We should be thankful BP is willing to bite the bullet on this, if they do so. They sure don't have to.
Washington (CNN) - BP has reached an agreement with the federal government to place $20 billion in an escrow fund to pay for claims in the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster, President Barack Obama announced at the White House on Wednesday. The amount does not represent a total cap on the amount the oil giant may ultimately have to pay, the president said.
Obama's announcement came at the conclusion of a lengthy White House meeting between top administration and BP officials.
The $20 billion fund will be administered by an independent third party, Obama said. Attorney Kenneth Feinberg - who oversaw the compensation fund for victims of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks - will oversee the claims process, he added.
The fund "will not supersede individuals' or states' rights to present claims in court," he said. BP, he asserted, will remain liable for the environmental disaster in the Gulf.
BP has also voluntarily agreed to create a $100 million fund for the purpose of compensating oil rig workers now unemployed as a result of closure of other deepwater rigs after the April 20 Deepwater Horizon explosion, Obama said.
CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - BP to set up $20 billion cleanup fund, Obama says - Blogs from CNN.com
We should be thankful BP is willing to bite the bullet on this, if they do so. They sure don't have to.
"Call me crazy, but I want to buy the Dallas Cowboys end zone and have the star right at the foot of my bed. That way when I score, I can spike the ball right on the star!" -Woody Paige, Around the Horn 10.9.08
They are in debt to us, we have the power to be very harsh with them. They actually gotten off easy with their pussyfooting around, they should be thankful.
What power do we have to be harsh to them?
"Call me crazy, but I want to buy the Dallas Cowboys end zone and have the star right at the foot of my bed. That way when I score, I can spike the ball right on the star!" -Woody Paige, Around the Horn 10.9.08
Originally Posted by R13
We have no power at all to make them do anything. This is the same company that gave Odumbshit nearly 1 million in campaign contributions. Still doesn't change the fact that chairman Maobama hasn't really done anything to help clean up the mess. All I keep hearing from him is BP is gonna pay, BP has never said they wouldn't pay or do whatever they could to get the leak stopped and clean up the mess. But dear leader did keep the Dutch skimmers (that can remove 146,000 barrels a day) away until Monday when they initially offered to fly these skimmers in three days after the spill happened. It also provided a plan for creating sand barriers to protect the sensitive marshlands of the Gulf coast.
Don't try and throw out the Jones Act to defend their non-action and refusal of aid. They can, and have many times in the past, issued a waiver to allow aid like this. The problem dear leader would have is catching grief from his love buddies in the labor unions who demand protection from global competition.
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The thing to do would be take everything the company has, from everyone above the hourly level. We should shit up Alaska next.
We'll keep the lights on for you.
Spuds
Loss of business, either by strict regulations or even what they were talking about the other day with environmental legislation that would go as far as charging them with criminal charges for the spill. BP isn't doing this out of the kindness of their heart, they have to one way or another. Obama is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. If he does too much, he's doing what BP should do and not holding them accountable. If he doesn't do enough, he gets chastised for incompetence. Fine line he has to walk in a unprecedented disaster and a full plate.
Goes with the job.......Bush had 911 and Katrina so I would not go so far as to say that Obamas situation is "Unprecedented"
A disaster like this has never came with the job. Hurricanes do, those end though within a few days, damage done, it's mother nature and the clean up is simple(not easy, but simple). With 911, he had an entire nation behind him and again, it's simple...get the bad guys. An oil spill is very, very different. The clean up and just stopping the thing is incredibly difficult, there's no boogieman to go hunt and the damage will go on for years and years and years. He came in with 2 wars and a terrible economy(not to mention the million other things) from Bush, now has to deal with this, this doesn't always "go with the job".
So he chooses to do what he normally does which is campaign and golf and nothing really productive at all.
PolitiPage.com | Obama during oil spill ? golf, parties, photo-ops? and more golf! (photos)
Explosion in Gulf
Obama returns from L.A. ? fundraising for Barb Boxer
DAY 2 ? April 21
Obama attends reception for G-20 Labor Ministers
DAY 3 ? April 22
Obama hosts Rose Garden reception to honor Earth Day
Obama flies to NYC to push Wall St bill
DAY 4 ? April 23
Hey, let?s go on vacation to Asheville, North Carolina!
Lunch at Twelve Bones for ribs and mac & cheese
No worries! How about a mountain hike?
Obama squeezes in a round of golf!
DAY 5 ? April 24
Let?s go golfing again ? at Grove Park Inn GC
A nice gourmet dinner at the Biltmore!
DAY 6 ? April 25
A scrumptious brunch at Grove Park Resort
DAY 7 ? April 26
Obama hosts NY Yankees for White House event
DAY 8 ? April 27
Obama visits Iowa for rhubarb pie at Jerry?s Diner
DAY 9 ? April 28
Obama flies to Missouri for lunch at Peggy Sue?s Diner
DAY 10 ? April 29
Obama attends DNC fundraiser at swank DC residence
DAY 11 ? April 30
Obama flies to MD to view Secret Service binoculars
DAY 12 ? May 1
Obama joins Leno for comedy routine at WHCD
DAY 13 ? May 2
Obama finally visits Lousiana
DAY 14 ? May 3
Obama hosts the Navy football team
DAY 15 ? May 4
Obama private lunch with Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel
DAY 16 ? May 5
Obama hosts Cinco De Mayo party at White House
DAY 17 ? May 6
Just chillin?. Summers gives updates on economy
DAY 18 ? May 7
Wizbangs give Rose Garden speech on ?economy?
DAY 19 ? May 8
Obama hits links at Ft Belvoir
Dining out at ritzy DC restaurant ? Komi!
DAY 20 ? May 9
Obama gives commencement speech at Hampton U.
DAY 21 ? May 10
Hey, during a crisis, let?s pick a SCJ!
DAY 22 ? May 11
Private (golf?) lunch with Joe Biden
DAY 23 ? May 12
Obama hosts private reception for President Karzai
DAY 24 ? May 13
Obama flies to Buffalo for Duff?s hot wings
DAY 25 ? May 14
Obama finally makes speech on oil spill in Rose Garden
DAY 26 ? May 15
Enough of the oil spill stuff? Obama off to golf!
DAY 27 ? May 16
Obama golfs (again!) at Fort Belvoir
DAY 28 ? May 17
Obama hosts UConn women?s basketball
DAY 29 ? May 18
Obama tours plant in ?Ohio? (um, oil spill?s in LA!)
DAY 30 ? May 19
Obama hosts glitzy state dinner for Calderon
Dancing the night away!
DAY 31 ? May 20
Obama meets with Bono for some reason
DAY 32 ? May 21
Obama chills with the Pittsburgh Steelers?
DAY 33 ? May 22
Obama goes golfing again at Andrews Air Force base
DAY 34 ? May 23
Obama discusses basketball with Marv Albert
DAY 35 ? May 24
Obama hosts Asian American celebration
DAY 36 ? May 25
Obama flies to San Fran to party with Getty Oil family
?And raise millions for Barbara Boxer
DAY 37 ? May 26
Obama spends day 2 in CA ? with fellow economic wiz
DAY 38 ? May 27
Obama welcomes the Duke Blue Devils
Obama, Clinton hang with the U.S. World Cup team
Obama hosts party for Jewish Americans
Obama family heads off for a weekend vacation
DAY 39 ? MAY 28
Obamas back in Chicago for weekend vacation
?Obama interrupts vaca for some PR
DAY 40 ? MAY 29
Obama leaving U Chicago after some basketball?
?The Obamas heading out for an evening of barbecue
DAY 41 ? MAY 30
After a night of barbecue and beers, let?s hit the gym!
DAY 41 ? MAY 30 (cont)
Obama attends party at Jarrett?s home?
DAY 42 ? MAY 31
Obama skips Arlington, then gets rained out for Illinois speech?
Obama tries yukking it up on bus and gets razzed!
DAY 43 ? JUNE 1
Meets with Oil Spill expert Bob Graham(?)? and Prez of Peru
DAY 44 ? JUNE 2
Flies to Pittsburgh to talk up 41,000 new jobs/453,000 newly unemployed
Hosts Paul McCartney concert? Sings and dances the night away
DAY 45 ? JUNE 3
Hosts another party for India delegation
DAY 46 ? JUNE 4
Hangs with MLS Champs Salt Lake?
Flies to LA for 5 hours ? enjoys shrimp for lunch, records Weekly Address
DAY 47 ? JUNE 5
Publishes Weekly Address from Louisiana (that was recorded yesterday).
Quiet day (golf?)
DAY 48 ? JUNE 6
Hosts WH party ? then heads to Ford Theatre for a night of laughs and music with George Lopez and Kelly Clarkson.
Biden, Emanuel host barbecue for media ? water soaker fight breaks out!
DAY 49 ? JUNE 7
Gives graduation speech to sleepy Michigan HS.
DAY 50 ? JUNE 8
Hosts barbecue picnic for members of Congress
DAY 51 ? JUNE 9
Meets with Palestine leader (not Jewish)
DAY 52 ? JUNE 10
DAY 53 ? JUNE 11
Date night ? dinner and Broadway play!
DAY 54 ? JUNE 12
Compares oil spill to 9/11 ? heads to youth soccer match!
DAY 55 ? JUNE 13
Hey, let?s play golf! Again!
DAY 56 ? JUNE14
Down to LA for seafood, and snow cones
DAY 57 ? JUNE 15
Over to FL for Bushwackers
Obama family in California on vacation
DAY 58 ? JUNE 16
Meets for 20 minutes with BP CEO
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