Transcript: http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2010/06 ... _with.html
Video: http://www.shallownation.com/2010/06/15 ... l-6-15-10/
Well, I think he blew it. It was patronizing, over-reaching, full of rhetoric, short of substance, outright lied about Salazar's efforts in MMS to clean it up, made statements about forcing BP to have a third party administrate claims (BP doesn't have to do shit in that regard, and Obama can't "force" BP to do anything)
Some low points of the speech...
This was in the context of the government response. BUllshit. Its the results of BPs efforts, not the Feds. (Don't take this as an approval of BPs response, which has been woefully inadeqaute and well below what their response plans indicated they could handle, but for Obama to lay claim to the recovery is an outright falsehood. PLease name me the US Coast Guard or Navy ship that is buring the oil. Or even skimming, for that matter)Because of our efforts, millions of gallons of oil have already been removed from the water through burning, skimming,
Yes, thank you Obama for the administrative stamp of approval. How about mobilzing assets that will actually build the barrier islands? How about actually laying boom? Answer: He can't, because the US government isn't prepared to do ti, they don't have the resources, and he'd be well to admit it.We have approved the construction of new barrier islands in Louisiana to try and stop the oil before it reaches the shore, and we are working with Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida to implement creative approaches to their unique coastlines.
Well.. there's a shocker no one saw coming. The oil has already caused damage... what a revelation.But we have to recognize that despite our best efforts, oil has already caused damage to our coastline and its wildlife. And sadly, no matter how effective our response becomes, there will be more oil and more damage before this siege is done.
Short of nationalizing BP, he can't do this. The US can sue BP, maybe even revoke leases. But ordering BP to do something not required by law is a Hugo Chavez tactic. This is blatant pandering.Tomorrow, I will meet with the chairman of BP and inform him that he is to set aside whatever resources are required to compensate the workers and business owners who have been harmed as a result of his company's recklessness. And this fund will not be controlled by BP. In order to ensure that all legitimate claims are paid out in a fair and timely manner, the account must and will be administered by an independent, third party.
One of the few honest statements in his speech.Already, I have issued a six-month moratorium on deepwater drilling. I know this creates difficulty for the people who work on these rigs, but for the sake of their safety, and for the sake of the entire region, we need to know the facts before we allow deepwater drilling to continue
YOU LIE! Seriously, there's plenty of info out there about how little Salazar did to reform MMS. Obama should fire him, find another person and move on. By making statements like this he's tied himself to Salazar's incompentency.When Ken Salazar became my Secretary of the Interior, one of his very first acts was to clean up the worst of the corruption at this agency
Uhhh... you mean the enforcement of regulations Salazar was responsible for????One of the lessons we've learned from this spill is that we need better regulations better safety standards, and better enforcement when it comes to offshore drilling
Another true statement.We consume more than 20% of the world's oil, but have less than 2% of the world's oil reserves. And that's part of the reason oil companies are drilling a mile beneath the surface of the ocean - because we're running out of places to drill on land and in shallow water.
[quoteCountries like China are investing in clean energy jobs and industries that should be here in America][/quote] Really? Is this the same China that had so much pollution that the Olympics were in jeopardy? If it weren't so tragic, this would be laughable. Making a statement that infers China is a leader in clean energy is just... beyond the pale.
Ok, so that covers about 0.000001% of our energy revamp. Is his plan really all about buying a Prius and changing out windows? For gods sake, couldn't he have come up with something better and more substantial than a window retro-fit?As we speak, old factories are reopening to produce wind turbines, people are going back to work installing energy-efficient windows, and small businesses are making solar panels. Consumers are buying more efficient cars and trucks, and families are making their homes more energy-efficient. Scientists and researchers are discovering clean energy technologies that will someday lead to entire new industries.
He said millions of MIDDLE CLASS JOBS... note that for future reference. Pipedream.As we recover from this recession, the transition to clean energy has the potential to grow our economy and create millions of good, middle-class jobs
He gets this one right.And some believe we can't afford those costs right now. I say we can't afford not to change how we produce and use energy - because the long-term costs to our economy, our national security, and our environment are far greater.
Because I have a plan, even though I haven't developed it yet.our determination to fight for the America we want for our children. Even if we're unsure exactly what that looks like. Even if we don't yet know precisely how to get there. We know we'll get there.
