Friday, May 28, 2010
Obama Administration's reaction to oil spill
New polls out show a huge dissatisfaction with the Obama administration's response to the gulf oil spill. From what I've seen they've largely left it up to BP to fix the spill. I would think this would be more of the "tea party" or conservative response. What more or less should the Obama adminstration be doing to help with the Gulf oil spill?
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Just read Article II of the U.S. Constitution. The only responsibility given to the President that has any bearing on this issue is to "take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed."
Making the laws is Congress' department. You know, the laws that put liability caps on oil companies, and gave them safety certifications.
This mess is BP's responsibility. The federal government's job is to protect life, liberty and property, and to see that responsibility is taken and punishments administered when such rights are violated.
This is Devin. I'll admit I haven't followed the situation as closely as I would have liked to while on vacation and now starting work, but from the little I have seen and heard, it seems like there's plenty of fingerpointing on BP's part and on the administration's part, but few seem to be actively engaged in coming together to come up with effective, optimistic solutions to stop the oil from gushing out into the Gulf. While everyone knows that BP is certainly the company responsible for creating the problem and should therefore be held accountable, I believe it would help Pres. Obama's image to be more of a positive leader in a situation like this instead of just using this as a rallying cry to drum up support among those who would fight for him in class warfare.
Although the Constitution was also silent regarding Pres. Bush's duties in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the perception of the federal government's handling of the relief effort came to be somewhat of a millstone around his neck that sunk his approval ratings lower than before. I think most Americans would at least hold Obama in higher regard if he took more of a relatively positive, solutions-oriented approach. So far, it seems like the administration's solution has been to shut down offshore drilling altogether. This may work for the future (but don't complain when gas is more than $10/gal), but how does that provide a solution for the current oil crisis?
By the way, more than 10 people died when that rig exploded, but you hardly hear anything about that. The way some paint the story, they would have you believe that BP would do absolutely anything to save a buck - including blowing up 10 of their employees? Come on.
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