GAO report points to government failure in BP disaster

An update from the General Accounting Office details high risk areas, seeking to “focus attention on government operations that it identifies as high risk due to their greater vulnerabilities to fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement or the need for transformation to address economy, efficiency, or effectiveness challenges.” The latest addition to the high risk series is management of federal oil and gas resources.

You have to read between the lines—after all, this is a government document. But there’s a red flag in the GAO update. In ‘governmentese’, the red flag is called “human capital resources” and GAO suggests failures in those government resources for various reasons. What does that have to do with the BP disaster?

Click to read more ...

Jimmy Buffett blames Bush for BP

Jimmy Buffett is the latest in a long line to jump on the ‘It’s Bush’s fault’ bandwagon.

From Fox News, reporting on a telephone interview with Margaritaville’s most famous resident:
Buffett, a supporter of President Barack Obama, said the roots of the spill lie with the administration of former President George Bush, which was often criticized for being too cozy with the petroleum industry. "To me it was more about eight years of bad policy before (Obama) got there that let this happen. It was Dracula running the blood bank in terms of oil and leases," he said. "I think that has more to do with it than how the president reacted to it."

Say it ain’t so, Jimmy! Really.

Click to read more ...

Obama official hearts BP

by Kay B. Day

When Politico reported that President Barack Obama was the biggest recipient of campaign contributions from BP employees and PACs, the president's spokesman said, “President Obama didn’t accept a dime from corporate PACs or federal lobbyists during his presidential campaign.” And Democrats sang the same song in unison, blaming the GOP for BP's crony status.

Truth always outs and it sometimes hurts. Politico said: "During his time in the Senate and while running for president, Obama received a total of $77,051 from the oil giant and is the top recipient of BP PAC and individual money over the past 20 years, according to financial disclosure records."

The most recent demonstration of BP's crony ties surfaced in a YouTube video wherein Secretary of Energy Steven Chu 'hearts' BP when Obama was still a junior senator. The video speaks for itself.

Will BP grilling backfire?

Updated on Monday, June 21, 2010 at 4:12PM by Kay B. Day, Editor

By Kay B. Day

Criticism of BP is certainly warranted, considering the damage from the Gulf Oil Spill. But other recent manufacturing and financial lapses have gone unchallenged. And there’s a chance public grilling for nothing more than political purposes could backfire.

The political topic of the day is conduct by BP in the Gulf Oil Spill disaster. Congressional leaders shook fingers and levied snarkisms at the company, yet gave federal oversight agency heads a pass.

Such a disaster warrants federal attention, of course, but our federal government tends focus on politics and self-growth rather than on common sense matters the government should be looking after. At present, the government can't run the government.

But if you think BP’s lapse is the only dastardly action harming Americans, you’d be wrong.

Click to read more ...

Crist in limelight on oil spill, backs Obama ban on drilling

Day

Many who voted to elect Charlie Crist (I) as governor might recognize him these days only because of his trademark tan. 

Seizing the opportunity behind the oil crisis, Crist has been up front and center in media, responding to Democrat President Barack Obama’s handling of the oil rig crisis. It didn’t take long for the governor who is running for a US Senate seat to get down to brass tacks on alternative energy.

Crist told Face the Nation [CBS] on Sunday the oil spill is “the greatest wakeup call ever.”

And evoking memories of his support of the Stimulus Bill, Crist said he supports the six month ban on offshore drilling Obama has put in place.

Click to read more ...

Rubio frames good question for BP, expands respect in blogosphere

By Kay B. Day

Presumed GOP nominee for the Florida Senate Marco Rubio keynoted CPAC 2010.This morning former speaker of the Florida House Marco Rubio was on Fox and Friends doing an interview about the BP oil spill. As that interview aired, content was popping up on some of the most influential blogs on the Web. On TV and in the blogosphere, he looked and talked like a US senator.

He brought up a point no one else is talking about in depth—what went wrong on the rig at Deepwater Horizon? What caused the explosion?

Click to read more ...