Originally Posted by aceventura3

I believe there is a role for government in society. I also believe our legal system plays an important role in maintaining order and justice. I am a simple person and I don't try to make simple things more complicated than they need to be:

Companies have an obligation to have safety policies and procedures. If they don't they should be forced out of business.

Employees have an obligation to follow company safety policies and procedures. If they don't they should be fired.

Companies have an obligation to ensure employees follow safety policies and procedures. If they don;t they should be forced out of business.

Government has an obligation to oversee and regulate safety policies and procedures based on "best practices" within each industry holding all accountable to those standards.

Our judicial system has an obligation to administer justice based on the above.

How does your view differ from mine?

Some liberals want to punish the entire industry for the actions of one company, I do not see that as justice. However, to the degree that there are costs to society that can not be allocated to one company those costs should be dispersed to the industry through taxation. Obama's notion of increasing taxes on all companies because of BP's failure is wrong in my view. If BP truely failed they should incur the burden and be put out of business if need be - so in that regard, yes, I want government to come in.