There's an article in the Washington Post today that makes me angry enough I could spit. Steven Pearlstein, who's a business reporter for the Post, has a piece entitled, "For All Its Blunders, BP Didn't Cut and Run". 

This is not a good way to look at the massive fiasco that is the environmental catastrophe caused by BP. They have been wrecking the environment everywhere they go, for decades. And this reporter wants to praise them for not simply abandoning the Gulf. 

He praises things like BP sending $25 million checks to each of five Gulf states to help with clean up efforts. Help with cleanup efforts? They're the ones who caused the clean up. They need to pay every damn dime. The Federal government -- in other words you and me -- have already paid over $87 million in clean up costs. 

Pearlman says BP's response has "not been perfect" then cites BP's claim that this was a minor spill, followed by their estimate that 5,000 barrels a day were spilling, despite having internal memos saying it could be up to 14,000.. 

Quite simply, BP is indefensible. The explosion could have been prevented. They lied and said offshore drilling was safe. It's not. They lied and said it was a minor spill. It's not. They lied and said it was 5,000 barrels. It's not. 

What do you think of their statement that they will take full fiscal and environmental responsibility for this spill will end up being? I'm guessing just another lie. 

And giving the company credit for taking responsibility for their actions is ridiculous. Saying they're good for not "cutting and running" is like congratulating a felon for not breaking out of prison. 

When we take responsibility for our actions it's just called being grown up.