Oil spill

[CPOPE]

By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
Published: May 18, 2010
*
President Obama’s handling of the gulf oil spill has been disappointing.

I say that not because I endorse the dishonest conservative critique that the gulf oil spill is somehow Obama’s Katrina and that he is displaying the same kind of incompetence that George W. Bush did after that hurricane. To the contrary, Obama’s team has done a good job coordinating the cleanup so far. The president has been on top of it from the start.

No, the gulf oil spill is not Obama’s Katrina. It’s his 9/11 — and it is disappointing to see him making the same mistake George W. Bush made with his 9/11. Sept. 11, 2001, was one of those rare seismic events that create the possibility to energize the country to do something really important and lasting that is too hard to do in normal times.

President Bush’s greatest failure was not Iraq, Afghanistan or Katrina. It was his failure of imagination after 9/11 to mobilize the country to get behind a really big initiative for nation-building in America. I suggested a $1-a-gallon “Patriot Tax” on gasoline that could have simultaneously reduced our deficit, funded basic science research, diminished our dependence on oil imported from the very countries whose citizens carried out 9/11, strengthened the dollar, stimulated energy efficiency and renewable power and slowed climate change. It was the Texas oilman’s Nixon-to-China moment — and Bush blew it.

Had we done that on the morning of 9/12 — when gasoline averaged $1.66 a gallon — the majority of Americans would have signed on. They wanted to do something to strengthen the country they love. Instead, Bush told a few of us to go to war and the rest of us to go shopping. So today, gasoline costs twice as much at the pump, with most of that increase going to countries hostile to our values, while China is rapidly becoming the world’s leader in wind, solar, electric cars and high-speed rail. Heck of a job.

Sadly, President Obama seems intent on squandering his environmental 9/11 with a Bush-level failure of imagination. So far, the Obama policy is: “Think small and carry a big stick.” He is rightly hammering the oil company executives. But he is offering no big strategy to end our oil addiction. Senators John Kerry and Joe Lieberman have unveiled their new energy bill, which the president has endorsed but only in a very tepid way. Why tepid? Because Kerry-Lieberman embraces vitally important fees on carbon emissions that the White House is afraid will be exploited by Republicans in the midterm elections. The G.O.P., they fear, will scream carbon “tax” at every Democrat who would support this bill, and Obama, having already asked Democrats to make a hard vote on health care, feels he can’t ask them for another.

I don’t buy it. In the wake of this historic oil spill, the right policy — a bill to help end our addiction to oil — is also the right politics. The people are ahead of their politicians. So is the U.S. military. There are many conservatives who would embrace a carbon tax or gasoline tax if it was offset by a cut in payroll taxes or corporate taxes, so we could foster new jobs and clean air at the same time. If Republicans label Democrats “gas taxers” then Democrats should label them “Conservatives for OPEC” or “Friends of BP.” Shill, baby, shill.

Why is Obama playing defense? Just how much oil has to spill into the gulf, how much wildlife has to die, how many radical mosques need to be built with our gasoline purchases to produce more Times Square bombers, before it becomes politically “safe” for the president to say he is going to end our oil addiction? Indeed, where is “The Obama End to Oil Addiction Act”? Why does everything have to emerge from the House and Senate? What does he want? What is his vision? What are his redlines? I don’t know. But I do know that without a fixed, long-term price on carbon, none of the president’s important investments in clean power research and development will ever scale.

Obama has assembled a great team that could help him make his case — John Holdren, science adviser; Carol Browner, energy adviser; Energy Secretary Steven Chu, a Nobel Prize winner; and Lisa Jackson, chief of the Environmental Protection Agency. But they have been badly underutilized by the White House. I know endangered species that are seen by the public more often than them.

Obama is not just our super-disaster-coordinator. “He is our leader,” noted Tim Shriver, the chairman of Special Olympics. “And being a leader means telling the rest of us what’s our job, what do we need to do to make this a transformative moment.”

Please don’t tell us that our role is just to hate BP or shop in Mississippi or wait for a commission to investigate. We know the problem, and Americans are ready to be enlisted for a solution. Of course we can’t eliminate oil exploration or dependence overnight, but can we finally start? Mr. President, your advisers are wrong: Americans are craving your leadership on this issue. Are you going to channel their good will into something that strengthens our country — “The Obama End to Oil Addiction Act” — or are you going squander your 9/11, too?

[topgroove]

What exactly is the man supposed to do? Swim a mile down and seal it up himself? The coast guard and navy are doing everything they can. If you want to blame someone blame Cheeney who thought an acoustic blowout preventer costing $500,000 was too much of a burden to install. Clearly the GOP is using this disaster much like the democrates used Katrina against Bush. Notice you never hear the words drill baby drill anymore. Why in the hell are we outsourcing drilling leases to foriegn companies anyway. wait till the legal suits and claims start rolling in, BP will blame halliburton which will blame transworld oil which will blame BP. It will go round and round for fifteen years before a single penny is paid. And speaking of energy policy? what energy policy! all i've heard so far is a plan to add more federal tax to gasoline so we use less (are you f&@king kidding me)

[topgroove]

I have to agree with you swamp. It seamed to me at the time the governer and mayor of New Orleans were playing politics at a time when it should have been all hands on deck.

[wtdoor67]

Any opinion as to why Cheney's isn't all over this topic? He and his two daughters would usually be *****ing to high heaven over the spill. Ranting on and on about how Obama isn't stopping the leak. What gives? Maybe Halliburton hasn't reduced his check or something. Very strange. Very strange.

Drill baby, drill.

[never_forget_our_brothers]

I have to agree with you swamp. It seamed to me at the time the governer and mayor of New Orleans were playing politics at a time when it should have been all hands on deck.

That was the whole problem during Katrina. Bush was ready, it was the Louisianan politicians that failed.

[wtdoor67]

Remember what the mayor of NO said. Nawlins gonna be a chocolate city. Maybe he's getting his wish.

All these people want less govt. and none of the govt. in their business. When disaster hits, it's govt. gotta come help us out.

Remember GW? He kept us safe for 8 yrs. Except for that 9/11 thing and Katrina, Iraq and Afghanistan and the economy,he did a good job. Heh, heh, heh. What a hand.

Shoot 18 months in office and Obama will have cleaned up 8 years of Republicking crap. No problemo.

[SwampRat JR.]

I am glad you get it, how others are so blinded by their political agenda, it really is a joke. Don't regulate us, but clean up our mess.

[MI-Lineman]

[QUOTE=Swamprat;81287]

barrys own personal katrina.:(
1)I hope he steps in a real nice blg blob of oil while he's down there. 2)That will go along with the **** he keeps steppin in whenever he opens his stupid mouth.


WELL THERE'SE TWO THINGS YOU AND "BARRY" HAVE IN COMMON!:D

[never_forget_our_brothers]

YOUR DOING A FINE JOB BROWNIE????????????? BUSH WAS READY???????????????? BUSH WAS ON ****** VACATION AGAIN YOU MORON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KATRINA AND THIS OIL SPILL IS TECHNOLOGY. WE KNOW HOW TO RESCUE PEOPLE. WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO STOP A OIL SPILL 1 MILE DOWN. HOW ABOUT YOU PUTTING ON YOUR GODDAMMED SUPERMAN SUIT AND GO DOWN AND STOP IT. ALL I SEE FROM YOU IS MOUTH. HOW ABOUT YOU TEAMING UP WITH SWAMPSTUPID AND DO A DIVE ON THE WELL???????? COME ON GIVE ME THE ANSWER TO THIS PROBLEM.!!!!!!!!!

Stevie you need the same reading/comprehension classes that swampy needs. I didnt say anything about your brother obama nor the oil spill you dumbass. Maybe you need YOUR superman suit so you can learn how to read a fu(king post.

Show me where I'm wrong in my post? Show me where the Louisianan politicians were ready for Katrina? Show me where that bald-headed ******* just told everyone to run out of NOLA but knew about the old people and the disabled that he left there to DIE. Bush didnt tell him to do it. Blanco did the same. Lets talk about all the buses that sat there flooded that could have bused the elderly/disabled out of NOLA. They ****ed sure didnt mind running those buses when it came to busing all the crooks and thugs out of NOLA to Houston.

So Stevie please read next time instead of turning up that bottle of cheap Vodka and posting a bunch of bull**** that isnt even relevant to the post you quoted. Talk about a GD idiot!

[MI-Lineman]

Once there was a pretty good chance that BP “plugged the hole” Barry Barack Hussein Obama Sotero really stepped up to the plate to take a bow…

RACIST PIG!!!:mad:

[never_forget_our_brothers]

YOU DUMB***** bush ****** SAID dubya WAS READY. READY AT WHAT LIMBAUGH SLUT?? CHOPPING WOOD????? YOUR DOING A GOOD JOB BROWNIE????? THE SLUG SHOULD HAVE BEEN IMPEACHED.

He was ready to send FEMA out before the storm you ignorant moron but Blanco and the bald headed moron didnt want the help. Bush himself doesnt run to devastation sites and run FEMA so it didnt make a flying fucc WHERE HE WAS while this went on. He had FEMA ready but Louisiana DID NOT want them there and when they did it was TOO FU(KING LATE you ignorant hick!

And I'm sorry Bush wasnt impeached like your baby Clinton was. But I guess facts run you Demoncrats off like rats running from a bombed house. Its just like you ******es, all talk until its time for you to move on. Then you blamed Bush for the war but all on Congress voted to send troops. Then you blame Bush for lying to Congress to get the votes. I guess they are as dumb as your old ass is because of how they voted. Are they not smart enough to figure out **** on their own? That figures. ******es like you cant seem to figure out anything anymore. All you want to do is blame everyone else for your fu(kups. Yes Bush was a ****ty president, but yea Osama Obama hasnt done as much either. Where's the outcry of it taking him forever to get down to Grand Isle because of oil on shore. If it was Bush your ****** ass would have been screaming for his head but when Osama Obama does it he's your hero. How sweet stevie. How sweet.

[never_forget_our_brothers]

Stevie you can post that liberal bull**** all you want, I dont even waste my time reading it.

By the way, NOLA was under a state of emergency and everyone was told to GET OUT. By law, firemen or the police do NOT have to come save you as you violated the emergency order to leave. Like I said Blanco had plenty of time to get FEMA help and she turned them down. Your boy baldie just wanted to get on t.v. and made the whole ordeal racial.

And once again Stevie, I never said Bush had any sense either you batty fruit.

[barehander]

Show me one response from bush you moron.

I HAVE DOUBTS THAT YOU CAN READ AND I AM POSITIVE THAT YOU CAN'T COMPREHEND A ****** THING, BUT JUST CHECK THIS OUT AND TRY TO PROVE TO ME THAT BUSH WASN'T A TOTAL IDIOT.
BELOW IS THE CONSERTIVES VIEWS TO dubyas MISHANDLING .


CONSERVATIVE CRITICIZES RESPONSE TO KATRINA: Weekly Standard Editor Bill Kristol said that Bush's handling of the disaster had become ...

KATRINA TIMELINE
http://thinkprogress.org/katrina-timeline


http://thinkprogress.org/?p=34684
The federal response to Katrina was nothing short of a disaster. A 2006 report compiled by House Republicans slammed what it called “a failure of leadership,” saying that the federal government’s “blinding lack of situational awareness and disjointed decision making needlessly compounded and prolonged Katrina’s horror (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/11/AR2006021101409.html).” The report specifically blamed Bush, noting that “earlier presidential involvement could have speeded the response” because the president alone could have cut through bureaucratic resistance.
There is no question that the federal response was slow — deadly slow (http://thinkprogress.org/katrina-timeline/). Katrina made landfall on Monday, Aug. 29, 2005, and the New Orleans levees were breached that morning. Despite the numerous warnings (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11627394/) he had received about the storm’s severity, Bush spent that Monday traveling to Arizona and California to promote his Medicare drug bill. It was characteristic of the entire federal response:

– National Guard troops did not arrive in the area until two full days (http://www.boston.com/news/weather/articles/2005/09/11/chronology_of_errors_how_a_disaster_spread/) after the levees were breached.
– Bush did not leave his vacation home (http://thinkprogress.org/katrina-timeline/) or assemble a task force until Wednesday, two days after the hurricane made landfall and the levees were breached.
– By Thursday, three days after landfall, FEMA had yet to set up (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,168112,00.html) a command and control center.
– FEMA Director Michael Brown said he had not heard about (http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/09/02/katrina.response/index.html) the more than 3,000 evacuees stranded in the convention center until Thursday. Many evacuees had been there since Tuesday morning (http://www.pulitzer.org/archives/6971).
– On Friday morning, Bush praised Brown: “Brownie, you’re doing a heckuva job (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RO2xi0uLnj8).” He also said he was “satisfied (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9157866/page/3/) with the response.”
– FEMA did not finalize its request for evacuation buses until Sunday, six days after Katrina hit (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB112658472240639074.html?mod=todays_us_page_one). The buses “trickled into New Orleans, with only a dozen or so arriving the first day,” noted the Wall Street Journal.
– The Superdome was finally evacuated on Sunday, a full seven days after 30,000 evacuees (http://thinkprogress.org/katrina-timeline/) had arrived there.
“Despite a FEMA official’s eyewitness accounts of breaches starting at 7 p.m. on Aug. 29,” the Bush administration “did not consider them confirmed (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/11/AR2006021101409_2.html)” until 11 hours later. In fact, FEMA did not order the evacuation of New Orleans until 1:30 a.m. on Aug. 31, two full days after Katrina made landfall.
In one area, however, the Bush administration did move quickly: pinning the blame for Katrina (http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/05/national/nationalspecial/05bush.html) on its political opponents.

Yes, Brown was screwed up.....but he was fired! You Bush haters are unbelievable......you need to dig deeper. You can post all the crap against Bush from any source, but as I've said in other threads, you can't go on emotions, you have to go on facts.........
Do any of you have a copy of the US Constitution? Get a copy. You could probably read it in about 20 minutes. Look at the 10th Amendment, then look at this law,
1988 Stafford Act. Study it and get back to us when you understand it. The Bush Administration may have violated this law by coming in, as you say, 2 days after Katrina hit.

The Gov. of the State has to ask the Federal Gov. to come into the State to help. Find out when Gov. Blanco asked...

The difference with the oil spill is that it's in FEDERAL WATERS. The now Gov of Louisiana has asked repeatedly for help........where's Obamas "Brownie."? Where's Obama today?

[never_forget_our_brothers]

The Gov. of the State has to ask the Federal Gov. to come into the State to help. Find out when Gov. Blanco asked...

Exactly my point. Blanco refused the help until it was too late.


The difference with the oil spill is that it's in FEDERAL WATERS. The now Gov of Louisiana has asked repeatedly for help........where's Obamas "Brownie."? Where's Obama today?

I'm sure he's filling someones head with bull**** as usual. Or using the trip to push his Obamacare..

[Lizzy Bordon]

Gee they cant get it to stop leaking so now they are going to attempt something else risky. This will take four additional days. How do you get approved to build something like this that has no back up plan if it fails. Thousands of gallons ruining people lives by the minute. Makes you wonder how many more of these off shore sites exist. Terrorists are probably taking notes on which ones to blow up first, second and third.

[Highplains Drifter]

These guys have more smarts & ingenuity than the Ivy League elites in DC....This is not a redneck joke. Watch this.


Hey.. no HAY …….Two Mississippi Certified Rednecks to the rescue!!!!!!


These guys work for CW Roberts, big contractor in Walton County , Florida .

They have just received contract to do the “HAY THING” for all the 26 miles of Walton County, Florida beaches including Sandestin..

They start off shore with tug boats and barges spreading or blowing the hay over the oil.

If this works it will make Janet Napolitano, and the EPA look silly.

Didn’t miss this. Farmers to the rescue. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5SxX2EntEo)

[electriklady]

That is amazing........I never would have guessed

No nasty chemicals.....just hay

:)

[returntotheeve]

Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), whose district has been impacted by the BP explosion, said he tried reaching the president last Thursday to discuss possible solutions.
“He was called back by a staffer on Friday who said that the president was too busy to talk to him. He understood that until I turned on the TV and saw that he was golfing and went out to California to do a fundraiser. He said — six days now and he’s never even spoken to him.

Oh so now we change our tune...

Whatever happened to capitalism handling it? Whatever happened to BP handling their worst case scenario? Whatever happened to govt staying out of it?

I remember conservatives crying that the govt shouldn't help with Katrina. Its not the govts job to save you from a natural disaster.

Now we have a man made disaster all in the name of capitalism. Why are we drilling? Making money! Why the short cuts? Making money! Why the ****ty response? Making money! No money to be made in cleaning up.

Now all of a sudden because Barack Hussein Obama is in office its his responsibility? hypocrite

Louisiana is fu(ked. The Gulf is fu(ked. Exxon fu(ked over all those Alaskans, and I am worried that the same thing is going to happen on a larger scale.

Only good thing is the proximity of it all. It was real easy to forget about the Alaskan spill. Outta sight outta mind. This Coast is real easy to see, much harder to forget.

By the way, What was up with your absence? Where you on probation after posting that personal info of Sbatts or wtdoor or whomever it was? Were you banned by the mods? What was the deal?

[wtdoor67]

Where is Cheney? Where are his daughters? They know about oil don't they?

[MI-Lineman]

Oh so now we change our tune...

Whatever happened to capitalism handling it? Whatever happened to BP handling their worst case scenario? Whatever happened to govt staying out of it?

I remember conservatives crying that the govt shouldn't help with Katrina. Its not the govts job to save you from a natural disaster.

Now we have a man made disaster all in the name of capitalism. Why are we drilling? Making money! Why the short cuts? Making money! Why the ****ty response? Making money! No money to be made in cleaning up.

Now all of a sudden because Barack Hussein Obama is in office its his responsibility? hypocrite

Louisiana is fu(ked. The Gulf is fu(ked. Exxon fu(ked over all those Alaskans, and I am worried that the same thing is going to happen on a larger scale.

Only good thing is the proximity of it all. It was real easy to forget about the Alaskan spill. Outta sight outta mind. This Coast is real easy to see, much harder to forget.

By the way, What was up with your absence? Where you on probation after posting that personal info of Sbatts or wtdoor or whomever it was? Were you banned by the mods? What was the deal?

WELL FREAKIN SAID!!!!!:cool:

AND ABOUT THE HAY....THANKS A FREAKIN LOT BP, NOW I'M GONNA PAY DOUBLE FOR IT THIS YEAR!!!:mad:

[MI-Lineman]

Actually...it's Just 'merica man. The "New" America. The enviromentilasts, have just "Law Suited" america into oblivian. I'm sure you've heard about the "endangered Smelt fish"...
that shut down the water supply to FARMS in California, that produced FOOD for America. Our American Courts did that.
Ya gotta "Protect" them "endangered Fish" man.:mad:

SO IT'S THE ENVIRONMENTALIST'S LAW SUITS THAT CAUSED THE VALEDEZE AND GULF SPILLS!!!:rolleyes:

TYPICAL CAPITALISTIC PUKE'S RESPONSE!!

SO "CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE" OF THIS COUNTRY YET YOU'RE WILLIN TO LET BIG BUSINESS DESTROY THE PLANET!!!:confused:

ONCE AGAIN NO REAL RESPONSE TO AN HONEST QUESTION!!

[barehander]

He's on top of it.......

http://politipage.com/2010/05/28/obamas-days/

[SwampRat JR.]

Does anyone know what to do here, it wasn't regulated, the technology is to advanced, there is really no way to stop it, is there? If there is let us all in on it, you could probably make some good money.

Should we call Bruce Willis? I believe 11 lost their lives, the economical impact on that region, who seem not to able to catch a break lately, can't even be estimated at this point.

Do we need to blame someone for this? If you want to blame Obama, it is your right as an American to piss and moan with actually having an kind of solution.

Since this supposed to be a Linemans site, the only way I can try to relate is, you have a big storm, do ya jump right in and spin your wheels and panic.

Or do ya keep you keep your head about you, not panic, organize yourselves, and make sure what you do is not counter productive to the solution, do not put people in harms way. If it is that bad of a wreck, use all the experience and resourses that are available, and work together to put the pieces back together.

This is not Katrina, it is really apples and oranges, but I would not want to see a paniced, unconfident leader. No one in the world knows what to do on this, I do hope if Bush has a solution, he would step up and save the day. It would sure erase alot of bad publicity for him.

[Koga]

is really played out everyday. As more oil hits the coast and kills more and more of Louisianas wildlife. And the folks that have for generations made there living there, lose the only life they know and love. I dont really give a **** for all the political posturing and bickering, photo ops and BS . I do care the powers that be hold BP and all parties involved responsible Then clean up every **** bit of it. Restore every inch of the coastal marsh and make **** sure they have a way to prevent it from happening again. If you havent been down there and fished it , layed eyes on the marsh at sunrise and sunset, feasted on the shrimp and crabs caught that day , fresh oysters on the half shell and get to know the people. Then you have no idea of whats at stake. Im gonna stop here and let yall get back to your BS

Koga

[barehander]

Interesting interview........take the time to listen to them all.....

http://www.wbal.com/absolutenm/templates/story.aspx?articleid=52377&zoneid=37

[barehander]

Big talker.....................

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5KJFfrMB3M&feature=related

[returntotheeve]

is really played out everyday. As more oil hits the coast and kills more and more of Louisianas wildlife. And the folks that have for generations made there living there, lose the only life they know and love. I dont really give a **** for all the political posturing and bickering, photo ops and BS . I do care the powers that be hold BP and all parties involved responsible Then clean up every **** bit of it. Restore every inch of the coastal marsh and make **** sure they have a way to prevent it from happening again. If you havent been down there and fished it , layed eyes on the marsh at sunrise and sunset, feasted on the shrimp and crabs caught that day , fresh oysters on the half shell and get to know the people. Then you have no idea of whats at stake. Im gonna stop here and let yall get back to your BS

Koga

What's going on down there. I mean besides the (appearance of a) clean up effort. Whats the latest on seeping into the marshes. How deep in has it gotten?

What are locals saying? Is there anything the national media hasn't picked up on?

Has talk gotten around to reparations?

It a ****ed nightmare. I feel for you and your region.

[wtdoor67]

I heard **** said he had a lot more to worry about than a lil ole oil spill. Said long as Halliburton keeps sending him his check he don't really give a
rat's behind.

You bunch of socialistic, knee jerking, faithless, good for nothing, environmental tree hugging long haired hippie wimps, slack jawed communistic faggots.

Drill baby, drill. Mo money, mo money.

I bet ole Swimpy got a whole case of q tips and is heading for the coast. He's probably packing too so don't get in his way. Pop a cap on yo socialistic ass.

[never_forget_our_brothers]

The beaches here in South Alabama are now covered with oil. Gonna get worse after that supposed front comes through tomorrow or Sunday.

[Trbl639]

is really played out everyday. As more oil hits the coast and kills more and more of Louisianas wildlife. And the folks that have for generations made there living there, lose the only life they know and love. I dont really give a **** for all the political posturing and bickering, photo ops and BS . I do care the powers that be hold BP and all parties involved responsible Then clean up every **** bit of it. Restore every inch of the coastal marsh and make **** sure they have a way to prevent it from happening again. If you havent been down there and fished it , layed eyes on the marsh at sunrise and sunset, feasted on the shrimp and crabs caught that day , fresh oysters on the half shell and get to know the people. Then you have no idea of whats at stake. Im gonna stop here and let yall get back to your BS

Koga


Well said Brother!!

[wtdoor67]

care, right now, who's to blame, who's gonna make political hay out of it or what. I just want it to be shut off. Let the blame stuff be for later. Just get it shut off.

I do bleve if Swimpy went to the Florida west coast he probably be able to blow it to Mexico. Just an idea.

[Highplains Drifter]

How to plug the oil leak in the Gulf‏: Why NOT we use it everywhere else for more ridiculous things......

[MI-Lineman]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GULF_OIL_SPILL?SITE=VAROA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

REALLY? IMAGINE THAT!:rolleyes:

[MI-Lineman]

Yeah I'll Agree With That!!:(

Now Call Me Youngin Again! I Like That!!!:d

[never_forget_our_brothers]

Well the oil is confirmed to have made it to the best beach on Earth IMHO, Pensacola Beach/Gulf Breeze. Gulf Shores and Orange Beach in Alabama has lost more than 3/4 of their tourists to this **** and its only getting worse. I could care less at this point about politics, I just want this **** cleaned up. If you're not ready to clean up your mess, you should learn how to before you can go head first into it. Alot of people not in the South doesnt realize how bad this is for us as tourists make up alot of tax dollars and revenue for the cities in the panhandle of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

Its nice to walk out onto the patio and see beautiful blue water and dolphins swimming around playing while the Blue Angels fly overhead. All of that is gone now as most of the dolphins will die and the blue water will turn a different color quickly. TO HELL WITH POLITICS, LETS GET THIS **** FIXED!:mad:

PS-I'm not acting like I know how to fix it, but BP should have known something as well as any other outfit that drills in the Gulf.

[topgroove]

this is what happens when you let oil executives run the country and dictate energy policy behind closed doors. Just wait till hurricanes start hitting the gulf. their plan is to simply un hook and let it flow till the hurricane passes

[never_forget_our_brothers]

this is what happens when you let oil executives run the country and dictate energy policy behind closed doors. Just wait till hurricanes start hitting the gulf. their plan is to simply un hook and let it flow till the hurricane passes

Yep its killing us. I pray to God a hurricane doesnt hit us now...

[topgroove]

I hear you bro, even a cat 1 would be devestating. this disaster is the direct result of energy policy from the last adminastration . an acoustic blow-out preventer could have prevented this. also cheeney capped oil exploration liability at 75 million. BP reached that after the first day. they have no financial obligation to restore the gulf. The CEO of BP wants his life back. I bet the families of the eleven victims would like the lives of their loved ones back also.

[topgroove]

swamp you are truly amazing... you've got to be a freak of nature. how in the hell could they pack so much stupid in one person. Its been 51 days since the tragedy that left 11 dead and threatens to completely destroy the gulf coast ecosystem. untill we find out exactly what went wrong with the well and the blow-out preventer.it only makes sence to shut drilling down. from what I understand of the situation BP intended to replace the drilling fluid with sea water so they could use the fluid at another drilling platform. the opperators of the doomed platform advised against that stating concerns over the well pressure.BP insisted and the rest is history. Profit over safety. how many other drilling platforms are using the same blow-out preventers? BP didn't even have a plan in place for containing a spill they're literally flying by the seat of their pants. Hurricane season is almost here and if a major storm hits the gulf thousands of miles of coastline will be destroyed. this disaster will make the exon valdese look like an oil stain in the driveway.

[never_forget_our_brothers]

top,

Its too late to shut down all drilling in the meantime. This spill like you said will kill the Gulf ecosystem so why stop now? We might as well keep drilling as BP and crew has already destroyed some of the most beautiful beaches in the U.S.

Hell can it get worse? (other than a tropical system coming in)

[wtdoor67]

I actually saw one scientist who speculated it might be beneficial if there was a hurricane. He thought it possibly might scatter the oil so much it would do less harm than if concentrated in one spot. We'll see after a few decades, if we still exist by then.

I'm still going with the Swimpy on the west coast of Fla. to blow it to the west and keep it in one area. Could work.

Oh yeah, **** near forgot. DRILL BABY DRILL.

[electriklady]

Seeing how the US chamber of commerce is part of the republican machine and dominated by the oil, pharmacuetical, etc. companies it was just a matter of time before that scum Boehner came out and sided with Donahue......as they are both probably stickin an unmarked envelope in their briefcases with a little oil stained fingerprint on it.


Absolutely sickening.

[wtdoor67]

Any kid on the street knows the Chamber is one of the most anti-union organizations in the USA. Just ask any Chamber member. And they're also strong Republicans.

Talk about someone in the dark. They're always in the front when it comes to putting up "Right to Work" legislation. Ask any 1st grader.

[MI-Lineman]

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ANTI-CORPORATE AND ANTI WORKER. IF IT WASN'T FOR THE UNION YOU PIECE OF ****, YOU WOULD HAVE MADE MINIMUM WAGE AND NO ****** INSURANCE. NO 40 HRS, NO SAFETY. YOU THINK YOU ****** CHAMBER OF COMMERCE GRANTED ANY OF THOSE CONDITIONS??????

TOOK THE WORDS RIGHT OUT OF MY MOUTH!!! WELL SAID BUT UNFORTUNATELY HE CAN'T SEE IT THROUGH HIS THICK GLASSES AND CLOUDED MIND!:(

[Koga]

comment but I can only shake my head . Sorry I logged on.


Koga

[electriklady]

You Liberals,...sorry...."Independants":rolleyes:.. are really funny as ****.:D

"The Chamber of Commerce"...part of the Republican "Machine"?:D
So....that would make "Union"...What? Part of the "Independant" Machine?

You're a hoot EL.


That would make unions part of the "working man's machine." :eek:Oh my God, how horrible........ and as far as what side of politics? I guess unions gravitate toward which ever politicians lean toward "fairness in the workplace, for the employees" .....hmmmmmm which political party politicians seem to be more in tuned with the rights of "working people?"

Republicans and their ass kissing boys club(US chamber of commerce)? I think not!

[wtdoor67]

The very foundations of this Nation are Union. How can anyone ignore that?

I think it was a lad named Ben Franklin who said. We must hang together, or hang separately. Remember?

We the people, in order to form a more perfect UNION, etc. The UNION must not be divided. Read some Abe Lincoln.

Don't you think if it's good for the Nation, it's good for workers?

[Koga]

some photo of a tub full of blue crabs we caught last June on the beach in Grand Ilse. Along with a picture of a flounder I just caught in the marsh that morning in the bay behind Grand Ilse. Spent 3 days catchin and eatin with a friend from Kansas came down and enjoyed Louisiana cookin . Saw on the news this morning a guy standin in about 3 feet of water, on the same beach we caught the crabs. He reached down under the water and grabbed a handful of oil gunk that now covers the bottom. He came up with a chunk of it about the size of soccer ball. This now covers the bottom and the the whole area is now a "dead zone" . Over 3300 acres of the marsh is now a dead zone. just in that area. No crabs, no shrimp, no fish. And the birds Im sure you have all seen, are dyin daily. Now the folks all up and down the coast and Im sure some will end up elswhere, are starting to see and feel the effects of it. And there is no end in sight, to stopping it. Mean while the political BS continues. Folks down here are gettin fed up and tryin to save thier way of life. But guess whos stoppin em . **** SHAME ! Now BP is tryin to keep the news media from goin in certain areas and filmin . Wonder why ? Thats all

Koga

[electriklady]

Absolutely horrible horrible situation for the wildlife, the residents, the fisherman..........I cannot imagine how anyone cannot be outraged at this situation. Everytime they show it it makes me sick to my stomach........Complete disregard for humanity, all in the name of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

BP and crew should received the top "CAPITALISM AT IT'S BEST" award of all time:(:mad::(:mad:

[heelwinch]

Purely hypothetical question.

How do you feel about gas prices??

What is your theory on how the fuel prices are affected?

Compare your concerns about above said with, concerns about current catostrophies on oil rigs, and how they pertain to current regulations on oil drilling.

[Koga]

Are what they are because thats what the oil companies want them at. They move em up and dowm because they can, not because of any one particular factor or crises. remember when they went close to 5 bucks a gallon, no real reasonn just because, and **** near drove the economy in the toilet. Then all of a sudden the prices dropped. No real reason other than folks couldnt afford it, cut back and quit buying. Do I believe anything the oil company says other wise , nope ! Refinery right here in Baton Rouge , I can go 100 miles up the road and get gas 10 to 20 cents a gallon cheaper than I can a block away from the refinery. Why ? Because they can. So the spill in my opinion is BS if they use it as an excuse to drive the price up. Especially if and when after all said and done' It comes out about all the corners they cut, not complying with all the safety checks and procedures that where supposed to be in place. Rumors and reports are they cut a lot of corners on this mess.

Koga

[topgroove]

Purely hypothetical question.

How do you feel about gas prices??

What is your theory on how the fuel prices are affected?

Compare your concerns about above said with, concerns about current catostrophies on oil rigs, and how they pertain to current regulations on oil drilling.the deep horizon well would have zero effect on gas prices. the well was never scheduled for production. the plan was to drill it , tap it and seal it for future production ten mayby twenty years from now. at present our oil refining capacity is maked out! we couldn't refine that oil if we wanted to. Do we really want to be using oil twenty years from know?

[heelwinch]

So do you think that if BP ends up on the brink of bankruptcy because of their costs for cleanup, and their ever plummeting stock prices, they won't in turn try to increase their bottom line?

Mind you I said BP but their are a couple more big players in here that may feel the pinch.


Second scenario:

If BP is forced into bankruptcy by government regulations on how they handle the cleanup and especially paying out to the John Q general public for losses incured from this oil spill.

Who will end up actually paying to finish the clean up and pay outs to the public sector?

[topgroove]

Bp made 30 billion in profit last year. Hundreds of thousands of pensioners in the UK have their pensions controlled by BP. BP is pretty much like AIG is here. Too big to fail. Wonder if the pay a dividend out on June 21?

[wtdoor67]

waters of Bodo Creek in Nigeria. Photo: Jane Hahn/The New York Times

BIG oil spills are no longer news in the Niger Delta, where the wealth underground is out of all proportion with the poverty on the surface. This once-verdant area has endured the equivalent of the Exxon Valdez spill every year for 50 years by some estimates. The oil pours out nearly every week, and some swamps are lifeless.

Perhaps no place on earth has been as battered by oil, experts say, leaving residents here astonished at the non-stop attention paid to the gusher half a world away in the Gulf of Mexico. It was only a few weeks ago, they say, that a burst pipe, belonging to Shell, was finally shut after flowing for two months. Now nothing living moves in a black-and-brown world once teeming with shrimp and crab.

Not far away, there is still black crude on Gio Creek from an April spill, and just across the state line in Akwa Ibom the fishermen curse their oil-blackened nets, doubly useless in a barren sea buffeted by a spill from an offshore Exxon Mobil pipe in May that lasted for weeks.

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

What good is a job if the earth is dead? Drill baby drill. Cheney says MO Money, mo money.

Old Seminole prophesy. "The White Man Will Blow Himself off the Face of the Earth"

[topgroove]

You just don't "Get it" do ya groove.....

BEAT ...BP...and ANY BIG Corparate company DOWN!
"Make em" PAY, right???

I think you're a smart dude man.

It just amazes me, that you....and people LIKE you....and ALL of us..."Workin People"..."Surfs", don't understand, we....wouldn't even HAVE a JOB...let alone a LIFE...without these miserable corporatre *******s. That, "CREATE" JOBS, to make PROFIT...
thereby...Creating..JOBS.:D
It's a "Vicious Circle" ain't it...:(

so let me get this straight, you think we're being to harsh with BP because they employee thousands of Americans ? should we simply look the other way and say oppsie. what about the hundreds of thousand of people in the fishing industry? what about the gulf coast tourist industry? the oil reserves from that well are estimated at over 2 billion gallons. there's a **** good chance the relief wells will be un-sucsessfull. the entire gulf coast eco-system may be completely destroyed long after you and I are dead and burried. do you really think companies like BP give a $hit about small people?

[heelwinch]

waters of Bodo Creek in Nigeria. Photo: Jane Hahn/The New York Times

BIG oil spills are no longer news in the Niger Delta, where the wealth underground is out of all proportion with the poverty on the surface. This once-verdant area has endured the equivalent of the Exxon Valdez spill every year for 50 years by some estimates. The oil pours out nearly every week, and some swamps are lifeless.

Perhaps no place on earth has been as battered by oil, experts say, leaving residents here astonished at the non-stop attention paid to the gusher half a world away in the Gulf of Mexico. It was only a few weeks ago, they say, that a burst pipe, belonging to Shell, was finally shut after flowing for two months. Now nothing living moves in a black-and-brown world once teeming with shrimp and crab.

Not far away, there is still black crude on Gio Creek from an April spill, and just across the state line in Akwa Ibom the fishermen curse their oil-blackened nets, doubly useless in a barren sea buffeted by a spill from an offshore Exxon Mobil pipe in May that lasted for weeks.

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

What good is a job if the earth is dead? Drill baby drill. Cheney says MO Money, mo money.

Old Seminole prophesy. "The White Man Will Blow Himself off the Face of the Earth"

The question is: What should they be doing that they aren't. I firmly believe they should spend every red cent they have to clean this up.

But I don't believe that the US government needs to tell them what they need to spend, only what they want done, and if they are dissatisfied with how they are doing it. They need to come up with a better idea.

Holding 20 billion dollars of assests, isn't going to fix the problem.

The federal government fukks up everything they touch... and for good reason.

How much of that 20 billion do you expect will be diverted to this spill and those that are suffering from it?
My guess is roughly 40%... if that.

Nobody wants to spend money on mistakes... not you, not me, not BP. But I'd **** well rather spend it on that, then give it to a government that is more corrupt than any corporation ever dreamed of being.

My son hired an employee 2 months ago... long story short his resume' was embelished and his references were untruthfull.
He let him go because he could not perform to the standards he claimed.
So my son gets a letter from NYS unemployment insurance stating that this fellow filed for unemployment and that inability to perform job duties is not a reason for denying claims.

So you can lie about your abilities... possibly get yourself a job, BS your way through a few months and get yourself a fist full of unemployment benefits.

Ain't life grand.

[topgroove]

Absolutely not. And I DO believe BP WILL Spend Billions fixing the mess that has been created, and also do their best to compensate the Fishermen and the industrys that have been damaged by this.

Barry shutting down offshore drilling for 6 months, is already killing thousands of jobs all across the oil industry. THAT was a complete "knee jerk" reaction from a AMATURE. But, Just what I expect from this *******.

holy $hit... you've got to be kidding! ELEVEN PEOPLE DEAD seventeen injured and we don't even know what the f%#k went wrong and you want to continue exploratory drilling in the gulf! Was it haliburton cementing the well closed( they do tend to f%#k everything they touch or rip US taxpayers off) or was it the well head or maybe the way the pipe laid in the bore hole? who knows? untill we find out exactly what went wrong and have an emergancy plan in place should something go wrong I believe a temporary ban is a wise choice. just wait till the slick makes it to the keys! Your state will be devistated. its gonna make all the hurricanes of the last 50 years look like a sunday windstorm! the oil slick won't stop there either its gonna round the keys and head up the coast all the way to N Carolina . Did I mention the well hold 2 BILLION gallons under pressure and theres a **** good chance they never will stop it! So you think its a good idea to continue exploratory drilling WOW????

[topgroove]

I think we will eventually find out several factors may have caused this disaster. part of the problem may have been the cementing process and the main pipe not centered in the bore hole. the main culprite I believe was replacing the drilling mud with sea water. they new for hours before the expolsion methane was building up and the presure was building. Hours before the thing blew up seagulls were dropping out of the sky dead. The fire started in the engine room and quickly got out of controll.
They call it drilling mud but really its a special type of hydrolic fluid thats extreamly heavy and very expensive. The cost of the fluid would be about ten million dollars for a well like that. BP was two months late in starting another well and needed the drilling mud for that project. They were loosing millions of dollars each day, thats why they needed the drilling mud that desperatly.
Deep horizon tapped into the second largest oil field in the world. Its estimated to be about 25,000 square miles, located off shore from Texas, Miss. Louisanna and Florida. It could hold as much as two Billion barrells of crude.
the oil thats escapping right now could compleatly fill six olimpic sized swimming pools each day. The chemical disperents they use ( which BP own also) causes the oil to sink and lay like a sludge on the sea bed floor. Home to the worlds richest oyster beds and shrimping industry.
This well may never be brought under controll. We have to start facing the reality that the Gulf of Mexico may become a dead zone.

[topgroove]

Wow.
That's serious "Gloom and Doom".:eek: Pleasant thought....

We could always Nuke it. Like the Russians HAVE done. Not under water though. You know barry was actually lookin at that option.

I swear to God the day the Obama administration ever used a thermo nuclear device on the BP spill is the day I join the tea bagger party.
I'm sure they've explored every option but trust me on this one... That will never happen!:eek:

[topgroove]

You can blame Obama all you want ... Rebublicans always shift the blame to spin it their way , democrats do it too! the real blame lies in a global corporation willing to take huge risks and cut corners to maximize profit regardless of safety concerns.

[topgroove]

If I remember correctly it was george Bush senior who capped oil exploration liability at 75 million. It was Cheeney who drafted energy policy regarding oil exploration behind closed doors. It was **** Cheeney who decided acoustic blow-out preventers were an unnessesary burden to oil companies because they cost almost $500,000 dollars. Drill Baby Drill!

[MI-Lineman]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GULF_OIL_SPILL?SITE=NYUTI&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

WTF!!! JUST CLEAN IT UP ALREADY!!!!!!!:confused:

[Highplains Drifter]

Here is their mentality......... BP Spills Coffee (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AAa0gd7ClM):eek::eek:

[Major Wager]

I guess this really has been turned into a F**K that British company thing. I don't think it would be anywhere near as viscious if it were an American company.

Yea! Americans love their oil companys:mad:

[Squizzy]

Was listening to CNN the other day and the report said that BP is 40% owned by the Brittish and 39% by the US employing about 11000 from the UK and 23000 people from the US.
http://www.bp.com/extendedsectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=901045 3&contentId=7019612

[MI-Lineman]

Was listening to CNN the other day and the report said that BP is 40% owned by the Brittish and 39% by the US employing about 11000 from the UK and 23000 people from the US.
http://www.bp.com/extendedsectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=901045 3&contentId=7019612

HUH? Maybe CL's comment was one of those "I have a friend who has a friend who lives in Brittan and he told me BP stinks!":rolleyes:

These more of your "FACTS" CL! What "pole" you read said Americans were upset with BP cause they're "British" and NOT THE FACT THEY CUT CORNERS AND CAUSED NOW THE SOON TO BE LARGEST SPILL IN THE GULF!!!:mad:

[MI-Lineman]

This is what the fool does, when he gets his **** stepped on MI.:rolleyes: He becomes a spelling freak.:D

YEAH BUT ACTUALLY I MEANT "POLE" AS IN THE "POLES" HE LIKES TO SMOKE!!!!:D I don't take "POLLS" seriously enough I guess?:rolleyes:

[MI-Lineman]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GULF_OIL_SPILL?SITE=OKTUL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

See CL you're wrong! Now I hate both BP and our government for f$ckin this up!!!:mad: