Supreme Court Cuts Exxon Oil Spill Penalty

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In response to "Accidents will Happen" JPaul of MA
If there were no sanctions in place most large corporations wouldn't be responsible for their actions. In many third world countries corporate waste is dumped into the water system. By your standard this can be called an accident and forgotten. They must be responsible and held responsible if otherwise. That is the reality

madmonq of GA 11:06AM June 26, 2008

Corporations are neither good nor evil, just instruments of human endeavor in a capitalistic system. Reparations and penalties need to be fair. They are not entitlements. They are not assurances of perfection. They cannot erase the past.
(Those who would crucify Exxon or other corporations for their 'evil' ways should seriously consider moving abroad to a non-industrialized third-world country, if that is truly what they prefer, rather than trying to gradually make the United States into a third world country. The ability for corporations to operate and to profit is the lifeblood of our economy and our way of life. We must educate our children in reality.)

J Paul of MA 4:30PM June 25, 2008

This is what happens when the court gets stacked with right-wing big-business types. They have way too much power and are wreaking havoc on our society. In this case they are writing the law instead of judging it. The Bush appointees should be removed.
The states and congress should also take steps to improve Exxon's conscience by removing their rights to drill and transport oil and giving those rights to a company that will take their responsibilities more seriously.

Scott Wood of MI 4:07PM June 25, 2008

This article was lacking in some info, you can read more here:
http://newsminer.com/news/2008/jun/25/supreme-court-slashes-judgment-exxon-valdez-disast/
essentially, this equates to $15,000 per person who's livelyhood was destroyed and has had to wait 20 years for a resolution. Simply by dragging it out, the interests EXXON made by not paying the original award of 5 billion has paid for itself.
The jury made a decision, and unless there are some extreme mitigating circumstances, it's nothing less than a mockery of the system, for judges to set aside awards and penalties like this.
The law has turned against the people today.

matt erickson of AK 3:29PM June 25, 2008