It’s looking like the volume of oil pouring into the Gulf of Mexico from the Deepwater Horizon oil rig may be at least 10 times higher than previously estimated. We don’t really know. Neither does BP.

[And now we oppose offshore drilling. But we caused the problem. We were for it until this disaster caused us to turn against it.]

Yowza! I read that wrong. We still favor offshore drilling though support is falling. This post’s title has been edited accordingly.

Still, today the GOP successfully turned back legislation that would raise oil companies’ liability cap on economic damages from offshore disasters.

It was Sen. Lisa Murkowki (R-Alaska), on behalf of the oil industry, who blocked the motion. With some mighty convoluted reasoning.

So what do we call that? A reverse bailout?

Criminal charges would get around that civil liability cap. McClatchy is reporting they’re likely.

And AP says that far from being Obama’s Katrina, the public approves of Obama’s handling of the oil spill, “but not by large margins or with unusually strong feelings.”

You can find me @jwindish, at my Public Notebook, or email me at joe-AT-joewindish-DOT-com.