re: #158 Cato the Elder

1) As a regular citizen with an oil tank in my backyard, I am responsible for damage it may cause regardless of what precautions I may take. If it develops a leak, it’s my responsibility, even if it’s an act of God like a lightning strike that causes the tank to leak.

I agree, and said as much.

2) I was not talking about seizing the companies and having the government run them. I am most definitely expecting them to run from their responsibility above a bare minimum and try to avoid paying the damages. If I were to do that in the backyard oil-tank example, neither you nor any reasonable person would object to the City of Baltimore seizing enough of my assets to pay for the cleanup. That’s the type of seizure I’m talking about, and I would cry no tears for Big Oil if it happened.

How else does one interpret “seize them for the public good”?

3) I was expecting someone to come along and bring up Hugo Chavez. Ding! You win. Bite me for that one.

Sure, okay. Consider yourself bitten.