Gulf Oil Spill Crisis: Will President Obama Follow the Lead of Jimmy Carter, or John F. Kennedy?
The Gulf oil spill is a crisis that presents both a threat and an opportunity for President Obama. His success does not depend on exhibiting anger, as some in the media have suggested. He cannot “emote” his way out of this crisis. The outcome will be determined not by words, but by actions. The comparison between President Obama and George W. Bush, and the debate over whether this is Obama’s Katrina, is a false issue. It may provide interesting cable news chatter, but the President should not concern himself with that. The real issue before President Obama is “What can I do, now that I know the full scope of the problem and the unreliability of British Petroleum, to protect the Gulf Coast and the health and financial well-being of its citizens?”
Gulf Oil Spill: Hard Choices for President Obama
The next few days present President Obama with a choice. He can continue his “oversight” role, leaving the bulk of the work to be performed by people employed BP. But there are dangers if he chooses this course of (in)action. British Petroleum has proven that it is either inept, untrustworthy, or (in my opinion) both. Continuing to rely on an unreliable “responsible party” such as BP is a prescription for failure.
President Obama also must consider that the interests of British Petroleum and the United States are not the same, and may actually be incompatible. BP, a foreign corporation, really has only one interest: putting as much money as possible in the pockets of its shareholders. The U.S. government has a vested interest in the protection and rehabilitation of the Gulf Coast ecosystem. The U.S. also has an interest in the health and financial well-being of its citizens on the Gulf. But the more money BP spends to protect and clean up our coastline, the less money it has to pay shareholders. The same is true of money BP pays to people and businesses which lost income due to the Gulf oil spill; every dollar paid in claims is a dollar which can’t be paid as a dividend.
With BP and the U.S. having such divergent interests, we should ask ourselves if we can really trust BP to do everything that is needed to protect the ecosystem and our Gulf Coast residents? Before you answer that question, remember this is a company whose COO, Doug Suttles, denied there are underwater oil plumes in the Gulf days after NOAA and many independent scientists insisted that there are oil plumes under the water.
The U.S. apparently must rely on BP to plug the oil leak, because BP is said to have better equipment than the U.S. government. It may be necessary to leave BP in charge of leak-plugging, although one wonders whether the U.S. could contract with a competitor of BP which might be more competent.
But when it comes to the protection of the coastline, and the cleanup of the oil spill, the U.S. government is clearly better suited to handle the job than BP. BP’s areas of expertise are oil well drilling (“oh wait, I forgot…”), getting oil to refineries, and making and selling gasoline. Like any multinational corporation, it may do other things the public doesn’t know about, but I’m pretty sure it doesn’t have expertise running huge public works projects, which is what the oil spill cleanup really is.
The U.S. built the Interstate highway system, the Intracoastal Waterway, and military bases all over the world. The U.S. runs National Parks, museums, and libraries. I admit that FEMA badly botched the job when Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, but would anyone seriously argue that BP would have done a better job? And there is a chance that FEMA would perform better now (if the President were to use FEMA) than it did during Katrina because of the experience it gained during that disaster.
The whole idea of the federal government acting in an “oversight” role with BP handling the buld of the work is a prescription for frustration and disaster. President Obama may become more and more agitated, and may actually identify people whose asses he will kick, but it still isn’t likely to get the job done right. We can prosecute BP and its officials criminally (and we probably should) but no criminal prosecution will pay the electric bill for an out-of-work fisherman. We need a fundamental change. And, I believe, we only have a few days left to make the change before the Gulf Coast and its residents suffer irreparable harm.
President Obama may kick asses, but the sad and worrying fact is that the success of the current efforts depend entirely on the ability and willingness of BP to do the job. If BP does a great job, President Obama gets a pass. If BP fails, President Obama fails, whether or not he likes that fact. The current oil spill response weds President Obama’s heritage to the job BP does on the oil spill. Is there anyone who would wish to have his destiny dependent on the job BP does on the Gulf Coast?
If President Obama continues to depend on BP, he risks allowing the Gulf oil spill to be for him what the Iran hostage crisis was for Jimmy Carter, or what Katrina was for George Bush. Both presidents allowed lingering inaction, displayed on our nation’s TV screens, to overshadow their presidency. President Obama could instead choose to be decisive, take control of the situation, and bring the entire resources of the federal government to bear. Although BP may have superior equipment to plug the oil leak, there is no company or country more capable than the U.S. to undertake a massive public works project. And we should realize that a massive public works project is really what the oil spill response is. If President Obama chooses action, he could follow in the tradition of FDR, with his public works projects during the depression, or JFK, with the Peace Corp. and his response to Sputnik–”We will put a man on the moon by the end of this decade.”
What would decisive action look like? It could involve renting vacant hotel rooms and filling them with volunteers and the (formerly) unemployed, who could clean up and defend the beaches and marshes. We could provide the workers with decent housing, instead of the corrugated metal “flotels” and tents BP is offering workers. It’s both a matter of basic decency and a way to infuse cash into the Gulf economy by allowing hotel and condominium owners to keep people on their payrolls, pay their own bills, and make payments to the soon-to-be-distressed Gulf Coast banks.
A pro-active response should also mean giving workers a contract for at least a month at a time, so people who lost their jobs due to the oil spill will know they can pay their bills. It should involve basic safety gear such as respirators for those exposed to toxic fumes, and medical care for those who need it.
Foresight, and decisive action, can prevent much of the economic hardship and displacement of workers that will occur in the next few months without such a plan. BP is paying claims at a rate that is perfectly optimized to drive Gulf Coast residents slowly into bankruptcy. This cannot be allowed to continue. And to those who say that the federal government is in debt and can’t afford this level of spending, I say, “You’re right!” But BP can. And BP owes the U.S. government cleanup costs, plus fines of at lest $1,100 per barrel of oil released into the Gulf. And if gross negligence is proven, BP is liable for $4,300 per barrel.
I’ve discussed the federal government’s Gulf oil spill response and BP’s cavalier attitude toward our environment before, but I wanted to reiterate the key points in a shorter post. If you have comments please leave them. I would really like to have some discussion of this issue. Also, if you agree with this opinion, please join our Facebook group: “Dear Pres. Obama: Please take over the Gulf oil clean up & send BP the bill.” You can also follow BPOilNews on Twitter, and become a fan of our BP Oil News Facebook page. You can also let the White House know how you feel on the White House Facebook page.
Related post: If you have any question whether BP is a trustworthy corporation that we can rely on to do its best for the people and environment of the Gulf coast, you need to read about the company’s sordid safety, environmental, consumer and criminal record, as revealed in “Beyond Petroleum.”
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This is pure racist diatribe and an outpouring of hidden low grade US resentment. It is not worthy of America. BP is a true multinational company that has its major investments in the USA. It employs engineers and scientists from every country, sponsors education, environmental improvements and delivers hydrocarbon products to a world market reliably and to the highest standards. That this is a major environmental disaster is without question, but show me any major oil company that has not at some time in its history been exposed to the same. BP is handling its response with openness, generosity and full commitment having drawn in over 16,000 of its top engineers and scientists from its global operations. It has acknowledged publicly its responsibility in paying for the clean-up and hidden nothing of its attempts to stem the flow of oil. You as an individual knocking the company should GROW UP!! Exploring and developing for Oil and Gas is a risky business becoming ever more risky as the horizons of exploration become ever more remote and challenging. Until we and USA as the biggest consumer finally wean ourselves of utter dependance on fossil fuels these risks will have to be faced and tackled with maturity, understanding and control.
Well, Michael, that’s certainly an interesting comment. I’ve never been accused of being a racist. I’m not sure how the things I’ve written could be said to be racist. I have ancestors from the British Isles; my surname, Evans, is Welsh, I’m told. I suppose you probably meant to accuse me of being xenophobic, but I don’t think that applies, either. I’ve always been pleased that we have what is called a “special relationship” with Great Britain.
From some of your statements, I tend to believe you live in Great Britain, or that you don’t have cable television, or that you are an employee in BP’s PR department. I say that because you are either uninformed or you, like Tony Hayward and Doug Suttles, have no reservation about flagrantly lying. You said it has hidden nothing of its attempts to stem the flow of oil. That’s not true. BP had a live video feed that it did not make available to the public until about 40 days after the spill, when it was demanded by the U.S. Congress. Even then it did not release the high definition feed until this week. Why would BP be reluctant to release the video? Because it was rocking along enjoying an absurdly low estimate of the volume of the spill: 1,000 to 5,000 barrels a day. After the video feed was released, scientists began disputing the accuracy of the estimates. BP insisted the estimate was correct, and the President finally had to appoint a commission to determine the volume. It turns out the volume was much higher, and now that BP has cut off the riser, the volume may be 100,000 barrels a day. BP kept saying in the first weeks that it didn’t rally matter what the volume was, that BP just wanted to plug the leak. But it really DOES matter; BP will have to pay fines of $1,100 to $4,300 per barrel. How does that square with your assertion that BP “has hidden nothing of its attempts to stem the flow?”
And your assertion that BP has “acknowledged publicly its responsibility in paying for the clean-up?” It’s one thing to talk the talk, it’s quite another to walk the walk. BP has paid only $48 million in claims, while spending $50 million on a TV advertising campaign for Tony Hayward to apologize to the American people. If Tony would keep his mouth shut and do the job, he wouldn’t have to apologize. Instead, he displays his arrogance and self-absorption by making statements that the spill is “tiny,” that he “want’s my life back,” and that BP has paid “all” claims when the truth was that BP had paid only half of the claims. Today is the last day in business for the oldest oyster company in Louisiana, a company which survived WW!, WW11, the depression and Hurricane Katrina. Fishermen who make most of their livings at this time of year are being given only $5,000 during the first 50 days, when some of them are paying for boats, employees, and normally take in $5,000 in one or two days. BP is putting the entire economy of the Gulf in danger due to its slow payment of claims. Can you NOT understand that? NOBODY CARES what Tony Hayward SAYS about paying claims? Tony Hayward has repeatedly said things on American TV that are simply false. Nobody trusts him or BP any more. COO Doug Suttles (a lying American) stared into the TV cameras and denied that there were underwater oil plumes in the Gulf. This came days after several scientists said their WERE plumes, and one day after NOAA and a number of other prominent scientists said it. Some of the cable television commentators are rendered almost speechless, as are some of the scientists, when they try to comment on Suttles’ outright, bald-faced lies.
I’m a lawyer with 30 years experience practicing law. At times I have been involved in litigation with companies which would hire an expert witness who was willing to say anything in exchange for a large fee. These professional expert witnesses seemed to think that was the way the game was played, and they were perfectly willing to sit in a witness chair and be exposed in a way that would humiliate normal people. In spite of cross-examination, they would stick to their flagrantly erroneous story. I was reminded of some of these witnesses when Suttles was denying the existence of oil plumes. If you’ve been watching all the scientists talking abut plumes, and the Associated press diver who went under the Gulf and documented the existence of plumes, you would knw they are as undeniable as the fact that the earth is round. It’s as if Suttles were being required to sit in front of the camera and argues the earth is flat. Ridiculous. Don’t expect any sympathy for British Petroleum in these quarters.
I’m gong to close my comment here to avoid wasting more time disproving other assertions you’ve made. I will say that you’re ignoring a lot of things that went into causing problem, including the failure to file an adequate plan in case of a blown well, with a plan that said BP would call on a then-dead scientists, and talking of danger to wildlife, such as seals, which don’t exist in the Gulf. It gives the impression that BP doesn’t really care a lot about dealing honestly and in good faith, but rather will put out whatever words are necessary to let them get in, suck out the oil, and put the money in the bank.
So where are our Deep Sea Submersibles? A few manned Navy vehicles exist as well as research subs like “Alvin” (federally funded). Americans have been operating at twice the depth of the well-head for forty years! Don’t discount the value of being on the scene, more info than a 2D video screen will ever give.
As for Gov’t capability – the scientists at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI)are preparing this week (50 days later) to sail to the rescue as leading experts in oceans and oil pollution. Watch for more government 1st responders in coming weeks!
this is an atrocity; hire me. immediately.
I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY SOME PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO BE AT THE TOP OF THERE BUSSINESS, THATS IS WHY I HAD TO PRAY TO MY ALMIGHTY GOD TO HELP ALL THAT WAS TRYING AND DYING IN THE GULF TO BRING THIS VERY BAD AND UNGLY OIL SPILL TO A CONTAINMENT AND TO A STOP, WE NEED THE TRUTH ABOUT WHO’S WHO AND WHO’S DOING WHAT AND WHO’S TELL THE TRUE FAX ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON WE NEED ALL PEOPLE ON THE SAME PAGE AND THAN MONEY WOULD PLAY OUT GREAT TO HELP AND TAKE ON A GREAT VISION FOR ALL PLANS IN THE COMING FUTURE , THATS WHY ON OUR US DOLLARS SAYS IN GOD WE TRUST. WE MUST PRAY, TO GET THE PRAYERS ANSWER, THATS WHAT I DO IAMM TRUE BLUE BELIEVER IN THE HIGHER SUPER BEAMS, THANKS TO THE MOST HIGH ALMIGHTYGOD AND ALL HIS FAMILY MEMBERS, IN THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH AND ALL LIVING PLANETS.