Ask Me Help Desk - Gulf Coast Oil Spill..

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Originally Posted by Wondergirl

You don't want him to be in charge. You want private industry to be in charge. So far that is the case, despite what he says. There is nothing he can do to contain the oil spill. He can mobilize cleanup, but that's all. Only BP can fix what they broke.

I never said I wanted Obama in charge - of anything. He claimed he was in charge, said he takes full responsibility, his administration said they had their boot on BP's neck and now he's talking about kicking someone's a$$. So we're supposed to give him a pass now?

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Originally Posted by speechlesstx

I never said I wanted Obama in charge - of anything. He claimed he was in charge, said he takes full responsibility, his administration said they had their boot on BP's neck and now he's talking about kicking someone's a$$. So we're supposed to give him a pass now?

Well, he is not in charge of this no matter what he says. He can yell and scream all he wants; nothing will make a difference. He can't plug up the oil leak. Only BP can do that.

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Is that what you want, tom - bigger government?

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Why does HE have to contain the oil spill? He's big government. Keep him out of it. Industry knows what it is doing. The military doesn't deal with oil drilling

Excuse me ? You are really stretching to suggest I have ever argued there was not a role for the national government in crisis management .It is a clear distortion of the position I and other conservatives take .

In fact the only agency that has a central authority in territorial waters is the National Governmment . If that wasn't the case then why is it necessary for those nasty big businesses to pay leasing fees ;get licences and permits for any exploration ?

Therefore regardless of who has the equipment it is the job of the Federal Goverment's to ensure the job is done properly.

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The military doesn't deal with oil drilling.

Yes but it is not without assets that could be utilized to assist and direct containment operations.

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Originally Posted by Wondergirl

Well, he is not in charge of this no matter what he says. He can yell and scream all he wants; nothing will make a difference. He can't plug up the oil leak. Only BP can do that.

As tom pointed out, and you should have known, the federal government IS in charge no matter what. How's he doing?

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Originally Posted by tomder55

In fact the only agency that has a central authority in territorial waters is the National Governmment . If that wasn't the case then why is it necessary for those nasty big businesses to pay leasing fees ;get licences and permits for any exploration ?

It doesn't seem to have made much difference this time. BP was able to bypass rules and regs. Industry wins out. Wonder how many more cases are out there like BP.

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Originally Posted by speechlesstx

As tom pointed out, and you should have known, the federal government IS in charge no matter what. How's he doing?

He's at the bottom of the ladder. Who was in charge when regulations were put in place? And overseen?

Here is the law :

Section 311 of the federal Clean Water Act.

Section 311 now provides in part that: (A) If a discharge, or a substantial threat of a discharge, of oil or a hazardous substance from a vessel, offshore facility, or onshore facility is of such a size or character as to be a substantial threat to the public health or welfare of the United States (including but not limited to fish, shellfish, wildlife, other natural resources, and the public and private beaches and shorelines of the United States), the President shall direct all Federal, State, and private actions to remove the discharge or to mitigate or prevent the threat of the discharge.

(B) In carrying out this paragraph, the President may, without regard to any other provision of law governing contracting procedures or employment of personnel by the Federal Government–

(i) remove or arrange for the removal of the discharge, or mitigate or prevent the substantial threat of the discharge; and

(ii) remove and, if necessary, destroy a vessel discharging, or threatening to discharge, by whatever means are available.

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Originally Posted by tomder55

Here is the law :

Section 311 of the federal Clean Water Act.

Section 311 now provides in part that: (A) If a discharge, or a substantial threat of a discharge, of oil or a hazardous substance from a vessel, offshore facility, or onshore facility is of such a size or character as to be a substantial threat to the public health or welfare of the United States (including but not limited to fish, shellfish, wildlife, other natural resources, and the public and private beaches and shorelines of the United States), the President shall direct all Federal, State, and private actions to remove the discharge or to mitigate or prevent the threat of the discharge.

(B) In carrying out this paragraph, the President may, without regard to any other provision of law governing contracting procedures or employment of personnel by the Federal Government–

(i) remove or arrange for the removal of the discharge, or mitigate or prevent the substantial threat of the discharge; and

(ii) remove and, if necessary, destroy a vessel discharging, or threatening to discharge, by whatever means are available.

What would McCain/Palin have done?

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Originally Posted by tomder55

prevent the threat of the discharge.

Why didn't it get prevented?

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Why didn't it get prevented?

That's the point. Once he was told that it would take time to plug the blowout he should've taken the lead in containment (and the way I read the law he is required to).
Platitudes like 'plug the damn hole' 'kick a$$' etc .are a poor substitute for leadership .

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Originally Posted by tomder55

That's the point.

I asked, why wasn't it prevented in the first place?

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Originally Posted by NeedKarma

What would McCain/Palin have done?

Irrelevant, Obama is in charge.

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Originally Posted by speechlesstx

Irrelevant, Obama is in charge.

C'mon, expand your horizons a bit. What would a republican do in this case?

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What would McCain/Palin have done?

Don't know about McCain . I already gave my opinion that Palin should be appointed by the President to assist in this .

Her greatest success in Alaska was not letting her state's energy policies be run by the oil industry .She actually did kick their a$$es .While she was governor she learned as much as any other executive in the nation the corporate infrastructure of the industry. She set up the “Petroleum Systems Integrity Office” (PSIO)specifically to monitor oil company compliance.
Before she was Governor she was Chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, overseeing the state’s oil and gas fields for safety and ethics.

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Originally Posted by tomder55

Don't know about McCain . I already gave my opinion that Palin should be appointed by the President to assist in this .

Her greatest success in Alaska was not letting her state's energy policies be run by the oil industry .She actually did kick their a$$es .While she was governor she learned as much as any other executive in the nation the corporate infrastructure of the industry. She set up the “Petroleum Systems Integrity Office” (PSIO)specifically to monitor oil company compliance.

Irrelevant since her state's policy would be worthless for this federal crisis.

Irrelevant ? Let's see... an executive with experience dealing with oil industry or a dolt community organizer...

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Originally Posted by tomder55

dolt community organizer ...

Have you ever tried to organize a community? It's like herding cats.

You remind me of the principal who told me when he hired me to sub in kindergarten for a week -- "Just take them out onto the playground a lot. All they do anyway is play." (P.S. I worked harder in that classroom than I ever did with seventh graders.)

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Originally Posted by tomder55

irrelevent ? let's see ...an executive with experience dealing with oil industry or a dolt community organizer ...

The fact that you put Palin on such a pedestal says a lot. :D

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Originally Posted by NeedKarma

C'mon, expand your horizons a bit. What would a republican do in this case?

My horizons are fine and I see no need to take any attention from who's in charge.

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Originally Posted by speechlesstx

My horizons are fine and I see no need to take any attention from who's in charge.

Ok, what solutions do you propose to fix the gushing oil?