Exxon has paid enough

Exxon took it's case to the Supreme Court this week arguing that it has paid enough in damages relating to the Exxon Valdez spill almost 20 years ago and should not be compelled to compensate 33,000 people in Alaska. 6,000 of these people are now dead and the lawyers have receved a reported 781 million in fees while the settlement has been reduced to 2.5 billion. Another piece of their argument is that they should be liable for the actions of an employee who broke company policy.

That's a basic summary of what has gone on and now my opinion.

The fact that this case is at the Supreme Court is an embarrassment to all of us and we should be ashamed of ourselves. We have sat on our butts for 20 years while Exxon has made enough money to buy and sell Alaska and they have legal grounds to argue that they are not responsible for the actions of their employee. What if he made it and didn't spill oil everywhere? Would they have said this oil got here in violation of company policy so we have to give it away? Do they say we've made too much money and have to donate the rest to alternative energy research? No they would never do any of those things because they are legally obligated to pursue profit. At the same time they are obligated to be bound by the law like every other legal person. If their employee didn't follow company policy why should the public suffer the consequences? Exxon should pay and they can sue their employee to recover the costs. I'm getting sick and tired of the law being in place to protect corporations from their own bad decisions and taxpayers and citizens being stuck with the consequences. Watch the documentary film The Corporation and you'll see how corporations are able to act with impunity.

Watch for the Supreme Court decision because it will tell us where America and the world are really headed. If you are in the USA please call your elected officials and ask them about this and what they will do about it.