The company that owns the sunken Deepwater Horizon rig argued in federal court Tuesday that plaintiffs should not begin collecting evidence and testimony on the Gulf oil spill until the November deadline for claimants to file suit. Transocean Ltd. made it’s arguments in Houston after the federal court there accepted the company’s petition to limit it’s liability in the oil spill to less than $27 million, the amount the company says the sunken rig is worth. U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison made no rulings Tuesday, but he scheduled two more court dates for early June, noting he wants to focus on whether the suit should remain in Texas or move elsewhere and whether depositions should begin immediately. Mike Papantonio appears on The Ed Show to talk about some of the problems that the lawsuit is already running into.
And it’s not just BP execs that should be going to jail. Moments ago on MSNBC I heard a Shell officer refute the need for deep water drilling emergency plans in case of spills – likening the need for the technology and ability to stop oil spills as having “a plan to stop a jet plane crashing into your roof.” I know Mike expects this kind of attitude from BP and the industry and it’s oily allies AND the corrupted feds – the “ass-kicking” is going to take an army of legal steel-toed boots to get the job done.
If the Justice Dept. doesn’t move the legal proceedings to a neutral site and allows BP to pick Houston’s courts as the venue then Houston must become ground zero for massive demonstrations. Cases should be tried in Louisiana, but if not – there’s got to be a neutral site both parties can agree on.
I did not become an activist because of politics but in spite of politics. I am sick to death of hearing how this disaster will affect Democrats and even sicker hearing Repugnicans spout their predictable BS. Let the chips fall where they may. If this catastrophe undoes Obama – he deserves it, he put the same old suspects in charge and this is the kind of result you get from an administration cherry-picked from big business insiders.
Go get ‘em ALL Mike!
This interview rocked! Go Ed and Mike! Get that anger and frustration out….thanks Mike for saying what an asshole Holder is! This Burnbaum lady….you bet she was a fall girl and a distraction from Salazar….the REAL problem. No way in hell should this be tried in Texas.
I have heard alot about how the clean up workers are getting so sick….it’s the same thing that happened with Exonn Valdez….the clean up methods have not improved. Years down the road, it will be the same old story…the people cleaning up the Gulf will get sick and BP will say that it’s not their fault…how history repeats itself. You bet it’s time for a perp walk!
Flick….I love your last paragraph….that’s exactly how I feel!
Ditto to Go get’em all Mike! Ed….thanks for keeping this story front and center. Mike….you look very nice on this video and you are on fire with rage! Yeah!
Here is a great article I read about how America is SO over.
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/must-read/american-century-so-over
This is a serious topic, this disaster, but I have to say, also:
This was FUN, listening to the REAL Ed come through (I LOVE ED)!!! It’s just so GREAT to hear both of these a$$-kicking men talk about the loathsome BP, and other sh*t like that!!!
So, BP doesn’t want images of volunteer workers for the disaster in (GASP!) Respirators???
Oh, HELL NO!!!! Can’t having the folks at home, watching, thinking: oh, Gee, maybe this thing is Serious!!!!
Nah, we Don’t want that! So, those workers in the nice hard-hats and such just convey the message of: Nothing to see, here Folks! We’re just doing our job! No biggie! Keep driving by, now! No rubber-necking, y’all!!!!
What a crock!
Colleen writes:
“Mike….you look very nice on this video…”
Ain’t that the TRUTH, Colleen???!!!!
But, I am Trying to refrain (starting with This post) of commenting on how attractive, well-dressed, and cute Mike is. I am TRYING, real Hard, starting with This comment, to Not focus on Mike being so incredibly, extremely Attractive, because I notice he’s wearing more subdued looking ties, now, and I worry that my over-the-top LOVE of his colorful ties might be driving him over the edge!!!!
So, NO MORE of my talking about Mike’s beauty or Any of that kind of stuff!!!!
(Not my fault he looks so dadgum GOOD, though, Is IT)?????
Honestly, though, I did like This tie a Lot, too….
Mara,
Nope…not your fault re: Mike.
I loved it too when Ed said “ass-kicking!” Ed is cool.
Oh, the shenanigans of BP and just about all those good ol’ boys in the oil industry!
When Carter warned about the impending energy and economic crisis, it all boils down to Einstein’s argument that “you can’t solve a problem on the same plane it was created.”
The government sure has moved very far to the right. Looking back on the Bush years, when there was a scandal, we would just yawn about it, but now with Obama in charge, we feel duped and betrayed since he too surrounds himself with the wrong crowd of corporate cronies.
To reiterate Dr. Phil’s point in this type of situation “common sense isn’t really common enough” – esp. to the oil industry and their shenanigans thereof.
Indeed, Mike is A LOT more on the ball with the BP oil spill than Obama and Eric Holder are – in comparison he is light years away in knowing the impact more than the Obama admin. So, I want to hear more about the progress of the developments in the case against BP, and a lot less with what goes on with celebrity shenanigans and non-stories.
The clean up workers not being able to wear respirators?! This sounds like how Guiliani handled Ground Zero—when the camera crew comes, take your face masks off.
Also, Rachel did a piece tonight on that Judge Hughes Mike talks about here.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#37408775
Colleen – yeah good link, hilarious hijinks!
We been SO over for quite some time actually. Petro-dollars, Saudi’s buying up the central banks, NAFTA, and now the ’08-’0? depression… Without the big $tick we can’t bully nobody. Good! It’s time to clean our own house and get our steamy breath off other’s picture windows…
We can’t have a foreign policy until we figure out what ours is. Right now we are a corporate owned lot. They want us fat, stupid, lazy and divided – not vigorous, educated, motivated and united. And now look at the gift we’ve inherited – free oil! Free oil for fish fowl and fools forever!
Black gold, texas tea
Laying on the shore for free
Gob it on your face and hands
Rub it on your private glands
Plenty more to go around
Tell BP – ain’t lost – it’s found
Never thought I’d live to see
Millions of gallons of oil for free!
NR,
I admire your goal to avoid celebrity “news” and other such “idioticies”. We live in a world where people would Much rather discuss reality shows and Lindsey Lohan than something like the BP oil disaster – so keep up the good work in paying attention to the Real news, not fake news! A little celebrity gossip, imo, is not such a terrible thing for those who like to follow stars, but I find I can hardly look at celebrity gossip rags, these days. I don’t know if that will change and I’ll start to want to look at them again. I mostly read them to look at what everyone would be wearing, anyway. I love “in-depth” discussions of fashion choices, and I don’t have to think too much, reading such things, and we all need our down-time, but your points are well taken.
America is addicted to the *inane*, while the *insane* (like this oil disaster) is not paid enough attention to. After a while, people’s minds wander to wondering about Simon Cowell or something -
Colleen, however, w/her Rachel link shows how long this BP thing is going to be dragged out. Mike said it could take years. We have to wait to July, right off the bat, to see if BP will have it’s way re: Judge Hughes. It sounds bad.
What an exhausting fight for the lawyers involved! I hope their wonderful anger sustains them, w/o draining them. BP is a nasty organization. Houston – remind me Not to ever visit there!
Flick – Excellent poem on the oil disaster!!!!
Flick,
I thought that link said it all. Michael Moore’s web site has lots of good stuff. Your post is correct—in reality, America has been SO over for a long time. You gave the list as to why. It is time to clean our own house. This country is totally out of order. This country no longer has it’s own identity. We are a Plutocracy with no real direction and our so-called “leaders” have no direction either. You’re right—we need to figure out our own foreign policy. I compare the state of our country to a person who wants to control everything but can’t control themselves. This country is also like a person with no direction. Ever know someone like that? I have and they are the worst type of people to be around. They just go with the wind and stand for nothing…you know, like our country. Like Mara, I loved your poem. It put the BP disaster in a nutshell.
Mara,
I liked your sentence about the “inane and insane”…so true.
I’m also glad NR is a young person who would rather know about REAL news than the idiots on TV and tabloids.
Colleen, thanks for your thoughts on my youth and my generation as a millenial (I’m essentially one of the older/elderly millenials). When Phillipe Cousteau was on Bill Maher last night, he mentioned that he does see hope in my generation and those after mine. Contrary to us millenials being stereotyped as “spoiled” and “entitled” or want instant gratification that won’t result in boredom or frustration, we are next in line as the change this world wants to see.
NR,
Yes, I saw Phillipe Cousteau on Bill Maher last night when he said that. If there are enough people in your generation like yourself, then there is hope for everyone’s future.
NR, there is much to admire about you and your generation. Colleen and I (if I may speak for her) are also proud of our generation. I personally think aging is treated w/huge contempt in this society. No encouragement is given to those who advance in knowledge and wisdom as they age. It’s just all seen as pathetic, aging, and to be fought against as hard as possible.
People dread birthdays. They sigh and moan over their ages. Well, I know that a birthday is a gift – even though I hate my miserable life! (Consistency – not something I really strive for, folks)!!!!
That said, the young inspire me!!! I’m still young (enough) too. So, hope. It’s for all of US, god willing.
Mara,
Bravo to your post! Aging IS seen with contempt in this society. It’s like if your over 30—forget it. That is so wrong. Yes, I’m proud of my generation and I’m at the point in life where I am who I am. Take it or leave it. That’s the one great thing about being my age–I don’t give a rat’s ass.
Remember, you are never too old to keep learning or try.
Just look at Raquel Welch…almost 70 and still learning and talking about her life and mistakes. She has a new book out about her life. She is STILL one of my husband’s fave “pin-up” girls.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/31/raquel-welch-on-her-new-b_n_520165.html
Colleen,
I admire her and she certainly looks great, but in all honesty, I would like to see more women in Hollywood – and in all areas of life – who look more like the way a person would naturally look at age 70.
Mara, I remember a few weeks ago you said that I have the intelligence of someone 2x my age. Just wanted to thank you for that compliment!
Being a young in this country is treated with contempt as well since Corporation America and the government have dis-invested themselves of putting money, time, and resources in our young people.
I did not put the word “person” after the word “young.”
With Obama and Eric Holder not doing anything, we might as well call ourselves the United States of Africa because many of those oil producing African countries are like Nigeria, Angola, Alegria, etc., are corrupt.
Black gold, texas tea
Laying on the shore for free
Gob it on your face and hands
Rub it on your private glands
Plenty more to go around
Tell BP – ain’t lost – it’s found
Never thought I’d live to see
Millions of gallons of oil for free!
Flick, your first line of the poem, reminds me of the theme son of the 1960s TV show The Beverly Hillbillies.
G, I guess you’re talking about how poor America’s education system is where taxpayer dollars get spent on war overseas before any schools or colleges see them. Certainly, poor education or the lack thereof is what is resulting in America becoming more and more of an idiocracy. Privatizing education certainly defies logic since learning should really not come with a profit and/or prolonged payments to student loans.
NR, you’re welcome!!!!
G, we don’t have to call ourselves the United States of Africa.
The United States of America is just as corrupt.
G and Mara, as I’ve mentioned before, it seems like the US will sooner or later become the United States of China since America owes China a lot. But, God forbid the Chinese would invade the US and occupy our land in order to call it the USC.
NR,
China seems to be the new Super Power. Will they be any more compassionate than America has been? It doesn’t look good. They will dominate, I suppose, just like we do – with great cruelty and corruption.
NR,
Very good points. China owns us already.
In China, warfare is just not military. It can be political and economic as well. When you control someone’s economy like the United Fruit Company in Guatemala by occupying key parts of the system, you don’t have to invade someone in order to conquer it. We Americans tend to think that warfare is only military power, not economic, social, and political as well. Germany and Japan are economic powerhouses; however, they make sure that they don’t let their own people sell their country down the road for their own selfish interests.
Our laws make it too easy for foreigners to own land, companies, treasury bonds, etc. Mexico and China have pass and enforce laws that prevent other countries from possessing natural and man made assets in their countries. Furthermore, our former government officials act as lobbyists for these countries plus our corporate officials only care about labor costs and getting their foot into someone’s else market. They don’t care about the long-term costs such as loss of revenue to the American government and to the communities, destruction of American jobs, technology transfers.
Another thing is our lobbyist laws make it too easy for countries to control our foreign and economic foreign policy. Anna Baltzer wrote a book called Witness in Palestine and did a film titled Life In Occupied Palestine where she talks about how Israel takes our money that we give and uses it against us when they lobby for their own interests. If we cut off that source of funding, then they would be forced to cease their activities in the Occupied Terrorities. Thom Hartmann pointed out on his show that back in 1987, China was a third rate country; however, thanks to Corporate America’s own selfish interest and intelligent, long range thinking by the government, it is now a superpower.
G,
You nailed it. We let corporate America determine their own agenda and we allow them to harm the economy for the sake of their own profits. Thses other countries don’t let the corporations take over.
And one more thought–these right wingers “country first” bullshit makes me puke! That only goes as far as their own financial bottom line.
G,
Excellent points, and all well-written. I just read Glenn Greenwald saying something similar re: our aid to Israel. If you’d like, here is his most recent column, on the attack of the “Freedom Flotilla” where he talks about what this aid the US gives Israel does, in terms of consequences for the Palestinians – and for the people of the USA. Here are 2 quotes from Greenwald on the topic:
“…it is only the massive amounts of U.S. financial and military aid, and endless diplomatic protection, that enables Israel to act with impunity as a rogue and inhumane state.”
“As Americans suffer extreme cuts in education for their own children and a further deterioration in basic economic security (including Social Security), will they continue to acquiesce to the transfer of billions of dollars every year to the Israelis, who — unlike Americans — enjoy full, universal health care coverage?”
http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/
Mara,
Thanks for the Greewald link. Very informative (as always) and the 2 quotes you posted say it all. Israel does the dirty deeds and we continue to support them and that I can’t ignore or agree with. It’s sad when the oppressed become the oppressor.
What ever support I had for Israel is now gone, because of them attacking those ships. Those sailors and officers should be charge with war crimes: crimes against peace, waging an aggressive war (what war is not aggressive anyway), and any other crimes that we threw at the Germans after World War II. I will not accept the excuse “I was following orders.”
I was watching a rerun of the Thom Hartmann show and he stated that when the US Secretary of Transportation was in Spain, he offer the Spanish companies who make electric trains a huge amount of money to help them; however, Thom Hartmann pointed out why wasn’t he doing the same for our former automobile factories in Detroit to produce those very same products?
I think the Flotilla voyage may be not much more than a publicity stunt attempting to delegitimize Israel, and it distracts our attention from the more pressing issue of the BP oil spill here at home.