What's not being said about the BP oil spill

Chris Scott -- Personal Blog ^ | June 22, 2010 | Chris Scott

[stimulusmyass]

Much like every member of the Obama administration, I have no experience in offshore drilling and therefore feel it inappropriate to make any comments on the circumstances surrounding the disaster. However, it has come to my attention that nearly every red-blooded, able-minded American gifted with the ability to speak is something like an oil expert and, understanding the circumstances completely, is able to indiscriminately point fingers at those involved. I was not surprised by this and planned to withhold my criticisms until, recently, I received an email that referenced the disaster. I began writing a response and what began as a single-sentenced retort, evolved into a long bullet point list of considerations I felt were under-represented in the media.

Rather than reiterate the talking points that BP execs should be held responsible and that the oil spill is indeed a great catastrophe, I thought I would take a somewhat different approach to commenting on the disaster. After all, no one is arguing that BP should not shoulder the blame or make amends. Conservative and liberal leaders alike push those points in every context and sometimes push only those points. I feel the need to not state the obvious but rather the inobvious.

Below are a few considerations that ought to be taken into account when considering the circumstances surrounding the disaster:

• The government should allow shallow-water drilling so companies won’t need to take huge risks with deep-water drilling. Popular sentiment will of course have the opposite (more restrictions on oil) but popular sentiment is often wrong, especially in times of crisis. When a crisis occurs, every individual who was at first oblivious to the world, suddenly feels the need to say something, which has the effect of dampening the opinions of those who were paying attention all along.
• BP is a company owned by Americans and most of its employees are Americans. When you vilify an entire company for bad decisions made by higher-ups, the vast majority of people you end up hurting are regular, working class people. I am certain more livelihoods have been destroyed in the reaction to the disaster than by the disaster itself. This is why some Americans must get over their fear of corporate America. A corporation is nothing but a conglomeration of regular people, some of whom get rich in the process of running a corporation.
• Although the government isn’t to blame, the government should have fulfilled its self-imposed duty as the chief authority and regulator of offshore drilling. For starters, that means not giving the rig a safety award before it explodes.
• Conservatives who profess to believe that government is not the answer to all our problems should refrain from hypocritical criticisms of the Obama administration for not doing enough. I realize that conservative leaders must hold liberal leaders to the same standard for political reasons; but when conservatives are incumbent, the standard is always called into question and it should not be any different for liberals. Conservatives should continue to criticize the administration for politicizing the event but should not join in on the politicization.
• President Obama is by no means responsible for the oil spill or what has popularly been deemed an improper response. I could care less if the President takes the time to stare at the ruined New Orleans coast line or offer his Harvard-Law-School-Education advice to the engineers working to fix the problem. The conversations concerning Obama’s response would never be held if people understood the proper role of the executive branch of government in the United States. Those who fuel such conversations are falling prey to the politicization of the event.
• There are legitimate risks that must be taken if people want affordable energy to heat their homes and power their cars. A risk implies the possibility of negative consequences. Earth is not a paradise. Artificial disasters are just as prone to happening as natural ones.I don’t deny that human errors were made. But errors are by definition a strictly human thing. Let’s stop acting so surprised every time something bad happens.
• The comparison by many conservatives of the oil spill aftermath to Katrina or Heiti falls short. A ruined beach season for vacationers, the deaths of a few hundred birds and whatever amount of marine life that was destroyed pales in comparison to what happens in some countries every day. As I stated above, the reaction to the disaster is more damaging to the country financially than the disaster itself. And, although photographs of oil-covered pelicans are dramatic and cause a great deal of outrage, there is no parallel in the animal kingdom to human suffering.

Conclusion: If people want cheap fuel they should shut the hell up and stop blaming either party. There were unintentional errors made, no doubt, but let’s not let the very much intentional attempts of political hacks take advantage of the crisis. People may not have direct control over the happenings in the gulf but they do have the power to put things in perspective and can use that perspective to guide their voices and influence.

[chuck_the_tv_out]

“the BP oil spill”

Uh, I think there might be a premise buried in there somewhere.

Barf.

[FreePaul]

...if people understood the proper role of the executive branch of government in the United States.

If the executive branch understood the proper role of the executive branch I would feel a lot better about the future of our country.

[Vinnie]

Conservatives who profess to believe that government is not the answer to all our problems should refrain from hypocritical criticisms of the Obama administration for not doing enough.

The problem isn't the admin not doing enough. The problem is getting in the way, ie. BP wanted to use the 'tophat' on day 3. Zer0 said NO.
How long did it take to get skimmers from the Dutch and Norwegians. 50+days because of Zer0

[rj45mis]

“I think there might be a premise buried in there somewhere.”

Ya think? :-)

[stimulusmyass]

I am just completely missing this joke. Please explain ;).

[rj45mis]

“I am just completely missing this joke. Please explain ;).”

Not intended to be a joke, however, when I read the piece I started envisioning republicans and democrats joining hands and singing kumbaya.

[stimulusmyass]

Lol, well said. But let’s tackle one thing at a time here.

[stimulusmyass]

Lol. I make an effort to be fair.