People up and down the West Coast are poorer but wiser this week following the Supreme Court’s decision to let Exxon off with a symbolic financial punishment for its negligence 20 years ago in Prince William Sound.

Who they appoint to the Supreme Court is the single most lasting impact presidents have on the lives of ordinary citizens. Following in the footsteps of his dad and President Reagan, President George W. Bush has packed the court with men who dependably side with big business every time. The Exxon Valdez case is no different.

A summary of the financial consequences of this case compiled by the Seattle Times speaks eloquently to whose side the majority of the court is on:

Final amount ordered Wednesday by U.S. Supreme Court: $507.5 million.

Valdez captain’s punishment: $50,000 fine, plus 1,000 hours community service picking up trash and working at a homeless center.

Time it will take Exxon to earn current damage amount: about 12 hours of sales.

Amount Exxon has already paid, including cleanup and compensatory damages: $3.5 billion.

Amount Exxon actually paid, after tax write-offs and collecting insurance: $1.7 billion.

Amount average plaintiff will receive: $15,000, including interest, not including attorneys’ fees or taxes.

Amount damage award is cut for attorneys’ fees: nearly 25 percent.

And just to add injury to insult, the Times reports an estimated 200 tons of crude oil still foul beaches surrounding the accident site.

Any legal system that permits a corporation to wiggle off the hook of real responsibility by dragging out a legal battle for 19 long years is in serious need of overhaul. It’s hard to imagine that Congress is up to the job: It is ridiculous that it gave oil companies and shippers until 2015 to start using double-hulled tankers.

Another lesson to draw from this is that states must look after their own health and safety. “We must do everything we can do to strengthen our oil spill safety net and prevent these types of incidents from ever occurring in the first place,” U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., observed.

The court has spoken and now all that can be done is for Americans to speak in the form of our ballots this November. We cannot afford any more anything-goes Republicans on the Supreme Court.