Agreed, this looks like pretty straightforward politics. Given that there is a temporary ban on drilling, what should happen with the oilmen who are temporarily out of work? Making BP pay them looks like the least politically unpopular option.
Leaving them unpaid could intensify opposition to the moratorium, since they’re sympathetic victims of the government’s policy. Having the government pay them would attract the ire of deficit hawks, plus it would probably have to go through a battle in Congress, and it would also attract more negative attention to the moratorium. Forcing the other oil companies to pay their workers could also seem unfair and draw more opposition, plus it might not be easy for the government to get them to make those payments. BP has at least some causal responsibility for these oilmen being out of work, they’re unsympathetic (so people don’t really mind if they have to pay more), and the government has a lot of leverage over them to make them pay, so naturally they end up with the bill.
Agreed, this looks like pretty straightforward politics. Given that there is a temporary ban on drilling, what should happen with the oilmen who are temporarily out of work? Making BP pay them looks like the least politically unpopular option.
Leaving them unpaid could intensify opposition to the moratorium, since they’re sympathetic victims of the government’s policy. Having the government pay them would attract the ire of deficit hawks, plus it would probably have to go through a battle in Congress, and it would also attract more negative attention to the moratorium. Forcing the other oil companies to pay their workers could also seem unfair and draw more opposition, plus it might not be easy for the government to get them to make those payments. BP has at least some causal responsibility for these oilmen being out of work, they’re unsympathetic (so people don’t really mind if they have to pay more), and the government has a lot of leverage over them to make them pay, so naturally they end up with the bill.