Reply #75: Yeah, but you forgot to mention the fine print from the NYTimes (buried on p2)

[Kber]

this...

"If the new range of flow estimates proves correct, and if BP is ultimately found guilty of gross negligence in actions it took that led to the Deepwater Horizon disaster, that would mean the company could be assessed fines of up to $258 million a day. Those fines could come on top of payments for cleanup costs and economic damage to Gulf Coast businesses."


and this...

"BP officials are adamant that the company should not be liable for the lost wages of oil workers laid off because of the six-month moratorium that the Obama administration imposed on deepwater offshore drilling after the Deepwater Horizon explosion and fire. But Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and other administration officials repeatedly have cited idled oil workers as among those who could press claims."


and lastly, this...

"To make sure that all claims are paid, the administration had demanded that BP set aside money to pay for future liabilities before paying dividends to shareholders, which now amount to about $10.5 billion a year."


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/17/us/politics/17obama.html?hp