I find myself being swayed toward the opinion of those attacking Obama over the oil disaster

[Motown_Johnny]

I am an unabashed and unapologetic Obama supporter. I have been since before his candidacy was announced.


I understand that he takes things slower than other politicians and it tends to drive us all crazy. I've been there too.


Unfortunately sometimes the perception becomes the reality. The administration moving slowly in this instance has created the perception of ineffectiveness. If he/they don't do something spectacular fairly soon that perception will transform itself into the accepted reality and it will hang on President Obama's head forever.


I suppose we need to let them try their "top kill" attempt but after that the Government needs to take over no matter the legal consequences. Either way, if that attempt stops the gusher or not, it is time to let the big boys step in and prove it can do things better than the private sector.

[geek tragedy]

1. The problem is that the government doesn't have the

technical expertise to do it. That's a problem that long term needs to be remedied, but short term the only people with the know how to fix it are the ones who fucked it up in the first place.

[jtrockville]

2. Seems to me, BP and the government are on even footing.

BP doesn't have the know-how either.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Actually everything they are doing

follows a familiar script. Read on any of these, and you will the timeline and technical attempts follow this timeline

If this was Exxon, you'd have the same efforts.

And in the end... relief well is what it will take, and that will take months.

[boston bean]

10. What about the clean up?????

Why is BP in charge of that?

[Webster Green]

12. Exactly!

It's absurd.

[nadinbrzezinski]

35. So you'd rather they pull a Bush

and ignore standing US Law?

The company is required by law to clean up the mess.

Unlike the Ixtoc I, where the Government did the cleanup, (PEMEX is a federal agency) in the US they are required to do the cleanup.

I'd like the law to be severely reconsidered, where FEDERAL workers are the ones doing it and BP just pays for it. But as it stands RIGHT NOW... we don't have the Authority.

[Webster Green]

55. Laws were made to be broken.

Especially in this case. As far as I'm concerned BP screwed the pooch when they told the EPA to fuck off.

[nadinbrzezinski]

68. I actually care about being in a nation of laws

now what you can do, is DEMAND your legislators do their work and get the legislation needed to give us supremacy insofar as the clean up is concerned, and still make BP pay for it.

I mean I love my Navy, but I think in this case BP should pay for the sailor's salaries, HAZMAT suits, and upkeep of equipment.

[boston bean]

102. I actually care about the environment and LIFE.

But still, please do point me to the exact law where it states what you are saying.


I have seen the law where they are financially responsible, we can send them the bill. But just because they have to pay doesn't mean they get to bark out the orders or have total control of their crime scene.

[MyNameGoesHere]

115. Nation of laws?

We aren't invading the Gulf of Mexico. we would be trying to save it. You think somebody will nuke us if we try to stop this mess? Take us to court? More throwing hands in the air and giving up.

[Toots]

109. The government can be the Boss though..

The government can take charge and tell BP what to do and when to do it, who to hire and establish deadlines.

[nadinbrzezinski]

25. Becuase legally they are required to be

see Exxon Valdez and the law that says that. You don't want them to be in charge of that, or liable, change the law.

[Motown_Johnny]

51. we can fight things out in court later. Allowing this to continue is neither reasonable

nor prudent.

[Webster Green]

57. Bingo!

We start illegal wars all the fucking time for no reason. Now it's actually time to defend ourselves, and that's illegal?

Bullshit!

[nadinbrzezinski]

77. You can contact members of congress and demand emergenciy

legislation.

But I do care about living in a nation of laws.

Oh and what should that emergency legislation contain?

BP is responsible for all clean up costs

The Federal Government takes over the actual clean up

There are other factors in there... but those are the top points.

If they put their mind to it, they could have this on Obama's desk within days...

[NoSheep]

96. Who is "allowing" this to continue?

That's the part I don't understand about the criticism...I need to know the answer to that. Do we know that anyone is allowing this to continue deliberately? If there are solutions that aren't being tried, then we should organize ourselves to get that information out. Where are the solutions that are being deliberately ignored?

Nothing personal, just wondering if you can help me understand this.

[laughingliberal]

67. I do not think the law says they have to be in command of the operation.

I think they are legally responsible (which really means financially). It does not mean the government answers to them!

[nadinbrzezinski]

78. Thad Allen is the Incident Commander

he is a USCG Admiral.

[laughingliberal]

81. So, we've heard. nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

84. And your point? He is

facts are pesky I know.

[laughingliberal]

91. My point is BP seems to be in command and our government officials seem to taking orders from them

No worries, though. Just like any day on the Senate floor, I suppose.

[nadinbrzezinski]

95. They are in charge of some things

but not of others and the incident commander is a USCG officer.

Do read on the Incident Command System because that is what they are using.

And truth be told, the USCG could not be in charge of drilling operations... mostly they have no clue...

And the cleanup, they are letting them do it, because legally they have to.

[laughingliberal]

97. "legally they have to."

I'm pretty sure the government is more than allowed to bring in others to do the cleanup and direct the cleanup. I think saying they are legally obligated to do the cleanup means legally obligated to provide the resources to do the clean up. I don't think it means they get to decide how, who, how much, etc...and certainly not when it appears their efforts are less than sincere. They were ordered to stop using the dispersant and they have refused. We are not bound, by law, to allow BP to do (or not do) whatever they choose and you will not convince me we are. BP gives every appearance of being more involved with protection of their profits and limiting their liability by covering up the extent of the problem than they are with using the most effective methods for saving the Gulf.

I'm also sure the government is allowed to have some say in it and bring in people who will do it right and make BP pay for the efforts. BP has proclaimed only their sanctioned contractors are allowed to participate and the organization they have contracted to assist in saving the wildlife has said BP is not allowing them in. I know you are sincere in attempting to explain the situation but I'm just not buying the press releases at this point.

[nadinbrzezinski]

98. Read this

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2010/05/06/oil_spill_law_exxon_liability_issue

[laughingliberal]

99. I see nothing in that which disputes my point which is that we do not have to allow BP

to make all the decisions.

[nadinbrzezinski]

100. They are not

but if it makes you feel better, they are I guess.

[proudohioan]

104. Here is the site for Oil Pollution Act of 1990....

33 U.S.C. §§ 2701-2761, August 18, 1990, as amended 1990, 1992, and 1996.

This might help with any confusion.

[proudohioan]

103. Here is the site for Oil Pollution Act of 1990...

33 U.S.C. §§ 2701-2761, August 18, 1990, as amended 1990, 1992, and 1996.

I believe this would be what you might have been asking for, not the Salon article.

[laughingliberal]

62. That's been my question. Cause it looks as if BP thinks clean up = cover up. nt

[Matariki]

70. Even worse - they are preparing a "Study of the Environmental Effects"

Seriously. BP. Like that won't be biased.

[jtrockville]

22. Everyone doesn't follow the same familiar script.

Take the Russians, for example: http://rt.com/Top_News/2010-05-05/nuclear-solution-oil-spill.html?fullstory

I have read many countries have offered assistance to the US. Why shouldn't we kick BP to the curb and accept assistance from other countries?

[nadinbrzezinski]

27. Setting up a nuke still requires some drilling

this is not just dropping a bomb down there. That said if the relief well don't work, that's probably next. Hell, they might be able to use the same well to set the nuke in.

[wildbilln864]

30. sorrry but....

there'll be no nuke attempt. Can you imagine that failing and the oil spreading then becomes radioactive too? Nope. I don't believe for a minute they'll use a nuke.
It will spew until a relief well is bored and active. IMHO of course.
:hi:

[nadinbrzezinski]

32. I agree with you

fully... I would not pass it from the ok what do we do if this don't work.

That said a relief well has a history of working 100% of the time... and what the link to that Soviet thing pointed was orders of magnitude different from this.

The time line for the well is about a year though... and I'd like our PR addled government to be able to 'splain this to the people.

[kenfrequed]

111. Actually that is unlikely

Every attempt to use a small tactical sized nuke buried along a well has successfully sealed the well and the radioactivity released has been minor, local, and isolated. Oddly enough the fear mongering against using explosives on this shaft (nuclear or not) has been a back door propaganda effort by BP itself, who fears losing access to this oil.

Compare the amount of pollution caused by a subsurface small nuclear device to allowing this geyser to spray for two more months while BP uses relief wells to slowly seal it while having the means to draw oil from this location at a later date.

[jtrockville]

52. BP isn't the only "person" who can drill.

Which still begs the question: why hasn't the government taken BP out of the loop?

[nadinbrzezinski]

79. Because BP is legally responsbile

[jtrockville]

80. They're liable for damages...

And they're responsible for causing the mess. But I don't see that as a justification for their continued involvement.

[nadinbrzezinski]

85. Read on the law

that came out of the Valdez...

Now we have to chose... are we a nation of laws or not?

Now here is the choice we have, and that is to CHANGE that law with emergency legislation, start agitating.

[jtrockville]

87. No law requires us to let a crime continue unabated.

[nadinbrzezinski]

89. Perhaps I am dense

or perhaps I have found sources that actually point to I don't know, clean up that is ongoing and action.

We might debate whether it is enough, but to say that people are sitting on their kisters is silly.

That said, what do you want BP to do? Magically get the relief well done? I hate to be the bearer of bad news, No matter who does the relief well... it will still take months... and yes it will take a relief well.

[jtrockville]

90. See, that's just it - I don't want BP to do anything, except:

1) Cough up the money.
2) Got straight to jail.

I want the government to take over. BP should be completely banned from the Gulf.

[laughingliberal]

92. +1000 nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

93. your wishes are just that

for legal reasons they can't

And as I keep saying the US Government does not have the equipment or technical expertise. So let's say they kick BP off the Gulf... who would you rather have? Exxon, Shell? WHO?

This is a nasty faustian choice... but I chose to live in reality.

And in the real world, the choices are bad or worst... alas that is the real world.

[jtrockville]

108. BP does not have the required expertise either.

Many countries have offered assistance. No need to rely on a corporate-person.

There is no legal reason the government can't stop a crime in progress.

[Motown_Johnny]

5. The ones who thought the top hat would work?

The ones who took forever to get a 4 inch siphon pipe into a 21 inch gusher pipe?


The ones who brought in a smaller version of the top hat and then never even tried to put it over the gusher?


The ones who have been wrong about the amount of oil being discharged?

The ones who are using a dispersant which is not the most effective available?



THOSE are the people with the technical expertise to do it?



Even if that were true they could still be directly answerable to a government official.

[Art_from_Ark]

82. You hit the nail on the head

If this is the best "expertise" that Uncle Sam can rely on, then we are totally screwed.

[roguevalley]

88. the russians have used nukes to cap about five well blowouts.

small nukes. Think about it. As for this argument that they don't have the expertise, they can call any university and get a panel assembled. giving the murderer the right to do the autopsy is evil. exxon got away with murder. so will bp. the gulf will never recover. ever.

[Number23]

3. Then you are eeeeeeasily swayed!

:)

[Motown_Johnny]

7. it has been over a month

[MUAD_DIB]

8. It is a mile down.

It's a crappy reality that it is not an easy problem to fix.

[Motown_Johnny]

14. I am not saying that it is, I am saying that the perception of doing nothing need to change

Would it hurt to have planes spraying dispersant flying off aircraft carriers?


Would it hurt to have national guard members cleaning up beaches?


Would it hurt to have someone other than Salazar as the spokesperson for the clean up effort?


I am not saying there is a magic wand to wave and make it all go away. I am saying that the perception of doing nothing is becoming the accepted reality and it will weaken this President if that perception is not changed fairly soon.

[LeftyFingerPop]

18. Except for your first point, I think you are right on. n/t

[MUAD_DIB]

34. Who is leading the perception? The liberal media?

The same liberal media that ginned up the tea party, Scott Brown, the defeat of the health care resolution? Those guys?

[nadinbrzezinski]

37. Dispersant planes don't land or take off from carriers

As to the national guard members, the polluters doing this are required by law to clean it up...

Now you might want to agitate where WE do it, and they pay for it, but as it stands right now... they are responsible... Exxon Valdez ring any bells?

[Motown_Johnny]

46. fine.. then fly planes from air force bases or coast guard bases

It has gotten beyond the point where I care who pays for it. We are paying for it politically. We are paying for it with our environment. The people who live near there will be paying for it with their health. They are already paying for it with their jobs.

We can sue them later if we need to. Who Cares!


Exxon Valdez was minuscule compared to this. It is no longer reasonable to compare these two events.

[nadinbrzezinski]

53. They are

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Military/2010/0430/Gulf-of-Mexico-oil-spill-Once-again-US-military-gets-the-call


Gulf of Mexico oil spill: Once again, US military gets the call

Over the years, the Pentagon has played an increasing role in disaster assistance, and the Gulf of Mexico oil spill is no exception. Is it too much when the US military is fighting two wars?

*

US Navy sailors prepare to deploy an oil containment boom. The Naval Sea Systems Command has sent 66,000 feet of inflatable oil boom, skimming systems, related support equipment, and personnel to support cleanup efforts for the oil spill.

US Navy/Sipa Press
Enlarge

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By Gordon Lubold, Staff writer / April 30, 2010
Washington

The Gulf of Mexico oil spill once again puts the US military in the role of white knight, as it provides assistance in the cleanup and state officials look to it to pay the bill.
Skip to next paragraph



The Pentagon’s response so far has been limited in the wake of the massive oil spill off the coast of Louisiana – two Air Force C-130 Hercules military airplanes and a smattering of logistical support and equipment from the US Navy.

But the deployment underscores how the military has come to be known as the “go-to" agency in the US government when crises arise. From the tsunami in Asia to the earthquake in Haiti and dozens of other, smaller emergencies, the military increasingly gets the 3 a.m. call.

IN PICTURES: Louisiana oil spill

It comes down to the vast resources of the Pentagon, which this year has a $708 billion base-line budget request. That allows for the largest standing pool of personnel from which to draw when a crisis arises – and the money to pay for it.

--------------

What frustrates me is that they are doing this, and more, but you'd be hard pressed to hear this on the TV machine.

[Motown_Johnny]

59. thank you

but in a way this reinforces my point that the perception needs to be modified.


What percentage of voters do you think know that this is happening?

[MUAD_DIB]

64. If nadinbrzezinski could point this out then perhaps

you need to do a little research for information that may already be in plain sight.

Yes, I am an asshole, but DU brings it out in me.

[nadinbrzezinski]

66. Here is another question

why is it that our media, which is supposed to report on news, this is newsworthy, are not.

What are the agendas at work?

:hi:

[MUAD_DIB]

75. That is the question that needs to be asked, and not why hasn't Obama

done more.

How do we know what has been done if they gloss over or don't report it?

[sendero]

43. Look....

... a delegation of congress persons flew down there to do a flyover to show their profound concern. What else do you want?

[Motown_Johnny]

48. give them some yellow boots, a shovel and a box lunch and we can talk

[GreenStormCloud]

71. You don't know what you are talking about.

Yes, you are wanting Obama to wave a magic wand and make the problem go away.

Spray planes off carriers? Very stupid. Why carriers anyway? The well isn't that far from shore, for an airplane. Further, a plane has to be specifically designed to land and take off from a carrier, and spray planes aren't. They don't have tailhooks, nor the structural reinforcement to take being slammed down onto the carrier deck and stopped in a few dozen feet.

Yes, it would hurt for the National Guard to clean the beaches. Why not simply hire people to do the job? We do have a high unemployment rate at present.

[Name removed]

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[Motown_Johnny]

58. I think they have been following the laws created post Valdez

and I think it is time to stop following those laws


The two events are no longer similar, other than the fact that they both include oil.


The Valdez disaster was limited to the amount on one ship, this isn't.


The Valdez disaster was limited to the area where the spill occurred, this isn't.


The Valdez disaster affected only one state, this could affect several countries.



It is no longer reasonable or prudent to follow the laws created for a oil spill disaster when we are dealing with an oil gusher disaster several orders of magnitude worse.

[phleshdef]

9. Yea, the administration has 22,000 people, thousands of coast guard ships....

...they have deployed a million feet of boom, they have organized volunteers for the cleanup effort but yet they are moving soooooo slow.

In this instance, its highly doubtful that the government is going to be able to do anything BP can't do.

[scheming daemons]

11. You're buying what cable news is selling you

I wouldn't be proud of that gullibility.


Perception doesn't "become reality" without the help of those (like you) that believe what people on TV are telling them instead of trying to learn the facts.


The govt's response here has been as forceful and as all-encompassing as it can possibly be.


You have chosen to believe those that are trying to create perception.

[Webster Green]

15. Bullshit!

It's clusterfuck. I think I'll just believe what I'm seeing.

I'm online. I don't have a TeeVee. There's plenty of info available online to show that it's a clusterfuck.

[SidDithers]

20. Because online information is much more reliable than televised info...nt

Sid

[Webster Green]

33. Why yes, it sure as hell is.

:wtf:

[tiny elvis]

107. the partisans double teamed you and damned you either way

'you're buying what the tv is selling you'
'i don't watch tv'
'you're buying what the not tv is selling you'

partisan debate is extremely limited in reason by its priority

[Binka]

28. Amen Fellow Sonoma County Friend

I finally put one of the responders to your post on a LOOOOONG over due ignore. How ya doing? Going to the Harmony Festival?

[Webster Green]

39. Hey Binka!

I usually go up to the Mateel Summer Arts and Music festival in Humboldt, which is always the weekend before the Harmony festival.
It will probably depend on how much money I have left after that. I lived in Southern Humboldt for 15 years :evilgrin: , so I like to go up and see old friends. it's a great event.

http://www.mateel.org/summerarts.html

:hi:

[LeftyFingerPop]

16. And what are you buying?

[Motown_Johnny]

23. no, I am accepting that others will do that and I am trying to stop it from happening

if the government's response has been as forceful as possible where are the government air craft spraying dispersant?


There aren't any.


Does the government have no aircraft capable of this?

[treestar]

13. Perception is not reality

And appearances are not everything.

[Motown_Johnny]

17. no, perception is not reality, but it may as well be.

We all base what we accept to be real on what we perceive. If the administration is perceived as ineffective it will be accepted as reality by those who perceive it that way.

[LeftyFingerPop]

19. EXACTLY!

This is what many do not understand.

[treestar]

29. I'd go and get some facts

Before putting blinders on.

The ignorant are ignorant, they'd don't get to hide behind it being their perception.

[Motown_Johnny]

42. the ignorant need to be taught.

I consider myself more informed than average. Maybe I am kidding myself but that is my perception and I consider it to be a reality.


If the majority of Americans consider this President ineffective in this crisis they will assume he will also be ineffective in future crisis.


My blinders are off. I am still an Obama supporter but the perception of this administration not doing all it could is becoming a serious issue.


Perhaps your blinders need to be removed. Your perception does not dictate reality any more than mine.

[treestar]

50. The facts about the oil spill

We may not like it, but we don't get to just "perceive" that the government should be able to solve in. Reality intrudes. Right wingers may say government can do nothing. We think it can do good, but it would be silly to claim it can do all.

[Motown_Johnny]

63. where did I make that claim?

I am simply saying that they are being perceived as ineffective and we need to change that perception.

Even if they do no more than what they are already doing we need to shine a light on what the government is doing.



Maybe I should use the word "messaging". You seem to dislike my using "perception".



We need message our Government's efforts to the American Public.


Did that help?

[treestar]

65. Yes

I have no problem with that.

But then people are very unreasonable - the messaging can be done but the unreasonable will not be hearing it.

I'm tired of catering to the unreasonable - though I guess that's life in America.

[RandomThoughts]

24. You do know what top kill means right.

In the movie avatar there were flying creatures that the people on the planet would interface with. That is a common philosophy in some groups.

If you have seen all the clips, many people think that they can control some supernatural thing to do what they want. That is that concept.

The attack from the top is the high ground attack, or better kindness, in the movie avatar the worst flying thing was beat and controlled by a top 'kill' but notice the people talking about it get it backwards by calling it kill, LOL so they don't understand it at all anyway. It is about freeing the flying thing so that it can be free, and then sometimes it might be able to help people, but by free will not by delusion of capture or control.

But the point is all those people doing what they are told from the supernatural have been using that power to dominate other people, because in truth, much of the supernatural wants many people dominated and suffering. Although there is also a good side that just helps people not for reasons of control, but to make the world a little better, and add joy to life.

It is complicated, but it is a story told in many places.

It was also on a scifi mini series Dinotopia.

Many people have been using supernatural for years, while telling people they are not to keep it secret, and while ridiculing ideas of faith to keep people from learning of ways to defend against bad side.

[Codeine]

36. Oh my goodness.

It's like the internet just vomited random words onto DU's lap.

[Motown_Johnny]

49. Umm.....

I haven't seen Avatar


and I only watched a couple hours of Dinotopia


Any Asimov, Herbert, Clark or Card stories you could relate this to?

[donco6]

26. Well, I'd say welcome to the dark side.

But I'm afraid your former compatriots will be making your life hell for a while. So I'll just say "hey."

[pitohui]

31. i find myself wondering what kind of heartless opportunist would use our pain to attack obama

apparently obama is the second coming of the messiah and can do all and be all

FFS people, what's wrong w. you? obama is the voice of sanity here

he ain't BP's janitor, and the american people aren't BP's janitor

BP has to clean this up -- and they are actually at least making a good show of trying to do so

the best minds in petroleum engineering are struggling to plug this leak but we are supposed to hate on obama because if he just sacrificed a chicken to the right obscure kenyan god then it would be all over now?

please, be serious, be a critical thinker, what CAN obama do that he isn't doing? other than silly season stuff like going to war with the u.k. and nationalizing BP oil...which would do exactly fuck all to plug the leak anyway

obama is the president, far as i know, nobody died and made him santa claus

[WillyT]

38. LOL... "The Best Minds In Petroleum Engineering..."

Came to mind... not sure just why...

:evilgrin:

[whyverne]

41. I think he could get his butt down to the gulf and get on one of those

go-fast boats. Then he could go humming over the gulf at about 80 knots. He could stand on the bow and unzip his fly and piss in the wind.

I'm not reading any more of these. Folks are turning into the Tea Party around here. All anger, no sense.

[Bluebear]

44. 'Folks are turning into the Tea Party around here. ' LOL OK

[KonaKane]

45. BINGO.

[Motown_Johnny]

54. OK, what could be done

Government planes could be spreading dispersant

Government ships could be dredging barrier islands to protect wetlands

Government employees could be cleaning beaches


need I go on?



Think criticaly...

[KonaKane]

86. And you seriously don't think this has already crossed their minds?

Seriously?

[suzie]

105. Are you going to declare martial law on the entire Gulf Coast and tell local governments

that they will no longer be able to plan for the response within their communities? That the military will take over all the beaches of the Gulf Coast?

Because out of your sight, and that of the national media, the locals have all made plans on how to deal with the oil. They're conducting hazmat training for the citizenry.

Most beach communities already have an infrastructure in place that deals with beaches every day--agencies, people, trucks, etc. Because the Gulf is the same place that you have hurricanes, most beach communities also have Emergency Operations crews that come into action around a disaster. These groups worked 18/7 when the reality of the spill became public to formulate plans for their communities. Their governments allocated money to purchase whatever they need to deal with the spill.

If you drove along beach roads, you'd see booms sitting within that orange plastic fencing, waiting to used.

Do you want to militarize the entire Gulf Coast, kick the locals out and have the military telling them what to do? Do you want every mayor, every sheriff, every county commissioner in every community along the Gulf to have to wait on the military bureaucracy and the Corps of Engineers bureaucracy to tell them when they can and can't do anything on their beaches?

That seems like a nightmare scenario to me, both logistically and public relations wise.

[kiranon]

56. It takes time to fix, make, build things and not enough people actually

work with their hands and know how long creating something or fixing it can take. And, when the fix is unknown as it is with the mile down disaster, it can take even longer even if everyone is working as hard as they can. Not everything can be fixed quickly or sometimes not at all. This event is not Obama's Katrina. This disaster belongs to all of us who use gas and need ever more to fuel our way of life. We all own a piece of this disaster. Hopefully, it will make environmentalists out of the Southern states that are so affected by this disaster and let's look for alternative fuels so we don't have another blow out like this one ever again.

[Motown_Johnny]

73. I am a Landscaper who spent 20+ years as a cook. All I have ever done is work with my hands

(with the exception of 2 years to earn my degree in Culinary Arts)


Again, I am only talking about the perception, the messaging... however you want to phrase it.


This may not be Obama's Katrina but it has the potential of creating the same effect.

[suzie]

106. Thank you.

I've read a bunch of threads about this disaster. The most heartening one included a poster who explained what he had personally done to use less fossil fuel.

We're all going to have to think about that.

[ProSense]

61. Opinions like

Gergen's:

A month ago, it looked like the White House was on top of this problem, as Cabinet officers scurried here and there, the Coast Guard and others swung into action, there were talks with BP, and the president paid a personal visit. But increasingly, it has become apparent that the federal government may be present but is not in charge.

It keeps saying that BP bears ultimate responsibility. It is keeping the press away. No wonder James Carville, Chris Matthews and Donna Brazile exploded late last week. They are right on a basic point: Ultimately it is not the responsibility of BP or any other company to protect American interests but the responsibility of the federal government. Some Obama supporters have argued that the 1990 Oil Pollution Act limits the president's capacity to take action. Others disagree. Either way, in an emergency, laws can be changed.

Although this disaster is not an existential threat, it could be argued that if the U.S. government had fought World War II in the same way it has fought the oil spill, we might well be speaking German now. Faced with a growing danger to our well-being, a WWII-type government would at minimum have:

• Brought in the CEOs of all the major oil companies and charged them with the duty of an all-hands collaborative effort to stop the spill and help ward off the damage.

• Brought in the best minds in the country, from universities and technology, for emergency efforts to find solutions.

• Moved quickly to mobilize the National Guard and other military forces, if necessary, ensuring that they received the resources needed to protect our beaches.

• Made a clear call to citizen volunteers to help where necessary.

• Given Cabinet officers an ultimatum: Get this under control in the next 30 days, or else.

There will be ample time after this disaster for finger-pointing and blame-laying. The key now is to get this spill under control before it does far more damage.

<...>

Let's see:

• Brought in the best minds in the country, from universities and technology, for emergency efforts to find solutions.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 19

Top Scientists Engaging Closely with BP’s Efforts to Cap the Leak

As a responsible party, BP is charged with capping their leaking oil well. However, the U.S. government is taking an active role to ensure that BP’s approach is as strong and as innovative as possible. The Department of Energy has engaged some of the world’s top scientific and engineering minds from Sandia, Los Alamos and Livermore Labs—to lend their expertise to BP’s efforts to cap the well and permanently stop the leak.

These government scientists are reviewing every plan on the table, validating those that are moving forward and providing additional expertise and input on new tactics.

• Moved quickly to mobilize the National Guard and other military forces, if necessary, ensuring that they received the resources needed to protect our beaches.

FRIDAY, APRIL 30

In response to the BP oil spill, the Secretary of Defense authorizes under Title 32 the mobilization of the Louisiana National Guard to help in the ongoing efforts to assist local communities in the cleanup and removal of oil and to protect critical habitats from contamination.

TUESDAY, MAY 4

National Guard Activation

Secretary Gates has authorized use of Title 32 status for up to 17,500 National Guard members in four states: Alabama (3,000), Florida (2,500), Louisiana (6,000) and Mississippi (6,000).

The state of Louisiana has activated approximately 1,200 National Guard members under Title 32 for command and control and sandbagging operations in St Bernard and Plaquemines parishes. Louisiana National Guard personnel are actively manning the Joint Operations Center and Tactical Aviation Cell.

THURSDAY, MAY 13

National Guard Support Continues to Build

1,304 National Guard personnel are currently supporting oil response—952 from the Louisiana National Guard are providing Command and Control and sandbagging support to St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes, supporting marina operations and conducting HAZMAT training; 323 from the Alabama National Guard are deploying protective barriers around Dauphin Island and conducting sandbag and security operations; 25 from the Mississippi National Guard personnel are providing helicopter support and liaison officers to aid local officials with emergency response; and four from the Florida National Guard are performing liaison duties in support of the response effort to the Unified Command Center in Alabama and to its own emergency operations center in Tallahassee.

THURSDAY, MAY 20

Natural Resource Conservation Service Continues to Build Response

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service has deployed personnel and multiple vessels to assist the Louisiana Department of Fisheries and Wildlife in monitoring oil making landfall in Terrebonne Bay and Breton Sound areas in Louisiana, and continues to assist the Louisiana National Guard with technical engineering recommendations for stabilizing beach and headland areas where sand and earthen material is being placed to plug openings to prevent the oil from entering the wetlands.

• Made a clear call to citizen volunteers to help where necessary.

MONDAY, MAY 3

More Than 2,000 Volunteers Are Trained To Assist

More than 2,000 volunteers receive training to assist in the response effort to that date. Volunteer recruitment efforts include outreach to local fishermen with boats, which can be used as vessels of opportunity to assist contractors in deploying boom.

• Given Cabinet officers an ultimatum: Get this under control in the next 30 days, or else.

TUESDAY, MAY 4

Cabinet Officials Brief Members of Congress

Secretary Salazar, Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, Administrator Jackson, DHS Deputy Secretary Jane Holl Lute and Admiral Allen provided a bi-partisan and bi-cameral briefing to Congress on the administration’s all-hands-on-deck response to the spill. They updated members of Congress on the status of ongoing, coordinated response efforts in the Gulf coast states and delivered an update on BP’s mitigation plans for potentially impacted Gulf Coast states.

Cabinet Officials Host Daily Coordination Calls with the Gulf Coast State Governors

To ensure consistent coordination with the Gulf Coast states, Admiral Thad Allen, Secretaries Janet Napolitano and Ken Salazar, Administrator Lisa Jackson and NOAA Deputy Under Secretary Monica Medina began daily calls with the Governors from the five Gulf Coast states to provide updates on the response to the BP oil spill and answer any questions that arise. Governors Barbour, Crist, Jindal, Perry and Riley have been invited to participate in the daily calls moving forward. These daily calls are a follow up to the calls last Friday and Sunday between the Governors and the agencies involved in the federal response, as well as the calls last week between the President and the Governors and the President’s visit to the region on Sunday. These calls are intended to further the already unprecedented cooperation and focused effort between state and local officials and the federal government in response to this situation.

Maybe Gergen should have visited deepwaterhorizonresponse.com

The Ongoing Administration-Wide Response to the Deepwater Horizon BP Oil Spill

[Motown_Johnny]

69. this is what I am talking about

Even if the response has been spectacular, the perception is that it has not been.


Get all this info to Matthews, Brazile and Golum and get them to talk about it on the air. As it is now we have these (and other) prominent voices reinforcing the perception of an ineffective response.

[ProSense]

72. "Get all this info to Matthews, Brazile and Golum "

The are pundits who are running their mouths with no clue about what the administration is doing? Where are they getting their information? Why is it so hard for them to find the facts that anyone can find in minutes?

[Motown_Johnny]

74. Then get Gibbs out there with this info... or Salazar, or Napolitano

isn't it their job to present this information to the public?

[ProSense]

76. They are out there. Again

how is it that the pundits are so clueless? They're demanding the administration do things it has already done. In fact, they're so far behind they look like they're reading MSM talking points.

[Motown_Johnny]

101. Sunday I watched

Meet the Press

Face the Nation

State of the Union and Reliable Sources



I didn't see anyone from the administration out there with this information. Isn't the sunday talk show circus, I mean circuit, a standard for this type of message?

[Swamp Rat]

83. We are not "attacking Obama"

Well, most of us are not 'attacking' him, but we want to see some real, tangible leadership, especially those of us on the Gulf Coast (those of us who voted for him, but feel abandoned).

We do not have the luxury of time. Our environment is being utterly destroyed.

We want Obama to stop BP from killing us.

[laughingliberal]

94. +1 nt

[Ignis]

112. Nonetheless, it will be taken that way by those...

Who value partisanship over results.

It doesn't matter if you're personally covered in oil, don't you dare even hint that OUR President could be doing anything at all faster, better, or more efficiently. Because if you suggest there's room for improvement, you'll be lumped into the "haters" category.

Crazy, eh? :shrug: So it goes.

[glitch]

110. Man down! Quick, get this guy some Koolaid! Oh, the humanity.

I'm kidding you, I agree with your OP.

[Captain Hilts]

113. Don't worry! ProSense is back on the payroll to change your mind back! nt

[branders seine]

114. he hasn't really done shit to hold anyone accountable for anything

it is the defining characteristic of his "presidency"

He's a PR operative in effect.