Does anyone believe if the Spill didn't occur, the Dept of Interior would have

[saracat]

investigated M+M, or that BP would be investigated at all? Really? Especially now that we know even the moratorium was just "verbal". The Admin and Salazar was well aware of the documented problems within and yet NOTHING was done and even now the efforts are just beginning.

[robinblue]

1. It always takes a disaster for something to get done.

[tekisui]

2. Not a chance.

It would have been business as usual.

[JuniperLea]

3. Of course not...

Everything has reached crisis level these days... only the most in-your-face situations are going to be addressed... I mean, why look for more trouble when you are surrounded by trouble?

[laughingliberal]

4. No. nt

[TransitJohn]

5. Which company is M+M?

And what wellsite service work were they doing?

[charlesg]

6. Heck no. They all would have been promoted and given bonuses

to supplement the gifts, trips and hookers they got from big oil.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

7. No.

It would have been same ol', same ol' -- no doubt about it.

[Arctic Dave]

8. You would think a "reverse disaster capitalism" would happen.

Put the screws to the corporations for once.

[saracat]

9. Bump because this is worth talking about. Slazar's testimony alone

indicates they "kew" about all the corruption. Why was no action taken.?????

[Nikki Stone1]

10. Nope. And I have my doubts that they will now.

I hate this corporate control.

[Lerkfish]

11. my answer would be no, but that's because less than a month before the spill

The administration announced they were full speed ahead on offshore drilling.

Just like the Massey coal explosion, even if they were cited for wrongdoing, nothing substantive every comes from it, and more likely simply increases the amount of the bribe.

and just to add, I think this is always true, regardless of who is in office.

[Spheric]

12. We pay lip service to Justice, but it apparently doesn't exist anymore...

"Justice for all" has become some kind of a big joke that is used to keep us in our place. We praise it. We exalt it. But we don't ensconce it in our our lives or insist on it from our government.

Currently, we are too busy looking forward to be concerned with it at all. The previous administration merely flaunted their derision of the principle openly.

Equal justice under the law is the cornerstone of this democracy. Without it we have no future and no hope.

We need "heads on pikes" if we are ever to return to any semblance of a rational government.

So no, under the current climate of "look the other way," I don't see any reason to believe there would have been any additional investigations or changes at the MMS if it weren't for this disaster. In fact, if that were the case, it would have happened prior to their insane decision to expand off shore drilling.

That assumes, of course, that they have any vestiges of rationality left, which is becoming less apparent daily.

[laughingliberal]

13. kick nt

[Mendocino]

14. Ken Salazar is just a corporate lackey

in a long line of toadies who have served at Interior.