Obama Administration Rejected Help with Oil Spill Cleanup
Environmentalism, Politics — By Jamal Washington on June 11, 2010 at 9:08 pmI have been trying not to be too hard on the Obama Administration regarding their bungling of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. After all, this is Obama’s first real job and he’s a lawyer, not an engineer. It turns out that my forbearance in criticizing the Obama administration over this issue was largely unearned.
Three days after the explosion, the Dutch government offered to assist the United States by sending ships equipped with oil-skimming booms. It also provided a plan for creating sand barriers to protect the sensitive marshlands of the Gulf coast.
According to Geert Visser, Consul General for the Netherlands in Houston “The embassy got a nice letter from the administration that said, ‘Thanks, but no thanks.’”
Almost seven weeks later, the administration finally relented and agreed to accept partial Dutch assistance with the cleanup. The administration has not accepted Dutch ships, but has allowed the skimming booms to be airlifted from the Netherlands and deployed in the Gulf.
Part of the problem is the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, also known as the Jones Act. This act is a piece of protectionist legislation which requires that all goods transported by water between U.S. ports be carried in U.S.-flag ships, constructed in the United States, owned by U.S. citizens, and crewed by U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents. The provisions of this act make it illegal for the Dutch to come to our aid.
Geert Visser was noticeably confused by the administrations intransigence in refusing Dutch assistance, “What’s wrong with accepting outside help? If there’s a country that’s experienced with building dikes and managing water, it’s the Netherlands.”
The government is also making it difficult for the Dutch to provide assistance in creating sand barriers to prevent the spilled oil from reaching the gulf shores. Van Oord, a Dutch company and Deltares, a Dutch research institute provided plans to build 60 mile sand dikes and the government rebuffed their offer of assistance. The government has now changed it’s tune and has accepted the plan, but the Jones Act prevents the Dutch from operating in America’s coastal waters.
The United States Maritime Administration could issue a waiver of the Jones Act limitations, and has done so several times in the past. Doing so, however, would subject the Obama administration to criticism from labor unions who demand protection from global competition.
112 Comments
I smell something quite strange. Awhile back Soros was putting money investments into a new oil field found in Venezuela. This particular oil field is going to require side ways drilling which is a technology that the U.S. has developed, and not been shared to readily. With a “pause” drill rigs are moving out, most likely not to return for years. Some of these rigs do have the side drilling technology and moving them to other countries is losing the technology. I would like to know if some of these rigs are headed for Venezuela, and the first proposed moratorium (now a pause) was deliberate. Soros again will fill his pockets if this is true. This needs to be questioned. The response and deliberate negative attitude for help from the Netherlands was stupid… Obama has used his “executive order pen” for lesser things. I wouldn’t be surprised if the U.S. has put money into this new oil field as well. Now could the government want to be in the oil business? We lose these drilling rigs we are screwed! I think this so called “pause” is going to last longer than they state, forcing rigs to move from several states coast lines.
In the long standing tradition of referring to presidents by their initials, BO is very approprite. He stinks as a president.
His is so self centered he named his dog after him. (BO)
Dear Friends,I agree totally with Kathryn,who wrote in on June 12.I actually wrote in Alan W. Keyes on my November,2008,ballot,for President.He is a real American,who champions the right for everyone,yes,everyone;that concensus includes the unborn and aged.I only wish that I could have pushed one of those baby carriages alongside him,on the Notre Dame campus.
This takes the cake! We have people that could have helped and Obama refused because of the Unions … OMG … He is so busy throwing parties and taking his wife out to dinner that he doesn’t take care of business. He has lost any chance of re-election. The only people that Obama Champions are the socialists! Pay attention!
I have not said this already!
This is messed up..he was offered help yet turned it down….as president he is responcible for the american people and our country…at first he acted like he cared about our enviroment but this is the worst enviromental disaster this country has yet to see and what has he done let’s see….fly there a few times in 2 months,gets on tv and says bp will pay for it,and waite what 58 days to set down with them to make a plan,and turnes down help….he said he cares about the little man if he did he would not have turned down the help at any cost….if he is going to catch heck from people either way by accepting or rejecting help I would rather have some good come out of it and take the help…there is a lot at stake here a lot of things that can and will happen the sooner this is stopped and cleaned up the better off we all are….the exon spill was nothing compared to this…and the empact on the wildlife is still being felt even today…the orcas living in that area at the time for example there reproductive rate is now only 70% what it was before that oil spill….just last week a 12ft tiger shark was caught off florida coast weighing 800lbs he was no real danger to people bc he was disorented…after being caught he was taken and released in deeper waters…it is believed that he was a gulf shark..sharks have an incredible sence of smell this could send a lot of sharks to floridas coast…my concern is for the whale shark harmless to humans his food sorce is plankton…he opens his mouth takes in plankton and water,them let’s the water out..when this gentle giant migrates to the gulf as they do every year it could very well be his death sentence….this being a short list of the wildlife concerned how can obama claim to be enviromently friendly if he turnes down help to save it….not possible he is not.
The more things I hear about Obum, the more I am convinced that this man is way over his head on his job, is very inexperienced in the goverment job he has taken on, another2 yrs before he is out of a job, unless of course he is nominated for reelection, and that would not really surprise me as he was elected w/o hardly anyone knowing who he was or really what he stood for, I stopped putting my ballot for a democrat after Billy Boy, never again will I ever even vote, this president has turned my stomach. Frank
If you think back and remember that the Obama Administrations agenda is the transfer of wealth and morph into socialist state, none of this is alarming. He will, if allowed to continue, CHANGE the face of this country beyond recognition. He is an embarrassment to all people who have worked hard and sacrificed for this country….even the unions. Shame on you Barry!
To this day, day 60 or 61 from the start of the oil matter, Obama with the brain of a door knob, has forgotten the oil is still gushing 24 hours a day, however, it does not effect this stupid illiterate moron, has no interest and never has on stopping the oil from destroying the ocean coast with all the residents lifes. HE AT NO TIME EVER mention stopping the oil leak, it was his goal to put hisblack foot on the throat of BP and start screaming for money. The CEO mention several times, “lets stop the oil spill first,” oh not not for this greedy SOB. Now that he has the 20B, he has forgotten about the spill and the people who is suffering. If the residents think they will get the money, they are going to be shocked. Already the unions, UAW and the teachers union (who spent more on this jerks election that any one)now they want billions to pile up for his next election. If your really interested in starting something to take back Washington, the supreme court should be the first to contact. 1. they are collection tax payers money, ae they earning it? In the corporate world, if you do not meet the requirments of your job, you are escorted out of thee building. This should be directed to many in Washington, starting with the supreme Court. They know Obama is not a US citizen, they know the GM tranaction was illegal. How do you think they will judge the illegal immgrant law suit that is brewing between the brain deal and the gov of AZ. Obama should be charged with loss of jobs, homes, the health care and what it will do in the future,and most of all, refusing the help within 3 days of the spill that could of stopped the spread of this oil to other states. But he wanted the money. now that he has the money, its all over.
Start now, let Washington know how you feel, if the fed sue Az over the illegal immigrant, then it is time for a up rising to make a “change” to save this country. most of all obama can pay for his own attorney fees, he has used taxpyers money to defend his citizenship and all his other problems, that has run into millions. let him pay for his OWN attorney fees. Let the punishment fit the crime. due to the fact he hates our american flag, our bible, our troops, white people, he should be wrapped in a flag, put in a cage, listen to Rush L tapes for a month in a space unknown, then he should be airlifted, dropped off with his family on the other side of the Mexican boarder, see how well the mexicans are to him, mabe he could do some vote takers. sooner someone steps and and gives obama a severe headache, the better. contact the supreme court and write to the United States Justice Foundation, info@USJFinfo.net step up and make a difference. I am. meg
Jeez are we talking about an oil spill or hate Obama act….Obviously it seems like a lot more heads are involved then just the president as to why they haven’t taken full control….. if part of the following is coming from the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 then maybe they should burn that off with the oil and get some damn help already……is it American pride that is killing our water in not taking help?
Totally disgusted…..the losses are already on the surface and beyond what is being shown….no money can pay for the cost of what toll its taking on the inhabitants dying in their own homes and the new borns meeting their new world for the first time to say goodbye forever……..Just get some damn help and stop talking about money….We can cry about whats already gone later $$ fix it now….
Check out a picture of the Valdes Star and compair it to the what Obama has allowed forced BP to finance, http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389×8402501#8410014 Is what Obama Blocked,
Why is Obama saying “we will fight the spill with everything we got”, a month after he blocked the worlds best technology to pick up this oil. Where is Kattie Couric and the rest of the American press on this story? This has been in the foreign press for over a month! It is not stupid to rely on saw dust filled oil booms behind fifty year old fishing boats while blocking these practical solutions? Check it out at http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/dutch-oil-spill-response-team-standby-us-oil-disaster
There is more behind this than the Jones act. America has similar technology on standby in Alaska and Washington State. The Valdese Star can pick up over 3.3 million gallons of oil a day. Why has it not been brought in? A high estimated of 127 million gallons of oil have leaked so far or about the content of 1 and ½ half supertankers. The capacity of this American made ship could have picked up over 200 million gallons had Obama had not been so politically motivated determined to sacrifice the Gulf for political posturing. We can’t blame BP when Obama is blocking real solutions just to make this spill into a crises he can exploit politically. http://www.adn.com/evos/stories/EV323.html Thank God someone is reporting this story. Keep it up!