Obama compares Gulf spill to September 11

[namvet]

yea b/c this spill isn't the biggest environmental disaster or anything

Hey stupid, when he said "how we look at it" I took it to mean how we look at the entire oil drilling process and there should be no major changes in that respect. If you understood how many offshore wells have been drilled compared to the number of blowouts like the one in the Gulf, then you would know that the risk are not really all that great. What needs to be looked at is the oil companies as well as the governments response time and effectiveness. They should have immediately ignited the oil and had booms readily available.

Wasn't more oil spilled off the Kuwait coast during the first gulf war?

the iraqi's blew all the wells in the country before leaving

 

[MaggieMae]

The major spill is also something that will have far-reaching effects for a long time, just as the attacks of 911 have. Katrina came thundering through and left untold devastation, but at least we knew how to clean it all up and then rebuild.

I see this latest criticism as just more illiterate nonsense that the far-right can't resist piling on.

So you think the oil leak and 911 is a fair comparison?

worst terrorist act vs worst environmental disaster

Exactly. The long-range comparison can be summarized:

911 attacks:

Immediate response to save lives, enormous cleanup of the debris, then improve the vicinity of Ground Zero and set plan in motion to rebuild WTC.

Ongoing response results in counterterrorism becoming a top priority.

Gulf oil disaster:

Immediate response to save lives, enormous effort to stop the gush and simultaneously try to minimize the effects on land and wildlife.

Ongoing reponse will result in environmental safety and protection becoming a top priority.

 

[MaggieMae]

Don't call this disaster Obama's Katrina. Obama says it's like 9/11.

Sorry Mr. President, but I don't think that a terrorist act that killed over 3,000 innocent people can be compared to an accidental oil spill.

But he's not going to miss the chance to make this political. He's going to turn it into a bill that will kill the energy industry.

Obama Compares Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill to 9/11 - Political Hotsheet - CBS News

Rick D.

Keep in mind this is the same POTUS that decided not to speak with Hayward, yet he would speak with Ahmadinejad with no preconditions.....

This is nothing more than a desperate act to shift the focus away from his response failure......

The deliberate murder of innocent human beings has no meaningful comparison to this oil spill, it would only qualify for the delusional radical element......

You give new meaning to your signature: It is entirely impossible to pick up a turd by the clean end.

 

[MaggieMae]

No facts or support for this demagoguery: "Excellent point. Obama proposes revising the tax code in a way that will drive most independent oil and gas producers out of business." Listen, Rush might lie and get away it, but you never will, not here.

It's ludicrous, no idiocracy, for these jerks to presume to know exactly how all this will unfold and then actually post it, or say it, as if it were gospel.

An energy bill is a jobs bill. Obama has no intention of ending oil exploration, and he has NEVER said he intended to end use of natural gas. Just recently, he embraced nuclear energy and pushed for the regulatory agency to speed up its permits so construction can begin on those plants that have been on hold for years. Yes, "green energy" should (and will) become a part of a new energy plan, with subsidies going to those "independent producers" who are stalled for lack of seed money. After years of subsidizing Big Oil to come up with new green technology, it's about time we put that money where it would do the most good. Exxon Mobil doesn't need the government to subsidize anything, when their profits are at an all-time high and when all's said and done they pay ZERO in taxes.

 

[hortysir]

Joe just missed his guess by a year or so, that's all



[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keEsJVrlw6I]YouTube - Joe Biden Mark My Words international Crisis if Obama Wins[/ame]

 

[Lonestar_logic]

So you think the oil leak and 911 is a fair comparison?

worst terrorist act vs worst environmental disaster

Exactly. The long-range comparison can be summarized:

911 attacks:

Immediate response to save lives, enormous cleanup of the debris, then improve the vicinity of Ground Zero and set plan in motion to rebuild WTC.

Ongoing response results in counterterrorism becoming a top priority.

Gulf oil disaster:

Immediate response to save lives, enormous effort to stop the gush and simultaneously try to minimize the effects on land and wildlife.

Ongoing reponse will result in environmental safety and protection becoming a top priority.

Immediate response is to save lives? Tell me just whose lives were being saved? If you want to compare 911 to an environmental disaster the Union Carbide leak in Bhopal, India would be a better comparison. The gas leak killed at least 4.000 local residents instantly and caused health problems such as oedema for at least 50.000 to perhaps 500.000 people. These health problems killed around 15.000 more victims in the years that followed. Approximately 100.000 people still suffer from chronic disease consequential to gas exposure, today. Research conducted by the BBC in 2004 pointed out that this pollution still causes people to fall ill, and ten more die every year.

Or how about the Russian nuclear power plant explosion in Chernobyl, the Italian dioxin crisis, the 1952 London smog disaster, the Love Canal chemical waste dump, the Baia Mare cyanide spill, the European BSE crisis, the Spanish waste water spill, or the Three Mile Island near nuclear disaster.

This oil leak will be stopped and the environment will recover. And I find it highly unlikely that any human deaths will result from the oil leak in the future.


Read more: Environmental disasters

 

[beowolfe]

Don't call this disaster Obama's Katrina. Obama says it's like 9/11.

Sorry Mr. President, but I don't think that a terrorist act that killed over 3,000 innocent people can be compared to an accidental oil spill.

But he's not going to miss the chance to make this political. He's going to turn it into a bill that will kill the energy industry.

Obama Compares Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill to 9/11 - Political Hotsheet - CBS News

Rick D.

"In the same way that our view of our vulnerabilities and our foreign policy was shaped profoundly by 9/11 . . . I think this disaster is going to shape how we think about the environment and energy for many years to come," Mr. Obama said in an Oval Office interview Friday.

From watching the reaction from around the country, seems like he hit the nail on the head.

 

[MaggieMae]

Don't call this disaster Obama's Katrina. Obama says it's like 9/11.

Sorry Mr. President, but I don't think that a terrorist act that killed over 3,000 innocent people can be compared to an accidental oil spill.

But he's not going to miss the chance to make this political. He's going to turn it into a bill that will kill the energy industry.

Obama Compares Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill to 9/11 - Political Hotsheet - CBS News

Rick D.

BHO said an "environmental 9-11", and it certainly is that. Quit politicizing the disaster, moron.

Even though anyone other than an idiot understands the point he was making, poor choice of words agreed? He should have compared it to Katrina, A MUCH better , less sensitive comparison.

No, it isn't. Although New Orleans and surrounding Gulf Coast areas that were hard hit by Katrina continue with their rebuilding, the storm itself was over in less than 24 hours. There are still thousands of gallons of oil gushing up from a mile beneath the surface of the Gulf, with no containment yet in sight. This has the potential of completely rearranging the entire ecological landscape of the entire Gulf Coast region, with the wetlands possible never surviving. And wetlands provide at least some protection from flooding which results from damaging hurricanes.

There may just be something good that comes out of this disaster, and that would be the whole issue of building ANYTHING on wetlands that disrupts the natural counter-effect to natural disasters could be dramatically changed. Like a complete ban on building and especially diverting and filling the canals to accommodate development.

 

[Lonestar_logic]

BHO said an "environmental 9-11", and it certainly is that. Quit politicizing the disaster, moron.

Even though anyone other than an idiot understands the point he was making, poor choice of words agreed? He should have compared it to Katrina, A MUCH better , less sensitive comparison.

No, it isn't. Although New Orleans and surrounding Gulf Coast areas that were hard hit by Katrina continue with their rebuilding, the storm itself was over in less than 24 hours. There are still thousands of gallons of oil gushing up from a mile beneath the surface of the Gulf, with no containment yet in sight. This has the potential of completely rearranging the entire ecological landscape of the entire Gulf Coast region, with the wetlands possible never surviving. And wetlands provide at least some protection from flooding which results from damaging hurricanes.

There may just be something good that comes out of this disaster, and that would be the whole issue of building ANYTHING on wetlands that disrupts the natural counter-effect to natural disasters could be dramatically changed. Like a complete ban on building and especially diverting and filling the canals to accommodate development.

The 911 terrorist attack didn't even last that long.

 

[MaggieMae]

No facts or support for this demagoguery: "Excellent point. Obama proposes revising the tax code in a way that will drive most independent oil and gas producers out of business." Listen, Rush might lie and get away it, but you never will, not here.

It's written into Obama's proposed budget.

JCX-34-09

Tens of billions of dollars in provisions, most of which have been a part of the tax code for decades, will be erased. Many similar provisions are afforded other industries such as agriculture and manufacturing.

I generally don't fuck around here with respect to such issues. So don't fuck with me, thank you very much.

Go to Page 7. It is NOT written into Obama's budget; it is NOT even an administration proposal, but rather "a consideration" (and so named) by the subcommittee. So much for all your doomsday speculation.

http://www.us.kpmg.com/microsite/taxnewsflash/2009/Sep/x-34-09.pdf

 

[MaggieMae]

The question we should be asking is why didn't Obama suspend the Jones Act and accept the very aid that would have lessened this disaster?

Strangely enough, once more having to plow through every right wing blog for 3 pages on Google for some decent background INFORMATION on this subject, lo and behold I found it in the Fox News report.

Jones Act Slowing Oil Spill Cleanup?
Posted By Brian Wilson On June 10, 2010 @ 5:41 PM In Natural Disaster, U.S. | Comments Disabled

Foreign companies possessing some of the world’s most advanced oil skimming ships say they are being kept out of efforts to clean up the oil spill in the Gulf because of a 1920’s law known as the Jones Act -- a protectionist law that requires vessels working in US waters be built in the US and be crewed by US workers.

Joseph Carafano of the Heritage Foundation has been studying the matter and wonders, “Are we accepting all the international assistance in the maritime domain that we can, and is the Jones Act an impediment to that?”

The Coast Guard and the Administration are quick to point out that some foreign technology is being used in the current cleanup effort. Including:

- Canada’s offer of 3,000 meters of containment boom

- Three sets of COSEQ sweeping arms from the Dutch

- Mexico’s offer of two skimmers and 4200 meters of boom

- Norway’s offer of 8 skimming systems

But that is largely technology transferred to US vessels. Some of the best clean up ships – owned by Belgian, Dutch and the Norwegian firms are NOT being used. Coast Guard Lt. Commander, Chris O’Neil, says that is because they do not meet “the operational requirements of the Unified Area Command.” One of those operational requirements is that vessels comply with the Jones Act. [My comment: How long would it take for those ships to arrive?]

"Yes, it does apply,” said ONeil,“ I have heard no discussions of waivers.”

Waivers to the Jones Act were granted by the administration of George W. Bush in the days following hurricane Katrina. And today, the Obama White House said waivers might again be considered.

“If there is the need for any type of waiver, that would obviously be granted,” said White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs. “But, we've not had that problem thus far.”

Democratic Senator Bill Nelson is not so sure about that. He’s hearing from the folks back home in Florida, where they want all the skimmer ships they can get. He sent a letter to Admiral Thad Allen today which read in part:

“Admiral, I believe the orange mousse of oil that is now in Florida’s waters is more than enough evidence that we need to take advantage of every appropriate global resource. Please advise as to whether we are taking full advantage of the offers of assistance from other countries.”

When asked about this by Fox News, Admiral Allen said, “If it gets to the point where a Jones Act waiver is required, we're willing to do that too. Nobody has come to me with a request for a Jones Act waiver.”

After 50 plus days of oil flowing freely into the gulf, the question could be asked: Why do effective and proven foreign clean up ships remain on the sidelines? Carafano believes it may have something to do with the Obama administration’s close relationship with labor unions.

“Cause this is a big thing for unions,” Carafano said. “The unions see it as … protecting jobs. They hate when the Jones Act gets waived, and they pound on politicians when they do that. So … are we giving in to unions and not doing everything we can, or is there some kind of impediment that we don't know about?

[My comment: But of course you'd think that. Perhaps Obama should suspend the Davis-Bacon Act as Bush did with the Katrina cleanup so that the lowest paid people get those jobs.]

If the Obama Administration needs an example of what can happen when global assets are allowed to tackle a massive oil spill, they need look no further than Saudi Aramco’s clean up of a massive wartime spill off the Kuwaiti coast in 1991. Aramco summoned every available ship to assist in the cleanup. The company claims it recovered 900,000 barrels of oil in roughly three months. The industry views that effort as the gold standard in oil spill cleanups.

Liveshots Jones Act Slowing Oil Spill Cleanup? Print


There's also a consideration nobody seems to be thinking about and that's if we give prompt and easy access to any ship to enter the gulf, what guarantees would we have that they would not carry out a terrorist attack once in position? I can actually hear THAT as being future noise from the right wing if in fact the Jones Act IS lifted. They are never satisfied. What the hell.

 

[MaggieMae]

Mr. Obama is using his latest words as a political tool to push his climate change, cap & trade agenda.

I think his comparison of the two is sad and pathetic.
Some of you are talking about the profound impact both have on the American people. Yes, I can understand that. I don't live near NY or the Gulf but I can tell you that terrorist flying planes into our buildings and killing 3000 innocent people in one day had a much more affect on me than this oil spill has. Now I'm not trying to make light of the oil spill in any way. I just think camparing the spill to 9/11 was a cheap attempt at gaining some political ground.

As a result of this disaster, a new energy bill will be fast-tracked, which means that cap and trade is DOA in the Senate (for now anyway).

 

[Gatekeeper]

Joe just missed his guess by a year or so, that's all



YouTube - Joe Biden Mark My Words international Crisis if Obama Wins

Two of the planets greatest BAFOONS Obama and Biden. Biden, in my opinion, is another horrendous human tragedy, how do these people get where they are?
They get there because WE collectively are a worse human tragedy. We sit back and allow these manipulators rule our lives and do little or nothing to change it.

Let's make Mr. Obama's "CHANGE" rhetoric come true, let's toss them all out when their terms are complete, if they don't destroy the country before, that is. We need a 'Bafoon Clause' in the election laws, so we can get rid of these clowns. That being said, there may be hundreds of openings in government, both local, state and federal.

Any takers in USMB want to run for office?

 

[MaggieMae]

Mr. Obama is using his latest words as a political tool to push his climate change, cap & trade agenda.

I think his comparison of the two is sad and pathetic.
Some of you are talking about the profound impact both have on the American people. Yes, I can understand that. I don't live near NY or the Gulf but I can tell you that terrorist flying planes into our buildings and killing 3000 innocent people in one day had a much more affect on me than this oil spill has. Now I'm not trying to make light of the oil spill in any way. I just think camparing the spill to 9/11 was a cheap attempt at gaining some political ground.

Get ready for Obama's energy version of the Patriot Act.

But of course, and necessarily so. After all, the United States is infamous for its proactive responses to disasters before anything meaningful takes place to prevent such disasters in the first place. When will we ever learn?

 

[Gatekeeper]

Mr. Obama is using his latest words as a political tool to push his climate change, cap & trade agenda.

I think his comparison of the two is sad and pathetic.
Some of you are talking about the profound impact both have on the American people. Yes, I can understand that. I don't live near NY or the Gulf but I can tell you that terrorist flying planes into our buildings and killing 3000 innocent people in one day had a much more affect on me than this oil spill has. Now I'm not trying to make light of the oil spill in any way. I just think camparing the spill to 9/11 was a cheap attempt at gaining some political ground.

Get ready for Obama's energy version of the Patriot Act.

But of course, and necessarily so. After all, the United States is infamous for its proactive responses to disasters before anything meaningful takes place to prevent such disasters in the first place. When will we ever learn?

Never, as long as we continue to vote while we're in a complete stupor, wondering who is going to win, Dancing of the Stars, Lost, and other mundane nonsense, it seems many in this country are more interested in this BS than who is going to ruin their lives in their next term as our 'leaders'.

 

[Biggles]

He's going to turn it into a bill that will kill the energy industry.

Excellent point. Obama proposes revising the tax code in a way that will drive most independent oil and gas producers out of business. Independents drill for and produce 80% of the oil and natural gas in this country. They are mostly comprised of very small family owned companies whose only income is from the oil or gas that is pumped out of the ground.

We should reduce our imports, not reduce our domestic production.

Sorry bout that,

1. So is oil our new enemy?


Regards,
SirJamesofTexas

Oil has been our enemy since the Carter administration. It was he who coined the phrases "windfall profits" and "obscene profits". Carter had the opportunity to turn this nation around by calling on U.S. energy producers to lead us to independence from foreign soources of hydrocarbons. Instead, he labeled our countrymen as bandits and proceded to confiscate personal property in the guise of the Windfall Profits Tax.

Excellent post. This is the same mis-guided and frightening logic that Obama uses towards businesses in the USA. He believe capitalists are greedy and evil, the cause of all of America's ills. It's this deranged logic that leads Obama to push and push for spreading the wealth and government control over any and all industries and sectors in America. Obama fails to realize that over 80% of Americans are employed by small businesses, who owned by by hard working Americans barely making a profit. yet Obama pushes and pushes for more taxes, more regulation, more government. Obama is a Socialist without a doubt; this disaster will be used by Obama to force more government regulations and control over the oil industry.

 

[ConHog]

The question we should be asking is why didn't Obama suspend the Jones Act and accept the very aid that would have lessened this disaster?

Strangely enough, once more having to plow through every right wing blog for 3 pages on Google for some decent background INFORMATION on this subject, lo and behold I found it in the Fox News report.

Jones Act Slowing Oil Spill Cleanup?
Posted By Brian Wilson On June 10, 2010 @ 5:41 PM In Natural Disaster, U.S. | Comments Disabled

Foreign companies possessing some of the world’s most advanced oil skimming ships say they are being kept out of efforts to clean up the oil spill in the Gulf because of a 1920’s law known as the Jones Act -- a protectionist law that requires vessels working in US waters be built in the US and be crewed by US workers.

Joseph Carafano of the Heritage Foundation has been studying the matter and wonders, “Are we accepting all the international assistance in the maritime domain that we can, and is the Jones Act an impediment to that?”

The Coast Guard and the Administration are quick to point out that some foreign technology is being used in the current cleanup effort. Including:

- Canada’s offer of 3,000 meters of containment boom

- Three sets of COSEQ sweeping arms from the Dutch

- Mexico’s offer of two skimmers and 4200 meters of boom

- Norway’s offer of 8 skimming systems

But that is largely technology transferred to US vessels. Some of the best clean up ships – owned by Belgian, Dutch and the Norwegian firms are NOT being used. Coast Guard Lt. Commander, Chris O’Neil, says that is because they do not meet “the operational requirements of the Unified Area Command.” One of those operational requirements is that vessels comply with the Jones Act. [My comment: How long would it take for those ships to arrive?]

"Yes, it does apply,” said ONeil,“ I have heard no discussions of waivers.”

Waivers to the Jones Act were granted by the administration of George W. Bush in the days following hurricane Katrina. And today, the Obama White House said waivers might again be considered.

“If there is the need for any type of waiver, that would obviously be granted,” said White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs. “But, we've not had that problem thus far.”

Democratic Senator Bill Nelson is not so sure about that. He’s hearing from the folks back home in Florida, where they want all the skimmer ships they can get. He sent a letter to Admiral Thad Allen today which read in part:

“Admiral, I believe the orange mousse of oil that is now in Florida’s waters is more than enough evidence that we need to take advantage of every appropriate global resource. Please advise as to whether we are taking full advantage of the offers of assistance from other countries.”

When asked about this by Fox News, Admiral Allen said, “If it gets to the point where a Jones Act waiver is required, we're willing to do that too. Nobody has come to me with a request for a Jones Act waiver.”

After 50 plus days of oil flowing freely into the gulf, the question could be asked: Why do effective and proven foreign clean up ships remain on the sidelines? Carafano believes it may have something to do with the Obama administration’s close relationship with labor unions.

“Cause this is a big thing for unions,” Carafano said. “The unions see it as … protecting jobs. They hate when the Jones Act gets waived, and they pound on politicians when they do that. So … are we giving in to unions and not doing everything we can, or is there some kind of impediment that we don't know about?

[My comment: But of course you'd think that. Perhaps Obama should suspend the Davis-Bacon Act as Bush did with the Katrina cleanup so that the lowest paid people get those jobs.]

If the Obama Administration needs an example of what can happen when global assets are allowed to tackle a massive oil spill, they need look no further than Saudi Aramco’s clean up of a massive wartime spill off the Kuwaiti coast in 1991. Aramco summoned every available ship to assist in the cleanup. The company claims it recovered 900,000 barrels of oil in roughly three months. The industry views that effort as the gold standard in oil spill cleanups.

Liveshots Jones Act Slowing Oil Spill Cleanup? Print


There's also a consideration nobody seems to be thinking about and that's if we give prompt and easy access to any ship to enter the gulf, what guarantees would we have that they would not carry out a terrorist attack once in position? I can actually hear THAT as being future noise from the right wing if in fact the Jones Act IS lifted. They are never satisfied. What the hell.

Of course t here is that possibility which is why you lift the ban and park a US Navy warship somewhere in the vicinity , then you screen ships before you let them in the zone and warn them that if it appears they are doing anything other than helping clean up this mess they will be blown out of the water.

 

[MaggieMae]

Don't call this disaster Obama's Katrina. Obama says it's like 9/11.

Sorry Mr. President, but I don't think that a terrorist act that killed over 3,000 innocent people can be compared to an accidental oil spill.

But he's not going to miss the chance to make this political. He's going to turn it into a bill that will kill the energy industry.

Obama Compares Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill to 9/11 - Political Hotsheet - CBS News

Rick D.

Maybe it was a Freudian slip?
There was a sexual innuendo?

Perhaps he knows something we don't.....which would explain why he refused to talk to the BP CEO till day 57
I wouldn't want to talk to someone who would attempt to hoodwink me into believing HIS side of the story only, either. (Much like I don't believe a word you post. ) I suppose it doesn't ever occur to someone as shallow-minded as you are that Obama wanted to get all of HIS ducks in a row before he started listening to Haywood's whines.


He'll speak with Chavez and Amadinajad without any preconditions......but the CEO of BP......now that fuckers' gonna lie to him.......so why bother.
Oh bullshit. Apples and organges.

......

 

[Biggles]

Don't call this disaster Obama's Katrina. Obama says it's like 9/11.

Sorry Mr. President, but I don't think that a terrorist act that killed over 3,000 innocent people can be compared to an accidental oil spill.

But he's not going to miss the chance to make this political. He's going to turn it into a bill that will kill the energy industry.

Obama Compares Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill to 9/11 - Political Hotsheet - CBS News

Rick D.

BHO said an "environmental 9-11", and it certainly is that. Quit politicizing the disaster, moron.

Obama already politicized the disaster with his remark.

Gee, another liberal resorting to name calling.

 

[ConHog]

I have a question. Would any of yall be upset if after getting this messed cleaned up BP built a 13 story high community center on the coast , opening day ceremonies to be held on April, 20?