SIGNS OF THE TIMES

There's a lot of bull going around and that other stuff piled high and deep that goes with it. I'm finding an election year is a real turn-off. I just don't want to hear anymore crap, nor any more pleas for money. Our election process and the money in elections is way out of control, especially when government isn't working up to their own promises and laws aren't enforced. Don't you wish we could fire them all and start over with a fair and level playing field?

My current gripe is costly government failures regarding the ghastly oil spill in the gulf.   I'm mad as hell that Interior Secretary Salazar failed to require the necessary and in place environmental reviews before issuing permits for drilling. I''m mad that permits are still being issued and it takes a citizen's group to sue Salazar and Minerals Management Serivice to stop drilling projects already exempted from environmental review. How dare they?

Then, during the clean-up, BP used previously failed methods to attack the spill. They used toxic dispersants that they, nor the Environmental Protection Agency, have never tested for how much harm they can do to humans, our food chain and ocean plants and animals. They had NO plan for how to handle a spill. They spent NO money on new technology for cleaning up a spill since the last, similar disastrous spill. They spent a lot of money on how to drill deeper and cheaper and get more oil out of the ground. Then, BP immediately challenged Obama's deep-water oil-drilling moratorium. They've burned endangered sea turtles alive in a messy clean-up effort. Because conservation partners and fishermen promised a lawsuit, BP agreed  to ensure sea turtle rescue before lighting the fires.

Interior Secretary Salazaar refused to turn over documentation of his interactions with the oil industry lobbyists since becoming secretary of the Interior. He should be fired forthwith and made to pony up.

Various states we traveled through, have very serious consequences for endangering others.
Hit A Worker
$10,000 Fine
Lose Your License


 Maybe BP should lose their license to drill along with their fine.
  

Speeding Maximum Fine $1,000
Reckless Driving
Eight Years

We don't tolerate reckless driving.  Maybe BP executives should go to jail for reckless endangerment of lives. How about  20 years without possibility of parole?

 BP, I read is going to be levied a 19 Billion dollar fine. At the very least, along with the fine, there should be   a stipulation, double for second offense. Then maybe they would engineer some safety procedures that work. And, all of the executives at BP should have to do 30 days in jail, just for a little taste of what its like. Give them a little second thought allowance for when they make their next decision placing money over people safety. And then a minimum of 1000 hours each, public service in the area they destroyed. Could be a life changing experience.

 Sigh....if I ruled the world...