Make Corporations Pay for Their Blunders

                BP’s oil disaster reminds us how delicate the Earth is when we try to explore for oil in parts of this planet where we really should keep our hands off – like off-shore drilling.  No, our lust for oil has caused corporations and executives to think they are more powerful than nature and take on the forces of nature.  Who wins?  The answer is obvious.  Let this be a lesson.

                But, we all know that executives don’t learn lessons very well.  In fact, they will take this tragedy and attempt to make a profit from their blunders.  They have already attempted to bribe people along the Gulf Coast by offering bribes in exchange for not being sued.  An obvious attempt to save some money.

                Okay Mr. President and Congress – here’s the message from the people, if you care to listen.  We will not be victimized by their blunders by higher gasoline prices at the pumps just because they have failed to stop the oil spill in an expedited matter.  Their finger-pointing has only caused more resources to be wasted which in turn is an excuse for executives to claim a “shortage of oil” and therefore pass along higher prices at the pumps.

                We will not settle for this charade once again.  It’s about time that the Administration and Congress put a price cap on oil prices – especially if the cause of the shortage is the company’s mistake.  And, for damaging the environment, severe penalties should be assessed against these corporations for taking their time resolving the crisis.

                Congress should swiftly pass legislation that will penalize BP petroleum and its associates a mandatory 50% reduction of gasoline prices at the pump for the next ten years for each day the well remains uncapped.  If this means that it will cause BP to go out of business, then let it be.  Let BP serve as an example of what will happened to corporations if they try to take advantage of a crisis and pass along the cost of its own mistakes to the consumers.  If this causes a price war with other oil companies, then so it shall be.

                It’s about time that the corporations, not the consumers, be penalized for their mistakes.