Monday, June 21, 2010
STENCH MAKES US SICK
The stench surrounding the oil slick is making us sick. But we are not speaking of the oily muck itself. We are speaking of all the politics being played out around Washington and in media circles around the country. Not only is it dirty and silly politics on display, but we are seeing some of the sorriest displays of personal arrogance and gamesmanship in recent history.
Nobody really knows much more to do about containing the damage from the oil slick than is already being done, prepared, or planned. But nearly everybody in politics, and all of those in the media, have better ideas than any of the experts. And, of course, all of them know how to handle it better than the president.
It seems that everyone actually doing anything in this disaster is clumsy, dumb, and inept while everyone observing from the cynics’ chairs could have been doing so much better. It appears that our president, who is stubbornly and deliberately trying to do something, never does the right thing. Why is this?
Some people are criticizing our president for not doing enough, while others are criticizing him for doing too much. Those political ideologues who think that government is too big now think that the president should have taken charge and wrested control from the private company. Others among them are afraid that he might do that, thus expanding government’s role too much.
There is a horrible display of arrogance on the part of congressional committee members interviewing officials from British Petroleum. Some hard questioning may be in order, but never hostile, arrogant ranting at an invited guest, now turned captive, who must silently endure berating and browbeating some ignoramus who knows little.
Of course, President Obama consistently catches the harshest criticism from the least knowledgeable and thoughtful of our citizens. He also catches similar criticism from the congresspersons those same voters send to the halls of Congress to represent them.
Who elected the talking heads of the media, and just how did they get so omniscient that they continually criticize the president whatever he does? After his recent prime time speech to the nation, there seemed to be no one in the media who was not critical. He wasn’t emotional enough. He was too nice. He gave an informative, educational lecture on the details of the problem, they said. He talked about the energy policy agenda. He met nobody’s expectations except for a large segment of the American people, who didn’t listen to the pundits telling them what to think. As one sympathetic writer said, “The President has experienced a gusher of criticism.”
The $20 Billion escrow deal with the BP, set aside to be administered by a third party, to meet all claims without court adjudication was indeed a remarkable accomplishment. It demonstrated the results brought forth by a competent and forceful president working behind the scenes. It showed the company and the government were now on the same page – trying to do something to provide security for alleviating problems of all those impacted by the catastrophe. This was a landmark deal, securing the welfare of those along the gulf coast.
My word! One would think from all the media chit chat and political uproar that some satanic bargain had been made. Again one could query: “What more can you ask or expect in the way of due diligence from either the president or the company?”
Republican Joe Barton of Texas, ranking committee republican and the recipient of $1.4 million in campaign money from oil companies, apologized profusely to the executives of BP for the unpardonable “shakedown” perpetrated by the president. He said he does not want to live in a country where the government can deal with a corporation that way.
Who does that guy represent? Certainly not any of the American people or businesses impacted along the Gulf Coast or elsewhere affected by this disastrous event. Obviously he represents his big oil donors.
Nevertheless Texas Sen. John Cornyn joined with Barton’s condemnation. Michele Bachmann, republican from Michigan, called the deal “a fleecing.” And 114 House republicans signed on a policy document rejecting the agreement as a “shakedown” of BP by President Obama. Other prominent republicans are said to be philosophically concerned that this agreement may “empower the government.”
But after the public backlash, Barton was called in by republican party leadership in the House and chastised. Then he apologized for his remarks.
Yes indeed, without even touching on some of the state and local politics involved in the gulf region, the stench of the politics surrounding all of this nationally rivals the smell of the oily muck itself contaminating our shores.
For what it is worth, this writer does not share the joys of others in seeing some congresspersons arrogantly attacking their witnesses from their lofty perches in catbirds’ chairs. This often seems an abuse of power. Witnesses deserve professional courtesy, especially those in positions of responsibility in the private or public sector. Watching some of our congresspersons berate and belittle BP executives was not a pleasant experience, in spite of some of that company’s failures.
It is a short step from plain discourtesy to demagoguery.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
Nobody really knows much more to do about containing the damage from the oil slick than is already being done, prepared, or planned. But nearly everybody in politics, and all of those in the media, have better ideas than any of the experts. And, of course, all of them know how to handle it better than the president.
It seems that everyone actually doing anything in this disaster is clumsy, dumb, and inept while everyone observing from the cynics’ chairs could have been doing so much better. It appears that our president, who is stubbornly and deliberately trying to do something, never does the right thing. Why is this?
Some people are criticizing our president for not doing enough, while others are criticizing him for doing too much. Those political ideologues who think that government is too big now think that the president should have taken charge and wrested control from the private company. Others among them are afraid that he might do that, thus expanding government’s role too much.
There is a horrible display of arrogance on the part of congressional committee members interviewing officials from British Petroleum. Some hard questioning may be in order, but never hostile, arrogant ranting at an invited guest, now turned captive, who must silently endure berating and browbeating some ignoramus who knows little.
Of course, President Obama consistently catches the harshest criticism from the least knowledgeable and thoughtful of our citizens. He also catches similar criticism from the congresspersons those same voters send to the halls of Congress to represent them.
Who elected the talking heads of the media, and just how did they get so omniscient that they continually criticize the president whatever he does? After his recent prime time speech to the nation, there seemed to be no one in the media who was not critical. He wasn’t emotional enough. He was too nice. He gave an informative, educational lecture on the details of the problem, they said. He talked about the energy policy agenda. He met nobody’s expectations except for a large segment of the American people, who didn’t listen to the pundits telling them what to think. As one sympathetic writer said, “The President has experienced a gusher of criticism.”
The $20 Billion escrow deal with the BP, set aside to be administered by a third party, to meet all claims without court adjudication was indeed a remarkable accomplishment. It demonstrated the results brought forth by a competent and forceful president working behind the scenes. It showed the company and the government were now on the same page – trying to do something to provide security for alleviating problems of all those impacted by the catastrophe. This was a landmark deal, securing the welfare of those along the gulf coast.
My word! One would think from all the media chit chat and political uproar that some satanic bargain had been made. Again one could query: “What more can you ask or expect in the way of due diligence from either the president or the company?”
Republican Joe Barton of Texas, ranking committee republican and the recipient of $1.4 million in campaign money from oil companies, apologized profusely to the executives of BP for the unpardonable “shakedown” perpetrated by the president. He said he does not want to live in a country where the government can deal with a corporation that way.
Who does that guy represent? Certainly not any of the American people or businesses impacted along the Gulf Coast or elsewhere affected by this disastrous event. Obviously he represents his big oil donors.
Nevertheless Texas Sen. John Cornyn joined with Barton’s condemnation. Michele Bachmann, republican from Michigan, called the deal “a fleecing.” And 114 House republicans signed on a policy document rejecting the agreement as a “shakedown” of BP by President Obama. Other prominent republicans are said to be philosophically concerned that this agreement may “empower the government.”
But after the public backlash, Barton was called in by republican party leadership in the House and chastised. Then he apologized for his remarks.
Yes indeed, without even touching on some of the state and local politics involved in the gulf region, the stench of the politics surrounding all of this nationally rivals the smell of the oily muck itself contaminating our shores.
For what it is worth, this writer does not share the joys of others in seeing some congresspersons arrogantly attacking their witnesses from their lofty perches in catbirds’ chairs. This often seems an abuse of power. Witnesses deserve professional courtesy, especially those in positions of responsibility in the private or public sector. Watching some of our congresspersons berate and belittle BP executives was not a pleasant experience, in spite of some of that company’s failures.
It is a short step from plain discourtesy to demagoguery.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
