Lax oversight and limits on consumer rights have allowed some corporations to run amok.  Without accountability measures that hold these corporate wrongdoers responsible when they harm workers, customers, or the public at large, we will continue to see life savings decimated, lives lost, and communities ruined.  When corporate criminals are found guilty of safety lapses, cover-ups, and fraud, they should be forced to answer for their actions.

Just as individuals must be personally responsible for the decisions we make and the actions we take, corporations should face real consequences when they cause needless financial or personal harm.

We have seen what happens when government oversight fails and judicial accountability is curtailed:  We get Wall Street banks that take unnecessary risks with their customers’ life savings, we get oil companies that ignore safety protocols leading to needless deaths and devastated communities, we get cars that careen out of control, we get insurance companies that raise rates and slash coverage while denying legitimate claims.

Something’s got to give.

Corporate wrongdoers like BP, AIG, and their ilk don’t deserve bailouts.  They should be held accountable for what they have done.  Responsible corporations that play by the rules and pay heed to the safety of their employees, customers, and neighbors shouldn’t have to compete with bad actors whose dangerous shortcuts are used to boost their bottom line.

Texas families shouldn’t be forced to foot the bill for corporate criminals.  We need strong corporate accountability protections that ensure real consequences for corporations that risk the lives and livelihoods of Texas families.  This means penalties for failing to meet quality and safety standards, access to the legal system for consumers who have been harmed, and real oversight of corporate conduct.