater even TV shows are so important to us. It is the

reason we have criminal trials.

This is a learning process. Not only do we learn what happened, but we learn what is important, what we care about. It is a very important part of human experience.

That is what these hearings are about. They are important. Don't dismiss them so readily.

Go read some Greek tragedy. Start with the Oedipus trilogy.

[mzmolly]

17. So we shouldn't ask questions because we assume they wont be answered?

What "system" is idiotic? Questioning those who are responsible for eleven deaths, the demise of an entire ecosystem and the end of countless livelihoods?

[Whisp]

18. what exactly was accomplished - maybe I missed something.

Hayward was under no legal obligation to answer any questions.

I suppose it does make a lot of people feel emotionally better that he was 'grilled', 'embarrassed', made to look like the incompetent fool he is.
but as far as something concrete that will make real life difference to the ocean, the wildlife, the people.... nothing that I heard, but fill me in if I am wrong.

It was just a flexing session, of course this is my opinion only, that the system stinks. Its made to let people like BPand Halliburton and Blackwater and all the rest, made to make it Appear they are equal under the law as any individual. but I'm such a silly for thinking that.

haha!

[mzmolly]

19. I consider letting Republicans reveal themselves an accomplishment

for one. It's not about emotionally feeling better, it's about trying to find out what occurred and preventing it from happening in the future. It's also about establishing a record for the future.