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Okay, so, assume you're Barry...; what would YOU have done about BP?
Topic Started: Jul 16 2010, 11:14 AM (213 Views)
Aqua Letifer
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ZOOOOOM!
There's tons of talk about how much the administration has screwed this whole thing up (and in places, it has), but you know, it's a lot more fun to blame things than to fix 'em.

So what would you have done?

Here's an outline of what I would have done:

1) We already have mechanisms in place to deal with spills like this. I would have sent a team down merely to observe the situation, talk to the emergency responders, investigators, and whoever else was involved or affected (including BP) and ask them what they need from us. Then give them whatever they needed to contain and stop the spill.

2) I'd get a second group of people together to follow up with these emergency responders and make sure they're as effective in handling the spill as they should be. There might be political red tape messing things up, or maybe the size of the problem's too much for people to handle, whatever.

3) I'd only pull rank and step on jurisdictions when necessary, based on the feedback I'd get from these two groups. I'd also go down there myself only once, in the beginning, and far away from where people are doing their jobs so as not to disrupt relief efforts. I'd do the whole "look at the spill photo op" thing, issue a press conference to explain what I planned on doing, then leave and do the rest of my job in Washington. Reps from the two teams would be down there 24/7.

4) I would NOT have fined BP anything, and would have left the plans for new legislation to Congress. If BP was found liable after a thorough investigation, I'd let DOJ handle the matter.


I'm not a policy expert but I figure if I'm going to keep criticizing the guy for his bad decisions, it's only fair to offer up my own.
I cite irreconcilable differences.
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George K
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Finally
Excellent question and good responses. The CIC doesn't have the magic bullet to plug the hole, and I doubt the military does either. He has to rely on private industry's capabilities and innovations.

However, here's what I would NOT have done:

1) Taken 3 vacations during the crisis. Appearance is important, and to spend time vacationing in Chicago and Maine (the weekend after your wife tells people to vacation in the gulf) gives you the appearance of being, at best, disconnected, and at worst, not caring.

2) Stop finger pointing to others for the crisis, particularly the last administration. It makes you look weak and petulant. Rise above that, take the reins and lead - even if that means only leading by cheerleading the folks who are doing the job.

3) No golf. Nine rounds of golf (or is it ten?) during the crisis are just as bad as number one, but they give you the appearance of eliteness. As Victor Davis Hanson said, "Take up bowling instead." Again, appearance is reality for a lot of people.
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"Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... "
- Mik, 6/14/08


Nothing is as effective as homeopathy.

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John D'Oh
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MAMIL
I'd have kicked their ass!
What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket?
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ivorythumper
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I am so adjective that I verb nouns!
John D'Oh
Jul 16 2010, 11:36 AM
I'd have kicked their ass!
I'd have implemented a full investigation to first figure out whose ass to kick!
The dogma lives loudly within me.
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Aqua Letifer
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ZOOOOOM!
I dunno if you guys are fully grasping the "assume it's you" mental exercise. :lol:
I cite irreconcilable differences.
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John D'Oh
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MAMIL
I'd have appointed an ass-kicking Tsar!
What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket?
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George K
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Finally
John D'Oh
Jul 16 2010, 11:36 AM
I'd have kicked their ass!
That would be a good trick, probably requiring the ability to levitate, considering you have your boot on someone's neck at the time.
A guide to GKSR: Click

"Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... "
- Mik, 6/14/08


Nothing is as effective as homeopathy.

I'd rather listen to an hour of Abba than an hour of The Beatles.
- Klaus, 4/29/18
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ivorythumper
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I am so adjective that I verb nouns!
John D'Oh
Jul 16 2010, 11:40 AM
I'd have appointed an ass-kicking Tsar!
:lol2: :lol2: :lol2:
The dogma lives loudly within me.
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Kincaid
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HOLY CARP!!!
Actually, this is one place where a Tsar might have been a good idea - dare I say...Dick Cheney!

Aqua, I like your points. I would have accepted international help of all sorts. Another that I'll add (and one which could be inaccurate as I only heard it from a right wing pundit) would have been to use the military for transportation if needed to get every skimming vessel down there as fast as possible, and to also assist in clean up of the beaches. I would also think more could have been done to save the marsh lands. Sandy beaches seem pretty easy to clean up, marshy swamps, much less so.
Kincaid - disgusted Republican Partisan since 2006.
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John D'Oh
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MAMIL
Kincaid
Jul 16 2010, 12:11 PM
Actually, this is one place where a Tsar might have been a good idea - dare I say...Dick Cheney!
Oh, he'd have come down on the oil company like a ton of bricks. Big freaking gold bricks with 'DC heart BP' stamped on them.
What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket?
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Copper
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Shortstop

1. Have one of my czars get some smart guys to go fix the leak.
2. Have one of my other czars respond to offers of help and run interference for czar #1
3. If any press ask about it refer them to czar #2
4. Tell everyone in the administration to keep up the good work.
The Confederate soldier was peculiar in that he was ever ready to fight, but never ready to submit to the routine duty and discipline of the camp or the march. The soldiers were determined to be soldiers after their own notions, and do their duty, for the love of it, as they thought best. Carlton McCarthy
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Mikhailoh
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
Nuke Britain. Foreign countries are welcome to do business here, but don't fvck up.
Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball
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John D'Oh
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MAMIL
Mikhailoh
Jul 16 2010, 01:01 PM
Nuke Britain.
Another reason the Irish shouldn't be put in charge of anything larger than a pub - and only then with an alcohol-monitoring bracelet.
What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket?
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Kincaid
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HOLY CARP!!!
John D'Oh
Jul 16 2010, 12:20 PM
Kincaid
Jul 16 2010, 12:11 PM
Actually, this is one place where a Tsar might have been a good idea - dare I say...Dick Cheney!
Oh, he'd have come down on the oil company like a ton of bricks. Big freaking gold bricks with 'DC heart BP' stamped on them.
I guess I find Aqua's title a bit misleading - he speaks of BP but mostly focuses on the spill. There was plenty of time to deal with BP, so regarding that I'd have said the only thing I'd have down about BP was to support their efforts until the well was finally, completely killed.

I was more interested in dealing with the spill, which is what Obama should have been doing all along.

Then, I'd get some knowledgeable types to do a complete review and look into aspects of regular negligence (fines to be meted out as deserved) and criminal negligence (prison terms very possible).
Kincaid - disgusted Republican Partisan since 2006.
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John D'Oh
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MAMIL
Kincaid
Jul 16 2010, 02:54 PM
I was more interested in dealing with the spill, which is what Obama should have been doing all along.

Then, I'd get some knowledgeable types to do a complete review and look into aspects of regular negligence (fines to be meted out as deserved) and criminal negligence (prison terms very possible).
+1.

Focusing on how wrong BP may or may not have been while oil was still gushing into the ocean was completely the wrong thing to do, but was indicative of Obama's methods for dealing with the world when things don't go his way.

Reach for the blamethrower, things are gonna get nasty!
What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket?
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Kincaid
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HOLY CARP!!!
John D'Oh
Jul 16 2010, 03:00 PM
...the blamethrower...
:lol2:

Not heard that before. Good one!
Kincaid - disgusted Republican Partisan since 2006.
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jon-nyc
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Cheers
Aqua Letifer
Jul 16 2010, 11:14 AM
...you know, it's a lot more fun to blame things than to fix 'em.

Yep. See George's post.
In my defense, I was left unsupervised.
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Copper
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Shortstop
Mikhailoh
Jul 16 2010, 01:01 PM
Nuke Britain.

OK, I mispoke.

Mik gets it.
The Confederate soldier was peculiar in that he was ever ready to fight, but never ready to submit to the routine duty and discipline of the camp or the march. The soldiers were determined to be soldiers after their own notions, and do their duty, for the love of it, as they thought best. Carlton McCarthy
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Mikhailoh
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
:lol2:
Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball
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John D'Oh
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MAMIL
Luckily for Britain, Obama is currently searching for the country where they speak British. He's managed to find a couple of possibilities, but for some reason they seem to speak a language that's rather similar to the language he's used to hearing at home, except for the fact that nobody shouts 'goddamn asshole' all the time.
What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket?
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ivorythumper
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I am so adjective that I verb nouns!
John D'Oh
Jul 16 2010, 04:30 PM
Luckily for Britain, Obama is currently searching for the country where they speak British.
He was born in one.
The dogma lives loudly within me.
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John D'Oh
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MAMIL
ivorythumper
Jul 16 2010, 06:10 PM
John D'Oh
Jul 16 2010, 04:30 PM
Luckily for Britain, Obama is currently searching for the country where they speak British.
He was born in one.
I'm afraid you chaps all sound the same to me.
What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket?
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