The BP Oil Spill Is A Nightmare. Can The President Fix It By Screaming At It?
Thursday, June 3, 2010 at 11:00AM
Photo from Daylife
President Obama rarely gets pissed. He's pretty unflappable. He was like that as a Senator. He was like that on the campaign trail. He doesn't get "visibly" angry. He doesn't necessarily get super excited either. He's just mellow yellow, all the time. This, apparently, bothers some. Especially when it comes to the BP oil spill in the Gulf.
The oil spill is an environmental and economical nightmare. British Petroleum, aka BP, aka owners of the oil rig ruining lives and who are technically the experts in this case, have no clue on how to stop the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico. The leak has turned into the worst environmental disaster in decades, far out-pacing the last horrid oil spill involving the Exxon Vadez. The government has no clue of how to stop it either as ... they're the government. They don't drill oil for a living. Nancy Pelosi didn't spend her youth on a rig. And John Conyers doesn't have an engineering degree. They just collect the taxes on it. They also kind of half-ass regulate it, but that's been an issue for the span of several presidencies. Especially in this age of super powerful mega lobbies and at least one political party that loathes even the notion of federal regulation. (Cough, GOP! Cough) The other party just likes money.
Actually, they both like money, so never mind.
Naturally, everyone from Maureen Dowd to James Carville to Spike Lee to Bill Maher to just folks on the street, want to see the President get mad. We're mad, after all. The people who live and work near the Gulf are mad. The environmentalists are mad. Everyday taxpayers are mad. Politicians are mad. Why won't the President render his garments, turn into The Incredible Hulk and lay waste to some BP sucker fools?
Easy. That's not the guy we elected.
There was a moment a few months ago when I was chatting to a friend who was very disappointed in the Obama Presidency so far. She, for some reason, had been operating under the mistaken belief that Barack Obama had come to Washington to exact revenge for the sins of the Bush Administration. I reminded her that on his list of campaign promises "revenge" was not listed. Obama doesn't even have a personal reputation of being vengeful. He was considered to be a "reconciler." Someone who would bring everyone to the table, be thoughtful and hammer out an even decision. I told her that if she had wanted another REVENGE President she should have voted Clinton in the primary.
She told me she didn't WANT to vote Hillary Clinton. She hated that woman. So I reminded her that you can't act surprised that Obama didn't turn into Conan the Democratic Barbarian (no matter what the Tea Partiers say). He never sold himself as that. Hell, during the primaries he wouldn't even get mad at or directly attack Clinton and she was SCREAMING for a fight. (As you may recall that was fornicator John Edwards' job.) Obama was your avuncular adjudicator trying to find that happy medium. Not Godzilla. There was a REASON everyone voted for him and it was because he wouldn't get all hot-headed and make rash decisions and go blow something up before asking questions first.
Yeah. It's fun to watch someone in power that you like get medieval on someone. I know I always had a big hoot n' holler whenever former President Bill Clinton dragged out that crooked finger and got straight down to business. Lots of conservatives LOVED it when former President Bush got cocky and defensive and shut people down with degrading nicknames and a smirk. (Of course, I didn't like it. But I didn't vote for the man.)
We've had presidents who kicked, pushed, shoved and verbally slapped down people. But remember? Remember how everyone was all high on the notion of an "adult" being president who wouldn't flip into some frothy rage at the drop of a hat? Someone who would be more of a doer than a talker? After all, screaming at Hurricane Katrina wouldn't have saved the people of New Orleans. They wanted action (and to not die in the Superdome). Even if Bush had immediately gone to New Orleans, unless he came strapped with water, food, the Spanish Armada and the National Guard, smirking at the flood that came after the hurricane and calling it "Floody" or "Son of a bitch" wouldn't have been very productive. A nice gesture, but not productive.
What people should care about is whether or not the President is DOING something about the oil spill. As I said earlier, the President is in charge of our government and our government don't know nuttin' about pluggin' no oil spills. Obama is not an executive with BP. He did not list "drilling for oil in the depths of the ocean" on his resume. The "experts" on off-shore oil drilling are the friggin' oil companies who spent a WHOLE LOTTA MONEY to keep the government from closely regulating them. And if BP and other oil companies don't know how to fix that leak NO ONE DOES. I hate to be the harbinger of doom, but if they can't fix it, we are all just screwed. For five minutes the government actually considered letting BP use a nuclear warhead on the thing. A NUCLEAR WARHEAD! Does that sound like anyone knows what to do? Yelling at BP might feel wonderful. Hell, I'd like to see someone take a punch to the face and go to prison, but at the end of the day, there's still a hole in the Gulf of Mexico eating your entire ecosystem and turning it into a dead zone.
The President could yell at it. I, personally, wish he'd use this as an example of WHY businesses need to be regulated and why off-shore drilling is not a viable solution to America's energy woes. (But, per usual, he's playing from the middle again as it WAS one of his campaign semi-promises to allow off-shore drilling. But shit, would it kill him to reconsider?) This black hole of death will still be spouting oil even if the President delivers the most excellent, beautiful, smack-downing-est, tersely worded speech ever (featuring lots of curse words!), so ... enjoy your good ol' fashion yell time. The Gulf should be dead by the time the speech ends.
Reader Comments (17)
I agree the President can't "plug the hole" and getting all "I'm mad as hell" isn't going to help anything either.
But as President he can make sure that BP is held accountable, financially and criminally. He can also make sure that BP does right by the fisherman and other people that live and work in that area.
I watched a great piece on democracy now yesterday. Amy Goodman actually talked to the people that live down there...it's terrible what BP is getting away with. The government has also been participating in BP cover up schemes. Denying the oil plumes underwater...the coast gaurd and BP turns out may be in bed together.
This is the type of stuff that the President can get a handle on. The President may not be able to stop the leak but he can make sure that BP treats these people fairly. I rather see him do that than give some angry speech.
I totally agree, Sarah. People need to be held accountable.
Sarah said "But as President he can make sure that BP is held accountable, financially and criminally. He can also make sure that BP does right by the fisherman and other people that live and work in that area."
Actually Sarah - he can't, but in fact, he has.
He can't to the extent that there is federal law capping the liability of the oil company to $75mill, and while he could have gone all billy-bad-ass on them, he didn't, and in the end, it will make them more accountable than had he broke bad. Why? Because BP has agreed to not request enforcement of the liability cap, and has agreed to cover the financial liability in full. Justice is already working on the criminal and civil case. BP has been on television everyday for weeks now sayiing they won't be bound by the cap. Any attempt to now abdicate the financial responsibility would be aPR and business nightmare worse than the spill itself.
Y'all playing checkers...President's playing chess.....
All I have to say is thank for eloquently putting my thoughts out there. The US government doesn't have any better ideas than BP to plug the leak. Yes, it sucks ass and yes, BP will have to pay heavily for the damage caused to the Gulf Coast and yes, it sucks that NOLA is yet again the butt of all natural disasters...but dang-it the President isn't our superhero.
Yep I know he has no expertise in fixing it and we know that he is talking to those that do know how to fix the problem. I just hope that in the end. BP receives some much deserve still penalties.
Peace, Love and Chocolate
Tiffany
Perhaps when chief exec Hayward stops fretting about having his life back he'll come up with a solution.
Snob, you have me church jogging over here, especially with this:
She, for some reason, had been operating under the mistaken belief that Barack Obama had come to Washington to exact revenge for the sins of the Bush Administration. I reminded her that on his list of campaign promises "revenge" was not listed. Obama doesn't even have a personal reputation of being vengeful. He was considered to be a "reconciler." Someone who would bring everyone to the table, be thoughtful and hammer out an even decision. I told her that if she had wanted another REVENGE President she should have voted Clinton in the primary.
So I reminded her that you can't act surprised that Obama didn't turn into Conan the Democratic Barbarian (no matter what the Tea Partiers say). He never sold himself as that. Hell, during the primaries he wouldn't even get mad at or directly attack Clinton and she was SCREAMING for a fight. (As you may recall that was fornicator John Edwards' job.) Obama was your avuncular adjudicator trying to find that happy medium. Not Godzilla. There was a REASON everyone voted for him and it was because he wouldn't get all hot-headed and make rash decisions and go blow something up before asking questions first.
Anytime I hear very liberal people criticizing Obama for not being Dennis Kucinich, I want to hit them. Obama marketed himself as a centrist--he isn't a culture war warrior--he's a mediator; so every decision he's made regarding health care, Guantanamo, DADT shows him mediating between the two or three competing interests and basically splitting the baby. That's who he said he was; and that's how he's acted since he was the Editor for the Harvard Law Review. I don't get why the Amy Goodman's, Noam Chomsky's and Robert Reich's of the world are disappointed. He is who he said he was.
Regarding the oil spill, not only is President Obama being "No Drama Obama," he's also being a careful lawyer. Why would he be spouting off his mouth when BP could then claim that his administration inhibited them from doing their job. The way the prez has handled this is as divalicious said, it has forced BP to take full responsibility, as the law requires them to. Engaging in mortal combat with BP will not compel them to behavior any better than they are. They broke it, and they should fix it.
B-B-But he needs to put emotion in there to connect with "real" Americans...LOL!
I didn't vote for Obama because he was a WWF wrestler, i voted for him because he seemed smart, level headed, and honestly trying to bring people together. That was and is needed in the leadership of our country. My only problem is he needs to stop with all of the forums and summits and trying to compromise with folks that have no intention of compromising. Its a waste of time, sometimes bipartisanship is not an option and you need to just do whats best and the otherside can just suck it up. he won the election so stop with the olive branches, and do the damn thing.
Obama is a bid stiff at times. This oil spill disaster is a job for Joe Biden. Ya see, Joe will cut through all the crap and get real with BP. No, he won't offer much substance. As a matter of fact, he'll add a few made up facts. But, as far as feeling and checking BP on this disaster, he'll make them know this is a big effing deal.
you nailed it, Snob. great post.
Let the Chuch say Amen...
Well said "Divalicious" and "Snob"I dont think I could have said that better myself outside of:
If you want more information on what the Presient is doing had done and has said, please go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/deepwater-bp-oil-spill
You can also find out what you can do to help.
Hello there is a great company called planetresource to fix the ptoblem there is a frrat animation of correcting this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60bdQQQ3iVw
Hello there is a great company called planetresource to fix the problem there is a frrat animation of correcting this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60bdQQQ3iVw
Great blog. You might be interested in this:
http://www.thenextgreatgeneration.com/2010/06/04/bp-conclusion/
Apparently 0 must have woken up as he is now threatening to "kick some ass." I guess he finally realized that blaming Bush wasn't going to get him out of this problem.
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2010/06/08/news/news-us-oil-spill.html?_r=1&hp
Planetresource.net has a Eco friendly solution to clean up the tragedy British Petroleum has created, please watch the video animation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60bdQQQ3iVw and pass this along to as many people as you know.
One person can still make a difference in this world, is that simple interactions have a rippling effect. Each time this gets pass along, the hope in cleaning our planet is passed on.