If You Really Want To Know Who Is Responsible for this Spill, Look in the Mirror

[Yavin4]

Since 1980, as a people, we have elected politicians who deregulated business and stripped the government of its capabilities to react to a disaster like the one in the Gulf. In addition, we have rejected public transportation projects over and over again which would have limited our reliance on oil. We want to live in spacious communities, which means that we have to drive in order to do anything. Add it all up, and a disaster like this was bound to happen.

Now, like the spoiled children that we've become, we want our government to fix any and all problems that arise out of our negligence and indulgences, and we want our government to do this without appropriate tax revenue nor regulation. It's easy and simple to blame Obama instead of ourselves, our families, our neighbors, our communities, and our way of lives.

Oil spills and other such disasters happen all of the time. Just this time, it's more visibile, and it's on our borders. Unless WE change, this kind of thing will happen again and again.

[Jennicut]

1. We are dependent on oil. It is as simple as that. Our entire way of life on Earth

as we know it is dependent on the stuff. Has been since the Industrial Revolution...coal and oil (and some natural gas). Now, some have tried to warn us in the past. But nothing got done. As oil becomes harder to find, the risk goes up and then we have disasters like this happen. I am curious as to where we will be in 20 years from now.

[Yavin4]

4. It's Politically and Financially Easier To Continue Our Way of Life than It is to Change

People don't want to live in close urban areas, so they move to suburban sprawls which makes our dependence on oil and coal even greater.

[Jennicut]

6. Yes, it is. And doing small things does not matter that much.

We need a total national system of alternatives in use, right now. We don't have that. Small things are nice but not everyone is responsible.

[Captain Hilts]

2. Biked 12 miles to work on Capitol Hill for 2 years. Damn near killed me, but I did it. nt

[Yavin4]

8. That Is Admirable, But You Are Only One Person

What about your family? Your friends? Your community? They have to change as well.

[defendandprotect]

3. Nonsense . . . as though we elected Bush in 2000, or in 2004 -- wake up!!

Our government has been co-opted by the oil industry/elites --

they've been running things --

and our candidates/elected officials are mainly pre-bribed and pre-owned window dressing!!

Where are the electric cars?

Where are the trolleys?

Where are massive government subsidies for solar/wind?

[Yavin4]

7. A President Is ONE Individual Elected for 8 Years At Best

It doesn't matter who is president. A president cannot command the populace to alter their way of life. It just does not happen that way.

[defendandprotect]

9. . . . did Bush not involve us in 2 bankrupting wars????

Did Bush not further corrupt all of government -- DOJ -- and all government agencies?

Probably leading to this oil spill?

A president gives leadership and direction to the nation --

Just as JFK did in his eloquent speeches against Segregation, Inc.

And as FDR did before him --

When you notice people bringing recyclable bags in grocery stores now, think about

who gave leadership to that! Not the EPA and not Obama!



PS: Not to neglect Bush/Cheney/corrupt lawyers and their impact on habeas corpus, TORTURE,

and a newly cruel and brutalized military/CIA --


"The fish stinks from the head down!" --

[Yavin4]

18. Did Bush Ask The Populace To Sacrifice Anything for his Wars?

Did Bush command the populace to enlist?

Did Bush command the populace to drive less and conserve more?

Did Bush command the populace to do anything?

[defendandprotect]

22. Just to refresh your memory . . . here's your original claim . . .

A President Is ONE Individual Elected for 8 Years At Best
It doesn't matter who is president. A president cannot command the populace to alter their way of life. It just does not happen that way.

Again -- I made clear that Bush did succeed in forcing the populate to alter their way of life.

And that even people with good intentions -- not W -- can cause populace to alter their way of

life -- i.e., using less plastic.

The will has to be there -- And W had NO WILL NOR CAUSE to try to change anything for the better,

especially NOT to lessen the use of oil which his pals the Saudis sell and most of his cronies

and families have been deeply involved with and profited from!

And to even ask questions like those below suggests that you're hugely naive about Bush and

right wing! Bush was part of the push for another perpetual war -- the two he created were at

one time referred to by some right wingers as possibly "100 year wars"--!

Bush did everything he could to force soldiers to stay in military, BEYOND the time they had

signed up for -- a cruel back door kind of draft. Some have been forced to extend their stays

2-3-4-5 times!

Bush did command the populace to believe in the lies of 9/11 . . . and that Iraq had something

to do with it!








Did Bush Ask The Populace To Sacrifice Anything for his Wars?
Did Bush command the populace to enlist?

Did Bush command the populace to drive less and conserve more?

Did Bush command the populace to do anything?

[donco6]

5. I haven't.

And it's funny, but you'd never see the other side falling on their own swords like this. Why we find it necessary is confusing to me.

[Enrique]

10. I've voted for Democrats

and Democrats have had a responsible record on drilling, including when the responsible position was unpopular in the polls.

Their position suddenly became a lot less responsible, when Obama flipped after winning the primary over Hillary, and then Pelosi went along with him.

[county worker]

11. Why does guilt tripping make some people feel like they accomplished something?

[stray cat]

12. Because so many like to blame someone else when they are reaping the benefits

I think its a dislike of hypocrisy.

[Yavin4]

19. If The Truth Makes You Feel Guilty

Then it is what it is.

[ima_sinnic]

13. uh, no. I voted for Carter, for 1 thing, & have been railing against "the system" like forever

the whole notion of "capitalism" has never appealed to me, from the time I can earliest remember (noticing how wasteful & unnecessary it was to put out new models of cars every year).
anybody who can't see the ultimate result of treating finite and intricately interconnected natural resources as "private property" to be exploited and wasted is stupid and should actually be regarded as criminal--but that's just me, I guess.

[Yavin4]

20. Again, You're One Person, But You Are Part of a Collective Society

It's not about who you voted for. It's about the attitudes of your fellow citizens.

[Zenlitened]

21. Do you really think that no one here has worked on changing the attitudes...

... of fellow citizens?

:shrug:

You seem to be saying that what one person says or does is meaningless... while at the same time you demand a mass-conversion of the entire populace. Somehow.

I don't get your angle here at all.

Millions of people have spent decades of their lives demonstrating leadership on this issue. In their personal conduct, in their public advocacy, in their political and social involvement. With passion, with sweat, with the dollars they spend and the dollars they refrain from spending.

All of this has been going on all around you for a very long time.

Haven't you been paying attention?

[Yavin4]

26. My Angle Here Is Simple

You, and many like you, focus on who gets elected to what office as a solution to our problems, when it's not.

What you, me, and everyone else needs to do is focus on changing our culture from the ground up. We need to focus on limiting development and building mass transit systems, energy conservation, and altnerative fuels, and not on who is president.

Oil spills, nuclear mis-haps, and mine cave-ins are going to happen, again and again for so long as we are dependent on those energy sources.

Until WE as a society change, then nothing else is going to change. Stop blaming and waiting for a politician to make change for you.

[Zenlitened]

30. Please re-read my post. Change from the ground up is exactly what I'm describing.

Seriously, you need to quit flinging this one-size-fits-all bromide around so freely. Your response to my post acknowledged NOTHING of what I stated, and in fact reacted to the exact OPPOSITE of what I stated. PAY ATTENTION, would you?

[Zenlitened]

33. No reply?

[ShortnFiery]

14. Bullshit! It's the fault of the mega-corporations and the SUPER-RICH who own them/us.

:grr: :thumbsdown:

[DevonRex]

15. We certainly should admit our share of the blame. nt

[katandmoon]

16. Bullfuckingshit.

[Arkana]

17. I personally didn't elect any of them.

I was 3 years old when St. Ronnie left office and was not old enough to vote till Bush v. Kerry.

In the short 5-6 years I've been allowed to vote, I have never, EVER cast a ballot for a Republican at ANY level.

[ProgressOnTheMove]

23. YES, it's something we can't escape we do it everyday in one way or another plastics, drinving cars

Jimmy Carter was the man to save us from ourselves, but he was taken the wrong way, sadly.

[HughMoran]

24. I know I'm ugly, but shit!

Don't be blaming me for all the worlds troubles!

:D

[boppers]

25. Look in your own damn mirror, mine's fine.

I live in a bicycle/bus/trolly/rail friendly city, walk to get my groceries, telecommute for almost all of my work (I drive in and out once a week, 33mpg car), use low-energy appliances, and live a low consumption lifestyle. On a city and state level, our regional energy priorities are hydro, wind, and solar, both on the manufacturing end (making solar panels and films, as well as wind turbines and components) and production end.

[Cha]

31. Good for you boppers and I'm sure Yavin

is looking in his mirror. I know I am..gave up my car a few years ago bc it was a money pit.. I live 3 blks from work and the rest worked itself out.

"Gulf Oil Spill: 6 Ways to Help"

http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/gulf-oil-spill-2010-0503

[cliffordu]

27. Yep - and no one here will give up their cars altogether over this.

[ShortnFiery]

28. BUNK!

:crazy:

[lunatica]

29. Speak for yourself

your message isn't new nor does it do anything to fix anything. Come up with some solutions if you want anyone to listen to you.

[TheKentuckian]

32. Unrec, been pushing in the opposite direction my whole life and have never

not for one moment supported off shore drilling.

Probably every one of us was born into the situation. Our responsibility is not for the status quo but what we make of it.

Anything, to avoid any responsibility to those who create policy and accountability to those who made kingly wealth while risking all of our asses.

This cop out is lame and I feel is an attempt to subdue concerns by getting the people to swallow the blame and shut their mouths so the pols and the "stakeholders" aren't put out too much.

[FrenchieCat]

34. Kicking for the Republican trolls amongs us!

[Fruittree]

35. Thank you so much for posting exactly what I was thinking!