BEST DU post on the BP disaster -- IT'S NOT ABOUT OBAMA [View All]

not about Obama

Posted by William Z. Foster
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=8398408&mesg_id=8399215

I cannot remember anything quite so obscene as this ongoing attempt to turn this unprecedented catastrophe into a matter of Obama's popularity.

I reject utterly this line of attack on critics - "you little children are not smart enough to understand all of this technical stuff, so we need to rely on the experts."

I reject utterly the false claim that critics are unreasonably demanding that "this blowout be fixed today, tomorrow, or next month" and are therefore impatient or unrealistic.

I reject utterly the false claim that critics are calling for nationalizing BP, a straw man which then can be dismissed by you as . Some of us are calling for nationalizing the response to the catastrophe.

I reject utterly that "the US government has no technology capable of dealing with this situation" so therefore BP must maintain control and direction of the response.

I reject utterly the suggestion that critics are complaining because Obama has not spoken reassuring words about this, and that this is the problem. This is another straw man you have set up and knocked down.

I reject this premise: "given the inability of the Federal government to actually do anything to ameliorate the problem..." That argument is the libertarian argument used to undermine and discredit any government action about anything ever.

No one is calling for "penalizing BP without due process," or even worrying much at all about punishing BP. This is yet another way to discredit critics - suggesting that they are merely looking for revenge or retribution, and it is then strongly implied that this is for some personal emotional reasons.

No one is saying that this is "President Obama's disaster." People are saying that this is President Obama's response to the disaster. Where should we look for a response if not to the White House?

I reject this statement: "Anyone can say anything he or she wishes but, without direct knowledge of this specific field, they're just blabbering." This is nonsense. People most cewrtai9nly can speak about the public interest and welfare, and about the government's response, without having any technical knowledge. This is a call for silencing critics. It is abhorrent and unacceptable.

No one is expecting President Obama to reverse what happened nor asking that he "pull a Superman deal and fly around the Earth and turn back time." this is another straw man argument being used to discredit critics.