Mother Jones: Obama's Sluggish Oil Spill Response

[highplainsdem]

http://motherjones.com/politics/2010/05/obamas-sluggish-response-oil-spill

Obama's Sluggish Oil Spill Response

Why has the administration been so slow to take charge of the disaster in the Gulf?

— By Kate Sheppard
Tue May. 25, 2010 3:00 AM PDT


-snip-

There are several possible reasons for the administration's reluctance to take charge of the recovery effort. No one—not BP, not the administration—seems to know how to stop the gushing well. Nor do they know just how bad this mess could get. The administration would prefer that the blood stay on BP's hands.

There's also the awkward fact that weeks before the spill, the White House announced a vast expansion of offshore drilling. Eighteen days before the Deepwater Horizon blowout, Obama observed, "It turns out, by the way, that oil rigs today generally don't cause spills." Even in the wake of the disaster, he's continued to support offshore drilling, only calling for a time-out on expansion plans. Perhaps because of the administration's need to defend its embrace of drilling, it hasn't used the BP debacle to push for an end to fossil fuel dependence.

In fact, last week at the Senate panel, Salazar dug in to defend the administration's drilling plans. "We should be honest with ourselves…we are dependent on oil and gas and we will be," Salazar told senators. "That frankly sounds like something we’d hear from Bush administration folks," says one Democratic aide. "That's not encouraging." Obama, too, reaffirmed his belief that offshore drilling should remain in the country's energy portfolio in his weekly address Saturday.

BP plans to try a so-called "top kill" early this week, in which it will shoot heavy drilling liquid into the hole to choke off the flow of oil and natural gas. In case that fails, the company is also drilling two relief wells, though experts warn those may take until August to complete. If you believe BP's estimates, more than 7 million gallons of oil have already hemorrhaged into the Gulf; if you believe the most alarming outside estimates, the figure is likely closer to 136 million. Then there's the more than 785,000 gallons of toxic dispersant that BP has already added to Gulf waters. One thing is clear: Failure to act decisively now will only add to the magnitude of the problem.

The Obama administration appears to be calculating that assuming full control of the effort in the Gulf could lead to the disaster being branded "Obama's Katrina." But not taking every possible step to minimize the damage may ultimately lead to the same result.

[TheCowsCameHome]

1. What should the Obama administration do to "take charge"?

[DrDan]

2. give one further speech . . .

[Vinnie From Indy]

3. Exactly that

The OP is exactly right. It appears the Obama Admin. is perfectly willing to let BP handle the majority of this nightmare solely to keep their fingerprints off the disaster. They believe that if they come out in a big way and begin directing all of the activity not related to stopping the flow, they will have become the owners of the outcome. They will be attacked for not doing this or doing that in regard to containment and remediation.

The OP is also correct in regard to the fact that it simply does not matter if they take charge of the cleanup, skimming and the like, this will still be Obama's Katrina.

In short, the Obama Admin. appears to be so fearful of political attacks for stepping up and taking charge that they are perfecty willing to let the disaster unfold regardless of the damage to the Gulf as long as they can keep pointing the finger at BP.

Lastly, the President could deploy troops to clean beaches. He could call for an international effort to assist in all areas of the spill. He could go on national, prime-time television and declare a national emergency and give the disaster it's proper importance. There are lots of things this President could do, but isn't.

Also, Obama will pay a heavy price for seeming impotent. Americans do not like impotent Presidents. Obama should at least act like a leader and offer that he is protecting America and not waiting, hoping and praying that BP does the right thing.

[suzie]

6. Everyone who is calling for troops to clean beaches might take a look at the

disasters that overtook Presidents Bush and Bush, Katrina and Andrew.

Militarizing the response delays it and takes it out of the hands of state and local governments. There's nothing that the locals hate more than Feds arriving to tell them, wait until we tell you what to do, "Oh and BTW where is Crepe Myrtle Beach anyway?"

In both Andrew and Katrina responses, the Bushes relied on the military to respond, but that requires a lot of "staging", which means delay, and troops standing around telling local people they may not do what they've been trained to do. "Oh and BTW, you can't drive into your neighborhood without passing through this checkpoint."

[Vinnie From Indy]

9. Bullshit!

You have no idea what you are talking about but feel free to keep spewing.

The fact is that the National Guard of LA and the other Gulf states could be mobilized. These folks would not wander aimlessly looking for the right beach as you laughably offer. They could also be under the direction of the Governor of their respective states. You offer that there are delays due to staging. All competent operations of scale must be staged regardless of who is being used as workers.

You also make a bizarre claim that people would be subject to checkpoints and the like. While that may be true when a hurricane has devestated an area and looters are potentially a problem, but it is just silly to offer that there would be checkpoints in an effort to clean beaches and the like.

Lastly, I would offer that the "locals" hate the devastation that comes from disasters like Hurricanes and oil spills far more than efforts by non-locals to help them.

[suzie]

33. You're the same guy making fun of Floridians on another thread.

And reprimanding me when I found your hideous comment offensive.

And yet, you want to tell me, who lives in a beach community how the locals feel.
Gosh, aren't you a wonder?

Ever been through a hurricane? There are checkpoints for who can come and go to the communities next to the beaches. You're going to tell me that there aren't going to be checkpoints to stop all kinds of outsiders and gawkers from the hazards of oil on the beach. Sorry, but I actually live in one of those neighborhoods and you're just wrong--but maybe you can curse at me some more for offering my opinion based on my experience. That's really helpful.

In my community, there are something like 17 beach communities with different names, different places where you have to park equipment to get onto the beaches. You seriously want to tell me that the military would know where the walkover at Crepe Myrtle Beach is located, where the local public area is located where you can park equipment? And then, you want to explain that "STAGING IS ALWAYS REQUIRED", not seeming to grasp that it would take longer for the locals to explain to the military where Crepe Myrtle's access area is than to direct their own people, who've been there during their daily beach clean up for years.

Let me try once more. The locals on the Gulf Coast hire people to clean up the beaches every day. They know where the lakes are--they even have Power Point presentations on how to protect the lakes and bays, based upon the engineering diagrams that they use EVERY DAY. But instead of letting the locals do it and hire other locals who need the money, you want us to get the military in, because to you that will look good on TV?

But, thanks for explaining to me that I don't know what I'm talking about. I attended the public hearing where the officials in my community explained with videos and diagams what their plans were. I've read the emails from friends in nearby communities who've done the same thing. All those communities have worked with the state agencies in charge. And I believe that additional National Guard have been called out in the states involved.

I've been through hurricanes and tropical storms and listened to locals who helped manage those efforts. And read a lot of stuff about Katrina and talked with friends who worked through the disaster there.

And thank you, no, I'll take my own locals.

And with all due respect, before you tell me again that I don't know what I'm talking about, please list the hurricanes you've been through, the times that you've personally done beach cleanup, or sat through lectures on the beach, or attended meetings about preserving the lakes next to the beach.

Because from where I live, people who make fun of us and curse us and tell us that we don't know what we're doing really should just shut up. Or maybe, tell us what ideas you've come up with for your community to reduce use of fossil fuels.

[Vinnie From Indy]

37. LOL!

You write,
"You're the same guy making fun of Floridians on another thread."

Well, no I didn't but you decided to throw a hissy fit anyway which was mildly amusing.

You write,
"And reprimanding me when I found your hideous comment offensive."

Once again you are getting it all wrong. I reprimanded you for being a drama queen and purposely choosing to get offended over what was clearly a sarcastic remark coupled with a sincere expression of concern for all that will be effected by this spill.

You write,
"And yet, you want to tell me, who lives in a beach community how the locals feel."

So, you speak for all beach dwellers everywhere is that it? You should have let us know that you are Queen of all beach people and the whole world could simply come to you to find out what each and every beach community resident feels and thinks about the spill. Think of all the energy that can be saved by simply coming to you to speak for the millions of people that live on our coastlines.

You write,
"In my community, there are something like 17 beach communities with different names, different places where you have to park equipment to get onto the beaches. You seriously want to tell me that the military would know where the walkover at Crepe Myrtle Beach is located, where the local public area is located where you can park equipment? And then, you want to explain that "STAGING IS ALWAYS REQUIRED", not seeming to grasp that it would take longer for the locals to explain to the military where Crepe Myrtle's access area is than to direct their own people, who've been there during their daily beach clean up for years.

LOL! Well I guess all those billions of dollars we spent for the military to have GPS and access to Google Earth have been wasted. Silly girl! Again, you are just dead wrong about most everything. This is not a hurricane. Maybe if you keep repeating that it might sink in. As I stated in another post, it will probably be National Guard troops used for many of these operations. They will probably have an understanding of the area and I am quite sure that local officials will have no problem or long delays explaining where the military vehicles should park and how to access the beaches. Remember if you can that when the oil comes it will not ravage the street signs and block roads with limbs and power lines. I am quite confident that any manpower that comes to the beach communities will be able to follow street signs that are still present in addition to having GPS, Google Earth and probably a local liason person riding in the lead vehicle.

You write,
"Ever been through a hurricane?"

Yes!

You write,
"There are checkpoints for who can come and go to the communities next to the beaches. You're going to tell me that there aren't going to be checkpoints to stop all kinds of outsiders and gawkers from the hazards of oil on the beach. Sorry, but I actually live in one of those neighborhoods and you're just wrong--but maybe you can curse at me some more for offering my opinion based on my experience."

Again, you are merely making shit up in your head and then getting all hissy about it. Quite funny actually, but here goes. Yes, I am going to tell you that there will probably not be checkpoints to restrict access to the many miles of beaches that will be effected by oil. As I stated earlier, checkpoints after hurricanes are primarily to keep looters out, to keep people from getting hurt by down power lines and to keep people from clogging roads when they are needed by emergency personel like ambulance drivers and firefighters. Oil washing up on the beach is completely different in that there is no looting, no down power lines, no flooding and no emergency vehicles trying to get people to the hospital.

You write,
"Let me try once more. The locals on the Gulf Coast hire people to clean up the beaches every day. They know where the lakes are--they even have Power Point presentations on how to protect the lakes and bays, based upon the engineering diagrams that they use EVERY DAY. But instead of letting the locals do it and hire other locals who need the money, you want us to get the military in, because to you that will look good on TV?"

Really? Every day? What about the marshes? Are there people cleaning those every day? I have to ask if the power point presentations include how the oil jumped over the beach and made it to the inland lakes? What if the locals are busy with their other jobs? What if there are not enough locals to cover all the beaches? What if the locals are far too old or sick to be running around on the beaches?

You write,
"But, thanks for explaining to me that I don't know what I'm talking about."

No problem! I am here to help! Cheers!

You write,
"I attended the public hearing where the officials in my community explained with videos and diagams what their plans were."

Did they have 8" x 10" glossy photographs too? Also, please share what some of the plans were in the video and diagrams. I think many on DU would love to know what is being done by local communities right now to prepare for and cleanup the oil.

You write,
"I've been through hurricanes and tropical storms and listened to locals who helped manage those efforts. And read a lot of stuff about Katrina and talked with friends who worked through the disaster there.

And with all due respect, before you tell me again that I don't know what I'm talking about, please list the hurricanes you've been through, the times that you've personally done beach cleanup, or sat through lectures on the beach, or attended meetings about preserving the lakes next to the beach."

Well, once again I must remind you that this is not a hurricane. This is not a hurricane. I wrote that twice hoping it might sink in. And, once again, I will offer that you really have no idea what you are talking about as is easily demonstrated by your post.

You write,
"Because from where I live, people who make fun of us and curse us and tell us that we don't know what we're doing really should just shut up."

No cursing here. That comment is simply another bit of fantasy you have created in your mind. In addition, I am quite confident that there are many, many competent local officials and residents that are working very hard to deal with this situation and my thoughts prayers are with all of them. As far as telling anyone they do not know what they are doing, I reserve that for you alone after reading your nonsense.

Cheers!

[suzie]

44. Since you have no clue what you're talking about, it's really quite difficult to have

any kind of discussion with you, but it is amusing to watch someone so callous as you explaining to me that I know nothing about the Gulf Coast.

All because you came up with a colossally stupid idea and now feel called upon to defend it, making yourself sound even more callous and ridiculous.

But go right ahead and laugh at us because we made plans for this disaster and go ahead and act so superior to us stupid Gulf Coasters.

"8 X 10 glossy photographs". Yeah, when we was all riding down to the meeting in the turnip truck, it certainly was a hot day.

So jest to show you that the turnip truck didn't runned over my haid when I jumped off, I'll address a couple of your questions. Yes, the locals employ people to pick up the beach garbage EVERY DAY, to enforce beach ordinances EVERY DAY, to deal with beach rescue EVERY DAY. And given that someone is building a house on a dune or a lot on a dune or repairing or asking to build on a dune or behind a dune or alter the dune or deal with the lakes behind the dunes, someone who is an engineer, or planner, or code enforcer is looking at beach diagrams EVERY DAY.

But hey, you know more about that from there in Indiana than I do here in Florida--correct?

Because you obviously are so smart in asking how the oil jumped the beach and made it to the inland lakes--which you know way more about. Gosh, thank you for pointing out my ignorance about a lake that is across the street from my home and that empties directly into the Gulf and exchanges water with the Gulf.

In a tropical storm--and I know that I can't mention the word--but HURRICANE season is almost upon us and I hate to inform you there in Indiana, but we sometimes have these sudden tropical storms that open up the lakes and bring ocean water in, and in this case, perhaps oil. But, since I'm only an idiot Floridian that doesn't have more sense than to not know the difference between suntan oil and the kind flowing out of the spill, I wouldn't want you to believe me.

However, I think that you can go to any number of sites and discover that, lawsie, there were a few storms last year. And I will tell you, although I know I have no credibility because I've only seen this with my own eyes, that sometimes the Gulf completely jumps the beach and flows into the lake.

Now, I know, because you've told me several times in several posts that hurricanes have absolutely nothing to do with this and so all those Emergency Relief Operations that we've spent all that money on are useless. Because it's always better to have someone in charge who has never, ever seen how high the Gulf water will come up onto the beach or the lakes during a storm.

And since this spill is only going to continue to pour into the Gulf during HURRICANE season, well gosh I can see that you're just Indiana smart and we need some military person with your kind of knowledge and a GPS and access to Google Earth to tell us how to deal with that water, which may contain oil.

Now, the those silly inland lakes--that's just one peculiar geograhical thing about my little part of the coast. I'm fairly sure, because I've traveled a fair amount of the Gulf Coast that most other areas have similar quirks that MIGHT not show up on Google Earth. And that there are people in that area of the Coast who have been there during hurricane season and know about it--but best to avoid them, because water with oil rushing further up the beach than the usual tides--nope, that's not a concern.

I do have one slight question, because I was trained to ask cost-benefit, budget kinds of questions.

Why we'd spend taxpayer money to house military people in an area where the locals who have houses here could be employed at BP's expense? Other than you think it's a cool idea.

But I'm so thankful to you, because when I watch that scary red symbol on the news and the photos of the winds whipping over those plumes of oil, I'll keep saying to myself, "Remember, this is NOT A HURRICANE," all during the way to November 30.

And Vinnie, remember that this was just sarcasm, all meant in fun.

[Vinnie From Indy]

51. Well to be more forthcoming...

I spent over ten years on the Outer Banks of North Carolina and rode out Hurricane Hugo. I know a bit about living in a beach community and about the power of hurricanes!
Cheers :)

[QC]

53. Do you smell ham and rice all of a sudden? n/t

[suzie]

56. So, living on one part of a coast enabled you to know that there are no "inland lakes",

like you laughed at me for mentioning, even though I can look out my window and see one.

Perhaps the much smaller number of hurricanes and tropical storms that hit North Carolina than the entire Gulf explains why you feel that calling out the military to clean up the beaches seems like the only thing.

[Vinnie From Indy]

61. I will repeat - You have no idea what you are talking about

You do not speak for every beach dweller in the United States and that is a VERY good thing. The most striking example of your bizarre offerings is your almost complete misunderstanding of the differences between a hurricane and an oil spill. Thankfully, I am quite certain that in YOUR local area there are much more rational, pragmatic and effective people in leadership positions that will deal with the situation as it presents itself. Your drama queen routine really does not help in any way to convey or support your ideas - as bizarre and off target as they are.

In any event, I have found our encounter to be mildly entertaining. So, cheers to you and good luck with whatever plans your local beach communities have to deal with this disaster.

[suzie]

62. Since you don't speak for ANY beach dweller, I'll take your drama queen

responses, ridicule and insults with that in mind.

And bizarre and off-target would be insulting me for mentioning a geographical fact of my own community.

No thanks to those drama queens like you who want to tell us, from a distance where they know ZERO about our communities AND seem to lack an understanding of problems of hurricane season and Gulf Oil Spills, I think we'll do just fine.

[mzteris]

60. +1

:thumbsup:

[truedelphi]

47. Thank you for your decent and sane response. n/t

[KharmaTrain]

17. Clean Up Beaches That Will Get Messed Up Further?

The meme continues...as if there's some miraculous answer this administration has that somehow it's hiding or avoiding. Lots of blame being thrown with little other than "do something" or speculation on sending in Kevin Costner or using nukes. I have yet to hear someone say they have any solutions that would do any better than what's being done.

Skim all you want, there's gonna be more. Clean up the sand and come back in a week and it'll be twice as thick. When your basement floods the last thing you're thinking about as the waters are rushing in is how you're gonna clean up...first is to stop the flood. As has been said many times, the US government doesn't have the capacity to stop the gusher...and any "nationalization" or "take over" won't speed up the remedy...and may even prolong the problems if BP says "fuck it" and says the the US government to fix it themselves.

For those who are looking for blame...President Obama's your man. Ignore the reports of what this administration is trying to do and get on the high horse. The oil will continue to spill...and any efforts to clean up will be wasted until the flow is stopped. Maddening...hell yes. Would I like to see more done...sure, but what? A realistic response would be welcome, not one filled with sci-fi solutions or more blame.

Looks like the corporate memes are set...and lots of people are buying in. Now, let's pretend that Obama is doing everything...sending in the Marines, has the BP execs in shackles and do 10 news conferences a day...and the oil still flows and pollutes. And that would be "better" or "leadership"? Then we'd get the "Obama's impotent" meme.

In the meantime let the Monday morning quaterbacking continue...little else can be done or said. Yes, it's maddening....on all fronts.

[Vinnie From Indy]

30. You do make some excellent points, but...

as far as Obama is concerned, there is the political and the practical. Sometimes they are the same and other times they are not. For example, the President is, in my opinion, making a POLITCIAL mistake by APPEARING impotent. Sure, it may not be practical for troops to clean beaches that will be fouled again in a few days and sure there may not be a damn thing the Federal Govt. could do right now to stop the flow, but that does not absolve the President from his leadership role as President.

Imagine for a moment that there is a nuclear disaster that threatens the lives of millions of Americans. Then imagine the President of the United States never holds a national, prime time press conference to discuss the matter with the nation and then, not only allows the company that was in charge of the facility to be responsible for most every aspect of containment and clean-up, but demands it. That is not leadership it is political triangulation.

Millions of Americans are in danger of losing their way of life and their livlihoods and they are looking to their government for action. Presidents should lead even if their efforts are sometimes more symbolic than practical. It's not that I dislike OBama, I simply think he is making a mistake by not attaching a level of importance to this spill that it deserves and will demand as more and more beaches and marshes are visibly fouled. He needs to address the nation in a prime time press conference at the very least.

As far as "nationalizing" BP and taking over the stopping of the flow, I think that is a red herring. The fact is that BP may, in fact, be the best manager of stopping the volcano, but that does not mean that Obama should not step up and have the federal government deal with the other aspects of the spill. Either way he is going to pay a political price. Either he owns parts of the spill by trying to do something or he is seen by some as impotent, uncaring or incompetent.

[KharmaTrain]

31. Symbolic Vs. Practical...

That's the problem here. I understand your feelings about the symbolism here and my thing is as playing a Devil's Advocate here to spur discussion and present different perspectives. From the outset this issue has been political. It hits too many hot buttons on all sides for it not to be. For those who despise corporations and big oil in specific (and I'm definitely in that club) it's easy pickins to jump all over this catastrophe as time to scream for all sorts of changes that, as you say, are red herrings as they don't deal with the immediate problem. There will be plenty of time to do that...and I suspect we will for years and decades to come as the true impact, environmentally and economically are felt.

The problem with symbolism is when it's viewed as being that, it shows an even more impotent government. Again, every day I see the President or some administration official on the teevee dealing with the current situation...I don't see how a prime time news conference does much difference. Those who say he's "doing nothing" will continue to say so as long as the oil gushes and the shorelines get blacker and blacker. Even moreso, it opens up the administration for even more second guessing on the corporate media who are perpetuating the "Obama is doing nothing" line that is a political football game he can't win. So what to do? Work behind the scenes and appear to be "detached" or grandstand with all sorts of lofty rhetoric while the situation continues to deteriorate?

About your nuclear disaster scenario...each situation is different. There's a big difference between people losing their livlihoods and the financial ruin it sure will have as opposed to an actual physical threat of death that a massive radiation discharge in a populated region could produce. And again, you'll get those who will make that situation political...ready to blame and push a self-serving agenda over the "reality on the ground".

As the oil gushes, the outrage grows...and, yes, the President needs to be seen as leading the clean-up and recovery...sadly that's nowhere in sight.

Cheers...

[ima_sinnic]

4. how about FIRING SALAZAR & seeing to it that his fake "moratorium" is ENFORCED?

How about even PRETENDING that he gives a shit whether the water in the Gulf is replaced by oil?
All he seems to care about is that "offshore drilling" doesn't "look bad," because then his plans to expand offshore drilling might be a little thwarted.

How about treating this disaster as a FUCKING EMERGENCY?
he's waiting until Thursday for a "report" and will then decide whether to "resume" issuing permits (as though they aren't already being issued). Like that's his big concern--permits for continued drilling.

How about being even a little angry that his "moratorium" is being ignored, and that BP IS IGNORING THE EPA's ORDER TO STOP USING CORREXIT?

It appears Obama couldn't care less about any of it. THERE IS NOBODY IN CHARGE.

[muffin1]

10. Easy there, Ima.

Remember, Obama doesn't have a magic wand.:eyes:

[QC]

11. And he can't swim down there and plug the hole himself.

That one's been posted about a thousand times lately.

[muffin1]

12. I've seen that. How clever.

I've stayed away from DU for about a week since a particularly nasty fight. I see not much has changed. Sigh.

[QC]

13. We're seeing amazing things lately, like Democrats defending BP and trashing FDR.

Somehow, and I am not clear on exactly how, that is supposed to defend the president.

[Donnachaidh]

15. that's just sad beyond belief -- but in posting that garbage they've outed themselves

I suppose we should be thankful for that. Corporate sycophants at all levels of the party.

[muffin1]

16. Dear lord.

I don't even know what to say. Oh yeah, didn't cha hear? DADT is being repealed. It will probably be a few more years, and of course, the dismissals will continue for now, but surely you consider THIS to be a 'win'?

Let's see...GLBTers, teachers, environmentalists, anti-war activists, pot smokers, and the people living in the Gulf...we're going to need a bigger bus...

[QC]

18. Fear not! There is room for all under the Hopemobile!

And it's a good thing, too.

[tekisui]

19. They don't understand either.

When the talking points are ineffective, the talking pointers turn to absurd arguments.

[QC]

24. I just wish the talking pointing were a little less obvious.

That would at least be somewhat less insulting than expecting me to believe that it's the purest coincidence that the same eight or ten people are always running around repeating the very same phrases day in and day out.

[glitch]

25. They just keep repeating them until they make up something they think is more plausible.

Throwing whatever at the wall to see what sticks. Hoping to shape perception among people who don't have the time to do their own research and analysis. It's bogus but it does have its base.

[treestar]

58. for fuck's sake, that is so stupid

such black and white thinking of the kind I usually see from right wingers.

[Bluebear]

54. --

:thumbsup:

[ShortnFiery]

28. Yes, Fire Ken Salazar who FAILED to oversee the oil inspectors who could have PREVENTED

BP from taking numerous short-cuts ... any one NOT SKIPPED could have prevented this disaster.

Mr. President, fire Ken Salazar with EXTREME PREJUDICE! :grr:

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/report-offshore-oil-watchdogs-took-gifts-2010-05-25

Report: Offshore oil watchdogs took gifts
By Steve Gelsi

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Officials at the U.S. government's lead agency for inspecting safety conditions at offshore oil platfoms took sport tickets, lunches, and other gifts from enegy companies and used government computers to look at pornography, according to reports Tuesday citing a probe by the Interior Department's inspector general. The report has not been made public by the inspector general but was described Tuesday in an email from U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. The report cited violations of federal regulations and agency ethics rules by members of the Minerals Management Service at the Lake Charles, La., office. The release came ahead of Salazar's appearance at Congressional hearings this week, when he's expected to lay out his plan to restructure the agency in reaction to the April 20 explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig that killed 11 workers and resulted in a still uncontrolled oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico.

[blindpig]

34. Expropriate without compensation.

That's what the administration should do.

But of course the administration will not do this,capital is the ultimate power.

[William Z. Foster]

40. same as always

The same things that are always done when government steps in - whatever it takes.

The reason to have the government in control is to protect public welfare. Corporations can not be trusted with that.

To argue otherwise is to not only argue against the traditional Democratic party position on the proper role of government, it is to argue against the principles upon which this government rests, and to argue against government of any kind at all.

People here are promoting some sort of corporate neo-feudalism.

[merkins]

49. Here's What They Should Do:

1) Obama needs to use that goddamned unitary executive power he’s been clinging to and declare a state of emergency in federal waters along the Gulf of Mexico, using an Executive Order. This is now an international situation, not just an American one, because the oil will eventually end up in the North Atlantic.

2) Declare British Petroleum in violation of its lease and kick them off the site. Threaten to seize all American assets of BP-America immediately if they do not assist in setting up a claims system which will be administered and overseen by the U.S. and paid by BP. (Hire all those poor Sallie Mae folks who were going to lose their jobs because of student loan reform for this purpose. /snark)

3) Ask the Department of Energy’s Steve Chu to create a skunkworks rapid solutions team from NASA and DARPA along with schools which specialize in oceanography, mechanical technology, geology, and computer modeling. Stop waiting for the nice old farts they pulled from JASON because this is an emergency, goddamnitall, we don’t have time for them to come up with a vetted, peer-reviewed whitepaper on this. Don’t listen to anybody’s crap about so-called experts on deepwater drilling and how they’ll solve the problem. As my 16-year-old said, "If there’s experts, where are they? Show me one." Yeah. What she said.

4) Threaten to kick Ken Salazar to the curb if he doesn’t not immediately have every one of the 15+ deepwater offshore drilling sites reevaluated; every evaluation must be on POTUS desk inside 15 days from the date the Executive Order. And we want the evaluations made public — no more of this bullshit opacity the White House calls transparency. No excuses; all this stuff should have been submitted when BP and the other oil industry firms applied for the leases to begin with.

5) Approach corporations to develop an X-Prize type program to develop a private solution in tandem with the skunkworks solution. Ask Congress to create a special R&D tax credit for firms which donate money to the X-Prize for development.

6) Approach Florida State University (which now owns the former Scripps’ Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and its submersibles) along with Mississippi State (which has an oceanography program) and ask them to work with NIUST to develop models of the plume’s distribution, along with identifying the impact short and long-term on the ocean bottom and the ecosystem above it.

7) Suck up the arrogance and pride and ask the elder statesman of the environment to be the face of this effort. Ask Al Gore to do the legwork with the corporations and educational facilities whose cooperation is needed. Tell him this is to be used as an example of what people can do for the larger environment if they focus on this problem first. If they can solve this, they can solve the big problems.

8) Tell the Catfood Commission (read: Presidential Deficit Commission) to find a way to shoehorn in funding for an alternative energy Apollo Program or Marshall Plan. If you have to find a front man, go to Al Gore because this was his idea back in 1992. Jeebus, catch a clue and use the resources you have already; Gore wrote it all out for you in 1992.

9) Call that lazy-assed sad-sack Joe Lieberman and tell him whatever super-secret-y deal you guys have going in the way of a quid pro quo is off if Lieberman cannot find some reason to investigate the relationships between Department of Interior and any corporation with which it deals. Make the call private, and tell him if he doesn’t have hearings within 15 days you are going to publicly call him on the carpet for the benefit of CT voters every chance you get until 2012.

10) You know damned well if they cut corners in the Gulf of Mexico, they did it elsewhere. Threaten to go for the jugular on them if they don’t continue to play ball with clean-up in the Gulf.Take a bunch of bloggers up to BP’s operations in Alaska and let them roam around for a couple weeks. Make BP pay for it — figure it out, you have the EO in one hand and the power to print money in the other. Keep the pressure on BP until they beg for mercy.

11) And right now I’m tempted to tell one Barack Obama to get really, genuinely excitedly-upset, be more than that Spock character for once, add the passion of Captain Kirk and the anger of Dr. McCoy in the mix. That fakery last week only made us heave with nausea. And Rahm? Just bite me; whatever counsel you’ve offered Mr. Spock-the-President has been both incompetent and impotent.

[marshall]

5. Obama has a full plate as it is

His schedule is filled. There's no room for this BP mess.

[BeFree]

8. Poor Obama

He didn't ask for this mess, and the government is not prepared to handle it.

BP is criminal but now they are the lead partner with the US in fixing this.

So what do we do? Issue more permits to drill baby drill!

[QC]

20. How could he have ever anticipated that being president

would involve lots of work and stuff.

[treestar]

59. Well he does decide to do it differently than you would

I have a feeling we'd all be screwed if you were President. Screaming over everything and firing everyone.

Hey I bet you'd have done a "better" job with Haiti, too. You'd have fired most of your cabinet by now.

You'd be on your 5th cabinet member for each post.

You'd have all day to yell at Senators for not supporting the public option. Man your throat would be sore.

[Hubert Flottz]

7. To "Take Charge Of" is to own...

It's BP's baby and they swore under oath that they could handle it!

[ljm2002]

32. He owns it anyway...

...don't kid yourself.

That's how being President works. While we all know who was directly responsible, i.e. BP, it happened on President Obama's watch. He owns his administration's response. Simple as that. So far, they have mobilized a lot of activities; however what President Obama has not done is to assume a command role. Since he is our Commander in Chief, many of us see that as a bad thing.

Time will tell. My feeling is, Obama et al see only a political downside to assuming control and "owning" it. There are a lot of us out there who don't give a rat's patootie about the politics of it, we want to see our leader in charge. We want to see BP told to do stuff -- not asked; we want to see red tape cut through; we want to see the cleanup activities coordinated and a real "can-do" attitude taking place.

Instead we are seeing the Coast Guard and the local cops and sheriffs continuing to do the bidding of BP -- for example, directing reporters away from beaches and into the waiting arms of the BP spinmeisters. We see the Army Corps of Engineers delaying giving permission to put up sand berms, because they aren't sure about the effects -- although the effects without the berms are already known to be disastrous. Hey, they've got their rules, I get it. They may not have the authority to waive the rules, or they may be uncomfortable in doing so... It is exactly in these kinds of situations where a leader can make the call, can say "Hey, give them a waiver and let's get on with it."

Again: I do acknowledge there has been a large allocation of resources by this administration. Problem is, it does not appear to have any unified chain of command. Unless you count that Admiral Thad something-or-other of the Coast Guard, who has been appointed the Incident Commander, who seems to think that he and BP are partners in this effort. The Admiral is not providing the kind of leadership I'm talking about. Nor is President Obama.

Well there is one thing that may yet work to all of our advantage including Obama's: if the top kill works, and manages to squelch the gusher until they are able to drill a relief well, then we can focus efforts on cleanup of a finite amount of oil -- I was going to say a "known" amount but of course BP has lied about that and prevented real measurements so, no.

[highplainsdem]

35. +1

[amborin]

39. +1 there should be a massive fed gov't response; its absence is shocking

[Bluebear]

52. .

[QC]

14. Fear not--someone will come along promptly and inform us

that Mother Jones never really supported the president.

[Upton]

21. Or come by and tell us..

Mother Jones is putting out "Republican talking points"

[QC]

22. Well, Mother Jones is a notoriously right wing publication, you know.

They must be if they disagree with Obama about anything.

[Bluebear]

50. ...

:thumbsup:

[bobburgster]

23. Reluctance...

I honestly believe the reluctance, by the Obama administration, to totally take over has to do with the first suggestion mentioned above.

"...No one—not BP, not the administration—seems to know how to stop the gushing well. Nor do they know just how bad this mess could get. The administration would prefer that the blood stay on BP's hands."


In my opinion that is also the wisest move. What's the sense in having a bunch of govt. workers running around searching for solutions....because you know the minute he assumed control the republicans would be all over him for not fixing it immediately. Better to work behind the scene overseeing BP.

[ShortnFiery]

26. Considering the fact that the MMS inspecting program was an EPIC failure ...

the very least President Obama SHOULD do is fire Ken Salazar ... with extreme prejudice.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/report-offshore-oil-watchdogs-took-gifts-2010-05-25

[ima_sinnic]

29. he could also stop being so eager to give out permits

sheesh--what LITTLE vibe or concern he does give off seems to indicate a preoccupation with "deciding whether to resume issuing permits" -- he seems not to be aware how crucial the Gulf of Mexico and the Gulf Stream are to the life of the planet, or how URGENT it is to develop clean, nonpolluting, sustainable sources of energy. He's not showing any inclination whatsoever to regulate or limit drilling any more than it already is -- in fact, he wants to EXPAND offshore drilling.

oh, yeah, he called a "commission." big fucking whoopty ding dong. so all those permits all lined up, waiting to go, as soon as "the spill" is covered over by good PR, might have some new technicality that oil drillers can loophole and laugh about.

Looks like the oil companies bought themselves a president. He's certainly not MY president, or the president of anyone I know.

[Lorien]

41. This disaster transcends politics

If he really is so clueless that he won't accept the offers of help from other Nations, if he really is such a political animal that politics supersedes the needs of the Nation, then he should reconsider his role in government.

[glitch]

27. He needed real science advisors, not profit suckling oil engineers.

But that wouldn't have been Friedmaniacal. They needed to plug the hole, not try to salvage it.
Sluggish is too generous.

[bvar22]

36. Obama?....sluggish response?

SOP.

The only thing this guy has jumped on and lead from the front was making sure the Wall Street Banks got their BILLIONS, and Ted Stevens got out of jail.


Everything else...plod along, tiny little increments if anything... Pretty speeches, but very little overt "CHANGE"...The Audacity of Centrist Mediocrity.

[Bluebear]

48. Centrist Mediocrity

:nodding:

[GreenTea]

38. And just how in the fuck is Obama suppose to "minimize the damage" what bullshit from

every pontificating asshole who doesn't know jackshit about oil spills nor how to stop them pretends they are qualified to dish out the blame, they are just fucking writers, desk jockeys who know fucking NOTHING about ANYTHING and yet even stupider fuckers believe every word they say or write, no less gullible are these sheep than the pigman Limbaugh's flock!

Fucking weasels, No, MOTHERFUCKING WEASELS!!

The blame should go where it belongs - BP - And arrest the greedy fucking BP decision makers and pound them where it hurts, force them to pay tens of billions upfront, before they get a chance (with the republicans help) to prolong court case, lie, smear & distort even more, and continue to shift the blame!

[TheCowsCameHome]

42. +1,000

[Number23]

55. Good grief, GreenTea! Tell us how you REALLY feel!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
:thumbsup:

[Individualist]

43. K&R

[Bluebear]

45. Mother Jones never really loved him!

:cry:

[Freddie Stubbs]

46. More blather from the corporate MSM

;)

[treestar]

57. BP did it, they should clean it up

Why should the taxpayers? This meme is stupider than stupid.