Thom Hartmann - Privatized Government Just isn't Working for Obama

Run time: 05:15 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJO9lw2ja6g   Posted on YouTube: May 25, 2010 By YouTube Member: thomhartmann Views on YouTube: 177   Posted on DU: May 25, 2010 By DU Member: thomhartmann Views on DU: 1025

 
The Thom Hartmann Program can be heard daily M-F 12-3pm ET. Visit www.thomhartmann.com to listen live, join the community or purchase a podcast.

but it's Obama's now. It's a year and a half in his presidency and shifting the blame would look weak. Obama himself said he ran for president to fix the hard things. Well here they are. Be careful what you wish for.

They shouldn't be giving out permits but they are. They shouldn't be using Corexit but they are. Obama is slowly becoming a lame duck or an oily one. This is not the change we voted for imho.

The private sector doesn't end up working for the government. The government ends up working for the private sector. That's without even going into the having your cake and eating it too aspects. When it comes time to foot the bills. They're government. When it comes time to split the profits. They're private.

The government ends up working for the private sector." That is an absolutely brilliant summation. Should be a bumper sticker.


:applause:

This whole too big to fail excuse is being used to privatize the debt for rampant incompetence by private companies who are failing big time. BP is just another example of what happens when their "hands off" approach works in reality. The private sector has proven their ineptitude and just plain don't give a damn when it comes to main street or the entire country.

Of the 20+% of Democrats who have taken money from the oil and gas industry, Obama is right there at the top of the top 10 recipients from both parties even having received more in the last cycle than Mitch McConnell. These statistics were compiled from a cite published by a Duer a day ago. This amount of funding is dramatic considering Obama's political career - relative to the big insiders like McCain (who tops the list)has been so brief.

Regardless of the fly-overs and proclamations that the Obama Administration has done - promises for studies, commissions, etc. lack the wherewithall to treat the damage or prevent further damage....especially given that he's pushing for more offshore drilling and has yet to address potential problems in other existing wells which could have similar problems. Yet the Obama Administration, possibly too arrogantly, prides itself on being smarter than the previous administration. And true his eloquence and rhetoric do contrast and are a welcome departure. But for all the eloquence, one has to ask where is the substance of the real change. And the old cliche - Where's the Beef? becomes appropo.

Not to rebeat a dead horse as this link has appeared per earlier DU posts, this site lists contributions from oil and gas industry to members of the House and Senate. This covers the 1989-2010 election cycles according to the website. Again, the appearance of Obama's name in the top 10 of the top 20 recipients of the House and Senate is striking given his short political career.


http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/summary.php?ind=e01&recipdetail=A&sortorder=U&cycle=All

... rather enlightening. Thanks.

If they actually obey the new boss their real boss gets mad.

Seems like you could hook some fucking booming to them, with some fucking rope and fucking anchors. I think the dispersants might be hiding the problem. Where as a coagulant might make the mess more visible by clumping together tar balls that float. I thought about that right after the spill because of the cat litter I use on the drive way to soak up oil spills. One brand of cat litter is the chrystal type that absorbs and gels. We need an oil absorbent material that we can vacuum up with oil tankers after it coagulates and floats to the surface..

Those poor marsh birds, fish, and animals.

Good Damn the BFEE.

Not to defend Obama's response, but looking at the Oil Industry's contributions on opensecrets.org, he's only a major recipient of contributions in 2008, the election year, when you would expect oil co's to bombard the candidates (McCain got 2 1/2 times as much) with "contributions".

Keep in mind Obama is relatively new to the political spotlight.

There are some interesting ways to manipulate the data that I found on the open secrets website here is the link. http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/summary.php?ind=e01&cycle=All&recipdetail=M&sortorder=U
My concerns were the issues of the top 20 recipients from the house and senate and my point was that even though republicans have received over 70% of the funds from the oil and gas industry, when you look at the more than 20% going to so-called Democratic Party members and who those members are, Obama is right at the top.
To illustrate,
The top 20 member recipients allows the option of breaking the payments down into election cycles. My point was that Obama’s ranking (considering he only started running for the senate in the 2004 election cycle was therefore a junior politician) in the ‘all cycle’ top ten recipients of Republicans or Democrats was significant. In that list, Obama ranked #9 ($973,051) of the top 20 and in between Don Young (R-AK) ranked # 8 ($980,263) , and Mitch McConnell who was #10 ($ 860,261). Obama along with Mary Landrieu (D-La.) are the only Democrats in this prestigious list. Considering this is for all elections cycles, Obama's support (compared to those with more seniority) is astronomical...

Candidate Amount
McCain, John (R-AZ) $2,677,064
Hutchison, Kay Bailey (R-TX) $2,137,225
Gramm, Phil (R-TX) $1,682,814
Cornyn, John (R-TX) $1,638,450
Barton, Joe (R-TX) $1,447,880
Inhofe, James M (R-OK) $1,228,223
Pearce, Steve (R-NM) $981,272
Young, Don (R-AK) $980,263
Obama, Barack (D) $973,051
McConnell, Mitch (R-KY) $860,261
Nickles, Don (R-OK) $841,388
Vitter, David (R-LA) $783,835
Dole, Bob (R) $781,705
Landrieu, Mary L (D-LA) $757,744
Domenici, Pete V (R-NM) $747,897
DeLay, Tom (R-TX) $689,840
Conaway, Mike (R-TX) $651,718
Sessions, Pete (R-TX) $642,864
Tiahrt, Todd (R-KS) $618,773
Santorum, Rick (R-PA) $614,178


In the 2008 election cycle there is a greater distinction that makes Obama look more favorable – Obama was second only to John McCain – McCain received $2,403,937 to Obama’s $ 901,051.
Amount
McCain, John (R) $2,403,937
Obama, Barack (D) $901,051
Cornyn, John (R-TX) $667,850
Pearce, Steve (R-NM) $470,832
McConnell, Mitch (R-KY) $400,900
Clinton, Hillary (D-NY) $381,742
Inhofe, James M (R-OK) $365,200
Landrieu, Mary L (D-LA) $272,250
Dole, Elizabeth (R-NC) $230,917
Chambliss, Saxby (R-GA) $222,350
Barton, Joe (R-TX) $219,490
Roberts, Pat (R-KS) $203,700
Wicker, Roger (R-MS) $200,200
Boren, Dan (D-OK) $185,950
Coleman, Norm (R-MN) $174,900
Conaway, Mike (R-TX) $157,750
Barrasso, John A (R-WY) $155,750
Fallin, Mary (R-OK) $154,850
Culberson, John (R-TX) $142,950
Stevens, Ted (R-AK) $139,000