If I broke the law and killed people...

The double standard is infuriating. All this "debate" about corporations and how they don't need regulation, the free market will keep them responsible, the supreme court has even said they are people and can contribute endless money toward politics. Conservatives seem to think they should be above the law and be able to buy politicians.

In the news this week are a couple stories that demonstrate the double standard between real people and corporations. What would happen to me if I broke the law and it led to the deaths of numerous people? I think I would be in a little trouble. Like the mom who recently crossed a street illegally (j-walking) and a drunk driver killed her young child. The Mom is being prosecuted. Or the case of Troy Davis who is on Death Row. He is accused of killing a cop but 10 witnesses in the case have signed affidavits recanting their testimony and indicating that police coerced them into implicating Davis and there is no physical evidence linking him to the killing.

The same day I hear talk of this story the government released a damning report blaming BP, Transocean, and Halliburton for the accident. It says BP violated several Federal Regulations, cut corners, and failed required safety procedures. So they broke the law and people died. BP has done this before, BP is a serial killer. And even though the supreme court considers BP a person can BP go to Death Row? Can BP get the Death Penalty? BP is actually doing well right now financially and is opening new contracts around the world. Meanwhile many businesses in the Gulf have not rebounded. And as I write this the news is talking about clean up workers from the spill who are sick from the dispersants BP dumped.

Corporations should not have it both ways. If they want to be 'people' then they need to be held accountable for crimes like people.

If nothing else seeing the disregard for safety and regulations by all three corporations involved in this accident should remind people why we need stronger regulations and enforcement for corporations (which have no conscience) rather than less.