- Joined
- Nov 24, 2009
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- Liberal
Was Pelosi to blame? I don't think so. Is there a specific case you have in mind? As Speaker, she doesn't sit on the committees that would normally originate new regulatory legislation and I don't recall an instance where she acted to prevent such from reaching the floor. The energy bill would have been the natural fit for such legislation and she guided it through the House; really a masterful achievement in her now extended list of achievements.
I do acknowledge that Obama was friendly to the oil extraction industry, indeed proposed more extraction offshore, in some of the most environmentally and economically sensitive areas imaginable. The president did not lead in halting deep water extraction activities and only now (too late) has reformed the agency responsible for that industry (by terminating it and creating three new independent agencies).
However, even in this regard, the policies and regulatory oversight applied to the Deepwater Horizon rig have to be substantially laid at the feet of the Bush administration which was in office throughout the construction and drilling period. Just saying.
I do acknowledge that Obama was friendly to the oil extraction industry, indeed proposed more extraction offshore, in some of the most environmentally and economically sensitive areas imaginable. The president did not lead in halting deep water extraction activities and only now (too late) has reformed the agency responsible for that industry (by terminating it and creating three new independent agencies).
However, even in this regard, the policies and regulatory oversight applied to the Deepwater Horizon rig have to be substantially laid at the feet of the Bush administration which was in office throughout the construction and drilling period. Just saying.