The Seattle Times recently asked Republican Congressman Dave Reichert (WA-08) whether or not he supported the $20 Billion BP escrow fund for victims, if he approved of the six-month offshore drilling moratorium, supported a permanent ban on West Coast offshore drilling, and if the liability cap for oil companies should be increased.
Reichert was unable to answer a single one of those questions. His explanation was that he had too many unanswered questions of his own.
This is totally unacceptable. That damage to victims is massive and growing is a fact. That Exxon Valdez victims were substantially uncompensated is a fact. That drillers don't know how to stop this kind of a spill is a fact. That they can't prevent spills is a fact.
Enough questions are answered to know that a $20 Billion escrow fund for victims is a good thing, but Reichert seems to be afraid of finding himself in the predicament of agreeing with the President.
No doubt he is crafting a response that will explain why the escrow account itself is good, but the President managed to somehow go about it terribly wrong.
Reichert's opponent, Red to Blue candidate Suzan DelBene, answered yes to each of those same questions during a telephone interview. I wonder if she had to fight off the urge to just say "duh".
We've never elected a Democrat in Washington's 8th District, although we've come very close three election cycles in a row. I'm getting tired of losing. Reichert is one of the least effective Representatives in Congress. He is vulnerable, but it is going to take a national effort.
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