Nothing But Net

[babylonsister]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-06-15/obama-oval-office-speech-on-oil-spill-shows-personal-commitment/


Nothing But Net

by Paul Begala Info

snip//

As one who has been critical of the president's response to the disaster so far, I was enormously impressed with this speech. Obama communicated his personal commitment, and the commitment of the entire country, to the people of the Gulf region. He called for a new energy economy - one that creates more jobs and costs fewer lives. Perhaps most important, he made accountability a presidential priority. BP must be punished; the people of the Gulf must be made whole; the American coastline must be reclaimed.

He closed on an emotionally resonant note for all of us who grew up fishing in the Gulf: the blessing of the fleet. In so doing he told us that he gets it. He understands this is not about barrels of oil and billions of dollars. This is about a way of life. This is about a life-giving region. And this is about the eleven lives that were lost.

There is a villain in this story, and it's not Barack Obama. It is BP and its corporate cohorts. This is why the Katrina analogy is so unfair. The guy who was president when New Orleans drowned -- I can't recall his name offhand -- froze our government in icy indifference. His own people did not know that American citizens were stranded at the New Orleans convention center without food or water. They did nothing as Americans were drowning and families were clinging to life on their rooftops. Can any fair-minded person realistically compare that to President Obama's earnest, engaged--and until tonight somewhat emotionally aloof--response to BP? No way.

In fact perhaps Obama's rhetorical reticence is a result of him watching his predecessor read grandiose promises in New Orleans' Jackson Square, only to see no follow-through. Action is eloquence, the bard said. And our wonderfully eloquent president knows that no matter how powerful his words, he will be judged by his actions.

Barack Obama has been compared to Michael Jordan, but to me the president is more reminiscent of Jerry West. Exceedingly disciplined, sometimes maddeningly under control in an emotional sport, West was never one for high-flying, death-defying 360-dunks. But with the game on the line he rarely missed. That's why they called him Mister Clutch.

[Name removed]

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[jefferson_dem]

4. So much hate.

Dude. Lighten up.

[dionysus]

12. it's as if obama being in office is ruining thier lives or something...

i don't get it.

[vaberella]

5. "You people" --- Ugh...this is the problem right there.

Rather than pointing blame when it comes to disaster, we as American citizen's, share within this blame because of our own need for oil. If you can not honestly stand there and say----I don't use oil. Please. Secondly, it was far from weak---it was aimed at a people who need things broken down in layman's term. You want a plan of action---he clearly said they have a few things they are trying and listed them, but he doesn't know what will fix it and apparently none of the great minds of the world who are brought in to help know what to do. He clearly stated this in his speech.

***I was going to add more but then reread your post. I noted the hate but there are so many words you use like "worshippers" or "hypnotized Bush zombies" ----Why don't you call for our deaths since obviously we "don't care about America or working people."

[mikekohr]

7. "Divide and conquer," as we fight among ourselves the Tea Party lunatics rejoice.

Here are the uncomfortable truths:

The 18+ month long oil leak in the late 1960's in the Sea of Mexico was stopped with essentially the same technology we have available today. The Sea of Mexico leak occurred in 160 feet of water. This leak is in 5,000 feet of water.

No matter the president, no matter the level and energy of the federal response, no matter the company, any leak, especially at this depth is potentially/probably catastrophic. There is little if anything the Federal government can do to stem the flow of oil.

The energy industry has helped write the regulatory laws and infiltrated the agencies responsible for protection of our environment over the last 30 years. The time to stop these blowouts is before they happen. Once they begin, (in absence of an acoustic shutoff)there are NO good proven solutions. This will take time. Maybe a lot of time. There will be devastating consequences.

mike kohr

[Name removed]

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[GOTV]

2. Then I suppose I'm right to withold praise until I see the follow through ...

"In fact perhaps Obama's rhetorical reticence is a result of him watching his predecessor read grandiose promises in New Orleans' Jackson Square, only to see no follow-through"

Right. So powerful speeches have no real worth.

"Action is eloquence"

Exactly

"no matter how powerful his words, he will be judged by his actions."

Except by those who just love speeches I guess

[vaberella]

8. I love how people here marginalize his speeches to fit their agenda.

I've seen a post of yours earlier. I have a question have you seen the daily Coast Guard briefings?! If not, then you like most here on DU have no clue the amount of work Obama is putting into this on a regular basis. I really don't know what you all think he's doing. However, I know none of you know what he is really doing. Much like the pundits and even the journalists here--no one takes into account the words of the coast guard who are first hand on this issue and work directly with the President and DOI since this disaster started. So when people say action is eloquence...I want to know what action your speaking about? Do you want to see him picking up the oil with his bare hands? Most of the action that is going on is not in the public eye--yet most here assume there is no action because it is not in the public eye. I don't know how else you expect to see this action.

[GOTV]

13. You replied in some detail so let pay you the same respect

I am aware that Obama is working to plug the leak although he admits that in the end the federal government has neither the tools or the expertise to do much. Clearly plugging up oil leaks a mile under water is not what Obama's background has really qualified him to do.

However, as president, there are things he can actually do, things that need to be done that he is not doing. He should be spending his time working to preventing future problems. We know this problem was caused by incompetence and corner cutting by BP and their contractors. We know BP has been interfering with media trying to cover the problem and they seem to be hesitant to pay claims with their judge shopping in Texas and their insistence on using the term "legitimate" to qualify their promise to pay claims. We also know that drilling is going on right now in the gulf.

So what Obama could be doing is attacking these problems is:

1 - stop all on going drilling. Since corruption and reckless corner cutting is rampant and the governmental watchdogs were asleep at the corporations feet we have no idea what problems exist on all those other wells. They should stop drilling until all drilling sites can be re-inspected by actual regulators. Every short cut taken will need to be repaired before drilling can be continued. In addition there is a fine (lets say like $100 million dollars) for each short cut found.

Why hasn't this been done? I can see it would cost the oil industry a lot of money. So what? Is there a good reason?

2 - Fine BP for each reporter whose access is blocked. Make it clear that journalists have as much right to access the spill at BP does. BP of course would like to minimize what we know about the spill to minimize their costs. If Obama was serious about making them pay he'd make sure we are all aware of the extent of the damage. We need reporters to do that.

Why hasn't Obama made clear that journalists access rights are protected? I can see it would cost the oil industry more money. So what? Is there a good reason?

3 - BP may be in the process of moving liquid assets out of the reach of US law enforcement. They are certainly acting like they want to reduce the amount they are charged. Down payments on the costs should already have been collected and failing that BP assets should be seized to assure payment. He talked about doing this kind of thing in his speech. Will he do it? I don't know. I know Obama likes to make speeches about what he will do or what will happen but sometimes the action doesn't match. ("Any bill I sign must include..." and all)

Why hasn't Obama done this already. He heard BP's weasely "legitimate" escape clause. He's seen the judge shopping. Seem he'd like to wait for the oil to stop and the public to move on to something else to start talking about money with BP. BP would rather that too.

4 - Arrest people and put them in jail if there's any way to do that. This would go a long way to making sure that corners are not cut in the future. Of course the same thing should have happened in the banking crisis. The same thing should have happened after 8 years of war lies and torture. So, I don't really expect it will happen now.

Why hasn't Obama's justice department going after anyone criminally? Why are people like this always treated so deferentially? Why are they untouchable?

Finally I think it's silly how everyone fawns over his speeches as if speeches equal action. All those speeches don't change the fact that none of the things I have mentioned have been done. Until his speech yesterday I don't think I've even heard any of them seriously considered. But I think they are all doable if there was the will to get tough on these problems.

If he had done these things I don't think many people would be still complaining about his being aloof or disconnected.

These are all actions which would be "in the public eye" we would all see them. We'd all know that heads were rolling. And it's not some ridiculous suggestion that Obama should be picking up oil with his own hands.

[tavalon]

6. President Obama gives great speech

Some of the best I've ever heard. But if one puts in ear plugs and just watches, well, the show isn't nearly as good.

[vaberella]

9. So what is it you're looking for that he's not delivering on? n/t

[flpoljunkie]

11. Boy, Begala is not in step with the rest of the media herd on Obama's speech!

He needs to get with it!

:sarcasm: