Over a Candle

BP CEO Tony Hayward is in front of Congress this morning for a public tongue-lashing over the Gulf oil spill. I’ve never been fully convinced that these hearings lead to anything more than political theatre, but it is tradition. During the opening statements from lawmakers, Joe Barton, from Texas, attacked.

But rather than attacking BP, he engaged in the favorite pastime of politicians these days, attacking the White House. Not for failing to keep BP within regulatory bounds as some have done. Rather, he attacked the White House for trying to hold BP financially accountable for its complete disregard for people and the environment.

Lawmakers confront BP CEO over Gulf oil disaster:

Rep. Joe Barton of Texas, the senior Republican on the Energy and Commerce Committee, said he agreed with the call of Democrats on the panel for answers. But Barton accused the White House of conducting a ‘$20 billion shakedown’ by requiring oil giant BP to establish a fund to compensate those hurt by the Gulf Coast oil spill.

‘I’m ashamed of what happened in the White House’ on Wednesday, Barton said.

Unfortunately, it is unclear to me what Barton would prefer. Does he think there should be no consequences for BP’s actions? Should the private companies he is so eager to defend not be held accountable for the harms they inflict? If there are no consequences for BP, why would they do anything differently next time?

BP mismanaged a well allowing the spill to occur. Are government regulators to blame for not engaging in better oversight? Sure. But notice that also suggests that BP cannot be trusted to regulate itself. We need government regulations (properly enforced) to keep companies like BP in check.

After the spill, BP has shown nothing but ineptitude in trying to contain and control the problem. If they are not punished for their actions, if they do not compensate those they have harmed, why would they change their behavior in the future?

Barton has no suggestions, but he’s willing to attack the White House because it is politically expedient to do so. This is what passes for political leadership these days.

Five weeks. The oil spill that won’t stop has been going on for five weeks.

Today I heard a report that the oil industry is pushing to allow some off-shore drilling in shallower waters because the technology is older and more proven. It seems the problem with the BP rig that exploded is that it was based on tech that was only 10 or 15 years old. I wish I was kidding. (Here is the NPR report on the oil lobby.) Based on the NPR report, it sounds like the oil lobby is pretty confident it can get back to off-shore drilling.

Meanwhile, it is clear the government wants to push BP out of the way and handle this mess itself, if for no other reason than BP seems incompetent (or willfully dragging its heels). The problem is, the government acknowledges that it doesn’t have the expertise to handle this spill. It needs BP.

Naturally, this is perfectly on point for advocates of small government and private companies handling social ills. I should think Republicans would be happy to keep the government out of the gulf and let BP show us how it’s done. After all, for years they have been trying to pare down government and put the responsibility for various issues in the private sector where it belongs.

So they should be thrilled, right?

Wrong…

Obama wants to “plug the damn hole”:

Missouri Republican Representative Roy Blunt on Tuesday called on Salazar to approve more supplies for the Gulf Coast, such as more oil-absorbing booms and sand berms, and said the government’s ‘lack of contingency planning for this kind of catastrophe should be a wake up call.’

‘The American people expect better from the federal government,’ Blunt said in a statement.

For years the government has taken a beating for trying to solve problems. And now, when their precious private sector has so completely screwed up that the economies of several states are threatened, not to mention doing unfathomable damage to the environment, now the Republicans are pointing fingers at the government for not doing more.

I’m sorry, but if you are going to undermine the ability for the government to fund such measures, you don’t get to complain when it can’t save BP from itself. You don’t get to complain the government hasn’t done enough to help the local communities when, for years, you have complained that the government should step aside and let the private sector handle these things.

Maybe… just maybe… We shouldn’t be relying quite so heavily on the private sector to pull our asses out of the fire. Maybe… just maybe… We need to use the government to help solve problems that the private sector has little incentive to solve. But of course, that would require admitting that the private sector is not the answer to everything.

Are the Republicans prepared to say that in public?

I’m sorry I don’t have time for a proper post, but I just had to share this little Monday morning gem…

Sarah Palin has no shame. I mean, can you imagine a more ironic politician accusing someone of being in bed with the oil companies? Seriously?

Sarah, when your chant from the 2008 election is still remembered by everyone in the country, and makes direct reference to more oil drilling, perhaps you should keep your mouth shut when it comes to accusing others. Do you expect us to believe that, under your “guidance” we wouldn’t have an accident like this every week?

Palin accuses Obama of being in bed with Big Oil:

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Right-wing darling Sarah Palin accused US President Barack Obama on Sunday of being lax in his response to the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster and suggested this was because he is too close to Big Oil.