An Important National Report
The Obama Oil Disaster
THE SPILL THAT NEVER SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED
Before and immediately after his presidential election, Obama made it perfectly
clear that he was the environmental president and that there was going to be a new level of control over all possible irresponsibilities
within all aspects of energy production.
So, he appointed his department heads and generated his own brand of regulators
and inspectors. It was going to be a new era. Now he was in control.
As with so many other things in his new administration, it didn't quite
work out that way. The political campaign that never ceased, was not followed by appropriate fulfillments. And,
as a result, sooner than later, truth managed to rear its ugly head.
As we all know, the most prominent example of this was the disastrous explosion
and extensive oil spill that will do great harm to the Gulf of Mexico and the southern shores of the United States for generations
to come. It is a man-made disaster unlike anything that has ever happened before in all of human history.
For just about a year and a half now, President Obama has had plenty of
time to apply the control and inspection regimen that he had promised. It wasn't all that difficult a task and could
easily have been applied in appropriate areas.
Unfortunately for us all, he allowed the safety inspections of the oil rigs
to be handled by the operational contractors and/or the oil companies. This was not even remotely the way it was supposed
to be. It was supposed to be the responsibility of Obama appointed officials and their inspectors.
We are all too aware of the result of this massive oversight. British
Petroleum's Trans-Ocean "Deep Water Horizon" drilling operation blew, and left the gulf and its beaches in what is becoming
utter desolation. It was a culmination of preliminary breakdowns and other warning signs that were swept aside.
It was a disaster that was bound to happen.
The annular gasket was severely damaged, the blow-out preventor failed and
even the control pods became unreliable. It seems to have been a classic cascade effect.
HOW NOT TO CLEAN UP AN OIL SPILL
Our president then proceeded to ask advice from others and did little else
for quite some time, although he was very quick to claim he was totally on the issue from day-one. Examples of his involvement
included giving his trust to the oil company to handle things and to turning down a number of important offers of help, including
assistance with valuable and necessary equipment fromt he Dutch government. His own agencies were also matching his
ineptitudes, providing system-wide dysfunction.
Reasonable minds from both parties and independent experts everywhere began
asking such questions as why a national disaster was not declared and why the Army Corps of Engineers, every usable vessel,
National Guardsmen, and others were not called in.
Others could not understand why the Governor of Louisiana's request for
appropriate barriers for his vulnerable coastal wetlands were denied when needed most, and why other equipment and vessels
were left waiting and unused for such an extended period of time.
And then, Obama announces his rescinding of water-area drilling permits
and similar actions that have no direct relation to the current and most immediate problem, but, we understand, he did hope
it would help to create a good public relations effect. He was also quick to declare that the drilling moratorium was
based on a special report. "The recommendations contained in this report have been peer-reviewed by seven experts
identified by the National Academy of Engineering," it was noted in Obama's report.
However, things didn't work out all that well in that area either.
As reported by The Wall Street Journal, "...the latest blowback comes from seven angry experts from the National Academy
of Engineering who say their views were distorted to justify the ban." And so it goes for our well-oiled presidency.
WHAT MIGHT BE DONE, IF THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED TO DO IT
Many have come forward. Experts in oil spillage, scientists from many
different disciplines, companies with new, specialized equipment, and of course some well meaning, naive souls with some less-than-effective
ideas --- all have come forward.
Everyone seems to want to help. Are any of them being given even a
tiny bit of attention (just in case one or more might be of some help)? As far as we have been able to determine, none
have been given the right time of day --- not by even one official or government agency.
And there are some clean-up technologies that many believe really should
be given a chance to prove what they can do. One of a number of promising opportunities can be found in a California
company by the name of "Mobius Technologies." This company has a micronized polyurethane sorbent that this writer has
seen demonstrated. The result is very impressive.
The company has a notable amount of this oil sorbent available and is even
willing to go on site and conduct a demonstration in a good-sized area at no cost whatsoever to the government or to anyone
else. Too good an offer to turn down? Evidently not. No officials seem willing to give the technology even
the smallest modicum of attention.
You can see an interesting video demonstration at MobiusTechnologies.com
and you can give them a call at 877/477-1689 if you would like to give them a little bit of attention. (It should be
noted that this writer has no connection with this company, financially or otherwise.)
There are others out there who should be given a hearing as well.
This is just one good example. It is hoped that eventually this new government of ours will be forced to do its job
right, which includes the serious consideration of all reasonable, possible solutions.
THE BLAME GAME
With just about everything pointing to the current administration as the
primary cause of this disastrous event --- from prevention to clean-up --- the major reaction from this administration has
been one of "image damage control" rather than a full mobilization in the field.
As reported by The Wall Street Journal, "President Barack Obama, facing
political heat from both right and left over his response to the Gulf oil spill, blasted Republicans on Wednesday (June 2,
2010) for what he said was a loosening of regulations on industry at the public's expense." Nobody seems to be
buying this rather surprising statement.
As Obama's oil pond grows, we are reminded of a Washington Times report
that noted, "The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 gives the president sweeping powers and responsibilities in the case of an
oil blowout. Among many other provisions putting the president directly in charge, the law says the president 'shall
... direct or monitor all Federal, State and private actions to remove a discharge.' "
IN CONCLUSION
In a sane and reasonable society, all those supposedly in charge, in the
private sector and in the government, would be quickly replaced (and prosecuted when appropriate), by knowledgeable men and
women of action. We have the science and we have the willingness. Now what we need is the leadership.
This report was authored by Jonathan West, the director of the web site,
"GettingAmericaBack.org" in association with concerned citizens throughout America.
Mr. West and the web site organization can be reached by e-mail through:
JonathanWest2000@hotmail.com or by calling 858/488-8222 (American Communication Arts).
All assistance will be given to interested media and those engaged in research
or any other investigation processes. Permission is granted for reproduction and distribution of this report in all
forms. We only ask that you credit the "GettingAmericaBack.org" web site as the source.
Thank you for your time and your serious considerations.
June - July, 2010
