Repugnicans

This story has lots of meat in it, however, the headline"DeLay Challenged on MTBE Liability Bill" if it's all you read, obscures the real injustice, the bill itself.

MTBE, or methyl tertiary-butyl ether, is an oxygenate widely used in gasoline to reduce air pollution. But it also has been found to contaminate drinking water supplies, sometimes leaving communities with expensive cleanup bills. Traces of MTBE have been found in water in almost every state, with levels high enough for potential cleanup problems in about half the states.
...
A draft Republican energy bill would protect MTBE makers, including several major oil and refinery companies in Texas, from lawsuits that contend the manufacturers knew the additive would contaminate drinking water, but pushed to have it widely used anyway.
...
Besides the product liability shield, the draft GOP bill calls for phasing out MTBE use by the end of 2014 and giving manufacturers $1.75 billion in transition assistance. The legislation also calls for expanding an existing federal program that deals with leaking gasoline storage tanks and funneling more of that money into MTBE cleanup. Democrats say those funds are inadequate to deal with a cleanup task that could eventually affect thousands of communities.

What is this giving manufacturers money to clean up their own mess? What is this business of shielding anyone or anything from lawsuits that will figure out wether or not these corporations were KNOWINGLY poluting our drinking water with carcinogens?

And why OH why are Democrats saying the funds are inadequate to deal with the mess? ALL Democrats should be saying something along the lines of

"These provisions represent a direct assault on the nation's safe drinking water supply," said Rep. John Dingell (news, bio, voting record), D-Mich., "MTBE producers have known for years that MTBE was a problem. They should not be asking the taxpayers to now pay for cleanup or for (a) corporate handout."

Then adding: Do you like your water filled with chemicals? Vote Republican.

You may want to check if your Rep is on the Energy and Commerce Committee and give them a call if he/she is.