The Gulf Spill Continues: Is Obama Powerless Against BP? Or is He an Accomplice?

[Karmadillo]

http://www.zcommunications.org/the-gulf-spill-continues...

After BP successfully placed a cap to divert some of the spewing oil into tankers, thousands of gallons continue to flow daily into the gulf. August is slated as the earliest date that any permanent solution may emerge. BP remains totally in charge of potentially the largest environmental disaster in the earth’s recorded history, a fact that proves — in “check mate” fashion — that corporations dominate the inner workings of the U.S. government, a truth previously revealed by the bank bailouts.

<edit>

When the polls reported that Obama wasn’t taking the oil spill seriously enough, his next TV appearance depicted him as “outraged.” Yet his continuing lack of action doesn’t match his new, stronger emotions; nor does his inaction match the dire seriousness of the situation.

Indeed, Obama continues to allow BP to lie about the seriousness of the spill, even when numerous independent scientists disputed BP’s estimates of the spillage. Of course Obama knew that BP had a profit incentive to lie, while Obama has his own incentive to allow the lie — and continued lies — of BP.

<edit>

Nowadays, the tiniest crack in the foundation of corporate property rights constitutes “communism” — a right wing accusation hurled at Obama after he partially nationalized General Motors and other institutions in response to the economic crisis. And although Obama intruded into the sanctity of property rights when the financial crisis exploded, it was with the general consent of the corporate establishment — who viewed those actions as necessary, short-term evils — meant to save the investments of the rich, while using taxpayer money to rehabilitate the companies before they were eventually handed back to shareholders.

<edit>

Obama’s unwillingness to push aside BP and take government charge of the operation makes him an accomplice to the environmental disaster. For example, in order that BP be allowed to remain at the helm, Obama has given them professional credibility where none should exist — “they have the expertise and technology,” etc. BP’s actions prior to the spill constitute criminal negligence. The comments of BP’s CEO since the spill undoubtedly prove that the company views the disaster as more of an inconvenience, to be handled at their leisure.

more...

[Richardo]

1. That spew is almost as bad as the oil itself

What an ill-informed and poorly thought-out piece.

[Moochy]

5. Especially since it criticizes our dear President

The specifics of your objection to said criticism left as an exercise for the reader.

[Richardo]

54. It's a pretty easy exercise really

Just another in a long string of 'feelbad' articles that pretends that just because there was not a happy ending 22 minutes after the blast like on TV, or because they can't see armies of divers from the US Department of Oilwell Extinguishment descending into the sea, or because Obama is not fulfilling their fantasies by publicly horsewhipping BP executives, that nobody is doing anything.

This article, like so many others full of impotent righteous rage, demands that the government eject BP, take over their assets, send armies of personnel down the Gulf and .... do what? I don't know, they never say.

This one also features the following bit of hysterical hyperbole:

Obama’s unwillingness to push aside BP and take government charge of the operation makes him an accomplice to the environmental disaster.

An accomplice? Really? Again, "push aside BP" and do WHAT exactly? And again, that answer is

I do wish there was more visible government invovement and oversight on this operation, and that we were getting our information from a credible agency, and that they muzzled those liars from BP altogether. I wish oil stopped flowing weeks ago, and that animals were not being slaughtered by the thousands, and that what's left of BP is beaten bloody. I'm as pissed off about it as anyone, but I personally don't see the value in flailing around just to make myself feel better. Or worse.

[DirkGently]

2. I'm getting that "single payer is off the table"

feeling again. My sense is that a deal is in place, or at least "an understanding" that BP will be protected here, and good public policy and the opinions of Democrats, progressives, and Americans in general will be heeded only to the extent they don't interfere with that deal.

[polichick]

6. Yep- same sinking feeling that came with healthcare "reform", banking "reform"...

...and will come again with energy policy "reform" - the "reform" is mostly in the rhetoric, with the policy maintaining the status quo structure.

[DrDan]

9. extension of Patriot Act, continued operation of Guantanamo, expansion of Afghan war,

[joe black]

16. Renew tax cuts for the rich.

Cut welfare, SS, and medicare.

[laughingliberal]

8. +1 nt

[Moochy]

10. Rahm to Obama

"You can sell anything to these fucking retards, let's just cut this deal and move on!"

[BeFree]

20. YEP

Rahm is the one directing the ops. Obama is pretty much clueless to the environmental aspects, and the politics of environmentalism in DC.

So he has had to rely on Rahm and Rahm couldn't give a shit about the environment except squeezing ever nickle out of it, just like the mythical Pandora.

[xchrom]

3. indeed. nt

'For example, in order that BP be allowed to remain at the helm, Obama has given them professional credibility where none should exist — “they have the expertise and technology,” '

[BeFree]

21. Looks flippity floppity

I wish he just come down on one side or the other. A clear direction in this time of crisis is needed.

Either BP runs the show or they don't.

Either BP nickles and dimes to death the coast states, or they don't. (They are)

Someone gets their ass kicked....or...

See the flippity floppity?

[Larkspur]

4. What Obama could and should be doing is forcing all oil companies

to fund a government project to find new ways to clean up oil spills. Since the oil companies don't care about environmental damage, its up to OUR government to care and attract some of the best scientists from around the nation to develop new solutions to this problem.

Obama should also have government, FEMA, agents overseeing the clean up and making sure that workers have the proper hazmat protection. Don't assume the oil companies care about the health of the clean up workers.

Obama's laissez faire attitude about this catastrophe is a real problem.

[ananda]

7. He's both.

Both powerless and an accomplice.

[Barack_America]

11. An accomplice? Really?

I've been critical of the govt.'s response, but...

[polichick]

12. Well, the Dept. of Interior's MMS was definitely an accomplice...

...and so was the President's man, Salazar.

[amborin]

51. omission...not taking charge... BP continues to screw around....in the end it amounts to complicity

[izzybeans]

13. I wish they taught the proper use of data in persuasive writing courses.

This is C- work grading on a curve. Obama is the top recipient of everyone's campaign money ever. So you could make this claim about pretty much any individual or company. Do the math you idiot (the author of the piece not the OP). Too hard? Why not instead quote a "reuters" piece that is quoting a politico piece to make the claim that Obama is on BPs payroll; because individual employee contributions were given. Sometimes intelligence slips through the cracks even on the left.

Obama can be criticized for a lot of things regarding BP, but the fact that Drudge driven hit pieces doing their typical "Damned Lies and Statistics schtick" are now being thrown around on the left just shows what tools some on the left have become. The right's divide and conquer strategy is working swimmingly with fools like this running around.


http://mediamatters.org/blog/201005060041

[Richardo]

62. +1000

Thanks.

[jfkraus]

14. Why hasn't Obama called Hayward to the WH?

I mean really. Throw your weight around a little for Pete's sake.

[BeFree]

18. Why? BP told him they didn't want to

If poor, lifeless Tony wanted to talk to Obama, Obama would have seen him.

[Jennicut]

24. He is probably coming next week.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[Gregin Orlando]

15. BP oil disaster worse than we are being told

Not only is more oil leaking than we have been told by the corporations and their corporate media, there may be up to three oil leaks in the gulf in addition to the three at the Deepwater Horizon site. Furthermore, this means more than just fouled beaches and dead marine life. Oil can clog the intakes of water from the Gulf that is used to cool coal and nuclear power plants, resulting in power outages. It can also clog the intakes of desalinization plants that use reverse osmosis to produce drinking for cities on the GUlf coast. For more information, check out: http://www.examiner.com/x-38220-Orlando-Independent-Exa...

[marions ghost]

17. good website

comprehensive coverage...

[ColesCountyDem]

19. Exactly WHAT do people want the President to do?

It's easy to scream and rant and rave, "Do something!", but I always notice that specific ideas as to what he should do are about as scarce as hen's teeth....

[BeFree]

23. There have been hundreds of requests..

... over the last 40 days. Just because you haven't read any doesn't mean a thing.

So all you got is a silly rant?

[ColesCountyDem]

25. And your reply doesn't aswer the question, either.

[BeFree]

29. See that thing on your mouse?

If you click it in all the right spots, you will begin to read and see.

My job is not to take you by the hand and lead you, it is to help you see all on your own.

So please, don't act so helpless.

[ColesCountyDem]

31. If I lived to be 148 years-old, I could probably read EVERY post here!

Why did you even bother to reply, ffs? Just go away...

[BeFree]

33. heh

I see all you want to do is rant and rave and scream. You cute little projector you.

[G_j]

26. why hasn't he shut down the Atlantis platform?

[laughingliberal]

28. Specific ideas are routinely ignored. Hire Nick Pozzi for cleanup & tell BP they will do as he says.

This 'nobody has any good ideas' talking point is bunk. Those who have cleaned a massive spill are ignored and given a runaround. Whenever this is brought out, the response is :crickets:

[MisterP]

60. of course it's met with crickets: the Loyalist screaming that "everything that can be done is being

done" disintegrates when more than a narrow slice of facts are used to draw their halfway-logical conclusion that criticism of the cleanup and even of BP is treasonous to the party and humanity, since it would "hand over" the elections to the Cats who REALLY don't care about Mouseland

this rally 'round the President is encouraged by GOP and "out to get the Leader MSM" criticism: "No Breasts" Cuccinelli's finding forced individual payments to insurers which are killing thousands of Americans annually suddenly becomes monstrous, and criticizing the Insurer Customer Guarantee Act is equal to condemning Social Security!

[ColesCountyDem]

32. So, I'll ask again, in case someone who actually wants to answer might actually reply. n/t

[laughingliberal]

35. Yet, the answer given is met with :crickets: as usual. Hire the guy who cleaned Aramco's spill nt

[fascisthunter]

42. not if you read many of the posts

[G_j]

36. jeeezz

you ignored the responses, do you have everyone on ignore or something?

[ColesCountyDem]

47. Look at the timestamps.

At the time I posted AGAIN, no answer had been provided.

[ColesCountyDem]

63. No apologies, of course, but I didn't really think anyone WOULD. n/t

[G_j]

70. ==

[walldude]

43. I can answer that... if you really want an answer.

1st things 1st. Declare a State of Emergency or declare this a National Security issue. This will give us the right to tell BP to get out of the way and to go fuck themselves

2nd. Get rid of anyone who has a financial or political stake in the outcome of this disaster. The only way to truly put an end to this is to stop worrying about political or financial considerations.

3rd Bring in the best scientific minds, the best Environmental minds and the most experienced oil cleanup people on the planet.

4th Come up with a reasonable solution. This should have been done weeks ago, and we could be implementing the plans right now.

I have seen many writings on the internet listing many people who know how to deal with situations like this but who aren't being called upon for help. The only reason for leaving these people out are either financial or political, it's time to stop playing fucking games here, I don't give a shit what it costs and I don't care who loses the next election because of it. I want this stopped.

Anyone saying that BP or Obama or whoever they are blaming this on are "doing everything they can" are ignorant. They are doing everything they can that won't hurt their careers or their finances. It's time to stop worrying about Obama and BP and time to dig into the problem for real.

[ColesCountyDem]

48. Thank you very much.

I appreciate the reasonable, rational, non-snarky reply; this is what I was genuinely asking for the first time I posted.

[walldude]

53. Tough issue, people are thinking with their hearts

can't fault anyone for that. The feeling of helplessness is overwhelming, people just want someone to do something, and there are few experts in this field. Until we change the priorities on this mess we are going to be screwed.

[ColesCountyDem]

59. We do seem to be 'stuck on stupid' regarding the cleanup, that's for sure.

I can actually understand the frustration, since I share it myself. I suppose I'm a little sensitive about criticism of the President, due to my living in a fairly 'red' area and having to listen to it 24/7; my personal belief is that if he could don a wetsuit and magically transform himself into 'Obamaman", he would personally go clean it up. He can't, of course, so that's why I wanted to know what people thought he should do that he isn't?

Again, thanks for the reasoned reply.

[kctim]

22. Ah

More of the same bashing and offering of no solutions. Just love the conspiracy that President Obama is unwilling to push BP aside and place the government in charge of everything because of the evil corporations.

So, what government agency has "the expertise and technology" to stop the flow?

[BeFree]

27. Thing is...

..We see the public support for Obama hitting a real low and the damage done to his political career to be a serious problem.

All of our hard work getting him elected we see going down the drain.

[kctim]

37. Thats no excuse

to shout opinions based on emotion and conspiracy instead of facts.

[BeFree]

39. Ahh

You too are blind to the damage Obama is suffering?

Kinda reminds me of how bush lovers ignored reality.

[kctim]

44. Uh, no

I actually agreed with what you wrote, I just don't see how bashing him for not having the govt take over and stop the flow when govt does NOT have the ability to stop the flow, is going to help him any.

[BeFree]

45. Too narrow of a focus

The flow is a given. But we don't know how much flow, where the flow is going, how long it will flow and what alternative measures are being taken.

The there is the surface flow, and, reports are, what isn't being hidden from us is hideous and damaging. And that it isn't being cleaned up: it is fouling beaches and will foul beaches, for, how long?

It is a clusterfuck and Obama is clustered. And it don't look good.

[laughingliberal]

30. Hire Nick Pozzi to direct and oversee the cleanup. Tell BP he's in charge.

There. A solution. Will be ignored as it always is. Why would we possibly want the guy who cleaned an 800 million gallon spill in the Arabian Gulf anywhere near this?

[kctim]

34. That is NOT a solution

to stopping the flow of oil. That is a suggestion on who would be best to handle the cleanup.

[BeFree]

38. Let us review some of the OP

BP remains totally in charge of potentially the largest environmental disaster in the earth’s recorded history, a fact that proves — in “check mate” fashion — that corporations dominate the inner workings of the U.S. government, a truth previously revealed by the bank bailouts.


Indeed, Obama continues to allow BP to lie about the seriousness of the spill, even when numerous independent scientists disputed BP’s estimates of the spillage.

Obama’s unwillingness to push aside BP and take government charge of the operation makes him an accomplice to the environmental disaster. For example, in order that BP be allowed to remain at the helm, Obama has given them professional credibility where none should exist — “they have the expertise and technology,” etc. BP’s actions prior to the spill constitute criminal negligence. The comments of BP’s CEO since the spill undoubtedly prove that the company views the disaster as more of an inconvenience, to be handled at their leisure.

[kctim]

46. Sure

BP remains in charge because they are responsible for stopping the flow and because govt can not create a "Department of Capping Deepwater Oil Leaks" to handle the situation overnight.
At this time, claiming it is because President Obama is some lackey who is beholden to them, is not proven by the facts.

Calling President Obama an accomplice because he won't push BP aside and let the government stop the leak is BS because govt cannot stop the leak. Like it or not, BP DOES have the expertise and technology and the govt does not.

Now, if everybody just wants to ignore the leak and gripe about the cleanup, then go ahead. They are only fooling themselves. But at least be clear and honest about it. The largest envio disaster in earths recorded history is the leak AND the cleanup. Pushing BP aside and placing govt in control of the operation IS putting govt in charge of stopping the leak AND the cleanup.

[BeFree]

49. Gawd

I tire of the attempts to protect Obama and the government, when the damage being done continues with no change.

Believe it or not, Obama has been severly damaged and no amount of your protestations is gonna change that fact. Only Obama can fix his problem, and at that he is failing.

Just as BP HAS FAILED to stop the leak. It is failure everywhere we look. Everywhere.

[MilesColtrane]

40. This, sure as hell, doesn't look good.

It looks like 71K has bought BP an indeterminate grace period.

[SidDithers]

56. Donations from BP employees, not from BP itself...nt

Sid

[MilesColtrane]

65. Yes, not directly from corporate coffers, as per the law.

I wonder how many of those individual contributions were solicited from management and bundled.

[NanceGreggs]

57. Yeppurs, that's the smoking gun alright ...

Barack Obama raised $799 MILLION for his campaign.

The $77,051 he got from BP employees represents one one-hundredth of one percent of his total campaign cash.

Not to mention those contributions came from people identifying BP as their employer - a category that could include anyone right down to their office cleaning lady.

Jesus Hussein Christ. Even the most corrupt Republican couldn't be bought for that kind of chump change.

[MilesColtrane]

64. I said it looks bad, I didn't say that he has been bought.

[NanceGreggs]

67. You're right, you didn't say he'd been bought.

I included that in my reply because I've been seeing this non-story raised here over and over.

Pointing to contributions representing one one-hundredth of one percent of his total campaign intake as meaningful of anything isn't a matter of "looks bad". It's a matter of "downright silly".

[MilesColtrane]

68. It's a silly matter that will have to be dealt with if Obama seeks reelection.

Somewhere, there is a 527 synching footage of dying birds with the BP employee contribution graphic. The script will (unfairly?) describe how Obama did nothing but give speeches while the Gulf of Mexico became a poisonous toilet.

Maybe the framing of his performance during this crisis by his opposition will be a moot point. Obama may well compromise and "center" himself right out of any reelection chance all on his own.

[NanceGreggs]

69. A matter that will have to be dealt with?

Can't wait for the attacks from the other side about how Obama received one-hundredth of one percent of his campaign contributions from individuals who are employed by BP (as I originally stated, that includes cleaning ladies, janitors, parking lot attendants, etc.) as something he will have to "deal with".

As for Obama's re-election chances, you can just keep on hoping he'll be defeated.

He won't be.

[MilesColtrane]

72. "you can just keep on hoping he'll be defeated."

Nance, Kreskin, you ain't.

I'm actually hoping he delivers on his promises, THEN gets reelected.

[fascisthunter]

41. this tragedy has exposed Obama and his ties to oil

as well as all republican presidents of past. This has been going on for some time.

[VMI Dem]

50. Everyone chill the fuck out.

BP has got this.

[Name removed]

52. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[SidDithers]

55. I don't think you go far enough...

I bet you could probably find an article detailing how Obama actually caused the blowout and subsequent spill, if you looked hard enough.

Sid

[treestar]

58. Give me a break

We are not "powerless against BP" - this is a technological problem - and BP caused the problem and should take the burden of fixing it.

[O is 44]

61. Yes I can just picture President Obama sitting

around saying I have nothing else on my plate how about I add a huge oil spill to my list, that would just be dandy. You can't make this stuff up. Wow, sometimes critical thinking is necessary before forming opinions.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

66. '''Being president is hard work." worked for Bush as an excuse too.

[Skidmore]

71. Oh, hell yes. The man connived from birth in Kenya to

achieve world domination. He wants all your money and oil too.

Jesus, the stupid is running deep today.

[nadinbrzezinski]

73. The only thing that will stop this is a RELIEF WELL

until then, it will continue...

They say mid august... worst case it to December, and hope they're right... and my worst case still might be optimistic.

Then again you might start praying, and stomping feet. After all science will always work faster if you do that.

[KonaKane]

74. Oh, I'm sure president Obama is behind it all.

In a secret White House room, festooned with hammer and sickle flags and copies of the Quran, where he is deviously planning a world Caliphate.

[Name removed]

75. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[rasputin1952]

76. Locking...

Flamebait, and has drawn what it was posted as.