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Home Front: Politix
U.S. Said to Allow Drilling Without Needed Permits
2010-05-15
The federal Minerals Management Service gave permission to BP and dozens of other oil companies to drill in the Gulf of Mexico without first getting required permits from another agency that assesses threats to endangered species -- and despite strong warnings from that agency about the impact the drilling was likely to have on the gulf.

Those approvals, federal records show, include one for the well drilled by the Deepwater Horizon rig, which exploded on April 20, killing 11 workers and resulting in thousands of barrels of oil spilling into the gulf each day.

The Minerals Management Service, or M.M.S., also routinely overruled its staff biologists and engineers who raised concerns about the safety and the environmental impact of certain drilling proposals in the gulf and in Alaska, according to a half-dozen current and former agency scientists.
Posted by:gorb

#9  And, of course:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-05-14/its-bushs-oil-spill/?cid=bs:featured1

Posted by: Uncle Phester   2010-05-15 20:08  

#8  They are happy to let the politicians rail at them as bad guys as long as profits increase.

Not so much, anymore. JammieWearingFool comments on a report that Wall Street bigwigs skipped a recent $25K/plate Democratic party fundraiser.
Posted by: trailing wife   2010-05-15 14:39  

#7  No, Barry is in trouble with business folk because (a) he has created a regime in which rational planning is close to impossible and (b) success just means that the IRS is going to knock on your door first when the impending massive tax hike comes around. I could go on.
Posted by: Matt   2010-05-15 14:07  

#6  why big businesses seem to tend towards throwing their bungs at the Democrats

They throw their money at both, but more to whom they think will win. They favor the donks in a toss up because they favor regulation which stifles innovation and small competitors who can erode the market share of the oligopolists. They are happy to let the politicians rail at them as bad guys as long as profits increase.

Barry is getting in trouble with business now because it is finally becoming clear to them that he and his policies are not returning the economy to prosperity. That is the worst sin to business.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2010-05-15 12:53  

#5  Wonder how much BP contributed to Obama and the Democrats?

Quite a lot, actually. But nothing huge relative to their peers.

I'm puzzled as to why big businesses seem to tend towards throwing their bungs at the Democrats. Is it a response to the Chicago Way, is it because their Chiefs aren't as smart as they would have us believe, and actually wanted Obama to win, or is it because the Republicans can be relied on to be sensible and pragmatic if in charge, whereas the childish leftism of the democrats means it's more sensible to fill their coffers and keep them sweet, just in case they win? If the former and the latter plays a part, the Republicans are perennially screwed when it comes to raising corporate bucks, and should they campaign to put limits a system which rewards the more capricious party?
Posted by: Bulldog   2010-05-15 11:56  

#4  Noticing those dates after January 2009 - this is unpossible. The One would never have permitted it.

Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski   2010-05-15 11:40  

#3  Wonder how much BP contributed to Obama and the Democrats? It's the Chicago way.
Posted by: DMFD   2010-05-15 10:31  

#2  Even when they do try to make something right...
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2010-05-15 05:41  

#1  No one from the Marshall Islands ever inspected the rig.

No kidding.

required permits from another agency that assesses threats to endangered species � and despite strong warnings from that agency about the impact the drilling was likely to have on the gulf.

Those approvals, federal records show, include one for the well drilled by the Deepwater Horizon rig, which exploded on April 20


So they got the approval, or this is unusually crappy writing even by the low standards of the MSM.
Posted by: phil_b   2010-05-15 02:46  

00:00