By As yet another attempt to stop the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has failed the Obama administration is coming under increasing criticism for its response to the oil spill:
A litany of half-truths, withholding crucial video, blocking media access to the site, and failing to share timely and complete information about efforts to contain the largest oil spill in U.S. history have created the widespread impression that BP is suppressing the facts about the April 20 oil rig blowout in the Gulf of Mexico, if not misleading the public and the government.The government has been little better, for weeks blindly accepting BP’s estimates of the size of the spill, all but powerless to force the company to curb its use of toxic chemical dispersants and ignoring warnings from its own officials about possible worker safety violations. (………….)
Still, BP isn’t alone in the blame, say environmentalists who have been working since the April 20 explosion to shed light on regulatory failures.
As soon as they began looking into the environmental reviews that were done in the Gulf of Mexico, “we realized that there weren’t any environmental reviews being done,” said Rebecca Noblin, the Center for Biological Diversity’s Alaska director.
Many of the promises from the government and the industry about the safety of offshore drilling were proved untrue by what has happened in the Gulf of Mexico, Noblin said.
“BP, and the oil industry in general, has managed to get away with a lot,” she said. “But the reason I go back to the government is oil companies’ jobs — their focus is to make money. If they’re allowed to take shortcuts, of course they will. And it’s the government’s job to make sure that they’re not allowed to do that. Bottom line, our government shouldn’t let the oil companies do what they’re doing.” [Kansas City Star]
Something I don’t get is why James Carville has been going after the President like he has over this oil spill?:
On Thursday, Carville continued to criticize the federal response and told Campbell Brown that he believes President Obama’s advisers aren’t relaying to the President the gravity of the disaster.
“I know I’m not a Harvard law… guy, professor of law at the University of Chicago,” Carville said. “People down here know what they’re seeing. It seems the President is madder at his critics than he is at BP.”
Carville wanted to know why the Minerals Management Service, the agency in charge of doling out offshore leases and regulating the industry, was not better managed before the spill. [Huffington Post]
Anyway if I was the President’s adviser you know what I would tell him? I would tell him that he should appoint General Russel Honore as his special hand picked person to coordinate the government’s oil spill response. First of all Honore is a well known name due to his Hurricane Katrina fame, it would show that the President is serious about responding to this mess, Honore knows how to handle the media, and best of all he knows how to get things done.
Anyone else have a better idea of who would make a great government point man to coordinate this response effort?
3:59 am on May 30th, 2010 1
Observation:
1. Obama has no idea about oil spills… and he really shouldn't be expected to. He should, however, be able to surround himself by people who can assemble teams of experts who CAN get things done. He hasn't.
2 Everyone should take note as they watch the evolution of corporate power over government power. It is amazing how much BP has controlled the situation both before and after the spill… and how they seem to be calling the shots to government agencies… and not always because they are experts who need assistance.
Everyone is familiar with the Coast Guard telling the TV crew to stop filming as BP was calling the shots. If not, Google it.
3. In yet another argument against government bloat, government jobs as a form of welfare and the over-reliance on a government that is not encouraged to be efficient or even adequate, I would just like to point out that taking bribes and watching pr0n when you should be inspecting oil rigs is just crazy… but, I suppose it makes more sense when you are on meth.
…and, finally, listen carefully…
4. This may be The Event which forces the return of power to states from the federal government. There are a lot of states that have (and will be) affected by this… and the federal government has been lethargic and ineffective in their response… much of which could be better handled at a state level… especially if some of those federal tax dollars stuck around.
I don't remember my 21st century history so well, but as I recall, weak federal leadership combined with some capable governors, along with some large events in which the federal government was helpless… all while over-taxing and meddling in local affairs with one-size-fits-all laws really moved a lot power back to the state level.
Interesting times.
5:13 am on May 30th, 2010 2
Most of the technology or expertise to deal with the problem doesn't exist in any government agency. It's in the private sector. Unfortunately, it seems that the one private sector component that should be best equipped to handle it is deep sea oil extraction.
The people clamoring for an ad hoc, government brain trust led solution have been watching too many movies like Armageddon and Core. I have already heard someone suggest using the old standby; a nuclear explosion.
The government can accept responsibility and assume authority all it wants. From what I understand, for some time, top government engineers have been within BP's operations and engineering centers, observing their deliberations and reviewing their plans. But, they have been deferring to BP's decisions, unless it can be determined that it is not in the best public interest, such as their choice of oil dispersant.
The flip side would be like sending government civilians into a military command and control room and have them start dictating operational tactics.
5:50 am on May 30th, 2010 3
Liability for BP is capped at $75,000,000.00 according to the 1990 Oil Pollution Act: http://www.epa.gov/oem/content/lawsregs/opaover.h…
I don’t see where the incentive for BP to cap the leak is. The maximum BP can be finned is $75,000,000.00 and they have already reached that. The only way BP could be fined more is for the US Gov’t to prove "wrongdoing". There is no way BP or anyone will be found guilty of wrongdoing in any court and if they are, they will have already declared bankruptcy (that's what shell companies are for).
I am fortunate I was able to enjoy the beauty and dignity of the marshes of Louisiana and the gulf coast. I'm sure that place is ruined. Again, the only way BP would plug the well if Sammy imposed a $1 billion dollar a day fine, but that’s about the only way.
America's thirst has nothing to do with any oil spill, but negligance does.
6:13 am on May 30th, 2010 4
My understanding is that the $75 million is for uncontested liabilities. That helps get payouts to victims quicker. They can still be sued for more, but that can get drawn out in the courts.
As far as them claiming bankruptcy, their profits for the 1st quarter of this year was $5.6 billion, a 135% increase over the same quarter last year. Profiting at that rate, they could pay cleanup and recover costs, lawyers fees and courts costs, and still maintain many of their corporate jets and condos.
6:24 am on May 30th, 2010 5
http://www.epa.gov/oem/content/lawsregs/opaover.h…
6:26 am on May 30th, 2010 6
And for the purist
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/usc.cgi?A…
6:47 am on May 30th, 2010 7
I would like to know what MM personnel are suppose to do?
8:39 am on May 30th, 2010 8
Obama should put Al Gore in charge.
9:29 am on May 30th, 2010 9
I can't see more hot air helping the situation.
10:13 am on May 30th, 2010 10
Not really sure, but many were doing a whole lot of things they were not supposed to be doing.
Interior Probe Finds Fraternizing, Porn and Drugs at MMS Office in La.
11:16 am on May 30th, 2010 11
Joe every gets that, what people are frustrated by is the lack of a coherent response to the spill. Why wasn't berms being constructed to protect the coastline until the state governor started demanding it? It seems like nobody is in charge and that is why I think putting someone like Honore to coordinate the response would at least get simple things like berms built.
11:19 am on May 30th, 2010 12
The big question is why did the federal government allow BP to build a well with no plan to cap the well if a worse case scenario happened? Who is the person who signed off on this?
11:23 am on May 30th, 2010 13
Its obvious they were in the hip pockets of BP. And I'm sure many campaign contributions were designed to keep it that way.
Much as the coal mining disasters. The regulations had so many loop holes for the companies to exploit, that while everything they did was "by the law", the law had been bought and paid for.
We have the best congress that money can buy, is not only a truism, but becoming deadly as well.
11:56 am on May 30th, 2010 14
The Coast Guard commander down there said one of the big problems was the unpredictability of the oil's movement. For some time, the currents and winds have headed the oil in one direction and then another.
Yes, some of the places where it would landfall had been predicted. But, now that it's in the loop current headed around Florida, that's a lot of sensitive wetland to defend.
12:58 pm on May 30th, 2010 15
Bringing up Katrina and suggesting the guy Bush picked to fix the mess he made? Yeah, that would really show he is serious.
One thing, though. I'm willing to wager Obama didn't sit on his ass dumbfounded for 6 minutes when he heard of the explosion.
PS. Since when have you become such an environmentalist?
1:00 pm on May 30th, 2010 16
"America’s thirst has nothing to do with any oil spill, but negligance does."
I don't know. Don't you think if you didn't like oil so much, they wouldn't have been drilling there in the first place, nor would they have rushed to maximize profits?
7:56 pm on May 30th, 2010 17
The person appointed to coordinate the oil spill response has been Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen, with the title National Incident Commander for the oil spill.
Here is an interview where he tried to address many of the issues and questions. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/environment/jan-ju…
5:34 am on May 31st, 2010 18
Nothing like a little B.D.S. from the intellectual elite *Liberal* from Canada. ROFLMAO. Not even a shinny new liberal President can cure it!
BUSH DID IT!
And he is STILL doing it. 
I had no idea that guy had so much power. Impressive!
9:07 am on May 31st, 2010 19
Yes, he fumbled with Katrina. What did you think I was talking about? The World Trade Centre? That's just plain loopy, not that he didn't take political advantage of it.
9:16 am on May 31st, 2010 20
…Bush didn't call the shots, as you can clearly see by the way he just sat there when he was told of the attacks.
Food for your thoughts: politicians are figureheads.
9:28 am on May 31st, 2010 21
Get General Honore down there to unf@ck this mess.
9:57 am on May 31st, 2010 22
Seems like no one asked for federal assistance until the horse was pretty well out of the barn and down the road.
New Orleans has a mayor, and Louisiana has a governor. Both were completely on their asses. To blame the federal government for not blowing past municipal and state governments who should have been able to assess and act in a timely manner is just wrong- and in this case, you're being racist and sexist. Just because the mayor was black and the governor was a woman doesn't mean that they couldn't handle the job.
10:05 am on May 31st, 2010 23
Teadrinker: "Food for thought: politicians are figureheads."
That is the most intelligent statement I have seen from you. Most people understand that Obama is a Puppet for Nancy, Harry and the other Liberals in charge of Congress since 2006.
That is why the Liberals supported him over Clinton. Hillary had HER agenda but Obama was/is an empty suit. He was/is willing to take direction from Congress.
So why do you keep on with about the previous Puppet? He had to wait for instruction and the current one has to read from a teleprompter or else sound like his predecessor.
Just for the record: The one who "fumbled" during Katrina was Mayor Ray Nagin. Look it up for yourself. I forget the name of that liberal in charge of the state. But she dropped the ball as well.
I always find it amusing that the B.D.S. individuals forget about those two, just as you did. I can only assume that you believe the Federal Government is the only Government. The State has no responsibility in the Liberal mind. I fear the day that becomes the truth.
10:09 am on May 31st, 2010 24
But the question was, Who SHOULD, not who is. Do you agree with the selection?
2:21 pm on May 31st, 2010 25
Mmm, and Bush wasn't a figurehead? Who did Henry Paulson work for before he was given the position of Secretary of the Treasury? Oh, but the bailout was Obama's fault, of course. Because Liberals love to spend money on banks. Right…
Oh, and you're going to blame the mayor, but not Bush? Since when does the local government trump the federal government? Since the mayor is another black man to take the fall?
3:04 pm on May 31st, 2010 26
PF read it again and try to understand. I agreed that ALL presidents are figureheads. Perhaps I should have stated it, in a more OBVIOUS manner.
As for state trumping Fed. Listen and please try to understand.
The Mayor takes care of the city, makes plans. To include planning for a natural disaster. He is the FIRST LEVEL to take action to protect his people. He works with the Governor to insure a safe evacuation. This DID NOT happen. It should have happened. Look it up! Don't believe me. So YES! I'm going to blame the FIRST LEVEL of government charged with the safety of the people IF they didn't do their job.
As for Nagin being "black", well there isn't much I can do about that.
Mistakes know no race. Every color makes them. But if it makes you "feel better", I believe the Governor was a "whitey". She didn't do her job either, so do you feel better Race Baiter?
Bottom line: The "state" must request help from the Feds. The Governor (white person) took her time. Even then the Feds might not help. Witness Jindal asking Obama for help to seal off the wetlands, to no avail. So the Obama figure head has failed as well, by about thirty days. Oh wait! We can't say that—he's black. Well, some of him is.
As for the bailout (why you mention that I don't know) but the Bush figure head began that. Long story about the why. Not that you would believe me, so look it up.
Again. I am so sorry that Nagin is black and he dropped the ball and his people died. (not really. I care mush less about race then you.)
I care about the five "W"s.
3:11 pm on May 31st, 2010 27
No, he was sleeping.
7:28 am on June 1st, 2010 28
After That he was on vacation. Nothing like a round of golf to help you form a plan of action.