What do you want to hear from the president tonight?
Posted at 5:00 AM on June 15, 2010
by Eric Ringham
(39 Comments)
Filed under: Environment/Energy, Politics/Government
President Obama will address the nation tonight about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Today's question: What do you want to hear from the president tonight?
Comments (39)
That he is quitting the presidency, and has fired all of his administration. And that he asked me to pick 100 women and 100 men to run the country. I'd let the women handle the check book, like they do at home. And us guys? "We would take care of business." The Red Neck, American way.
Rustyhooks, how would uttering "Islamo-fascist" help with the mess? Is it some kind of magic incantation?
"We are providing BP with every possible resource they ask for and have given the affected states full exemption of every federal law relating to shores and surrounding waters, in their efforts to deal with this situation." as well as "We have sent 1000 ships to the gulf with booms to contain as much oil as possible.
THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO HEAR.
Instead, what we got from this marxist was blame and bullying.
Here is the irony of this hapless dictator:
Condemn and destroy without trial, a private company that had no ill intent toward the US or it's citizens, while giving terrorists full juristic rights.
What is clear. . This president sees BP and all oil companies, as America's enemy, but won't even utter the word 'islamo-facist' or terrorist. Just listen to his speech earlier this week where he equated this disaster to 9-11 as if the US has been attacked and we have to respond with the full force of our military. These moronic comments give great insight into his foolishness.
With Obama there is much legalistic knowledge with a total absence of wisdom.
With Obama there is always someone to blame, as a child who always seems to get into trouble might do.
With Obama, the fix is always found in dollars taken from one person and spread to a constituency group, weather its TARP, eco-stimulus, or disaster relief - - -BTW, where's Nashville's money (oops, there's no union thugs in Nashville).
Michelle Bachman is still questioning whether BP was negligent and instead pointing her finger at the federal government. BP isn't even questioning their own responsibility for the worst man made disaster in the history of the world.
I want to hear some strength from our president.
I voted for a progressive president and so far I hear a Man who tries too hard to play it down the middle, without getting any real reform done.
Not to sound corny, but we voted for Real Change, and got Pocket Change.
It's very interesting that all these right wingers who want to get rid of government and have all services provided by private business are now criticizing the president and the federal government for not doing enough about this disaster.
I don't know what everyone thinks the president can do anyway! Do they want him to put on some SCUBA gear and go down there and sit on the leak? There's very little that he could have done up to this point. He's been holding BP's feet to the fire to some degree, but what more can he do? Regulators are to blame to some extent, but I'm guessing they've all been in their jobs for at least the last ten years. It may not have been possible for the Obama administration to have seen the whole regulatory picture in their first year+ in office.
"Liberals called President Bush's presidency a miserable failure. I think the gulf oil spill rises to that level, don't you?"
Not in the least!! The Bush administration was the most incompetent and corrupt administration that I know of.
I'd like him to state that the money being paid by BP will go to the people and businesses who have been impacted by the oil spill. I want assurance that the money will not go to a team of lawyers who are using this to get even richer than they are.
I hope President Obama sets the critics straight on all that he and his administration have already done to get BP to stop the leak, begin the clean up process and compensate those who have suffered legitimate claims of financial hardship. I hope he will also use this opportunity to set the agenda for our future energy needs and finally get us out of this "drill baby drill" energy policy set by the Bush/Cheney administration and continued by the likes of idiots like Sarah Palin.
Did Bush ever apologize for Katrina response? Did Bush ever apologize for a poor decsion in going inot Iraq (no WMD's)? Did Bush ever apolagize for anything? No. With this recent precedent, why does Obama owe us an apology? Katrina did not have the technical challenges this situation has, it was simply a find a rescue operation. I am still waiting for that apology.
I'm probably one of the few people that think Obama is doing a good job as President. I'd like to hear him reassure us that while everything will take time, we're moving in the right direction with spill cleanup, the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, the economy, and on reducing the national debt.
I'd like to hear a commitment to developing a rational sustainable energy policy.
I want the punishment to be placed on the management and greedy CEO's . I want their bonuses to be eliminated and for "them" to pay, not the workers or the stockholders. Perhaps they could have a penalty put on their wages also, since they get a bonus when the company does well, shouldn't it also work in reverse. When the seal broke down there and they ignored it and when the backup station was obviously faulty, someone pushed the workers to go ahead anyway. Isn't that reckless and endangering management. And I agree with someone above who said we have regulations that were ignored - maybe the government should take a look at that mess and start enforcing and examining the rules and regulations that should be in place instead of getting involved in the cleanup. Perhaps some regulators needs to get fired.
I want Obama to say this is enough of Big Business's (and corrupt government's) choke hold on the world's best renewable energy resource, Hemp/Cannabis. The criminalization of Hemp/Cannabis in the previous century was a serious blunder rife with greed and racial bigotry on part of major companies and legislators. It's time to include Hemp/Cannabis and all other renewable resources of energy, matter, and medicine for the health and wealth of the people and the planet. http://www.hemp4fuel.com/comment.php?comment.news.204
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jokV8xlJTNE
http://www.jackherer.com/chapters.html
http://widgetserver.com/syndication/facebook/connect/widget.jsp?gw=1&video=1&id=77be28c8-7cf0-4776-bf72-0c5b624ef816
Please tell us that there are and will be more restrictions on corporations making such decisions. Decisions that were made out of greed that will now impact our earth. I want more involvement of scientists, environmentalists, and other experts that are not just thinking of "their company making money". We need to get out from using oil and like to hear strong points on cutting usage.
Also, what is happening to this earth by sucking all of this oil out of it?
One thing that I would like to hear tonight is a coherent rebuttal of the argument constantly put forward by many on the right about the evils of government regulation. The events in the recent history of our country have shown us quite the opposite; there is a lack of reasonable regulations placed on large industries. Just as this disaster could likely have been avoided had precautions been required and taken, so could many of the economic woes of the recession have been prevented had derivatives trading been restricted and predatory lending practices been curbed ahead of time, and so could many of our countries medical crises been prevented had we not allowed insurance companies to drop many, even children, from their ranks. We are facing crises on many fronts, not the least of which is global warming which threatens the abilities of upcoming generations to enjoy the earth as we know it, and still a flood of cries continues to pour in that government is sticking its nose where it doesn't belong. As individuals, we accept regulations as necessary in every part of our own lives, from the workplace to our homes to the games we play. Yet, when the government attempts to impose reasonable regulations to protect our future as a society, that is somehow construed by many as an attack on our freedom. It's time we realize as a society that regulation on industries protects rather endangers our individual freedoms.
I would like to hear an apology from our "President"! It's been two months and we still don't have a plan to stop this man-made disaster-totally unacceptable! We should have had every skimmer available in the world at work within a day or two cleaning up this mess before the oil had time to hit our shores. From the very beginning of this catastrophe, there have been numerous individuals and companies that have stepped forward with different ideas and inventions to help clean up this mess. Why hasn't the President or his administration looked at these ideas and taken this terrible event seriously. Now millions of Americans and their families (not to mention the wildlife and ecosystem) will suffer from this disaster because big government dragged their feet once again! Too many politicians in the back pocket of the oil industry. Very sad day! Apologize to the American people, clean up this awful mess, and make BP pay big time! Thank you. TDF Mpls
This "event" appears to to be an opportunity for our leadership to readdress the campaign promises of moving away from dependence on oil and focusung on clean, renewable energy resources. There can be no greater reason, at this moment, than the safety and finanacial stability of our country, let alone, our planet. This is truly a globally impacting disaster, the consequences of which will not be fully realized for years. We've seen it before. The similarity to sci-fi disaster thrillers seems too uncanny. Our fate appears clear if we continue on this course with oil as our predominant energy source. It's time for our species to stop defecating where we sleep!
Bill, you forgot the part about giving too much power to those space aliens calling shots behind the scenes.
In case you haven't noticed the government is essentially worthless. Katrina, the gulf oil spill, the current wars we are in. The gov't can't fix these things, or even make them better. It frightens me to think that the government is now in charge of my healthcare.
I have finally realized that I'm a narcissistic fool and my background is completely inadequate for the job of President. I humbly admit my error, and submit my resignation effective as of midnight tonight. I may not be exceptional, but I finally realize that this Nation and it's people are!
Being elected President was another of the many undeserved honors in my life, but I have finally realized that rhetoric is not reality and looking or sounding good is not the same thing as being good.
I was bequeathed leadership of a great nation with problems. Problems which I thought were simple, the result of incompetence or malfeasance. I now realize that problems are part of reality. Real people have to deal with them every day, and they must honor those with the capability to do so, especially when they themselves do not.
Those that DO will always have problems to deal with. Those that chatter and criticize may have less problems, but I now realize that we chattering classes also have very little of value to be offered. America has been and with Gods help, will be again in the future, a nation of DOERS!
BP and the rest of the oil industry has the tools and technology to deal with the spill. The US government does not. It was nothing but hubris for me to ever indicate anything else. The idea that I have any knowledge of use in plugging the well is at best a cruel joke.
I now realize that all my tough talk about kicking asses and criminal prosecution does nothing to make the problem better and everything to inhibit the problem from being solved. I made those moves purely in political interest, as I have made every other move of my life in the past decade or more. The environment and the economy are more important that politics.
I know now that i have severe personal problems that I need to focus on fixing. I also realize that the political selection of Joe Biden as a running mate was yet another of my mistakes. I submit that Hillary Clinton should succeed me, and in the interests of bi-partisanship, John McCain should be named VP.
Thank you, good night, and may God Bless the greatest nation on earth.
I hope he demands an all out effort from the American people to end our dependency on fossil fuels. We put forth such an effort to got to the moon, why not do it again? We desperately need affordable technology to replace our current fossil fuel demands. Jobs could be created to pursue this, education could be boosted, all of us can help. Why place blame when we are all partially responsible for this mess. I am sure people don't want to hear that but it is the truth. I hope he can unite the US in an all out effort to change our ways.
After he tells us what the plan is for stopping the leak, cleaning up the mess, and getting BP to pay for it all, I want him to lay out a plan for effective regulation of environmentally hazardous industries such as Big Oil. This spill highlights the same lesson we should have learned with the banking crisis a couple of years ago. Capitalism is like fire: under control, it's useful; out of control, it's deadly.
questions for the president:
Why has Obama not toured the most oil stricken areas of the Gulf like the wetlands and seen for himself the damage to wildlife/environment?
What is being done to protect the shoreline, why hasn't more been done and sooner? More sand berms, more boom around those Islands and the marsh!!
What happened to the 2nd containment cap, why does it take them so long to prepare their methods for containment? Why do we not allow ALL offers for help from other oil companies, like the Dutch super tankers for example, to come in and help??!! Watching the news, one would think we'd see THOUSANDS of boats out there skimming in the containment effort instead of just the few we see...... Is this in part why so much oil is reaching the shore?
Why does our government/EPA continue to allow dispersant? Why hasn't the idea brought forth to use oil eating microbes been used/explored more? And DON'T say it is because they do not know what this will do to the environment!!
Why is the media being turned away from certain oil covered areas in Louisiana by BP - what do they not want us to see??? We should be allowed to see it ALL, and the world SHOULD see it ALL!!
Is BP disposing secretly of dead, oiled wildlife, beheading them, hiding the #'s of casualties??
The president told Matt Lauer it will take a year, maybe two for the Gulf's wildlife/environment to recover?? This is severely misleading - what planet is the president living on???????? He hasn't even seen the marshlands himself!! Look at Alaska from the Exxon-Valdez spill, 21 years later, STILL finding oil, still recovering.........
Is Salazar connected to the scandall behind why such lax standards for off-shore oil drilling were allowed? Was he "sleeping" with the very department he was suppose to be investigating and regulating, too???
How is it possible we allow BP to be in charge of the clean up (they take too long in deploying these measures)???? How is that we entrust our fragile coast and marshlands to them???? Why are we not deploying companies with no connection to BP that are just as capable of handling the cleanup and containment, and sending BP the bill???
What is important to us as the human race, money? oil? our planet? wildlife??? What?? How is it that such corruption of society is allowed?? What are our values? How is it that money and the power of has become our number one value???
I want to hear truth about how big the underwater geyser actually is and an estimate on how soon our beaches will be clean again..
At least the spill has our attention... and given the facts (WHAT ARE THE FACTS???) I see a new national view point on the publics oil consumption and the industries distribution.
This is a wake up call to the American Public that these oil corporations need to be regulated and held responsible for any future drilling disasters. I hope President Obama continues the moratorium on deep water drilling and a full inspection by a second party of all offshore drilling rigs to verify adequate safety measures are in place.
I want to hear the president talk about how the price we pay at the pump does not reflect the hidden costs of being an oil-dependant nation. He needs to promote real reform of our energy supply including a change to sustainable domestic energy sources rather than our continued reliance on imported finite energy supplies.
I want him to address the criticism being leveled against him. People seem to think this is something like the aftermath of Katrina, something that the president could really quickly direct resources for aid. The Navy and Coast guard really can do very little to help quickly solve this problem. Then outline the longer term plan as it exists at this time.
The satire keeps getting better! Patrick, your send-up of right-wing rhetoric is priceless. The suggestion that Obama's "failure" in the oil spill crisis might remotely compare with the foreign policy disaster that was Bush's Iraq invasion is hilarious.
I want to hear him say there is a criminal investigation of BP officials who have caused the worst man made disaster in the history of the world. This is the only way politicians and corporations are going to get the message that negligence and harm to our environment will no longer be tolerated and will have consequences.
I want to hear the president say that the Republicans' "Drill, baby, drill!" attitude in the election of '08 has been proven to be a dangerously shortsighted energy policy, and that this tragedy shows how we need to get off of all fossil fuels, not just those from foreign sources.
It would be good if Obama would use this tragedy as a basis to launch some sort of "Demeter Program" to wean the country off of fossil fuels, just as Kennedy used the Sputnik crisis to initiate the Apollo Program.
What I want is simple.
I want the President to announce that VP Joe Biden is resigning, that he is naming Sarah Palin his new VP, and that as soon as she is confirmed, he will be resigning the Presidency.
Liberals called President Bush's presidency a miserable failure. I think the gulf oil spill rises to that level, don't you?
What is the plan outlining the recovery clean up process entail? Is it going to be primarily up to BP? Is the government going to organize a major clean up and hand BP the bill? What is the plan?
1. BP is ging to be held responsible for every penny of this. No more corporate welfare like the banks got.
2. We are once and for all going to get free of our oil depndency and fully develop wind, solar, and nuclear.
3. The regulatory failures that allowed this to happen in the first place will be addressed. I don't meant study it or rearrange the government departments, but real standards and the government infrastructure and penalties to enforce them.
Great satire, Gary F! The idea that nationalizing the oil industry might actually be considered-- LOL! Or that Obama might use the oil spill like Bush used 9/11 to grab more power-- what a hoot!
I want to hear that next week BP will increase payments to workers who are out of work; that more booms be used; that cleaning machines such as the one mentioned by Actor Kevin Costner be considered; AND that we Americans start driving much more fuel efficient cars and trucks preferably manufactured in the US.
I would like him to us he's going to resign the presidency.
I'd like President Obama to acknowledge BP's primary goal - save the asset and get the oil! All BP's solutions to date focused first on 1 - saving the leaking well, 2 - capturing the oil and finally, 3 - stopping the leak. BP has been catastrophically irresponsible in not focusing on stopping the leak first.
If that were ethanol leaking, nobody would be out of work along the gulf coast. I want to hear the President push for more bio-fuels development.
I don't want to hear anything about the nationalization of our oil industry like he did to the auto and banking industry.
I fear he is letting the oil leak thus causing more of a disaster so that he can further grab power in the hands of the government.
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