ENOUGH!!!! (The Gulf Oil Spill)

[tbw]

This oil spill in the gulf is just one of the things that really gets my ire up. And as most of you know, I have a tendency to say what I think. There really is something different going on here. It's almost the equivalent of the LBH. No one knows what happened. No one knows for sure who to blame. Yet unlike the LBH battle which lasted perhaps the total of 1 day and no more than 3, this thing makes the LBH disaster and mystery look like a footnote at the bottom of 1 page in a 1000 page book.

There can be no denying the fact that this happened on President Obama's watch. Just like 911 happened on GW's watch, Pearl Harbor on Franlkin's watch And Archduke Ferdinand happened on, well one supposes that his death didn't have anything to do with our President at that time, yet...

Its interesting to note that this disaster is taking way to long to figure out how to stop. To put it mildly folks, the time bomb fuse has been lit, and it's just a matter of time before it burns to the primer.

What exactly do I mean by this statement? Well there is a lot more to this than what one would imagine. Why not stop it? They can't - or wont? There is a vast difference between the two, and to put it mildly, if they won't, why the heck not? Several news stories featured the idea that it was to far down to do anything about, that they can't put people down there to stop it, but only Rov's. Marvelous pictures by the way, don't you agree? ONe supposes that the technology exists in some form to stop these things and stop them by innovative thinkers and doers. Can't imagine anyone around to do that job? Why not those people who put those oil well fires and leaks out in Kuwait a few years back? They sure seemed to know what to do.

Not long after this "incident" occurred, I was listening to the radio and some oil engineering expert from Texas was speaking and he seemed to know what he was talking about. He was asked what he thought they would do to stop the flow of oil from that pipeline. His answer was direct and immediatly forthcoming. He said that he expected them to send explosives down on a line by rov's and insert them into the pipeline and lower them to several hundred feet depth below the land mass and detonate them. What this created was more or less an explosion blowing up the well and imploding the land mass over the well hole, thus sealing it. What he expected was never ever tried. And this is day... or is it now weeks, no... Month's after this started and they are no more closer to solving this than they were on the first day.

Sure, Obama shouldn't be blamed right? He should have known what to do right? It's not like Katrina, that would be too unfair, wouldn't it? But it is like the 911 disaster that befell this nation, and there is no denying that. Of course he... I mean we could use this to our advantage and put a lot of people back to work when nothing else has worked. He... I mean we wouldn't want Florida or any other state to suffer needlessly when so many workers are out of work, and this would be a prime time, long lasting effort to clean up, not namby pamby effort to fix a road or a bridge, of course the more oil that leaks out, the more there would be to clean up, truely a massive, work laden effort on the scale of WPA and CCC.
Yup, that outta do it, really put people back to work for a long - long time, well long enough until the next election (not mid-term) when people can really judge who the hero..was. It's like going to war without having to go there & make a real enemy, if you know what I mean.

Of course there are other side benefits of a huge oil spill. Rules and Regulations come immediately to mind. Of course without knowing the cause they will create the rules and regulations anyway, right? Fox News did bring up something valid, and it has been criticized and berated, but I think it has certain merit. That ugly word "sabotage" was brought up and of course, lord forbid, why would "anyone" and I do mean "anyone" want to blow up that vulnerable oil well that "no one knows how to stop" and ruin the ecosystems of not just Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and Florida but other territories and nations in the Gulf basin, not to mention, if they didn't stop it, elsewhere? I wonder, who could or would do such a thing? Nope, you wont get me to say it. Why would I? After all they didn't do it on 911 did they? Oh sure, you'd think they would be crowing their goofy heads off if they pulled something like that off, right? Think again, why would they? But just like Israel, they have no intention of ever letting us off the hook either. And of course there is another "source" for such a sabotagical act, unthinkable, but none the less as credible in the light of the "global economic crisis" that still hasn't bottomed out; A jobless rate still not halted in its downward spiral, A massive debt that puts us on a par with other 3rd world countries, and last but certainly not the least, a concientous effort to stop "Global Warming", I mean sure why not? Dump billions if not trillions of barrels of oil into the Gulf and sea what it does to the Gulf stream.

Obama's lackadasical manner, political posturing and inefficient means of dealing with stopping that oil has not only hurt his credibility as a leader, it has shown that he lacks what it takes when a disaster on a global scale is about to unleash its poison on the world.

A disaster on the magnitude and impact this will have will last for decades. And whether it was sabotage or not, is no small matter. But as long as it's spewing its globules into the ocean, it detracts from those who would investigate it sooner. It is no small matter that we stop this and stop it now, for more read the link below, and I think you'll see what I mean:

www.usatoday.com/tech/science/environment/2010-06-09-1Aoilhowbad09_CV_N.htm

A comparison was made that Bush didn't do his job fast enough after Katrina hit, and he took the full brunt of the criticism due him from all. And now we have an even larger problem than Katrina will ever be, and this President is still sitting on his thumbs. not days after the event, but months! I personally don't see a damn bit of difference, except this time, it's more of a shrug than a solution. And of course one does love to hear this: "your government will do whatever it takes for as long as it takes to stop this crisis..." What kind of reassurance is this to the tourist industry, the fishing industry, the airline industry, the hotels and motels, restaurants... not to mention all the people and those who depend on a pristine ocean for their livlihood, or its simplistic beauty now turned into a "hugh tar pit". And what kind of leader says this: "As long as it takes". What kind of garbage is this? How long Mr. President do you expect those sea creatures to wait until you decide to stop it? How long Mr. President do you expect those who depend upon that ocean for their living to wait until you decide to stop it? And the endless questions that - that stupid remark engenders. Of course we know you'll stop it, when you want to, when its politically expedient to do so, was that what your remark was really all about? And the Rules and Regulations unbounded and unfounded by circumstance to be what you want them to be - because of the outrage, frustration and the anger?

[joewiggs]

Dennis, I admire you for condensing this vital information into a remarkable expose of the travesty that has occurred under the President's watch. As for me, the whole thing makes me sick to the stomach. The entire episode is so remarkably idiotic ( failing to establish a criteria to encounter any possible error) that it must be home grown!

[Cutter]

I live 20 miles as the crow flies from the Mississippi gulf coast. We're not getting anything to speak of here. But the news has screwed up the tourist industry. I have some friends who are fishermen and shrimpers in LA, and there pretty much screwed. The panhandle and Ala the same. Seems to me there is enough blame to go around, everyone in charge screwed the pooch. If I was Govenor, I'd just get it done what it takes to stop the oil from reaching shore, and the hell with the mother may I stuff. Then give those responcible, including the feds, the bill.
It being an election year, I have no doubt I'd get it.

[tbw]

Ya think his own people "the democrats" are trying to tell him something...

news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/ynews_pl2500

[Cutter]

Seems to me all things are becoming politicised, which indicates the gov't is in too many avenues of our lives. Same thing with Katrina, who can blame who for what in order to gain a politcal advantage. Bad things happen, that's a fact. Now though, instead of doing something to fix the problem to fix a problem, the powers that be get involved to help they're own statis. BP NA has a political history, and skated past a lot of regs, the admistration, well, it is what it is. The whole thing stinks, and maybe one in ten are doing the right thing. Things will work out one thing fools do is underestimate regular folks.
Gee, I guess not unlike the underestimating the opposing force Custer did at LBH.

[tbw]

When Rahm Emanuel can make a statement, that said in effect, that they were 'going to use this crisis to their advantage', it didn't mean that they were going to necessarily "fix the problem", "work the problem", or even help develop a solution for it. So far to date they have not, they have shown they didn't, and by their statements and actions have shown that they don't care about what it does to *our* environment ( our, meaning, those of the whole earth, not just the States), nor for that matter, the lives and livelihood of people who depend upon the sea for sustaining their daily lives, here or *there*. Nor for that matter have they any regard for *sea life* for its extinction is imminent. To what end have they ignored this? To what end will they exploit it? In the final analysis, it will do any little good, and harm many things, all for the benefit of the power of a few. Stalin did it. Lenin did it. Hitler did it. And it was what it was. And they were what they were. And things didn't work out so well for thousands if not millions of people under their tyranny. Interesting that word, "martial law" and when it can be invoked, or perhaps when it 'should be'. Interesting conversation just a few days ago with a leading General and Obama, virtually asking him that same question, and whether he had confidence in Obama's decision to use it, or, in other words, 'will you support me or not.' Not, will you support the 'constitution' but me - Obama - your president when that time comes. Sounds AGAIN more like a 3rd world dictator, than someone leading the largest free world country on the planet. No, Cutter, Its not "underestimating the regular folks" we have to worry about, it underestimating "the power we have placed into his hands", and, what he will do with it, and like this, what he wont, so it works to his political advantage. Not at all like the LBH, whatever the circumstances were.

[Cutter]

I re-read what I wrote yesterday. FYI, don't post if you haven't gotten any sleep. It may make sense to you at the time, but turns into incomprehensible drivel the next day.

[tbw]

So that you should understand the above more clearly...


A while back I wrote a Memorial day piece, and in it, of Abraham Lincoln's finest achievements, The Gettysburg Address. I think it appropriate to begin here, in order to understand what is taking place today, because where he begins, is where this ends.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure.

Notice how Lincoln structured these lines, their very content, and at the very end said, "testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure." Today, we have a President "testing" this nation and its peoples resolve to those very principles and ideals for which freedom was so dearly sought and paid. Are we all still dedicated and committed to that which was concieved 11 score and 14 years ago & still long endure? Some just don't recognize or fail to see the 'civil war' we are engaged in, and this time, we don't have an Abraham Lincoln at the helm or for that matter a George W. Bush. And that 'civil war' "testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure" is: More than one ongoing - staggering - faltering financial crisis after another; 1) Afghanistan, 2) The commitment to Iraq, 3) The continuing Depression/Recession and job losses and all it entails, 4) The staggering debt and borrowing into the Trillions of dollars, 5) The health Care reform bill and its restructuring of Social Security and Medicaid/Medicare, 6) And certainly NOT the last of these travesties, the Gulf Oil Spill and the massive expense to clean it up and to help those who will become needy of Government help. And the bond that ties all of these together for Obama is? Power, unadorned,unbridled, unadulterated power. And the Next CRISIS IS? Perhaps just a simple act from God, like a hurricane to push all that oil ashore. Perhaps the growing war speak and rattling of swords in Korea land. Or the incessant desires of another mad man who desires just as much power in Iran. Or perhaps all or more at once?

Not only will President Obama keep this nation under the influence of more than one permanent crisis, they will be perpetual as well. Why? Because it will become ever increasingly difficult to know which programs he proposes are insanely stupid, or accidentally brilliant.

1) Its purpose? To decrease the size of the middle class and reallocate funds and assets where he wants them, and it won't be AND HASN'T BEEN to the poor.

2) Its purpose? To confuse the people who ARE merely trying to survive (which ARE & will be most of the electorate) and let the government do what they will, and what the people 'wrongly think or perceive' they must.

3) Its purpose? To rid the President of his enemies.

4) In a crisis, people are unlikely to attack "the Government" or the "President". When one doesn't work, invent another.

It wasn't so long ago, that Everyone Agreed with a President and his assessment of the situation and his proposed programs. It was a novel and colorful idealism. And they ALL did in common, Independent, Democrat and Republican, your constitutionally elected representatives - gave President G.W. Bush the amalgamation of power he needed to go to war with Iraq. And just as this was happening, further amalgamation of government power came into being by those same legislators and that President at the cost of the peoples liberties - passed the Patriot Act. But this had been done in other countries, at other times, that many Americans do not realize. It was done in Germany at the expense of the people. It was done in Russia at the expense of the people, and it was done here at the expense of our personal liberties. And the time is fast approaching when this President will use this un"patriot Act" to suborn a Patriot to do unspeakable things. Things to enforce what he wants done under the guise of the "patriot act" and will seem quite "natural" to all citizens but in reality a perverse disguise in the form of another crisis.

Section 213 of the Patriot Act states that the law officials of your government can "Sneak and Peek", in effect 'search' in "any investigation", whether that be "in your house", "car or business". And you don't even have to be a suspect of being a terrorist, because "any investigation" allows them that right. They took away your 4th amendment rights in the name of anti-terrorism, but it wasn't "anti-terrorism" that allows or even grants them that right to do it.

Section 215 of the Patriot Act allows the law enforcement officials of your government, "without probable cause", to search all your personal records - "including but not limited to library, medical, financial and even school records without judicial scrutiny", and is unlimited in its sweeping power, to people who are not themselves terror suspects.

And the list goes on, and on...

If we as a free nation, a free people are not capable of speaking out against the wrongs that have been and are being committed, because the government or our President has too much power, then "we the people" are subservient to the government and our President. Decades ago our forefathers gave us those cherished freedoms, but just because the Declaration of Independence states that "we the people" are free, they also warned us in that same Declaration that it would be up to US to keep it that way.

Instead of an act to protect us, the patriot act, it is in effect, an act that will terrorize us, the very people it was designed to protect. Within this act and the provision in it - it allows your government the full rights to come knock at your door, take you away, with no rights what-so-ever, and imprison you without legal recourse. And even if they did, it would be their justice, not the constitutional one we've all come to know and cherish. And we have given them that right to do it, "we the people."

Indeed, "we the people" would ALL do well to remember these words, and take to heart the dear liberties under which those men gave their lives for these freedoms for they are fast slipping away, and in the recourse of a few weeks and certainly no more than a few months, all will change in the twinkling of an eye when they begin to use that power "we the people" have granted them, for better or worse:

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure.

[strange]

Your feelings are well placed, Dennis. I think I heard an explanation to the effect that BP would simply not "turn it off". None of these explanations are very satisfactory, it seems like someone is intentionally letting this happen.

[tbw]

It's interesting the terms and conditions that are being used in this. "BP wont turn it off"? What kind of crapola is this? And what kind of a President who has his nations shores, his nations peoples and their livlihoods threatened by an outside invader - lets them do it? This is no different than any other "invader", not one damn bit! And his lack of leadership in this is appalling if not insanely stupid. Are you watching AQ? Are you discerning the difference between a GW and a BO. One took it to you, pursued your arse into the wilderness of any nation with whatever means at hand he could. The other, well, lets just say Mexico isn't the only way in, it seems like any ocean shore anywhere will do; oh, and we welcome your opinion on how you should do it.

www.truth-out.org/weekly-mulch-oil-spill-could-bring-mass-extinction-gulf-coast60141?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%253A+TRUTHOUT+%28t+r+u+t+h+o+u+t+%257C+News+Politics%29

[melani]

I personally think the BP guys should be held TOTALLY accountable for the damage being done, and they should PAY for it to be cleaned up, reversed, whatever is possible, I personally don't give a flying you-know-what if BP goes bankrupt as a result--they deserve it. If this were China, those guys would be shot.

It's hard for me to see how Obama can be held responsible here, except in that he inherited a situation where safety rules went by the board. He sure doesn't have any expertise that I know of in the technical details of what to do with that runaway hole in the bottom of the Gulf, and neither do I. What he can do now is crack down on those suckers, and he needs to get his rear in gear and do it. He's a politician like all of them, but I certainly hope he shows some backbone in this. My other choice was "Drill, baby, drill"--which didn't seem like a good idea at the time, and even less so now.

[tbw]

I personally think the BP guys should be held TOTALLY accountable for the damage being done, and they should PAY for it to be cleaned up, reversed, whatever is possible, I personally don't give a flying you-know-what if BP goes bankrupt as a result--they deserve it. If this were China, those guys would be shot.

We are talking about a nations security and sovereignty, whether that nation is China, Russia, Iran, South Korea, Bolivia, Columbia or the US, you tell me what that difference is? Usually it is determined by the leadership of that country.

It's hard for me to see how Obama can be held responsible here, except in that he inherited a situation where safety rules went by the board.

Obama didn't "inherit" this thing, it happened on his watch. He is responsible for the outcome no matter what. He is the leader of our country when this occurred and he is responsible for our country's response to it. GW was criticized for moving to slow in response to a natural disaster in Katrina... on his watch, it was not something he inherited! Now its been umpteen weeks, and Obama has done not one damn thing but sit on his thumbs and 'let it happen', like some kind of 'red tide' that he could do nothing about, ya right, he didn't inherit it, he owns it, and in the end he will pay for it, not BP, and rightly so.

He sure doesn't have any expertise that I know of in the technical details of what to do with that runaway hole in the bottom of the Gulf, and neither do I.

NO experience, then what the hell is he doing being our President? A lame excuse if I ever heard one. He had damn well better acquire that experience and fast or the next time someone somewhere decides to "accidentally create (whether by design or craft) an invasion threat to our shores, should "we the people" grant him that same ignorance? What about those here in the US of A that do? Those who can advise him of what to do, should advise him of what do to, if as you say, "he doesn't know"?

What he can do now is crack down on those suckers, and he needs to get his rear in gear and do it. He's a politician like all of them, but I certainly hope he shows some backbone in this. My other choice was "Drill, baby, drill"--which didn't seem like a good idea at the time, and even less so now.

Ummm hmmmm... Its that same ol, same ol. In fact this was his "perfect storm" although that is yet to come. The words "crack down" & STOP "drill baby drill" have haunting overtones that most still have not realized. I'm not one to say that "global warming" isn't happening. But, why the rush to create "green" everything in one man's term of Presidency? What do you pay for a util. bill right now? Now imagine that about 10 times higher, that's what you're talking about when you take the oil soaked bait Obama and BP have fed you, it is but a small tip on a long shaft meant to put many into the soup kitchens of the poor and under the so called "protection of your government".

Of course this thing was staged. Of course it was meant to stop the drilling and advance "green tech". Of course it was meant to create more rules and regulation over the people, because it doesn't just stop with the "oil rigs in the gulf". Its that broad encompassing reach that many do not see, cannot see because they still believe; He has no experience, It wasn't his fault, and he needs more time. Time for what that hurricane to wash all that oil ashore? Think of it, the outrage, the madness to stop it then. Just be prepared to "pay the price", both financial and in freedoms.

[strange]

Hello Melani!

I actually agree. Its not necessarily Obama's fault in terms of what is reported. I'm actually leaning in the direction of thinking that this is a staged event to promote government control of various things and its all the more interesting since the event happened on earth day.
If it wasn't an inside job, then I don't think Obama should be held accountable. Its not his oil company, after all.

On HANDLING IT, there are major points to mention and major things at fault. Right now the government is planning to pay the damages and that is outright injustice and stupid, corporate socialism at its worst. I am so glad to read your post because you mention something that I kick myself for not realizing... make the damn oil company pay the costs. If a kid knocked a baseball through someone's window, that would be how it is handled. Even on the grand scale, fair is fair and fair should be done and the tax payers are not to be held responsible for an oil company's error.
Certain things may happen to the effect that we may have to do without the oil from that particular company, but I'm sure there's plenty of other companies that can zero in on the area or somewhere else (all the more reason why Alaska should be opened up, and I think its safer because their oil is not sitting beneath an ocean, or maybe I'm mistaken about the process.). The price of gas may rise, but it already has. My father even said that the lower prices we enjoyed for several year were actually more of a blessing than a reality of what its suppose to go for. No matter what choice that company makes, the people need the power to make big timers crumble just like anyone else. This is exactly the way that Martin Luther King operated, the bus ban would not have been effective if John F Kennedy had bailed out the bus people who were segregating and stampeding the right of the black people.

As usual, our government has arrived to far too many half way points. We're supposed to be capitalist but we control companies and we give them money if they fall apart. And socialism actually would not necessary be as bad if weren't for the fact that most of money is turned over to foreigners (illegal aliens, wheather or war stricken countries, etc.) or everlasting wars and bases around the earth.
Its simply not good, and I would advise people to stop appealing to the various "isms" and movements and start thinking more along the lines of common sense.

As for the "experience" factor on Obama, I don't really mind. Our presidents can be chosen from wherever as long as they serve this country or at least live here for a longer duration of their lives. Since Obama was raised in Indonesia and even allegedly born in Africa, I would only want for him to have more experience as an American and more appreciation for this country (and whether the rumour is true or not, the Kenya subject is still very worth mentioning. His family, his wife, and he himself have made far too many convenient tongue slips for us to simply turn away from the subject.).

And back to the subject of "other companies can take advantage", the government has every right to seize their assets if they don't pay damages. We can then sell those assets to our American companies and stimulate more economic POWER. Economic growth isn't quite so important as economic POWER, we need more Americans who own the companies and control things. Unfortunately, everyone is greedy so they sell their power for easy cash and forfeit the greater value.
A piece of Gold, alone itself and not traded, will not feed people. Real power is in owning land and resources and making people work and producing goods.

Strange

[tbw]

Now I hear tell that there O*ama fell'r was down there again stirring up that pot o-Louisiana tea - wiff'n his fancy pranc'n speak'n (sorry bout the dialect, tis been a while since'n I t'were there.) And that he ate some Gulf shrimp.

And it got me to thinking, did some one cook those shrimp for him in some of that there Louisiana Tea, just to make sure he knew what it tasted like?

For me, someone really needs to define "terrorism". Because I don't think we Americans really knows or apprecieate what it means anymore. It's Okay for one man named O*ama to covertly blow up an oil well, deep in the Gulf, and let it despoil our own country and ruin the lives of millions along the Gulf coast, not to speak of the horrible things it will do the the sea and sea creatures. All for him to take advantage of the "Green" and "greed" it will do. But, it is not okay for another man named O*ama to do the very same thing? Isn't there a "defenders battle hymn" somewhere in this country that states something like, "land, sea, air" or words to that effect? Hmmm.... must not necessarily be true anymore, oh sure, its terrorism if its Land and "air" but not sea?

[tbw]

You're right. It's "enough"... But it's not like others haven't done the same. Many a time the issue has strayed from the topic of the thread, no not here, but on "other" boards. And it was intentionally done to totally derail the conversation, with, I might add - the same effect!


Gone fishing... Lets see if I can land a Big White all covered in oil....