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if memory serves, the article points out that Obama approved DWH about 2 months into his presidency.
President Obama should be held totally accountable for that. At the same token, have you ever heard of the Federal Government being able to "clean up corruption" in 2 months
Federal documents show that the Department of the Interior's Minerals Management Service (MMS) gave BP a "categorical exclusion" on April 6, 2009 to commence drilling with Deepwater Horizon even though it had not produced the impact study required by a law known as the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The report would have included probable ecological consequences in the event of a spill.
The exemption came less than one month after BP had requested it in a March 10 "exploration plan" submitted to the MMS. The plan said that because a spill was "unlikely," no additional "mitigation measures other than those required by regulation and BP policy will be employed to avoid, diminish or eliminate potential impacts on environmental resources." BP also assured the MMS that any spill would not seriously hurt marine wildlife and that "due to the distance to shore (48 miles) and the response capabilities that would be implemented, no significant adverse impacts are expected."
Kierán Suckling, director of the Center for Biological Diversity, told the Post that the Obama administration's exemption effectively "put BP entirely in control," adding, "The agency's oversight role has devolved to little more than rubber-stamping British Petroleum's self-serving drilling plans."
From Rolling Stone Article:
- he acknowledged that his administration had failed to adequately reform the Minerals Management Service, the scandal-ridden federal agency that for years had essentially allowed the oil industry to self-regulate. "There wasn't sufficient urgency," the president said. "Absolutely I take responsibility for that." He also admitted that he had been too credulous of the oil giants: "I was wrong in my belief that the oil companies had their act together when it came to worst-case scenarios." He unveiled a presidential commission to investigate the disaster, discussed the resignation of the head of MMS, and extended a moratorium on new deepwater drilling. "The buck," he reiterated the next day on the sullied Louisiana coastline, "stops with me." -
- Before he took office, for example, Cheney selected David J. Gribbin III, a high school and college friend from Wyoming, to be his transitional liaison with Congress. Gribbin previously worked for Cheney as Halliburton’s chief lobbyist in the capital.
Cheney then chose Thomas Sansonetti, a prominent Cheyenne lawyer and GOP activist, to head the team choosing top personnel for the Department of Interior, which oversees Minerals Management Service.
With a number of Wyoming people in charge or influential in the agency over the last 10 years, it appears Wyoming intimacy with the oil and gas industry may well have helped create that “cozy relationship.”
Wyoming in 2009 was by far the largest single recipient of royalty monies — $957.2 million– collected by the embattled Minerals Management Service, which is also responsible for regulating drilling on federal lands and waters. Wyoming politicians and bureaucrats have historically played disproportionately large roles in setting the agency’s practices and policy, particularly under Republican administrations -
There is no tap dancing. I gave you exactly what you asked for.
That's not what you asked for, so why are you changing rules in the middle of the game? Wouldn't that be a prime example of tap dancing?
Why so obtuse, David? We've estabished that we disagree. I've moved past that and i've moved on to the next logical question: We know that you view GWB with contempt. Can you see past GWB and also see that BO Administration is complicit as well in this catastrophe?
Natural progession in a debate is not unnatural. The tap dancer is you and your insistence in not answering the question. If your intent was to answer the OP and nothing more, then you should probably stop visiting this thread because challenges to different viewpoints are how it works around here.
President Obama should be held totally accountable for that. At the same token, have you ever heard of the Federal Government being able to "clean up corruption" in 2 months
Federal documents show that the Department of the Interior's Minerals Management Service (MMS) gave BP a "categorical exclusion" on April 6, 2009 to commence drilling with Deepwater Horizon even though it had not produced the impact study required by a law known as the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The report would have included probable ecological consequences in the event of a spill.
The exemption came less than one month after BP had requested it in a March 10 "exploration plan" submitted to the MMS. The plan said that because a spill was "unlikely," no additional "mitigation measures other than those required by regulation and BP policy will be employed to avoid, diminish or eliminate potential impacts on environmental resources." BP also assured the MMS that any spill would not seriously hurt marine wildlife and that "due to the distance to shore (48 miles) and the response capabilities that would be implemented, no significant adverse impacts are expected."
Kierán Suckling, director of the Center for Biological Diversity, told the Post that the Obama administration's exemption effectively "put BP entirely in control," adding, "The agency's oversight role has devolved to little more than rubber-stamping British Petroleum's self-serving drilling plans."
From Rolling Stone Article:
- he acknowledged that his administration had failed to adequately reform the Minerals Management Service, the scandal-ridden federal agency that for years had essentially allowed the oil industry to self-regulate. "There wasn't sufficient urgency," the president said. "Absolutely I take responsibility for that." He also admitted that he had been too credulous of the oil giants: "I was wrong in my belief that the oil companies had their act together when it came to worst-case scenarios." He unveiled a presidential commission to investigate the disaster, discussed the resignation of the head of MMS, and extended a moratorium on new deepwater drilling. "The buck," he reiterated the next day on the sullied Louisiana coastline, "stops with me." -
- Before he took office, for example, Cheney selected David J. Gribbin III, a high school and college friend from Wyoming, to be his transitional liaison with Congress. Gribbin previously worked for Cheney as Halliburton’s chief lobbyist in the capital.
Cheney then chose Thomas Sansonetti, a prominent Cheyenne lawyer and GOP activist, to head the team choosing top personnel for the Department of Interior, which oversees Minerals Management Service.
With a number of Wyoming people in charge or influential in the agency over the last 10 years, it appears Wyoming intimacy with the oil and gas industry may well have helped create that “cozy relationship.”
Wyoming in 2009 was by far the largest single recipient of royalty monies — $957.2 million– collected by the embattled Minerals Management Service, which is also responsible for regulating drilling on federal lands and waters. Wyoming politicians and bureaucrats have historically played disproportionately large roles in setting the agency’s practices and policy, particularly under Republican administrations -
Where is Cheney from again?
Excellent post and summery of the events!
Read up everyone! Here are the answers to your questions.
Why so obtuse, David? We've estabished that we disagree.
It has nothing to do with being obtuse. You had asked for something rather specific and when I gave it to you, you attempted to berate me for it. That's an asinine move.
What the hell did Bush and Cheney do from 2001 until 2009, sit on their thumbs?
You know, if you've looked in numerous previous posts I've made, I've stated that Bush was just as much to blame as Obama. I'm not Democrat vs. Republican, I'm looking at right vs. wrong.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jojajn
However, since you seem to want another corporate bailout, it is in the works.
WTF, since when did I want bailouts?
Let me be crystal clear on MY position and then let me state my fundamental issue with the left and specifically Obama.
I believe in less gov't intervention unless (A) a small group of people can "harm" a larger group of people (economically, physically, etc) or (B) deal with issues on a national level where states or individuals do not have sufficient resources to deal with. Example, hurricanes or Gulf sized oil spills are both disasters which cannot be dealt with on a private, local or state level so there should be some federal coordination.
I personally LIKE ONSHORE and OFFSHORE drilling, as long as we have a comprehensive plan in case problems occur. We should actually promote ONSHORE drilling vs. offshore as problems can be contained more easily. There, I laid out my position OK?
Now here's my fundamental thing about the left and specifically Obama handling of this problem. All we hear from the left and on this board is wah wah wah, capitalism is evil, businesses cannot be trusted to do anything, federal gov't needs to play a larger role, look how wonderful federal government does on oversight issues, blah blah blah. That's all I read during the great "health care debate" over the last year, especially on this board.
OK, now when we actually have federal government agencies who manage oil well drilling and large scale disasters, and apparently nobody ever thought a massive oil spill could occur (2) and apparently either did not have a clue as to what to do or if they did, did not do it, then I call that massive fail (1). Apparently, instead of planning for these possible problems, the government employees do meth and surf for p0rn all day. Oops, only one problem, Obama is the executive in charge of those agencies now. Because of this, the left is NOW saying it's NOT a massive government oversight fail anymore, it's now a private corporation ONLY fail.
OK left, what the f**k is it, does the left WANT to have government take a larger role in our lives (like health care) or NOT? Make up your minds. I'm sick and tired of this constant flip-flopping on issues depending upon whether Obama looks good or not.
When Bush was in office, the environment was sacred and Bush did not manage a large scale disaster well. When Obama is in office, the environment can be sacrificed (3) and private companies are in charge of a disaster it cannot possibly manage all by itself. This is the definition of hypocrisy. Is the left willing to abandon every single position and principle it held while Republicans were in office just so Obama looks good?
(1) Note I said SPILL, not PLUG the WELL which is BP's job.
(2) Despite the fact massive oil spills HAVE occurred for decades
(3) For God's sake, I recently argued with the LEFT who ADVOCATED for drilling when OBAMA proposed it!!!!!!!
Bush caused 4,081 to die? Proof please that the blood is on his hands for every one of these deaths.
Is one death not too many? Basically you're saying that 11 deaths are inconsequential. I bet the families appreciate that.
Actually by ignoring the warnings (sound familiar) regarding the strength of the levees and diverting the money set aside to upgrade them for the war in Iraq....I guess you could say that he is (indirectly) responsible for those deaths. Oh not to mention his inability to handle the probelm which was in his grasp by EFFECTIVELY deploy federal resources to the area in a timely manner
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