Let’s recoup all the costs from oil leakers

To the editor:

There have been many government employees assigned to the BP fiasco. Most of them reside outside the contaminated area and therefore are on temporary assignment. They now receive a per diem to cover their extra expenses such as housing, meals and transportation.

So as part of the damages being sought against BP and others involved, the per diem costs to us, the taxpayers, should be included.

Going a bit further, those government employees should be required to account for the hours spent on this problem. They are being paid a salary to benefit the entire country, not a commercial organization. That portion of the salary directly attributable to this environmental disaster should also be charged to BP and others involved.

Therefore, I agree that the statutory "fine" of a mere $75 million be increased to a level that will ensure there is sufficient money to reimburse the government for these extra expenses. If $10 billion is the figure, so be it.

Earle Malkin

Las Vegas

Big government good

To the editor:

For all the folks out there complaining about the Obama administration's insufficient response to the colossal tragedy in the gulf, just remember this: You are the same folks out there genuflecting to those candidates who preach about the advantages of having even less federal government to deal with situations such as these.

Please spare us your hypocritical wailing.

With ever smaller government comes ever greater opportunities for situations such as these to befall us. So, in other words, if you think this response is bad, just wait until the government as been thrown out with the bath water. It will look like any other Third World country's ability to respond to disaster.

Teresa Owens

Las Vegas