May 25, 2010
EDITORIAL: Gulf's Oil Spill is Revealing on Obama's Energy Policy
We acknowledge up front that an oil spill of the magnitude of the BP disaster
in the Gulf of Mexico would be a serious challenge for any Presidency. We wouldn't
wish such an ecological disaster on anybody.
However, the slowness to get a handle on the problem by the Obama Administration, along with belated spankings of BP execs once it was revealed that the public wasn't getting the full story is a serious problem--not just for the environment but for what it tells us about the inconsistent, politically-inspired agenda of this administration..
We note the vigor with which the Obama Administration pushed for hearings and a complete investigation of the recent Upper Big Branch mine disaster and rightly so. Many have been curious to see if the Obama Administration will try to use Massey Energy's disaster to advance its perceived anti-coal agenda.
But what a contrast for Big Oil! Oh, we get the occasional press release whenever the politicos in the White House sense that the states along the Gulf of Mexico are getting restless regarding the cleanup. But Obama hasn't exactly distinguished himself as a take-charge kind of Chief Executive in this mess, as contrasted with Louisiana's Republican Governor, Bobby Jindal, who has become all too familiar with disasters in his state.
This lack of consistency is a bad signal to an already disillusioned American public for the Obama Administration. People may not like it when they are dealt with harshly by the federal government, but they can accept it more easily if they see that everyone is getting the same tough treatment.
British Petroleum is a foreign corporation. What gives them any special rights with any American President, especially when we now know that the full amount of damage was not being communicated early enough by that company to the American public?
How shall we put this delicately? President Obama needs to decide which side he's on.
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EDITORIAL: Gulf's Oil Spill is Revealing on Obama's Energy Policy
 |
We acknowledge up front that an oil spill of the magnitude of the BP disaster
in the Gulf of Mexico would be a serious challenge for any Presidency. We wouldn't
wish such an ecological disaster on anybody.
However, the slowness to get a handle on the problem by the Obama Administration, along with belated spankings of BP execs once it was revealed that the public wasn't getting the full story is a serious problem--not just for the environment but for what it tells us about the inconsistent, politically-inspired agenda of this administration..
We note the vigor with which the Obama Administration pushed for hearings and a complete investigation of the recent Upper Big Branch mine disaster and rightly so. Many have been curious to see if the Obama Administration will try to use Massey Energy's disaster to advance its perceived anti-coal agenda.
But what a contrast for Big Oil! Oh, we get the occasional press release whenever the politicos in the White House sense that the states along the Gulf of Mexico are getting restless regarding the cleanup. But Obama hasn't exactly distinguished himself as a take-charge kind of Chief Executive in this mess, as contrasted with Louisiana's Republican Governor, Bobby Jindal, who has become all too familiar with disasters in his state.
This lack of consistency is a bad signal to an already disillusioned American public for the Obama Administration. People may not like it when they are dealt with harshly by the federal government, but they can accept it more easily if they see that everyone is getting the same tough treatment.
British Petroleum is a foreign corporation. What gives them any special rights with any American President, especially when we now know that the full amount of damage was not being communicated early enough by that company to the American public?
How shall we put this delicately? President Obama needs to decide which side he's on.
Share This Story:
Make HNN Your Homepage (IE Users Only)
