LANSING – The massive BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has reaffirmed a few things about Republicans: that it will criticize President Obama just for waking up in the morning, and they hate government and say the private sector can do everything better until the private sector causes a disaster and they call for government help.
A pair of resolutions introduced and approved in the Senate on Thursday reinforced those two principals. They attacked the President and tried to blame him for the BP oil spill.
On Wednesday researchers confirmed that at least one Asian carp had been discovered in Lake Calumet, above the locks at the Chicago River, and that led Republicans to introduce and approve Senate Resolution 166 and Senate Concurrent Resolution 47 on Thursday.
Senate Democrats objected to the partisan language in the resolution that said,
“A resolution to call the Obama Administration to task for its failed leadership on preventing Asian carp from invading the Great Lakes and call again for immediate actions to prevent further carp movement into the Great Lakes.”
Last February, the Senate unanimously passed two similar resolutions that urged the U.S. Congress and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to take immediate actions to prevent the Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes and to develop long-term strategies to address this problem. But this time the Republicans thought it more important to take shots at the President than address the problem.
Last winter the federal government launched a new $78.5 million plan to prevent Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes. However, Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm deemed the proposed measures insufficient, and she directed Republican Attorney General "Manoogian" Mike Cox to seek a legal solution. He filed a motion to the U.S. Supreme Court for an emergency order to close the locks connecting the Chicago Sanitary and Shipping Canal to Lake Michigan. However, the conservative court rejected the motion. I guess we need a better AG if he can’t even win in a friendly court.
Senate Majority Leader Mike Prusi, D-Ishpeming, introduced an amendment to strike out the partisan language, but the Republicans would have not of that, and it failed along party lines. Prusi said the President was taking the recommendation of the Army Corps of Engineers, and the resolutions should single out them and not the president. At the very least there is no reason to make it a partisan attack.
“They have been the ones who have been delaying and studying and perhaps giving the President some bad advice on how to resolve this issue,” he said. “But I don’t think that it will serve us well if we just point the finger at the President, making this into a partisan issue.”
It makes no sense to ask some to do something, and then attack them at the same time. The resolution also attacks the President for the BP oil spill, despite the fact that the oil-friendly Bush Administration stripped out regulations and allowed BP the permit to drill when they did not have adequate safety measures in place or a real plan to address an oil leak.
“Whereas, The Obama Administration already has one ecological disaster on its watch. The administration should not allow another disaster with longer-term consequences and within its power to prevent from coming to fruition.”
Sen. Liz Brater, D-Ann Arbor, noted the irony of the Republicans scramming for government help now.
“I would like to welcome my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to the belief that the government needs to be strong and vigorous in its mission to protect the people from harm and to help us address harms in the environment that we cannot address on an individual basis,” she said. “I think it is wonderful that we have bipartisan agreement on that issue today. I hope that we remember it when we have other environmental issues come up in the near future.”
Brater also said she hopes the Republicans sudden concern for the environment continues. She said Republicans can’t continue to call for smaller government, refuse to pay the true costs of environmental protection to keep invasive species out of our ecosystem and prevent other harms to the environment, refuse to regulate industries that cause environmental harm and then blame the person who happens to be in the White House when a disaster that has been brewing for decades finally comes to a head.
She called on the Republicans to start moving bills in the Legislature to protect Michigan from ecological disaster that they have been blocking.
“Sitting in the natural resources committee right now are bills to prevent mercury from circulating in our bloodstream; bills to prevent bottles which contain petroleum plastics from being wasted and instead have a deposit and to be recycled; and bills to protect our water and air,” Brater said. “Most interestingly, a bill that would prevent the spread of invasive species in our ecosystem, introduced by the good Senator from the 32nd District (Prusi), is languishing in that committee.”
In the end, the majority of Democrats, unlike Republicans, put partnership aside, and the resolutions passed by a vote of 31-3.
“We should work with the federal government to provide the resources to prevent more of these invasive species from entering our ecosystem at our ports and through our ships that are circulating, and many other ways that we should be working together to prevent Asian carp and other invasive species from destroying our ecosystem,” Brater said.
15 comments:
The Government shouldn't interfere with the free flow of the Asian Carp, The Free Market does everything better... Which is why the Republicans undercut and underfund the EPA, ignore corporate gross violations, and deregulate all laws, unless those laws regulate gay sex...
You are correct. Besides, the private sector can do a much better job of stopping the fish and protecting the environment.
So the Socialist Democrats have decided that the oil leak is the fault of the private sector. Well, I'll give you credit for jumping to conclusions quickly.
The government has regulators. Those regulators are supposed to review and inspect the oil rigs to prevent environmental damage and disasters. Instead, the government regulators have given the okay on permits and drilling, under Obama, no less, yet they get kickbacks from the oil companies and in addition to that BP gives Obama campaign money. MOre than they have given to anyone else.
Now we're finding out that those inspections weren't done. The permits were handed out as though they were candy.
Obama, in his haste to not have this oil leak blamed on him has jumped up in a hurry and blamed BP and said that he'd keep the boot to their neck. He intimidated them into putting $20 billion into a fund but didn't mention that BP had already paid out $31 million in claims on their own. Obama and his administration didn't even go to the gulf for 8 days. He didn't even get engaged until after a full month had gone by. Yes, they've said that they've been on it since day one, but we now know that's not true. 13 countries offered assistance mainly with skimmers 3 days after the leak started and Obama refused it. Now we have oil hitting the beaches. In addition, the government stopped the building of berms yesterday.
It took them a month to give the OK for 6 berms, even though more than 30 were applied for, and then they stop the berms before they are completed.
This entire administration is a joke. They are a bunch of incompetent boobs and that's being polite. People around the world are laughing at the U.S. as Obama travels around, bows to other leaders, gives ipods with his speeches recorded to them, gives a boxed set of dvd's as gifts.
They've been shot down in court on the moratorium and they say they will do another one wiping out what's left of the gulf coast economy. Oh, and this is good. The same morons in the socialist Democrat Party complained that conservatives were violent following the passage of the government takeover of health care but now the judge is having his life threatened and needs security when he goes out. Then there's the reporter for the Washington Post that says that Drudge ought to set himself on fire. He's now had to resign and in the past two days we're finding out that Obama was involved in the Blagojovic scandal in trying to sell the Illinois Senate seat.
But the socialist Democrats just can't believe that they tried to do basically the same thing with Sestak and they guy in Colorado.
Today we find out that the economy is growing much slower than it was reported and that the only growth that's coming in it is due to businesses replenishing their inventories but not due to any business orders coming. In other words, the stimulus has failed as predicted.
And you guys want to whine about business, which drives this economy and praise government which is failing at their responsiility. Even in protecting the borders. They haven't sent the troops (that will be working desk jobs and not on the border), but they claim that the border security is tighter than it's ever been. This despite a section of Arizona now being held by Mexican drug cartels.
This administration is an Embarassment. They only thing they did at the beginning of this oil leak was to send lawyers. Since then, photo ops.
Your regulators, need regulators.
I've also come to the conclusion that Grunge must be gay. He keeps bringing up gay issues when it's nowhere near the topic.
Be proud of your socialist Democrats. At least for a few more months. Now we're hearing that the socialist Democrats are talking about passing massive tax increases and other issues after the election but before they leave office in January. NOthing like having people kicked out of office for their poor representation of the people only to have those same ones kicked out, pass laws that will hurt this country.
I'm convinced. The socialist Democrats along with Obama are trying to destroy this country before they lose power.
There is no such thing as a “socialist” Democrat in this country, anonymous coward, and that is just a false, Fascist Republican talking point.
No, anonymous coward, it is BP’s fault and the lack of government oversight. BP didn’t get their permit under the Obama Administration. BP gave money to just about every politician. Funny, you’re claiming the President “shook down” BP, and now you claim he’s their stooge. Which one is it, anonymous coward?
Yes, we know the inspections weren’t done, and changes are underway at the former Minerals Management Service.
How can the oil leak be blamed on Obama, anonymous coward? He has been blamed for everything but the Lindberg kidnapping, but there is no way he caused the spill. Oh, he “intimidated them into putting $20 billion into a fund.” But isn’t he their stooge? I don’t believe your $31 million lie, and if it’s true so what? The damage is in the billons not millions.
Ah, the response lie and the “he refused help” lie. Already debunked, but that won’t stop you from continuing to use it, anonymous coward. Check out factcheck.I caught you in another lie, anonymous coward. I already debunked the berm talking point.
http://factcheck.org/2010/06/oil-spill-foreign-help-and-the-jones-act/
No one is laughing at the U.S. since Bush left office. You are rolling out every debunked rightwing talking point, anonymous coward. I know you hate Obama, but you need to just admit you have no real reason.
Considering how right wing, anti-environmental and pro-business this court is, its no wonder the moratorium was shot down. So, it makes you wonder how incompetent Cox is that he lost in that court. It makes no sense to continue to drill when they have no way to stop another leak.
There is no such thing as the “socialist Democrat Party” in this country, anonymous coward. Teabaggers are violent, and don’t forgot racist, and there is no “government takeover of health care,” anonymous coward.
Then there's another fairy tale from the anonymous coward. “Obama was involved in the Blagojovic scandal?” Where did you get that lie, anonymous coward, drudge?
Now, can you tell what any of your false talking points have to do with Asian Carp, anonymous coward?
Again, anonymous coward, there is no such thing as a “socialist” Democrat in this country, and that is just a false, Fascist Republican talking point. Your Senator Elect Sestak lie has been debunked.
Today, the economy is growing when it was shrinking under Bush. The stimulus is working, despite efforts by Republicans trying to sabotage the recovery just to try and take back power. They ought to be ashamed, but they have no shame.
You sure sling a lot of lies, anonymous coward. Who cares if Grung_e_Gene is gay? What’s funny is you accusing someone of being “nowhere near the topic.” What does your fairy tales have to do with Asian Carp, anonymous coward?
Again, anonymous coward, there is no such thing as a “socialist” Democrat in this country, and that is just a false, Fascist Republican talking point. “Now we're hearing that the socialist Democrats are talking about passing massive tax increases and other issues after the election but before they leave office in January?” Where did you hear that, anonymous coward, drudge?
First, anonymous coward, there is no such thing as a “socialist” Democrat in this country, and that is just a false, Fascist Republican talking point. Second, Democrats are not leaving office.
Again, anonymous coward, there is no such thing as a “socialist” Democrat in this country, and that is just a false, Fascist Republican talking point. Of course you‘re “convinced the “socialist Democrats” along with Obama are trying to destroy this country” because you’re delusional, anonymous coward. If the country survived eight years of Bush, we can survive anything. Plus, anonymous coward, we are not going to lose power.
Again, anonymous coward, I’m still waiting for you to back up your fairy tale that we were “nearly shoulder to shoulder once.”
The oil leak is the fault of BP, Halliburon and TransOcean, however, Republicans don't believe in responsibility if it affects their Corporate Plutocratic Masters.
Blaming the Government for the Oil Leak is like blaming the Military for the Iraqi Insurgency or the FBI for the Colombian Drug Trade or the Police for the local shoplifter. The owners of the well and the people who hid the safety records, failed to install the proper devices and obfuscated to the regulators are to blame and they are all Republicans or conservatives
But, conservatives blame victims for the criminals actions. And Conservatives love to fear monger on "teh gay" as though being homosexual is somehow a bad thing.
Keep ranting away, Commie Guru.
1) There is such a thing as a social democrat/socialist democrat in this country. In fact, I've talked to several who self-identify as such. They're people who are socialists in their beliefs aligned with the democrats. It's simple. And it's incontrovertible. The "progressive" side of the democrat party is driving all others out in the exact same way that the conservatives are driving out their moderates. Witness the extreme level of anger directed at Andy Dillon.
A simple division between socialism and communism is that communist believe in government ownership of everything, while socialists believe in government control of everything. In both cases, the profit motive is treated as bad, but in the case of socialists, the operation of the assets are nominally left in private ownership.
2) The Obama administration refused to take emergency action earlier this year to block the Carp even though carp DNA was found in an area beyond the barriers. This was at the behest of the Chicago politicians. The Supreme Court acted as it did because no harm had yet been documented. But Obama had the power to direct the Army Corp to close the locks etc. late last year when the danger was known.
He didn't. And just as in the case of BP, he was asleep at the wheel at a time when he needed to be proactive with disastrous consequences.
I don't hold the Bush Admin faultless , but Obama's inaction in the Gulf and on the Carp issue has been terrible.
We all shellacked Bush for being out of touch for 3 days during Katrina (Helluva job Brownie). Obama's been out of touch for a whole lot longer than that on both of these issues.
It’s Communications Guru. Also, I don’t rant, but I will continue to expose Republican lies.
Sorry, there are no socialist Democrats in this country, and that is just a false, fascist Republican talking point. There are Socialist, but no socialist Democrats. No one is being driven out of the Democratic Party. You must be thinking of the tea baggers that have hijacked the GOP. “Witness the extreme level of anger directed at Andy Dillon?” I see Democrats who disagree with him, just like Republicans disagree with Twitter Pete, Manoogian mike, the Nerd, Doc and Sheriff Coltrane.
No, it was at the behest of the Illinois business people, like the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, and the decision was made by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Environmentalist say action should have been taken 10-20 years ago.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501465_162-20009357-501465.html
Like I said, I guess we need a better AG if he can’t even win in such a business friendly court.
Nice try, but Obama was not asleep at the wheel in regard to the BP oil spill. There has been no inaction in the Gulf, and Bush’s lack of response and preparedness in Katrina was more than just “being out of touch for 3 days.”
Bush almost ruined this country’s economy, plunged the country into the worst recession since the Great Depression starred a war that did nothing for U.S. security and many other missteps. No U.S. President in U.S. history has been as out of touch as Bush.
1) There are socialists, social democrats and socialist democrats who are all aligned with the Democratic Party. There is even a communist party in Michigan. Denying their existence doesn't make them go away.
Google 'US Socialists' and you'll find them. You may not want them, but they're there, and because of their alignment on the issues with progressives, they're a force to be reckoned with.
2) Democrats own the war and the economy at this point. They've had control of congress for almost 4 years, and the presidency for 18 months.
If they don't want the job - don't take it. But after a year or so, they own it - all of it.
Presidents are remembered based on how they handle crises - Bush did well after 9/11, poorly during Katrina. Obama didn't handle the BP situation (it's already past-tense)
and or the carp issue.
At some point, Obama has to show that he can act rationally to manage crises effectively. To this point he's done poorly.
I hate to say it, but I see many parallels to Granholm in how he's unable to deal with the unexpected appropriately.
Again, there is no such thing as a socialist Democrat in this country, and that is just another false, Fascist Republican smear. Yes, their is a Communist Party in Michigan, as well as a socialist party, but they have nothing to do with the Democratic Party. There is no such thing as a socialist Democrat in this state or country.
Democrats own the war? Which one, and based on what? The economy is coming out of the worst recession since the Great Depression, despite the best efforts of Republicans to derail it for political gain.
President Obama did handle the BP case. I fail to see how he mishandled it or the carp issue. Obama has more than demonstrated “he can act rationally to manage crises effectively.” Only Franklin Roosevelt was handed a worse situation than Obama has, and he is dealing with it. The fact is you Republicans will criticize Obama for simply waking up in the morning.
Ah, a shot at the Governor. She was the beneficiary of the Bush recession that sent two of the Big 3 – Michigan’s largest employer by far – into bankruptcy. Are you honestly saying it was because of her people all over the country stopped buying new American cars? She has done more to diversify the Michigan Economy than any Michigan Governor.
That’s why Michigan just won the Silver Shovel Award for economic development, along with Texas and Florida; a pair of sun belt and right to work for less states.
"Silver Shovel Award" - LOL. That's just some funny stuff right there. 1 million jobs gone, but we got a new shovel. Nice.
Frankly, I thought you were smarter than to deny the existence of socialist Democrats. Unless you're willing to be permanently orphaned, you've got to align with one of the major parties in this country. So the socialists who want to be active are all in the Democratic party, and by definition that makes them socialist Democrats.
As far as Progressives booting people in the Democrats - it's happening. It's being documented. There are two key constituencies in the Dems today - the progressives(socialists/pro-choice/rights/environmentalists) and the unions (labor movement). The others - the blue dogs (fiscal conservatives), pro-life folks etc, are being pushed out. They're about 5 years behind the republican hard right conservatives in this, but they're on the same road with an all-blue DINO set of screens.
Your other points - half in, half out. We'll know if Granholm was any good in about 10 years time if her initiatives actually bear fruit.
It turns out that Engler was very good for Michigan. He got state retirement and welfare costs under control. Without the things he did in the 1990's, the annual budget deficit faced by Michigan since 2007 would have been about $500 million more per year than it is today.
Granholm - not a good crisis manager, not a gov reformer and we'll see if time tempers her legacy, but right now, it's not that good.
That is correct, Silver Shovel Award. Now, please tell me how Gov. Granholm – or any governor – can cause the worst recession since the Great Depression.
Are you serious? The “socialist Democrats” bullshit is just a Republican smear because there is simply none of those in the United States. There are Socialists and there are Democrats, but no socialist Democrats, at least in the U.S.
Sorry, progressives are booting no one from the Democratic Party. I’m a registered Democrat and a proud member of the Michigan Democratic Party and a progressive, and I’m booting no one. However, in a primary, I prefer a more liberal Democratic like Virg Beniero than a more conservative one like Andy Dillon. That’s just the democratic process and why we have primary elections.
The “pro-life folks etc, are being pushed out?" Based on what; your imagination? The leaders of the Michigan House are anti-choice, like Dillon and Majority Floor Leader Kathy Angerer.
Again, explain to me how Gov. Granholm – or any governor – can cause the worst recession since the Great Depression.
Engler was very good for Michigan? No, President Clinton was very good for Michigan. Engler continuously cut taxes but never cut spending. As for welfare costs, throwing people in the streets doesn’t cut spending. We more than made up for it in prison spending, and that’s why we spend more on prisons than higher education in this state.
I don't care about talking points. Whether Maddow or Hannity, I don't watch any of them because none of them seem to care about the truth. They all seem to want to play the political half-speak game - like you with your 'fascist republican' rants. There probably is a fascist party in the US somewhere, and there are probably people who identify as fascists who support the republicans. That doesn't make all republicans fascists any more than it makes all democrats socialists.
But, progressives are marginalizing the centrists in the Democratic party, same as the ultra-right conservative part of the Republican party with their RINO terminology. I never said it was wrong legally, but just that it's happening and that I don't like it.
Granholm didn't control the things she could have. It's that simple.
Engler(or Clinton) wasn't responsible for the boom in the mid-late 1990's, same as Granholm
(or Bush) weren't responsible for the economic cycle of the 2000's.
In ten years time, we can discuss whether Granholm was any good. Right now, we don't know. But for sure, she's no crisis manager.
And Obama is failing that same test.
They why are you using talking points if you “don't care about talking points?” You need to watch Rachel Maddow because she doesn’t utter a word unless she has facts to back it up. My
'fascist republican' rant is not a rant it’s a fact. One of the favorite Republican tactics is to continuously tell a lie time after time until people get tired of debunking it, and it is accepted as fact. That's not going to happen here.
I would have agreed with you about fascists 15 years ago, but not any more. However, I would be willing to drop the use of fascists since you finally agree that there are no such thing as a socialist Democrats in this country.
Sorry, you are wrong about my party. I don’t like it when people like Ben Nelson sides with Republicans to screw people looking for a job. However, I find it hard make the claim that “progressives are marginalizing the centrists in the Democratic party” when they hold leadership roles, like Dillon and Angerer in Michigan.
Granholm did control the things she could have. Again, I’m still waiting for you to explain to me how Gov. Granholm – or any governor – can cause the worst recession since the Great Depression.
Clinton was responsible for the boom in the mid-late 1990's, but I agree that Granholm
wasn’t responsible for the economic cycle of the 2000's. However, Bush was.
And Obama is failing nothing, and that’s why Republicans like you hate him so much and want him to fail. And if the country follows, so be it.
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