BP photo by way of Times-Picayune
With its hopefully miraculous new cap in place over the Deepwater Horizon well, BP is testing today to see if it will capture all the oil until a relief well can be completed. After nearly three months of tens of thousands of barrels of oil pouring into the Gulf of Mexico every day, it's hard to believe that the worst of it might really, actually be over.
For the families directly affected by BP's disaster, the worst has only begun. BP has been touting its claims process for fishermen and others put out of work by the Deepwater Horizon. You can get forms in three different languages! Darryl Willis will tell you all about it! Up to six months of relief on the way!
But in Louisiana nearly 40,000 are seeing their payments from the company reduced because, as workers in a self-employment, cash economy, they can't prove their losses to BP's satisfaction. From the New Orleans Times-Picayune:
BP said it soon will begin adjusting claims downward based on "the seasonal nature of fishing activities, which will also result in a decrease in payments,'' Ms. Nichols wrote. Clearly the company's interest is in minimizing the amount it will have to pay to families left without their livelihoods in the wake of BP's environmental disaster. BP is also refusing to consider business expenses, such as loan payments on fishing boats, she noted.
Meanwhile, the New York Times spills some serious ink on BP's safety record -- maybe "danger record" would be a better way of putting it.
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I think it's time for Mr. Holder to file criminal charges.
The feds need to get all over these crooks.Right now, before, its sets a precedent.
The feds need to get all over these crooks, before it sets a precedent.
Wait, what happened to that "independent" 9/11 fund guy who was supposed to be in charge of the payments? Why does BP have ANYTHING to do with this? I thought they were supposed to hand over $20 billion and let the independent guy handle disbursements. If they're in charge of handling claims, of COURSE they're going to turn down as many as they can--why is anyone surprised? That was the whole point of appointing the independent guy in the first place.
Democracy sounded good when they sat around arguing in little circles in Athens and wrote pamphlets in the colonies about something called "Liberty." This BP incident, however, highlights the failure of the old ideas. The huge international behemoths will squash the serfs every time until the serfs gang up on the whales to break them into little pieces.
I think Obama and Holder are waiting until all is said and done to assess the total picture. Then if BP continues with this crap they have a better picture to go after them.....just a thought.
I hate to say it but if these fishermen can't prove what they've lost via TAX FORMS which would show exactly how much they made last year or they don't keep good books who's fault is that..... I run a small business and can tell you exactly how much we make and when we made it.... I can track from one year to another etc.
If they've been cheating the system and not paying in like I have to do, why should they get full benefit from the relief payments..... That's what you get for cheating....
I truly believe we have yet to touch the surface of the "worst".
This is very true Mike. If they haven't been paying taxes on $$$ they made in the past than I don't want to hear about there complaints, at the same time I bet BP is going to try and squirm out of paying for anything that they can squirm out of. If the company did things safely in the the begining and didn't cut corners we probably wouldn't be having this conversation. I personally wish all deep water drilling was outlawed and our country jumped on alternatives and green energy and the oil workers jobs lost could be replaced with greener jobs. If I have to pay more for gas? than so be it. It is unfair that we are leaving our planet in this condition for future generations and if certain people don't care about that fact than they are not a very nice person.
What does "BP's disaster" mean? Would that be the effusive maligning in the press? The decision to assume all financial responsibility for the spill? Or are you intimating that BP "caused" the disaster, making it BP's? If so, has this even been established?
Legit question Rusty:
My personal fav.
From the Mother Jones article The BP Blame Game
http://motherjones.com/blue-marble/2010/07/blame-game-who-might-hold-stake-gulf-disaster
Many fingers in the pie of profit should in this case be involved with clean up and payments for losses I would think...but there's always more to it then we get to know...that's just how they roll..."they" being the powers that be everywhere. I would like to know just exactly all whom have, "lawyered up".
*than* we get to know.... and er...whom have? who have? anyway...
This is a shame..but I agree with the comments about keeping track of what they were making etc. I even did this when I simply babysitting. It takes a couple minutes a day to just jot things down in a ledger and then you have it down. Many of us do the same thing with gas receipts, car repairs etc...It takes minutes a day and then you have an account. Don't they get receipts when they sell their catch?
But,,,as Ed said on his show the other day...we never should have trusted BP.
With BP annually making SO much profit for so many years, why 20 billion to them is even a concern to them is beyond me. I'd like to see them spend another 20 billion making a truly failproof blowout preventer. To say this is an impossible task is a joke.
are you intimating that bp didn't cause this disaster? duh. even they aren't stupid enough to suggest that.
blame is easily passed...
as is responsibility easily ignored.
too many people involved... and no one has the ultimate power (or balls) to get something done.
Sign the petition to end the oil based energy economy here;
http://www.politicalwild.com/2010/07/84-days-of-disgrace-in-gulf-and-2020.html
It seems to me that the reason BP is drilling in deep water is because the demand for oil is so high.
Now, I am sure Rachel is an environmentalist. However, her recent trip to Afghanistan must have consumed tons of jet fuel. I suspect this would increase the demand for oil rather than reduce it.
So, how do you suppose Rachel justifies this?
it would have been too weird to get there by bicycle?
Is it possible that the entire crew hitched a ride with some military personnel, sort of like taking public transportation? Jeez, ya think maybe people can advocate for alternative energy and anti pollution and travel at the same time?
By that rationale that environmentalists cannot travel using oil, those war hawks must immediately join military and go into theatre, shooting and being shot at.
Oh, BTW I am hoping this well cap works and the cleanup is making headway.
I am so glad this appears to be working, fingers crossed and praying my way.
Why don’t we just seize all, or “nationalize” all, of British Petroleum’s assets in U.S. territories, evict them from doing business in The United States of America, and bar them from ever returning? If that doesn’t get the attention of the backbenchers, then throw out the ambassadors, and cease diplomatic relations. Isn’t that old hag, Queen Elizabeth II, visiting the United States presently? Throw her out on her “bum“! How many times do we have to kick their ass, much less save them during wars? I am actually of British/Irish descent, but I am glad that I am American. Now, they have conspired to do business with, and drill in Libya, after freeing and returning that Lockerbie terrorist? That just rips it for me! You folks on the Gulf Coast, take a bunch of Union Jacks (British flags) to the coast, soak up some ‘Deep Water Horizon” oil for the slimy limys, and mail: c/o David Cameron, Prime Minister of The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 10 Downing Street, London, SW1A 2AA. Who says “the sun never sets on The British Empire“? Didn’t Rome say something like that as well?
wow