The Obama Presidency

[dave is ok]

Sure, it's not a natural disaster, but if the government's not able to help protect its citizens then why have a government?

Protect them from what? Corporations that cut corners and fuck up?

The protection from that is something called "regulations" and most of our government fights it tooth and nail.

[Razor Ramon]

So many for less government now want the government to clean up the oil. Why shouldn't this be a private matter? If BP caused it, they should foot the entire bill. My only concern is them getting the Britons to go against the U.S. completely since so many rely on BP dividends for retirement. Britain is losing its shit that we are criticizing the company for fucking up our gulf. Fuck you guys. I don't give a fuck if some old farts lose their pensions. Maybe diversifying your bonds wouldn't have fucked you so hard.

Diversify your bonds, niggas.

[Diff-chan]

So many for less government now want the government to clean up the oil. Why shouldn't this be a private matter?

Because those people who say they are for "less government" are not actually for less government. They are just corporatists that want the government to use taxpayer money to ensure giant corporations and the ludicrously rich remain in positions of power and wealth into perpetuity. "Privatize profits, socialize losses" is a common phrase.

Even if that means spending American taxpayer money on foreign companies.

"Small government" is just a campaign slogan. Hopefully people begin to realize this at some point.

[Razor Ramon]

It was a rhetorical question. Those for small governments are full of shit. It's just self-interest guised as libertarianism.

[dave is ok]

Yeah, this oil spill - more than any event in recent history - has really shown a bright light on the hypocrisy of the right.

You have Boehner saying that he wants the U.S. taxpayers to pay for the clean up, all the pundits are simultaneously trying to frame this oil spill as a Katrina-esque level fuck up for Obama while (at the SAME time) saying that oil is pretty much harmless to the ocean and defecting blame from BP to the environmentalists because "they wouldn't be drilling a mile offshore if the environmentalists let us drill in ANWAR".

It's been pretty hilarious. Here's a Facebook status that has been going around for the people OUTRAGED that we sent Haiti a few million dollars and aren't opening our taxpayer wallets for the Gulf.

So where are all the "Save the Gulf" concerts? Where are the TV benefits with celebrities and musicians giving heart felt speeches on the poor fishermen, wildlife, beaches, loss of income and sabotaged gulf economy?I find it rather strange how these people (including our own government) are so quick to help Haiti and other countries, yet sit on their butts for this one! REPOST if you agree

[Drewbacca]

It was a rhetorical question. Those for small governments are full of shit. It's just self-interest guised as libertarianism.

The only person who says small government and believes it is Ron Paul (maybe Kucinich?). And it's not like he's getting in any time soon.

[Fe 26]

So many for less government now want the government to clean up the oil. Why shouldn't this be a private matter?

If I had to guess, it is because the area damaged is not privately owned. Or that many do not believe BP can fix the problem.

If someone in Cali has an electrical fire due to their own stupidity, and it causes one of those huge wild fires because the forest and surrounding area is so dry, would you wait on the fire and give the house owner time to put the whole thing out? And if you did not, and let firemen and the State put the fire out, would you expect the whole bill to be sent to that one home owner that caused the fire by being an idiot (I don't know, putting tinfoil in the microwave or something)?


Like it or not, but one part of this problem is natural. The Oil. Man did not put the oil there, we did not make all the pressure, nor is anyone pushing a button to make the oil shoot out. It is doing that on its own.


Timing is the big issue that is changing people's political outlook on this. If the oil was static, there was only a certain amount of it there and there was a clear and fast way to clean it up, I think the repubs would be demanding BP clean it up. But in the real world, the oil is still coming out, and no one really has an idea how much is already out, and oil and water does this weird thing were it moves around and screws other shit up.


And besides, we all know most of the people on the coast are not deep political philosophers. Like most people, they want what whatever they feel they want. When things are good, they want to be left alone to do the same thing they've always done. They don't want more political control of their life or their job. They want everything to stay the same.

But now they have a huge problem. They want the problem fixed now. And they are going to demand that whomever can fix it the quickest and minimize their losses the most, do so. Ultimately these people want zero change and to be left alone. They don't want the government changing their life and they don't want a huge oil spill to change their life. And no, none of them see that they can't have both.

I can not totally fault them for this outlook. If my house was on fire I can't say I would be looking around calmly for the person who started the fire and then wait around for them to put out the fire. I'd be emotional and irrational and want anyone that can, to put out the fire.



I understand both political opinions on this. But I do have to say it naive to think that this disaster is purely man made. The pressure that is built up in the earth, that is pushing all this oil out, is very natural.

[Fe 26]

The only person who says small government and believes it is Ron Paul (maybe Kucinich?). And it's not like he's getting in any time soon.

small government is code for "get rid of crap I don't like"

repubs want to make social services smaller (get rid of them)

libs often want to decrease military spending, or at least they did. Maybe not currently.

[Razor Ramon]

You understand that oil wasn't going anywhere until BP created a well there, right? It wasn't just waiting for the moment to strike. That shit would probably have never come up to the surface if someone did not drill for it.

And a fire is different. A fire department is paid for by taxpayers to specifically combat fires. We have no such thing for oil. Companies are supposed to follow safeguards to ensure events just like the deep water horizon spill does not happen. They cut corners and didn't.

[dave is ok]

I understand both political opinions on this. But I do have to say it naive to think that this disaster is purely man made. The pressure that is built up in the earth, that is pushing all this oil out, is very natural.