And Curiously... Jindal Seems To Be Taking Charge On CNN Right Now!!!

[WillyT]

That's what people want to see, folks.

:shrug:

[dkf]

1. Someone had to do it. Sigh.

I'm beginning to think the moral of the story is states need to have plans for when the Feds fail.

[TomCADem]

52. In 2006, Rep. Bobby Jindal (R) Sponsored Bill Lifting Offshore Drilling Ban! Way To Go Bobby!

Here is another ongoing media cover-up. The media continues to give Sarah Palin and Bobby Jindal a platform to complain about the lack of safeguards and environmental damage caused by the gulf oil spill. BUT, the media does not do any examination of the stands of either Palin or Jindal. Palin, of course, was famous for her drill baby drill battle cries during the 2008 election.

As for Bobby Jindal, he should take a deep bow for sponsor the Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act (H.R. 4761), a bill to eliminate the moratorium on offshore oil and gas drilling over the U.S. outer continental shelf. Yet, do a google search, and you will find no stories mentioning this important fact. Indeed, all you find is Jindal listed innocuously as a sponsor. So, perhaps we ought to name the spill after gulf drilling proponent, Bobby Jindal.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Jindal

In 2006, Jindal sponsored the Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act (H.R. 4761), a bill to eliminate the moratorium on offshore oil and gas drilling over the U.S. outer continental shelf. A poll taken while the bill was being debated, showed that 73% of the U.S. public supported the measure. Jindal argues that 30-40% of oil reserves of the United States are near the Louisiana coast and increased drilling would reduce American dependence on foreign oil.<109> This prompted the watchdog groups, Republicans for Environmental Protection as well as the nonpartisan League of Conservation Voters to rate him among the lowest in Congress in 2006.

Of course, after becoming governor of Louisiana, Bobby Jindal continued to cheer lead for more offshore oil drilling:

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Environment/Developmental-Issues/Bush-lifts-offshore-drilling-ban/articleshow/3236372.cms

Bush lifts offshore drilling ban

WASHINGTON: US President George W. Bush has lifted a White House ban on offshore oil drilling and urged lawmakers to follow suit amid an election-year fight over painfully high gasoline prices.

"The American people are watching the numbers climb higher and higher at the pump, and they're waiting to see what the Congress will do" about legislative prohibitions, he said in a brief statement in the White House Rose Garden on Monday.

* * *

A late-June poll by CNN found that 73 percent of the US public at least mildly supports increased offshore drilling, while 27 percent at least mildly opposes it. The error margin was plus or minus three percentage points.

Under the 1981 federal moratorium, states are prohibited from allowing offshore oil and gas drilling and exploration, protecting virtually the entire Atlantic and Pacific coastlines and sections of the Gulf of Mexico.

The Governor of oil-rich Louisiana, Bobby Jindal, welcomed Bush's announcement.

"Louisiana produces 30 percent to 40 percent of the nation's oil and gas off our coast. It is certainly good for our economy ... It is also good for the nation," he told Fox News.

[WillyT]

56. Yeah... And Obama Did The Same God Damned Thing !!!

Obama Ends Ban On East Coast Offshore Drilling
by Scott Neuman
March 31, 2010

<snip>

President Obama announced the end of a decades-old ban on oil and gas drilling along much of the U.S. Atlantic coast and northern Alaska on Wednesday, as part of an effort to reduce foreign imports and win support for an energy and climate bill.

The changes in policy would allow drilling on tracts as close as 50 miles to the Virginia shore, and end a longstanding moratorium on drilling from Delaware to central Florida. Exploration in the Gulf of Mexico would be expanded eastward, and swaths north of Alaska would be opened up.

<snip>

Link: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125378223

:mad:

:shrug:

[kestrel91316]

62. Exactly when did the wells Obama permitted under that law start producing oil

or even reach the point in drilling where they could cause a massive spill??

I'll be waiting for your response with links.

[Name removed]

68. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Vickers]

83. Name-calling is against the rules, Hawkowl. n/t

[flamingdem]

2. I'm glad even though I see the oil money seeping out of his pockets nt

[Upton]

3. I was thinking the same thing.

[Cleita]

4. More information please?

What is he taking charge of? My house is a CNN free zone. Is he taking charge of doing something about the oil disaster? Then more power to him. Someone has to and as Governor of Louisiana, it's partly his responsibility to protect his state. I don't care if he's a Republican.

[dkf]

6. If he can do a better job of protecting and cleaning up the coastline he is going to be a force to

be reckoned with. Obama may have screwed up politically here in addition to the general incompetency.

[flamingdem]

I think it's safe to assume Obama is in close communication with Jindal, why not? nt

[dkf]

22. I'd feel better hearing that the Feds are providing all the materials Jindal is using.

Is this Louisiana's mess that the federal government is trying to fix or the federal government's mess that Jindal is trying to fix? I'd say the latter and that is bad.

[butterfly77]

17. Hey!

DRILL BABY BRILL!

[Cleita]

Sorry, but this isn't the time for politics.

Someone has to take charge.

[dkf]

24. Yup. Just sad we Dems couldn't do as good a job as I expected.

Obama is too tied into BP as the solution. So sad. I guess he thought propping up Wall Street was the solution too. He is delegating to business too much of the disaster recovery plan.

[dixiegrrrrl]

7. He's talking a mile a minute about bulding a sand berm.

Stuttering a bit, sounds extremely hyper.
Wants to shorten "timeline from seeing oil to taking action".
Wants to tell BP what to do.
Is naming all the areas ( a lot of them!!! ) where the oil has impacted the shoreline in La.

[Tsiyu]

58. thankyou

long, long ago on the DU folks would do just what you did there, give a nice "interpretation" of breaking news for us rural and otherwise low-tech types.

thank you :D

[WillyT]

8. Holding Live Press Conference...

Presenting facts, pictures of where they are , what they plan to ask for/do, sounds like he has really done his homework, and...

has probably erased his image as Kenny from The Office in about 10 minutes.

Impressive...

:shrug:

[dkf]

32. Is this something delegated to the states or is this something they have done on their own?

I'm just wondering what the normal division of jurisdiction is on this.

[Cattledog]

5. OMG! Jindal looking more Presidential than Obama!

[dkf]

14. Don't laugh.

This is not good. If Jindal can show republicans can run a government that works we lose that advantage.

It's a bittersweet thing. I'm glad if he gets the jobs done but woukd be sad at this missed opportunity.

[flamingdem]

33. Remember he rejected the stimulus (while handing out checks) and opposed research on the volcano

He's a republican A-HOLE.

[dkf]

35. Well if he is doing this on his own then it looks like the states are better at this than the Feds

Which would sadly prove a republican talking point.

[flamingdem]

49. My how you seem to be trying to prove this! Without many facts nt

[xchrom]

9. What a sad fuckin commentary -- jindal takes charge.

Perfect footnote for a democratic presidency.

Now THATS some 'legacy' makin for ya.

[flamingdem]

15. Why? How could the POTUS handle this level of detail, he IS the right person to do this

and I'm sure he's in communication with Obama.

[MoonRiver]

25. Then why is Obama giving Jindal the platform?

I would think Obama would want to be the one seen to be on top of the situation. :shrug:

[Drunken Irishman]

29. Because one is a governor and the other is president.

Obama can't stop everything he's doing, fly down to the Gulf and live there for weeks on end. He isn't capable of doing that. He has to lead a nation of 300 million people. Jindal has to lead a state of only a few million. That's the difference.

This is Jindal's job. There is a reason we have mayors and governors. It's for localized situations like this.

That's the harsh reality of this situation. If anyone really expected Obama to drop everything going on nationally and internationally to focus on this mess, well they're completely void of reality. A president can't do that.

Obama has already visited the coast. He's in constant communication with those there.

The rest will be left up to the local governments. It's just not plausible to expect Obama to invest 100% of his time and energy into this matter.

Jindal, though? He probably can do it. Governors have that luxury.

[MadMaddie]

37. Thank you!

[Cattledog]

39. I betcha he's watching the White Sox game!

[dionysus]

59. Yeah he sucks!1!111!!

:eyes:

[MoonRiver]

41. I think it is a big political mistake to not look like the take charge guy,

and give that prop to a Republican, who would just love to take Obama's job in 2012. Just saying.

[Drunken Irishman]

43. Thankfully I don't think he's making that mistake.

[Arkana]

72. Exactly. The world didn't stop when BP's oil well broke.

We still have two wars to extricate ourselves from, a financial sector intent on screwing Americans in every orifice, and an economy that is slowly improving but still in intensive care.

We elected Obama because he showed he was capable of multitasking--how on earth can we now expect him to throw every other crisis in his hands aside to tend to the spill in the Gulf? We help the state and local authorities with equipment and money, throw in federal personnel, etc. but Obama is not going to move the White House to Louisiana.

[Carolina]

75. "Obama can't stop everything he's doing,

fly down to the Gulf..."

Oh yes, he can!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This ongoing, ecologic, economic and health disaster is worse than any other threat to the US and should be treated as such!

Maybe he can't stay there for weeks on end but he should have done much more (than lip service), much sooner with the fucking resources (human and capital) that he will waste with the planned 30K additional more troops in Afghanistan. Then he could have turned it over to the locals like Jindal to oversee! he is losing all credibility and has shown NO leadership!

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/05/12-8

[janx]

42. He's not giving Jindal the platform. Jindal is the governor of

Louisiana; that's his job.

[Arkana]

66. Exactly. Jindal HAS the platform. It's his job to look after the people of Louisiana.

I don't really care what letter comes after his name--if his efforts lead to any progress on cleaning up the oil, then good for him.

[amborin]

78. +1000

[butterfly77]

10. Aren't these the people who don't want..

government help. How's that Drill baby drill coming along. Why doesn't Jindal PULL THEMSELVES UP WITH THEIR BOOTSTRAPS!

[dixiegrrrrl]

11. he is giving ukpdates now on what he is doing.

Reading very fast from a list, giving lots of specific information.
Sandbags, or dumptrucks of sand, and dredging, "working to fill in gaps"
and using freshwater diversion to push oil away from coast.
Hooray for him!

[janx]

20. Well that is his job, after all,

right?

[Subdivisions]

12. I was just thinking that he's doing a very good job of leading. You know,

I'm willing to respect republicans who are actually willing to lead. Unfortunately most of them are opportunistic sociopathic asshats.

[flamingdem]

19. Research how much oil money has corrupted Louisiana politics (no hero) nt

[Vinca]

13. I wish him well. Somebody's got to step up to the plate.

[dixiegrrrrl]

16. CNN showing shots now of oilly water in the marshes.

Nauseating.Disgusting.

[WillyT]

27. Um... dixiegrrrrl ???

You may, or may not, want to go here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8398034

:shrug:

:grouphug:

[dixiegrrrrl]

40. AAARRGHHHHHH

I actually have had to take breaks from the news about this. Too overwhelming.
My rage meter has been in the red for weeks now, blood pressure is climbing to greet it.
The callousness of it all is to too too much.

[LeftyFingerPop]

18. Keeerist!! I don't like the guy, but I have to give him credit. n/t

[Individualist]

51. +1

[athenasatanjesus]

21. Maybe Jindal actually learns from mistakes.

Hard to believe a republican would be capable of such a thing,but I'm sure it happens once in awhile.

[Drunken Irishman]

23. You do know he's the governor, right?

That's his job. Right now, that's pretty much his only job.

[bbinacan]

26. Good for him! n/t

[FSogol]

28. So that's what everyone wants? Some phony like Gulliani to roll up his sleeves,

wander around the streets, and tell everyone it is going to be ok? Shesssh.

Here's what the real people in charge have been doing:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/05/05/ongoing-administration-wide-response-deepwater-bp-oil-spill

[DrDan]

30. well . . . this seems to be about 5 weeks late

[wolfgirl]

31. Good the Jindal is doing something...

but you can bet the FEDERAL govt is there as well. Didn't anyone here the head of the Coast Guard note they were on site within 1.5 hrs ofthe explosion & the FEDERAL govt has been deeply involved from that point.

If President Obama hasn't been out front, it's because this is not a photo op. This is real life & he happens to have quite a bit of other presidential type stuff to juggle. I have no doubt he is updated hourly & has given orders to do whatever needs to be done, no matter what.

[freddie mertz]

34. Someone needs to. Biggest environmental disaster in our history and getting worse...

We need leadership, and the people need to SEE that leadership, in action.

[BeFree]

36. Yes. Someone has finally stood up for the defenseless

Go Bobby. Don't just sit there, do something. I like it.

[freddie mertz]

50. He's an unlikely hero, to put it mildly.

But at this point... who knows?

Beggars can't be choosers, or some such.

[IndianaGreen]

53. He is fighting for Louisiana and a way of life that is on the cusp of extinction

and he is not alone: New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu has been right alongside Jindal.

[freddie mertz]

60. I have seen the video and read around--and AGREE that he is doing very well.

He is actually DOING HIS JOB, in fact.

Some of our own "leaders" in WDC could learn some lessons here.

[JI7]

38. Loisiana is a welfare state that gets more in fed funds than they pay in

[madrchsod]

44. so? looks like he`s going to spend it...

[JI7]

46. for the morans who think the state doesn't need help

[Itchinjim]

45. He is?!! Well that settles it! I'm voting Jindal 2012!

Fuck that do nothing Obama and the Democrats! Bobby's our guy!

[NNN0LHI]

47. I think we ought to turn the entire mess over to him

I have no problem with that.

Don

[Scurrilous]

48. Break out the pom-poms!!!

Jindal! Jindal! Jindal!

:P

[IndianaGreen]

55. Mitch Landrieu has been alongside Jindal all along!

They are trying to save an entire way of life from extinction.

Partisan politics have no role when your planet is going down the toilet!

[Bonobo]

54. Nature (and politics) abhor a vacuum. nt

[dixiegrrrrl]

57. ."Nature abhors a vacuum"

That would explain why some people have rocks in their head, then.

[mzteris]

61. ooo - maybe we can start a Jindal Group

here on DU!

Along with the Sarah Palin Group!


:banghead:



Yeah - people want to see political grandstanding without actuallly anything being DONE. they want to conveniently ignore real work in favor or TV clips and media moments.

[freddie mertz]

63. What matters is what happens to ACTUAL PEOPLE and to the EARTH.

NOT stupid political crap.

If all you care about is the politics, you belong on another planet.

[mzteris]

64. That "political crap" is what helped all this to happen

to begin with.

Got it?

and that's all you're getting on here. Political SPIN. And it's amazingly sad how many on here have fallen for the smear job taking place.

[freddie mertz]

82. Right. INCLUDING the present administration's embrace of expanded drilling...

Which we obviously have no idea how to deal with when it goes wrong.

That is a political issue too.

But right now, I am ready to applaud anyone who tries to confront the problem.

We are in this one now.

[mzteris]

84. except under analysis -

I don't think jindal is really accomplishing much of anything. And Obama's admin is doing a whole lot damn more than they're getting credit for around here.

[freddie mertz]

85. I am not so sure.

I am one of the many who fear the impact of the whole event has been downplayed from he very start.

It scares me, frankly.

[KonaKane]

70. I'll call the Pope and recommend beautification!

.

[defendandprotect]

71. Fighting for nature vs capitalism isn't "political grandstanding" . ...

[Radical Activist]

80. Yes, that's exactly what people have been asking for.

It's sad to see people on DU demanding that they be manipulated with slick PR efforts instead of having Obama take real action.

[KonaKane]

65. Hello, DU? Are you there?

Sorry, I just had to check and see if I was on the right site. It appears I had inadvertently wandered onto www.tongueupJindalsass.com.

[Forkboy]

73. ....

:eyes:

[Individualist]

74. Guess again

You wandered into obamacandonowrong.com

[KonaKane]

79. You obviously have the wrong site too.

Because if you've been reading the daily bashing Obama gets here, you wouldn't be able to post something like that with a straight face.

[Radical Activist]

76. hmmm...

:spray:
Awesome. And anyone who has been involved in disaster situations knows that the real leader is the one who spends the most time in front of TV cameras. haha

[Radical Activist]

77. dupe

[mzteris]

81. it's either laugh or cry...

sometimes even a bad joke is a good thing. At least I chuckled once today.

[meow mix]

67. im disappointed with obamas reaction to the spill.

now jindal highlights how lame they have been on this. this is really bad

[Bluebear]

86. what reaction?

:(

[defendandprotect]

69. Right . . . only "people's" government can ensure an end to exploitation of nature ....

[Jamastiene]

87. Nature abhors a vacuum. n/t

[Javaman]

88. This thread could be taken straight from free republic.

sigh.