tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59324506101124457.post3310222754547572642..comments2024-03-24T21:06:57.039-07:00Comments on FOUSESQUAWK: Obama: " Ain't My F------' Fault-Bush is the F-------' Guy!"Gary Fousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014739065121483409noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59324506101124457.post-21283219540921830012010-05-28T13:15:50.340-07:002010-05-28T13:15:50.340-07:00Calm down boys and girls, and stop pointing your f...Calm down boys and girls, and stop pointing your fingers. Any sane, well informed American citizen knows that the federal government is big enough, has enough civil service positions that do NOT change hands with each new administration, runs according to a huge number of administrative regs that take YEARS to change, and is directed by enough agency heads whose terms overlap changes in administration, that nobody could precisely say its ALL this president's fault or that president's fault.<br /><br />Yes, that does mean GHWB gets SOME credit for the upturn in the economy under Bill Clinton, and Bill Clinton does get SOME of the blame for letting the economy run on such unstable rails that it eventually collapsed on GWB's watch. After all, Clinton signed off on repeal of Glass-Steagall.<br /><br />Now, as to this oil thing. We all agree it is BP's fault. We all know that President Obama has had trouble getting appointed positions in his administration filled because Republican senators hold up even taking a vote on whether to consent after advising. I'm not entirely surprised he hasn't gotten around to firing the head of the mines and minerals agency until now.<br /><br />The momentum in that agency for the past several years at least, has been to take the money and turn a blind eye toward safety. That momentum was either established or sharply increased under GWB, the Texas oil man who never saw a bankruptcy his daddy's friends couldn't rescue him from. To paraphrase a popular Tea Party slogan, "work harder, dozens of oil companies are depending on you to subsidize their operations."<br /><br />Between now and 2012, I will be carefully considering:<br /><br />1) Was the culture of the mines and minerals agency overtly brought to the president's attention before the BP oil well blew?<br /><br />2) If so, why didn't he act forcefully to correct it?<br /><br />3) If not, how could or should he have found out about it sooner?<br /><br />4) Now that everyone knows, has he acted vigorously and effectively within the limits of his office (there are limits to his powers, are there not?) to correct what is obviously wrong?<br /><br />5) Ditto for the BP well.<br /><br />Katrina was primarily a question of, all these people are sitting there destitute and without shelter after the storm, now, what are we doing about it? Any competent manager with adequate resources could have solved that.<br /><br />The BP oil spill is primarily a question of, oh, there is a huge gush of oil miles down on the floor of the Gulf of Mexico, requiring experimental techniques of unknown reliability to even TRY to stop it. Now, do we want a government agency to issue a decree that the oil shall stop flowing, or do we want it looking over the shoulders of those with expertise to TRY to fix it and try to see they act effectively?<br /><br />Mr. Fouse, I am most glad that our president is not King Canute, and knows full well he cannot DECREE that a hole at the bottom of the ocean be plugged forthwith. (Actually, Canute didn't believe the tide would roll back at his command, he was showing up a brown nosing sycophant who exclaimed that he could).Siarlys Jenkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15083839117838391267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59324506101124457.post-39324388226170545352010-05-28T09:24:42.995-07:002010-05-28T09:24:42.995-07:00Lance,
I think Obama came close at his press conf...Lance,<br /><br />I think Obama came close at his press conference yesterday (a Brownie moment).Gary Fousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17014739065121483409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59324506101124457.post-55992969260385707522010-05-28T08:30:24.099-07:002010-05-28T08:30:24.099-07:00The difference is this - weather reports let us kn...The difference is this - weather reports let us know that Katrina was coming. Also, I don't think that Obama has had a "You're doing one hell of a job, Brownie" moment with all this.Lance Christian Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14662783824480475026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59324506101124457.post-55651505763320473052010-05-28T01:55:31.650-07:002010-05-28T01:55:31.650-07:00Gary, sometimes I can't believe how dense you ...Gary, sometimes I can't believe how dense you are. Sorry. You always excuse the people on whose side you are on, and point fingers at the other side. <br />This has nothing to do with Katrina or any other desaster in the past. <br />What difference does it make whose fault it is? We are all to blame. No one wants to reduce consumption, comfort and dependency on oil. Corrupt politicians and oil companies take advantage of that.<br />Instead of everyone working to come up with what's best for the common good, fingers are pointed and the Messiah, Obama was supposed to be, isn't doing what people think he should. Like what?? Scoop out the oil with his own hands to show that he is there,<br />I think people are getting stupider by the minute.Ingridhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16588436275275795373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59324506101124457.post-19266286170739165372010-05-27T21:47:02.212-07:002010-05-27T21:47:02.212-07:00Yes, it is BP's fault. Brilliant deduction.
K...Yes, it is BP's fault. Brilliant deduction.<br /><br />Katrina was Mother Nature's fault.Gary Fousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17014739065121483409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59324506101124457.post-74966641842401683352010-05-27T18:42:54.068-07:002010-05-27T18:42:54.068-07:00Bush's fault? Everybody knows it's Jimmy ...Bush's fault? Everybody knows it's Jimmy Carter's fault!<br /><br />My favorite thing about all this is how some of the right-wing pundits are calling it Obama's "Katrina", which is essentially them finally admitting what a colossal f$%*-up the Bush administration did on that one.<br /><br />As to whose fault it really is - it's BP's fault.Lance Christian Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14662783824480475026noreply@blogger.com