If you believe that the president could be doing more to solve the oil spill.....

[Cant trust em]

please post specifically what your idea is and how it would work.

Please don't say something like "Bring together all of the resources possible" or "use the bully pulpit to shame BP to work harder".

I'm not posting this to be snarky, I'm just looking for some answers. The current response feels really inadequate, but I don't know what solutions are remaining.

If you've seen an article, please post it.

Thanks.

[Mojorabbit]

1. Identify vulnerable

and the most valuable estuaries/fish nurseries on the Florida coast. Build berms or whatever the foremost environmental scientists think would be best to keep the oil out of them in the short term till we can figure out what to do for the long term. There is still time to do this if they start now esp in the shallows and there would be no shortage of volunteers to help. They had helicopters plopping huge sandbags to plug holes in the levies after Katrina, something similar can be done quickly to mitigate some of the damage before it happens.

[Kolesar]

2. A guest on Olbermann said to get every oil tanker out there to suck the oil off the surface

Take it away and separate it. Those tankers can hold HUGE volumes.

The author of "Why we hate the oil companies" or something like that. He was an executive or CEO at Shell Oil.

Artillery Shell?

[mzteris]

7. well he said it could be done

has been done. Where is this tanker?

What is involved in converting the tanker? Are there enough of the types of pumps available? Can the modifications BE made and if so, how long would it take? Someone else mentioned the maneuverability of these tankers being an issue as well.

In short, is this a feasible idea? It SOUNDS great - but does it pass examination? I for one call for a lot of very quick examination!!

[EFerrari]

23. And BP has 24 of them -- somewhere else, making money for them

according to a Nation editor I saw on Laura Flanders' show today.

[MrMickeysMom]

33. This guy was the CEO of Shell Oil, and I agree with him, tell the Dept of Int

... (yes, I'm cross posting to get people to send their suggestions to DOI)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8413926

[mzteris]

39. but but but -

I thought we didn't trust "BIG OIL" peoples . . . :crazy:

[xultar]

3. Fine BP 100 million a day retroactively until they get tankers here to suck

that shit up.

Fine an additional 200 Million a day retroactively until the shit is plugged up.

Charge them 500 million retroactively a week until the shit is clean.

[mzteris]

8. and what does that accomplish, exactly?

Do you think they're not working as hard and as fast and as efficiently as they can? Do you think they are not hemorrhaging money as we speak?

Hell yes they should be fined and investigated and prosecuted!! but I don't see this as helping to make things go any faster.

[G_j]

12. frankly

they have lied from day one. I think they have done everything they can to cover their asses.

[xultar]

16. Never thought you'd see that shit on DU did ya?

[xultar]

13. They have fucking full tankers just out and about waiting for prices to go up

make them put that shit on land in a holding tank and
get them into the Gulf to suck up that shit.

Plus the money can be used to help the people who are going to lose their jobs because of this, for the people who sue the government for lack of regulation, and to pay medical bills of those who will get ill from cleaning.

[mzteris]

38. I'm trying to find a source

for this - can you please provide some more info on this? Thanks.

[Individualist]

10. +1

The CEO of Shell Oil was on NBC Nightly News tonight and brought up the matter of bringing in supertankers to suction the oil.

[bdamomma]

42. so why can't this be done, so in the meantime the environment

and people whose living is fishing is gone. Damn why is it we can't do anything?

[walldude]

15. Damn right! There is a creek by my house

the fine for dumping oil near the creek is $10,000! For a quart of oil. I say we charge those assholes at BP the same fine. $10,000 a quart.

[one_voice]

28. Yup...

hit them where it hurts the most. Bet they find a way to fix this thing, quick, fast and in a hurry.

[Renew Deal]

41. How is that going to happen without Congress?

Is Obama supposed to just demand the money?

[Ruby the Liberal]

4. I don't hold the administration responsible for "solving the spill"

What I want from them:

1. Tell BP to allow government/academia to the area to test whatever it is they test and to measure the flow rate so that we know what we are collectively dealing with from an environmental impact standpoint.

2. Tell them not to drop another eyedropper-full of Corexit into the water to attempt to hide the oil. People, animals and marine life are more important.

[mzteris]

5. the UNRECS speak volumes -

those who don't have a clue what can be done but are still bashing away. . . makes you wonder why, doesn't it?

[azmouse]

6. +1

[aquart]

14. Excuse me?

I assume the unrecs are from the loyal-to-death-no-matter-what Obama supporters. Not the ones who want an actually functioning LEADER.

Right now I need way more than Hayward's assurance that BP's other gulf wells are not pumping oil. I have no idea what he meant. It would be nice if my LEADER could inform me what he meant and what that means to me. For instance, the Atlantis is considered unsafe by some in the industry. Is it stopped temporarily until the furor dies down? Is it stopped for rigorous inspection? Is it stopped for good? I am any minute expecting to see a photoshop picture of Obama eating cake with a background of dying pelicans.

[mzteris]

19. huh?

I'm sorry. I'm having difficulty following your rant.

I'm used to being ACCUSED of being a "loyal-to-death-no-matter-what Obama supporter" (which I'm not. . .) so maybe that's why I'm having trouble getting my head around your post.

[xultar]

17. They are unrecing because your thread is beyond stupid.

and they don't want it on the greatest page.

[mzteris]

20. not MY thread...

but how is it "beyond stupid" to ask for credible and viable ideas, eh?

[Xicano]

9. For starters:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8407249

[dgibby]

11. I truly do not believe Obama can do anything about the actual leak;

however, much more can be done re: cleanup and containment.

If he were to declare the Gulf a National Security Threat or Disaster Zone, he could require that BP continue to work on capping the well, instruct the appropriate govt agency to head up cleanup and containment at BP's expense. If BP balks, he could shut down all their operations and seize their US assets.

I think the biggest problem is the slow response in protecting the wetlands, beaches, etc. At least, that's what the locals are all complaining about, as well they should.

It's been 2 weeks since they requested the Army Corps of Engineers to ok building berms to protect fragile wetlands, estuaries, and still no answer. In the meantime, oil is washing into pelican nesting areas, birds and fish are dying by the hundreds, wetlands are covered in oily goop, effectively killing them, the Gulf economy is being destroyed, etc, etc.

Then there's the problem of boats under the control of BP sitting idle, requests for more boom being ignored, the EPA directive to cease using Corex being defied, the tons of hair, fur, hay, straw, and nylons sitting idly in a warehouse because BP doesn't want to use them. Another problem is the refusal of the EPA to allow skimmers in because they don't remove "enough" oil. So let's get this straight. The EPA would rather NOT recover ANY oil because the skimmers don't meet their standards. How STUPID can they get?

These are ALL things Obama could fix. Had I let my subordinates in the Navy run amok like this I'd have been Courts Martialed in a skinny minute, and I sure as hell wouldn't be sitting here collecting my retirement check. As one of my senior officers told me when I was a Lt, "No decision IS a decision, so lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way!".

The response is too little, too late, and every day that the coastline goes unprotected is another day that brings more death and destruction, and more blame for the POTUS.

[mzteris]

21. you really need to find a new

news source.

[dgibby]

22. Why would I EVER want to take advice from you?

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[mzteris]

25. Eat your veggies,

brush your teeth.

And be nice to your Mother.

:hi:

[dgibby]

26. My mother's been dead for years,

and I'm probably old enough to be your grandmother, but that's another story for another day.

[mzteris]

27. you'd be really really old then ...

I'm sorry about your mom. It never gets any easier no matter how long it's been.


How about - "be nice to others" even when they disagree with you?

[dgibby]

31. That's a two-way street.

The OP asked for ideas. I put a lot of thought and effort into that post. You snarked on what I wrote. I responded in kind, which is my bad. Sorry. I shouldn't have done that, but I tend to get cranky when I feel I'm being dissed.

I was attempting to relay what I've seen and heard from people who are actually living in the Gulf area, including my great, great nephew and his wife, who are expecting their first child in Oct, and are worried sick about the effect the airborn toxins might have on the baby.

Thank you for your kind words re: my mother. I appreciate that very much.

[Motown_Johnny]

18. dredge barrier islands to protect the wetlands

[EFerrari]

24. This framing is problematic. BP committed what amounts to a crime in the Gulf.

You don't leave criminals in charge of the crime scene. You secure them and then you secure the scene.

[SargeUNN]

29. I find it interesting that the station I got kicked off of in Mississippi

because some teabagger didn't like my progressive message is now shouting for Obama to get the government involved. These are the same people who claimed government was too big and intrusive as well as Obama was taking away their freedoms. I just went to a group from that area and they are blasting the Government for not doing enough although they claimed Obama was trying to be dictator. Hey they think pray is the answer to all the problems and Barbour carried their county last time even though he screwed them royally after Katrina.

So can you guess what they would say if Obama ordered a takeover of the operation and seized control of BP? How do you win with these morons?

[tranche]

30. Fire Rahm and name Code Pink, Kucinich, and Ralph Nader to lead a progressive effort at capping

the well.

[lamp_shade]

36. Yes. Lower the pink people down there with big pink protest signs. That oughtta do it. lol.

[mzteris]

40. ralph nadar???

omg - people ARE losing their minds over this.

[treestar]

32. I'm sure he has access to the best ideas

I would wager they are doing the best they can.

[MrMickeysMom]

34. Link to Dept of Interior... SEND YOUR SUGGESTIONS!

here...

http://www.horizonedocs.com/artform.php

[snagglepuss]

35. Stop all offshore drilling until the oil INDUSTRY caps this well.

Follow Norway's example and nationalize the industry. Norways's Statoil operates the most environmentally friendly offshore oil rigs in the world -- because it's state-owned



http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/joe_conason/2010/05/03/norway

[Cant trust em]

45. Mexico also has a state owned oil operation.

Pemex doesn't have a good track record for safety or environment as I understand it.

Not to say that we couldn't do a good job with nationalizing an oil operation. But I think a lot of it comes down to execution.

[snagglepuss]

47. Color me surprised that Mexico state owned op doesn't have a good

track record. Not.

Mexico is rift with corruption so it is to be expected that that is no effective control over state owned industry. Unlike Mexico, Norway is not rift with corruption because it has systems in place to enforce regulations and effectively punish those who engage in corrupt practices.

[lamp_shade]

37. Not one answer to your question. Telling.

[laughingliberal]

43. I have to question why 'bring together all the resources' doesn't qualify as an answer

I believe there are those out there who have worked some huge cleanup efforts which were more successful than this is proving to be. The following article about one of these people and the run around he's gotten from BP illustrates my point and shows my reason for thinking not enough is being done. By letting BP remain in charge of everything and shut out help they don't want (imo cause it might cost them too much) we are missing out.

According to Pozzi, that mishap, kept under wraps for close to two decades and first reported by Esquire, dumped nearly 800 million gallons of oil into the Persian Gulf, which would make it more than 70 times the size of the Exxon Valdez spill.

But remarkably, by employing a fleet of empty supertankers to suck crude off the water's surface, Pozzi's team was not only able to clean up the spill, but also salvage 85 percent of the oil, he says.

"We took out of the water so it would save the environment off the Arabian Gulf, and then we put it into tanks until we could figure out how to clean it," he told AOL News.

While BP, the oil giant at the center of the recent accident, works to stanch the leak from the sunken Deepwater Horizon rig, Pozzi insists the company should be following his lead.

http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/could-cleanup-fix-for-gulf-oil-spill-lie-in-secret-saudi-disaster/19476863

[Cant trust em]

44. Bringing a fleet of tankers to suck up the oil is an answer.

"Bring together more resources" sounds a lot like saying "Just work harder".

I'm looking for specific, rather than vague.

[jgraz]

46. Immediately require all offshore rigs to have pre-drilled relief wells

Canada does this in the arctic and somehow the oil industry survives.

Edit: And fire Ken Salazar.