Changes

Three weeks into the disaster [[National Public Radio]] reported the [[Obama administration]]'s official figures were still grossly underestimated<ref>[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126809525 Gulf Spill May Far Exceed Official Estimates,] Richard Harris, ''National Public Radio,'' 14 May 2010.</ref> and after the first month it was finally admitted the spill was nearly three times larger than earlier thought.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/28/us/28flow.html Estimates Suggest Spill Is Biggest in U.S. History,] Tom Zeller, Jr., ''New York Times'', 27 May 2010.</ref>

Three weeks into the disaster [[National Public Radio]] reported the [[Obama administration]]'s official figures were still grossly underestimated<ref>[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126809525 Gulf Spill May Far Exceed Official Estimates,] Richard Harris, ''National Public Radio,'' 14 May 2010.</ref> and after the first month it was finally admitted the spill was nearly three times larger than earlier thought.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/28/us/28flow.html Estimates Suggest Spill Is Biggest in U.S. History,] Tom Zeller, Jr., ''New York Times'', 27 May 2010.</ref>

Federal officials did not begin burning the leaking oil off the surface of the water until one full week after the rig collapsed.<ref>[http://blog.al.com/live/2010/04/burning_should_have_started_a.html Burning should have started a week ago, former NOAA official says,] Ben Raines, ''Mobile Press-Register'', 29 April 2010.</ref> Louisiana Governor [[Bobby Jindal]] criticized [[President Obama]] for his slow response.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzEntQPr9OA</ref>  ''The New York Times'' castigated the [[White House]] for delays and not moving quick enough, calling the evidence "damning" and declaring the Gulf oil spill a "huge disaster whose consequences might have been minimized with swifter action" from the [[Obama administration]].<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/01/opinion/01sat1.html Unanswered Questions on the Spill,] ''New York Times'' Editorial, 30 April 2010.</ref> One month into the spill, [[Democrat]]ic stalwarts [[James Carville]],<ref>[http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2521614/posts Is James Carville racist?], 26 May 2010. Retrieved from freerepublic.com 30 May 2010.</ref> [[Chris Matthews]],<ref>http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0510/37632.html#ixzz0om46RhGH</ref> and Donna Brazile<ref>http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2-wire/99375-donna-brazile-calls-obamas-oil-spill-response-not-tough-enough</ref> criticized the inept and bungled response to the spreading catastrophe.

Federal officials did not begin burning the leaking oil off the surface of the water until one full week after the rig collapsed.<ref>[http://blog.al.com/live/2010/04/burning_should_have_started_a.html Burning should have started a week ago, former NOAA official says,] Ben Raines, ''Mobile Press-Register'', 29 April 2010.</ref> Louisiana Governor [[Bobby Jindal]] criticized [[President Obama]] for his slow response.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzEntQPr9OA</ref>  ''The New York Times'' castigated the [[White House]] for delays and not moving quick enough, calling the evidence "damning" and declaring the Gulf oil spill a "huge disaster whose consequences might have been minimized with swifter action" from the [[Obama administration]].<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/01/opinion/01sat1.html Unanswered Questions on the Spill,] ''New York Times'' Editorial, 30 April 2010.</ref> One month into the spill, [[Democrat]]ic stalwarts [[James Carville]],<ref>[http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2521614/posts Is James Carville racist?], 26 May 2010. Retrieved from freerepublic.com 30 May 2010.</ref> [[Chris Matthews]],<ref>http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0510/37632.html#ixzz0om46RhGH</ref> and [[Donna Brazile]]<ref>http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2-wire/99375-donna-brazile-calls-obamas-oil-spill-response-not-tough-enough</ref> criticized the inept and bungled response to the spreading catastrophe.

[[File:Finalisttransoce.jpeg|left|250px|thumb|Chris Oynes (left) of the Mineral Management Service presents Keelan Adamson (right) of Transocean the MMS's,<br> ''Safety Award for Excellence'' (SAFE),<ref>http://www.mms.gov/awards/SAFEcriteria.htm</ref> at the MMS National Award luncheon, 7 May 2009.<ref>http://www.beaconmag.com/gomrigteamswinmm.html</ref><br>''Source: Beacon magazine'']]

[[File:Finalisttransoce.jpeg|left|250px|thumb|Chris Oynes (left) of the Mineral Management Service presents Keelan Adamson (right) of Transocean the MMS's,<br> ''Safety Award for Excellence'' (SAFE),<ref>http://www.mms.gov/awards/SAFEcriteria.htm</ref> at the MMS National Award luncheon, 7 May 2009.<ref>http://www.beaconmag.com/gomrigteamswinmm.html</ref><br>''Source: Beacon magazine'']]

The [[White House]] lacked any type of plan to combat the disaster. [[U.S. House of Representatives|House]] Democratic Majority Leader [[Steny Hoyer]] publicly admitted that the [[Obama Administration]] was ill-prepared to deal with the situation.<ref>[http://pogoblog.typepad.com/pogo/2010/04/mms-thought-deepwater-horizon-was-awardwinningly-safe.html MMS Thought Deepwater Horizon was Award-Winningly SAFE,] The Project on Government Oversight, Exposing Government Corruption, 29 April 2010.</ref>  While the disaster steadily grew, Obama did not discuss the crisis at length until he appeared at a photo op at Venice, Louisiana on 3 May 2010.<ref>[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126467960 Obama Says Oil Spill Damage Could Be Unprecedented,] Scott Horsley, [[NPR]], 3 May 2010.</ref>  He would order a moratorium on all future deep sea oil platforms until they determine the problems associated with the current situation. As to be expected, Obama tries to remove himself from blame saying "the system failed", this despite the fact the he heads the system. Then he pointed fingers of blame at oil companies while taking an indirect jab at the Bush administration.<ref>[http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20005039-503544.html Angry Obama Seeks to Deflect Blame for Gulf Oil Spill Crisis, CBS, May 14, 2010]</ref>

The [[White House]] lacked any type of plan to combat the disaster. [[U.S. House of Representatives|House]] Democratic Majority Leader [[Steny Hoyer]] publicly admitted that the [[Obama Administration]] was ill-prepared to deal with the situation.<ref>[http://pogoblog.typepad.com/pogo/2010/04/mms-thought-deepwater-horizon-was-awardwinningly-safe.html MMS Thought Deepwater Horizon was Award-Winningly SAFE,] The Project on Government Oversight, Exposing Government Corruption, 29 April 2010.</ref>  While the disaster steadily grew, Obama did not discuss the crisis at length until he appeared at a photo op at Venice, Louisiana on 3 May 2010.<ref>[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126467960 Obama Says Oil Spill Damage Could Be Unprecedented,] Scott Horsley, [[NPR]], 3 May 2010.</ref>  He would order a moratorium on all future deep sea oil platforms until they determine the problems associated with the current situation. As to be expected, Obama tries to remove himself from blame saying "the system failed", this despite the fact the he heads the system. Then he pointed fingers of blame at oil companies while taking an indirect jab at the Bush administration.<ref>[http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20005039-503544.html Angry Obama Seeks to Deflect Blame for Gulf Oil Spill Crisis, CBS, May 14, 2010]</ref>

{{cquote|First [Obama] was going to make BP pay for the Gulf oil mess. Then he declared himself in charge. Now he's trying to find out 'whose ass to kick' and making clear he'd fire BP's chief if only he could.<ref>http://apnews.myway.com/article/20100608/D9G7C5U00.html</ref>}}

{{cquote|First [Obama] was going to make BP pay for the Gulf oil mess. Then he declared himself in charge. Now he's trying to find out 'whose ass to kick' and making clear he'd fire BP's chief if only he could.<ref>http://apnews.myway.com/article/20100608/D9G7C5U00.html</ref>}}

[[File:Energy Tax bill.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Estimated impact of Obama Energy Tax in job losses.<br> Total job loss: 2.2 million.<br>''Source: National Black Chamber of Commerce'' [http://www.nationalbcc.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=750:nbcc-study-generates-concerns-about-waxmanmarkey-climate-change-bill-costs-are-high-but-benefits-are-uncertain&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=7] ]]

[[File:Energy Tax bill.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Estimated impact of Obama Energy Tax in job losses.<br> Total job loss: 2.2 million.<br>''Source: National Black Chamber of Commerce'' [http://www.nationalbcc.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=750:nbcc-study-generates-concerns-about-waxmanmarkey-climate-change-bill-costs-are-high-but-benefits-are-uncertain&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=7] ]]

=== Revitalizing cap and trade energy tax ===

=== Revitalizing cap and trade energy tax ===

:''Main article:'' '''[[Cap and trade]]'''

:''Main article:'' '''[[Cap and trade]]'''