Background: The ex FEMA director Michael Brown under the Bush Administration that was in charge of the failed emergency response to hurricane Katrina in 2005, "You're doing a heck of a job Brownie," Bush stated in a news conference before he realized how bad it was and how great a failure his administration had been in dealing with this disaster, has been hitting the talk show circuit.
Well this prior director is making very interesting statements on the talk TV shows and radio programs that imply President Obama is some how complicit in causing the oil rig disaster in the Gulf of Mexico that is spewing 5,000 barrels of crude oil a day. At the very minimum slow to react to the problem for political gain. Never mind that BP informed FEMA that they had it under control and that there was only 1,000 gallons spewing out and that the emergency shut off valve should work soon. However, when NOAA began investigating they determined that BP did not have it under control and the oil was flowing at 5,000 barrels, instead of 1,000 as claimed by BP. They notified FEMA who contacted the Coast Guard who as already on seen and talking to BP about how to deal with this deep water spill. One major problem is that we do not have the technology to deal with such a deep well. It was difficult to drill the well and it maxed out our technological knowledge in doing so. The EPA required that BP have a remote shut off valve in case of such a disaster. However the Bush Administration intervened and waived the needed valve, thus when this event happened there was no remote valve to shut off. Why did BP ask Bush to waive this requirement? Because it cost too much, all of 1 million dollars at the time.
Would you not say that 1 million dollars would be worth it compared to the potential cost of dealing with this disaster, which is estimated to cost over 14 billion dollars? This is another example of corporate greed and not caring for the ramifications that might occur. It is all looked at as a gambler would look at his odds of win or loose in a dice game. It is also another example of lax government regulation by the prior administration.
Some other conspiracies being put forth by FOX NEWS and Rush Limbaugh imply this is an act of terrorists or by the Obama Administration itself. Why would Obama do it, so he can now stop all future off shore oil well drilling. One commentary on FOX implied it was an act of GOD. Why, because Obama is about to over turn the Don't Ask, Don't Tell law that prevents gays from serving openly in the military, thus since GOD hates gays, he is retaliating against America, the same as with the volcano in Iceland. How these two connect is anybodies guess. Besides the volcano is not affecting America, but Europe. As far as terrorism, intelligent agencies have no knowledge of terrorists having a submarine in their possession and satellite images show no unknown craft within close proximity of the oil rig prior to the explosion and fire, either days or hours before.
One problem the government had responding to this disaster is which agency was responsible? Dept. of Interior or FEMA? FEMA can only be activated if the local controlling government, i.e. the State or federal agency requests that the problem be declared a national disaster by the president. This is complicated as the well is located in the Gulf of Mexico and in the control of the State of Louisiana and Governor Jendil did not request the oils spill to be declared as a disaster and request FEMA to aid in the response.
Sidenote: It can take all of the first 4 year term of an administration to uncover all the screw ups of the prior administration, and at times it only become known when a disaster like this and the economic melt down occur. One could say the the current Interior Secretary, Ken Salazar, aqueous to the Bureau of Minerals Management not to require the Sonic Valve is also to blame. So blaming the current administration for not knowing this well did not have a remote shut off valve is somewhat disingenuous. Most of the public employees in that bureau were replaced by people from the oil and mineral industries and were hired during the Bush Administration. If there has ever been an administration that has caused so much harm to American, it is the George W Bush Administration; 2 wars, economic meltdown, tortured prisoners, a major tax cut to the wealthiest at the same time expanding entitlements of Medicare with no way to pay for it, and the absolute destruction of government regulation authority in all areas of government. Way to go George.
Clinton had created a rather well run government management system, especially FEMA from it dealing with many major hurricanes during his administration, mostly in Florida. But the systems and procedures created by him was completed stripped out of the books by the Bush Administration, as in destroy all copies. Bush did not want any remnants of the Clinton Administration left in any operational procedures of the country. He hated Bill Clinton with a passion. As a result Obama is having to reinstate these policies and procedures as each department and agency audits their documents and tries to reinvent good policies or reinstate prior, if they can find those of the Clinton Administration.
Of interest is as Obama was ready to release two off shore oil drilling leases that were approved by Bush, but he had held up, he asked that ecological and safety procedures be reviewed. The agency just had not got to that particular well yet to review the violations it might have received prior. There is indication that some of the inspectors during the Bush Administration that were to oversee safety and operational procedures now work for many of these major oil rig companies and oil companies, like BP. You can see why there was such a lack of oversight, if you knew you would be getting a nice job with the company you are inspecting. Oh such corruption, but it's OK, it's how free enterprise works, right?
For you fish eaters, as I am, we might want to be careful of where the fish comes from. Many in the marine food chain will have consumed some of this oil at toxic levels. Besides the mercury, you might get benzine and other carcinogens related to crude oil. Just a suggestion...
No comments:
Post a Comment