I met a Tea-Partier a few days after Obama declared that drilling could begin off the Virginia coast. The Tea-Partier was from New Hampshire. He hoped drilling could begin off of the coast of his state. I mentioned that it doesn't really behoove any state to have an attitude of 'drill here, drill now' as new oil production would play only a small part in the world's oil supply and a major oil find would not substantially lower prices for him. An ocean state's tourism could be hampered due to drilling (oil spills, the vista) and may negatively affect the state's tourism appeal. (who wants to see oil derricks when sun bathing?) Any state has tremendous downside potential by allowing drilling yet little upside.

Now let's say the owner of the car does some texting while driving and hits a van filled with nuns and everyone in the van gets killed. I say the driver is responsible. I gave this scenario to a Tea Partier and he told me that the government was responsible because the automobile got a clean bill of health from the government. Can't we say this Tea-Partier should be called a collectivist and a statist?

I've met many Tea Party people who do not blame BP for the mess caused in the Golfo de Mexico, expected, and even demanded that the federal government clean up the mess caused by that foreign company. These Tea-Partiers say that since the federal government regulated BP and gave BP a license to drill then the lease-holder is responsible. But let's take a closer look. An automobile driver gets a state government driver's license, and obtains an automobile state inspection sticker and a certificate of registration. It looks like the state government has given this automobile its seal of approval forever and ever to do what automobiles do. (or until the registration and license expires)

Now let's say the owner of the car does some texting while driving and hits a van filled with nuns and everyone in the van gets killed. I say the driver is responsible. I gave this scenario to a Tea Partier and he told me that the government was responsible because the automobile got a clean bill of health from the government. Can't we say this Tea-Partier should be called a collectivist and a statist?

I've met many Tea Party people who do not blame BP for the mess caused in the Golfo de Mexico, expected, and even demanded that the federal government clean up the mess caused by that foreign company. These Tea-Partiers say that since the federal government regulated BP and gave BP a license to drill then the lease-holder is responsible. But let's take a closer look. An automobile driver gets a state government driver's license, and obtains an automobile state inspection sticker and a certificate of registration. It looks like the state government has given this automobile its seal of approval forever and ever to do what automobiles do. (or until the registration and license expires)

Now let's say the owner of the car does some texting while driving and hits a van filled with nuns and everyone in the van gets killed. I say the driver is responsible. I gave this scenario to a Tea Partier and he told me that the government was responsible because the automobile got a clean bill of health from the government. Can't we say this Tea-Partier should be called a collectivist and a statist?

I've met many Tea Party people who do not blame BP for the mess caused in the Golfo de Mexico, expected, and even demanded that the federal government clean up the mess caused by that foreign company. These Tea-Partiers say that since the federal government regulated BP and gave BP a license to drill then the lease-holder is responsible. But let's take a closer look. An automobile driver gets a state government driver's license, and obtains an automobile state inspection sticker and a certificate of registration. It looks like the state government has given this automobile its seal of approval forever and ever to do what automobiles do. (or until the registration and license expires)

Now let's say the owner of the car does some texting while driving and hits a van filled with nuns and everyone in the van gets killed. I say the driver is responsible. I gave this scenario to a Tea Partier and he told me that the government was responsible because the automobile got a clean bill of health from the government. Can't we say this Tea-Partier should be called a collectivist and a statist?

Now let's say the owner of the car does some texting while driving and hits a van filled with nuns and everyone in the van gets killed. I say the driver is responsible. I gave this scenario to a Tea Partier and he told me that the government was responsible because the automobile got a clean bill of health from the government. Can't we say this Tea-Partier should be called a collectivist and a statist?

I've met many Tea Party people who do not blame BP for the mess caused in the Golfo de Mexico, expected, and even demanded that the federal government clean up the mess caused by that foreign company. These Tea-Partiers say that since the federal government regulated BP and gave BP a license to drill then the lease-holder is responsible. But let's take a closer look. An automobile driver gets a state government driver's license, and obtains an automobile state inspection sticker and a certificate of registration. It looks like the state government has given this automobile its seal of approval forever and ever to do what automobiles do. (or until the registration and license expires)