• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Palin accuses Obama of being in bed with big oil

Correct me if I'm wrong...... Barry won the election, right?

It's Bush and BP. Can't pin this on anyone else according to the apologists.
 
:shock:

That's your answer?

Really?

Do I need to explain just how lame that is?

You lived up to my every expectation of a rightie. Congrats.

You asked....

WHAT EXACTLY IS IT YOU OR THE CARIBOU BIMBO PROPOSE TO DO TO STOP THE OIL GUSHING FROM BP's SCREWUP?

And I reminded you that Barry won the election.... I guess I was expecting too much from a mouth foaming liberal bull **** artist to get the connection.

Carry on with your useless foul mouthed rants.
 
It's Bush and BP. Can't pin this on anyone else according to the apologists.

Everything is Bushes fault.... they are so spring loaded to blame Bush that if this administration ever did anything right they'd **** up and still blame Bush.
 
I just would like some answers from the White House.

No. You want to blame Obama for things that were not of his doing and out of his control.

I'm asking for leadership.

Who do you think is running the show at the White House? Here's a hint: Obama doesn't have a puppet master like the previous president did. If you think Obama takes his marching orders from anyone else in his administration, you're dreaming.

According to the White House they've been on the job since day one.

It's a fact. The Coast Guard was there right after the blast. It's unfortunate for you that this doesn't fit in with your "Everything Obama does is WRONG!" ideology, but it happens to be the truth. :shrug:

I tried to reply but just couldn't without laughing. Sorry.

Again, the Coast Guard was on the scene immediately after the explosion, and they haven't left. Since April 20, they've been joined by tens of thousands of individuals from various other federal agencies and organizations trying to repair the damage BP has done.

Specifically: Leadership. Leadership is the process where a person empowers, motivates and takes on the responsibility to get a task or tasks completed through others.

Exactly. THROUGH OTHERS. That's precisely what the man is doing – attacking the problem from multiple directions through the use of multiple federal agencies, in an attempt to complete the task of picking up the oil-soaked leftovers that BP is spewing all over the Gulf. :doh

Look you idoloize Obama and have your head up his ass so far you can taste his lunch.

"Idolize?" That's pretty funny! I may respect the man for taking on the task of trying to clean up the numerous disasters left in the wake of the previous administration, and do believe he's got the best interests of the American people at heart, but I sure as hell don't think he walks on water. He's just as fallible as anyone else is. The thing is, you see only in absolutes – if Obama's not fixing whatever problem right now, right away, this instant, and doing it in exactly the way you want it done, he's not only not leading, he's doing "nothing." :roll:

That's what I want.
I want…

I want. I want. I want. Gimmee! GIMMEE! GIMMEEEEEE!!!!

As already noted, people in hell want ice water. I want a big bag of money and an end to Bush's oil war in Iraq. Sometimes you get what you want; sometimes you don't. In this case, Obama is doing what it is possible to do as a president at this time. That it doesn't satisfy your warped idea of what a president "owes" you, or fulfill your list of "wants" is of no concern to me or to him.

Finally, I'm not the one expecting him to walk on the oil-soaked waters and fix everything, here… you are. :doh
 
Last edited:
One more time, I'm not asking for equipment to work at depths of 5000 feet.


I'm not qualified to have a solution or I'd be out there helping. I'm asking for the Government to tell us what they're doing to mitigate this disaster and to bring the full force of the Federal Government to assist in the assessment of impact and the clean up.

Isn't it the Conservative philosophy to let the market take care of things?

The "market" told them to drill at 5,000 feet below water and avoid paying $500,000 and making sure their back-up plans were effective.

Hell, Rand Paul has already called Obama "un-American" for being upset at BP; shouldn't we just let the market do as it will?
 
Isn't it the Conservative philosophy to let the market take care of things?

The "market" told them to drill at 5,000 feet below water and avoid paying $500,000 and making sure their back-up plans were effective.

Hell, Rand Paul has already called Obama "un-American" for being upset at BP; shouldn't we just let the market do as it will?

n an interview Friday on ABC's "Good Morning America," Paul says the president's response is part of the "blame game" that's played in the U.S. Paul said that leads to the thinking that tragic incidents are "always someone's fault" and added, sometimes accidents just happen.

No, accidents don't just happen. There is always a reason and it can almost always be traced to a human error. In this case, BP caused the accident.
 
n an interview Friday on ABC's "Good Morning America," Paul says the president's response is part of the "blame game" that's played in the U.S. Paul said that leads to the thinking that tragic incidents are "always someone's fault" and added, sometimes accidents just happen.

No, accidents don't just happen. There is always a reason and it can almost always be traced to a human error. In this case, BP caused the accident.

Oh, hell yeah, this is BP's fault.

I was trying to point out that you'll only get more of this if you actually want the small government, Libertarian philosophy of deregulation.

This is what you are essentially HOPING for if you don't believe the government should regulate business.
 
Isn't it the Conservative philosophy to let the market take care of things?

The "market" told them to drill at 5,000 feet below water and avoid paying $500,000 and making sure their back-up plans were effective.

Hell, Rand Paul has already called Obama "un-American" for being upset at BP; shouldn't we just let the market do as it will?

So you advocate pure anarchy or just trying to show how bad free markets are when there's a disaster? Extreme positions with unreasonable views really don't incite me to respond. The one time the Federal Government is required to step in is to protect it's citizens. This is one of those times. Why do you have the Constitution?
 
So you advocate pure anarchy or just trying to show how bad free markets are when there's a disaster? Extreme positions with unreasonable views really don't incite me to respond. The one time the Federal Government is required to step in is to protect it's citizens. This is one of those times. Why do you have the Constitution?

Of course, if the regulators had done their jobs; or if we'd realized that what we're dealing with is incredibly risky and opted not to do it in the first place, this wouldn't be happening at all.

If your mantra (not yours personally, just those on the right) is "drill baby, drill" then you should probably be prepared for the eventualities of a spill. Since this rig was approved in 1998 and built in 2001, the blame for the lack of response by the government (or the lack of ability) should be shared along several administrations.

If, indeed, you believe that Obama is "in bed" with big oil - then you can't suddenly believe that all the administrations before were any better. Simultaneously, why would ANY upcoming president be expected to be better?

If there should have been preparations for these things, why isn't the anger directed at the heads of government who approved the drilling in the first place WITHOUT these protections in place?
 
So you advocate pure anarchy or just trying to show how bad free markets are when there's a disaster? Extreme positions with unreasonable views really don't incite me to respond. The one time the Federal Government is required to step in is to protect it's citizens. This is one of those times. Why do you have the Constitution?

Do you hold the same belief about the situation in Katrina? ;)
 
Link


Where are the Senate and House hearings? This is worse than Katrina. Obama is asleep, and doing nothing.

Sarah Palin said:
Drill, baby, drill.

She who smelt it dealt it.

They are ALL in bed with big oil. Not just some, so it doesn't make sense to point the finger, if you were a cheerleader for drilling to begin with. And yes, I agree. Obama should have done more, but didn't.
 
Of course, if the regulators had done their jobs; or if we'd realized that what we're dealing with is incredibly risky and opted not to do it in the first place, this wouldn't be happening at all.

If your mantra (not yours personally, just those on the right) is "drill baby, drill" then you should probably be prepared for the eventualities of a spill. Since this rig was approved in 1998 and built in 2001, the blame for the lack of response by the government (or the lack of ability) should be shared along several administrations.

What you say is absolutely true. It was and is risky and it's my belief BP or Halliburton or whomever was working that rig cut corners. Someone LET them cut corners and then this happened. So I think the blame will be enough to go around and will hit almost everyone. That said, this won't be the last spill as I think we'll be oil bound for another 30-40 years before we can get off the stuff in a big enough way to make a dent. I think drilling will continue and this lesson will change behavior both for Government and for corporations who drill after this mess.

If, indeed, you believe that Obama is "in bed" with big oil - then you can't suddenly believe that all the administrations before were any better. Simultaneously, why would ANY upcoming president be expected to be better?
Unfortunately no - no better. Obama was / is in bed no more or less than prior or current politicians. This has been an issue it's just that this particular accident happened on Obama's watch.

If there should have been preparations for these things, why isn't the anger directed at the heads of government who approved the drilling in the first place WITHOUT these protections in place?
It should be but right now the message is being controlled. Government failed at certain levels - perhaps in some we yet do not know. BP certainly is culpable, and inspectors, and probably dozens more. But now is not the time for blame - now is the time for collaborative work, leadership and stopping the flow asap. Then we can sort it all out and take the few pounds of flesh as needed.

I'm pissed at the very short term errors - where my view is, BP is in charge, BP is trying all sorts of things and Government is playing politics by signing executive orders, assigning tasks and resources with no clear cut goals or objectives. THAT is a mistake and should be rectified. A mistake that we shoudl not be adding to the mountain of mistakes already made.
 
Do you hold the same belief about the situation in Katrina? ;)

Yes, Government had to step in with Katrina due to the human toll and devastation. One of the basic tenants of Government is that it has to protect it's citizens.
 
Yes, Government had to step in with Katrina due to the human toll and devastation. One of the basic tenants of Government is that it has to protect it's citizens.

I thought it was a states issue?
 
Only it wasn't Obama who was stationed at the post - it was BP.

lol, um no it is the Federal Government that owns the land upon which BP drills, try again. BP only leases drilling rights.

For too long Congress has allowed the oil companies to regulate themselves.

If you want true self regulation than force BP into full liability by allowing them to homestead the land they are drilling on rather than allowing them to diminish their own liability by eliminating the built-in incentives for self regulations that exist within a free market. This was the clear result of the state capitalist system in which the Minerals Management Service of the Department of the Interior has a symbiotic relationship with big oil as it gets its funding from royalties from continental shelf oil and gas production and this corporatist system which allowed for the $75 million cap on BP liability.
 
Last edited:
Curious that Republican Palin is accusing Obama of laxation and deregulation of oil companies. When one of the biggest contributors to the Republican caukse are the oil companies and when the Republican motto is: Drill, baby, drill. I guess it changed to : Blame, baby, blame
 
Curious that Republican Palin is accusing Obama of laxation and deregulation of oil companies. When one of the biggest contributors to the Republican caukse are the oil companies and when the Republican motto is: Drill, baby, drill. I guess it changed to : Blame, baby, blame

Both parties are in bed with big oil, that is how the corporatist system operates. Do you realize that the regulatory firm responsible for policing the off shore oil companies has a symbiotic relationship with those companies in that they gain their entire budget of $13 billion from the royalties payed by those oil companies for the privilege to lease the off shore land claimed by the Feds? And in return the oil companies have a $75 million liability cap. The land should be homesteaded by the oil companies drilling there and they should assume any and all liability for accidents, that will create the necessary incentives to self regulate.
 
I absolutely, 110% agree. This is the ecological disaster the very same people who are now defending the environmental criminals of Big Oil, swore would NEVER happen.

They are lying scum and should be locked up and NEVER released.

One company's disaster shouldn't dictate where we should drill. I am not an oil well expert but is seems to me that the problem was not having secondary shut off systems to deal with such an event. Like any disaster we should learn from it and make drilling oil much safer in the future. In my opinion this should be a sign for us to stop being half-assed about drilling for oil. If we are going to do it let's go all out and make is safe, efficient and effective. Enforce regulations and safety requirements.

This is really embarassing for the oil industry that so soon after the United States decided to relax some drilling restrictions these assholes screwed up so badly. It really pisses me off and BP should have to pay dearly for their mistake. As for Obama's fault in this matter, it is probably more a PR disaster then anything else. I don't know what else the government can actually do to stop the leak but they sure could be doing more to mobilize cleanup and containment. We shouldn't be waiting for BP on that count.
 
What you say is absolutely true. It was and is risky and it's my belief BP or Halliburton or whomever was working that rig cut corners. Someone LET them cut corners and then this happened. So I think the blame will be enough to go around and will hit almost everyone. That said, this won't be the last spill as I think we'll be oil bound for another 30-40 years before we can get off the stuff in a big enough way to make a dent. I think drilling will continue and this lesson will change behavior both for Government and for corporations who drill after this mess.

Unfortunately no - no better. Obama was / is in bed no more or less than prior or current politicians. This has been an issue it's just that this particular accident happened on Obama's watch.

It should be but right now the message is being controlled. Government failed at certain levels - perhaps in some we yet do not know. BP certainly is culpable, and inspectors, and probably dozens more. But now is not the time for blame - now is the time for collaborative work, leadership and stopping the flow asap. Then we can sort it all out and take the few pounds of flesh as needed.

I'm pissed at the very short term errors - where my view is, BP is in charge, BP is trying all sorts of things and Government is playing politics by signing executive orders, assigning tasks and resources with no clear cut goals or objectives. THAT is a mistake and should be rectified. A mistake that we shoudl not be adding to the mountain of mistakes already made.

I don't really disagree with anything you're saying here - except this:

The Obama administration can be blamed to a degree - however, all of these drilling permits were there long before they took office. What was not there for them were the tools to be prepared for a spill like this.

Why were we letting them drill when we knew we didn't have the tools to stop something like this?

I can't simply place the blame on Obama for that. I can say this: there seems to be a lack of ideas.
 
Why were we letting them drill when we knew we didn't have the tools to stop something like this?

Because the Federal Government gets an annual $13 billion in offshore oil royalties paid by the oil firms to the Minerals Management Service of the Department of the Interior for the privilege of leasing the offshore land claimed by the Feds, and in return for that and their millions in campaign contributions the oil firms get a $75 million cap on liability. There are no built in incentives to self regulation within the state capitalist/corporatist system. If the oil companies were allowed to homestead the land rather than leasing it from the Feds and thus endowed with full liability for damages, things like this wouldn't happen.
 
Because the Federal Government gets an annual $13 billion in offshore oil royalties paid by the oil firms to the Minerals Management Service of the Department of the Interior for the privilege of leasing the offshore land claimed by the Feds, and in return for that and their millions in campaign contributions the oil firms get a $75 million cap on liability. There are no built in incentives to self regulation within the state capitalist/corporatist system. If the oil companies were allowed to homestead the land rather than leasing it from the Feds and thus endowed with full liability for damages, things like this wouldn't happen.

Oh, I'm with you...I'm just trying to coax others into realizing that Republicans accusing Democrats of being in bed with big oil is utterly silly, since it's all just a big three-way between the two parties and big oil.

Voting for the other party isn't suddenly going to end this relationship - especially if you vote for Little Miss Drill Baby Drill.
 
Back
Top Bottom