In case you missed it, President Obama addressed the Nation last night to outline his planned response to the gulf oil spill. Though it was met with terrible reviews, I can't help but wonder what more people want from this guy?
It reminds me of the armchair quarterbacks complaining about why Mark Sanchez, quarterback for the New York Jets, can't throw an accurate pass down field? Well...could you throw that pass? Likewise, Obama is being tasked with coordinating a clean up effort, ensuring the health, environmental and economic viability of the entire gulf region, levying sanctions upon British Petroleum (BP), and keeping literally everyone happy in the meantime. This is an absolutely catastrophic event and we are acting like he's holding out on those magical powers to clap his hands and make it all go away.
Critics complain that Obama didn't outline ANY sort of plan but rather, "once again", spoke in grandiose and inoperable terms looping in this as an opportunity to begin the pursuit of clean energy alternatives. (Conspiracy theorists a-chatter much?) Let me put it like this; this administration is comprised of some of the smartest, most calculated people in this country and the gamble that they faced was to either OVER-promise, or UNDER-promise. If he had strutted in touting to get everything cleaned up within the next month, to criminally fine BP for their entire $100B market cap value, and make gulf seafood more delicious than ever, that STILL wouldn't be enough because you'd have people saying, "how the hell does he think he's going to do that?" To be clear, I can't necessarily blame them either because we're all cynical when we're getting screwed over. That should, however, be reserved for residents of the gulf affected by this mess.
For example, it's natural to want help immediately after we break our leg skateboarding, but the reality is, we've got to wait for the ambulance. Are EMTs driving too recklessly? Is there too much traffic? Is the driver incompetent? Is there bad weather? Do they have the right equipment? Most of these are considerations for the OTHER side...- all we have to think about is how much pain we're in. Lets not forget however, that like EMTs, quarterbacks, and (most of) our government officials, they're trained at this.
Everyone has an opinion on how they can govern better than the people currently doing so because in our diluted heads, the only interests that we actually consider are our own. That goes for Tea Partiers acting like they're the only Americans being taxed. That goes for Liberals acting like they're the only ones who are poor. That goes for Conservatives acting like they're always the victim. That goes for Libertarians acting like they're the only ones who work hard. No matter who's in office, it always seems like it's those who protest the loudest that are the first with their hands out to the government in hard times... I'm looking at you welfare recipients and big banks.
So everybody just calm down. In the gulf region, livelihoods are at stake. Ecosystems are at stake. Food safety is at stake. If we had the expertise to assist here, why are we sitting behind a computer at Starbucks or in a news studio in New York jaw jacking about why the President hasn't done more? You wouldn't tell a Top Chef how to cook Bouilabaisse with Sofrito would you?
...So, since I don't see any of you down in the gulf waist deep in oil, just be quiet while the adults and experts are trying to figure this out.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
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