The Spill, The Scandal and the President

FOCUS | Obama and Nixon: A Historical Perspective

FOCUS | My Big Fat Greek Minister

Wall Street Lobbyists Roll Back Finance Reform, Again

Genetically Modified Democracy

Philly's Youth Are Taking Charge of Their Future

Rolling Stone introduces the story this way: "The inside story of how Obama failed to crack down on the corruption of the Bush years - and let the world's most dangerous oil company get away with murder."

President Barack Obama walks toward the Oval Office after arriving from an overnight trip to the Gulf Coast, 06/15/10. (photo: Getty Images)

Open Article On Originating Site

Comments

We are concerned about a recent drift towards vitriol in the RSN Reader comments section. There is a fine line between moderation and censorship. No one likes a harsh or confrontational forum atmosphere. At the same time everyone wants to be able to express themselves freely. We'll start by encouraging good judgment. If that doesn't work we'll have to ramp up the moderation.

General guidelines: Avoid personal attacks on other forum members; Avoid remarks that are ethnically derogatory; Do not advocate violence, or any illegal activity.

Remember that making the world better begins with responsible action.

- The RSN Team

+3 # Guest 2010-06-17 04:45

When I read articles like this "How Obama failed to crack down on bush's corruption", I shake my head. Obama has been in office for a year and 5 months, that is 515 days. YET he somehow was expected to tackle EVERY single mess that Bush made the day he walked in. Like any boss, Obama had men in charge of various areas. Like any employee, it was up to these employees to keep the Boss appraised of what was going on. If we all had our way---Bush would have been frog marched out to a prison cell, but unfortunetly he was not. Now Obama gets the blame for not being able to erase 8 years of destruction, in the first days ! Gawd---cut the guy a break !

+2 # Guest 2010-06-17 07:44

From his very first day in office, Bush mounted an all-points attack on existing government agencies by immediately putting his people and his agenda into place.

No one was wondering why he wasn't doing anything. We were marveling at how he could do so many evil things simultaneously.

Obama came in like a lamb. As an administrator he is clearly far inferior to Bush.

No, I won't cut him any slack! He doesn't have to do all these things himself. He has a staff of millions and a budget of trillions. He needed to put the right people in the right places to do the right things, and he didn't.

Instead of actively reversing the Bush crimes, he put in old guard, Clinton-era retreads and Wall Street moguls.

He has been a terrible disappointment on all fronts.

+2 # Guest 2010-06-17 13:46

There is some truth in what you say.

And of course, by ensuring that we continue, at great cost to our treasury and to human life, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have gone on and on, and those wars demand our infinite resources.

Eighty percent of the oil that BP captures (ed) in the Gulf went to our military machinery.

Eighty percent. Yet This President and even Al Gore insist that going to limo-infested Copenhagen and signing agreements is important in helping the environment.

Those agreements on behalf of the environment are meaningless UNLESS WE HAVE THE WILL TO STOP WAGING WAR!

0 # Guest 2010-06-23 16:19

This is the problem. Not one soul understands that the repugnants have put him in a position that no matter what he does it's going to be wrong!! We all know from the very beginning they were going to 'take him down, show the upstart, hand him his Waterloo". They're all so bigoted that their asses have been on fire since a man of color was elected to the Presidency of the United States. If he gets 'angry', he'll be labeled an 'angry black man', if he doesn't get angry, he's labeled a 'wimp'. So you tell all of us how's he going to win? Do you have an answer? I would bet my paycheck you don't. Again, the repugnant machine has set themselves up to win no matter which way it turns out. Aren't you just about sick of this merry-go-round with the devil? You're placing the blame in the wrong area and falling right into their trap just as MANY people are. Don't think for a minute that he doesn't know what their game is, he's not stupid. It's easy to get mad, 'W' did it all the time.

+2 # Guest 2010-06-17 05:51

So, the oil spill would never have happened if Dick Cheney were in prison? Cheney belongs in prison, but his disasters will linger on long after his death.

+2 # Guest 2010-06-17 07:47

Everything is still Bush's fault. Obama ran for President and the last I heard won. When does he go to work or is George W. still running the country. Next thing we know, it will be Bush's fault Al Gore messed around on Tipper.

+3 # Guest 2010-06-17 09:15

You bet this is Bush's fault, and sadly Clinton's and Daddy Bush's and Reagan's. If you read the March 2010 issue of ODE magazine about how the Hawaiian culture shaped Pres. Obama. Very interesting.

I applaud Tom Dickinson's report. I truly wish he would do the same with the BLM as Salazar is "overseeing" what appears to be very sinister, under the radar "things" in our western federal lands. The most obvious evidence right now is, again started under Bush, in the complete violation and disregard of the Wild Horse and Burro Act of 1971. They have "stockpiled" in the midwest and east and continue to add to the amazing 37,000 number of wild horses. The roundups and handling are cruel and inhumane causing many deaths. What are the plans for the western federal lands that they are hiding? We want out nation back and the only way we will get it back are excellent reports like Tom Dickinson does.

+5 # Guest 2010-06-17 09:29

It is obvious that there is plenty of blame to go around to various people in the administration. However, if the president had shut down production before the accident happened, there would have been an angry response from the republicans. The president would have been tarred and feathered, and told he was killing jobs in these difficult times, and he was anti business.They do say that now.
Just see the response to congressman Barton's digusting remark that the White House is shaking down BP. Of course several other republicans agree with him they are paid by the oil business. Barton has recieved about three and a half million, so he has more than 3 million reasons to give hell in the "little people". It is only BIG business that counts to republicans. I am sure many will consider that when they cast their vote in November. If you want fainess and if you need help, don't count on the republicans

-2 # markus 2010-06-17 22:25

There is another knock on effect of Obama's attacks on BP which affects many Ameicans, British and many other people around the world. one in four pensioners in the UK either have shares or their pension fund has shares in BP. Most of the American shareholders of BP are normal US nationals, each attack drives the share price down which mean less money for the pensioners and others to spend, so other firms who would have seen some of that money won't

And of course if BP is unable to fund the clean up they could go out of business which will mean thousands of job losses both in the US and in UK

+1 # Guest 2010-06-17 09:34

Why are you waisting my time with these idiotic letters and numbers configurations? ?? It is beyond infuriating.
If you have a comment you should not have to waste time figuring out what the devil that is

0 # Guest 2010-06-17 14:26

Still believe in "partisan" politics, Mr. President? You know, you brought this on yourself. You should have listened to the people that voted you in, but instead you had some of GW Bush old pals in your administration and that cut off your own head!

We need someone who has the balls to tell Republicans, the GOP, the Neo-conservativ es, the Christian right and the TEA beggars to stick it where the shine don't shine, Mr. President, and you not are capable of doing that!

Refresh comments list
RSS feed for comments to this post

THE NEW STREAMLINED RSN LOGIN PROCESS: Register once, then login and you are ready to comment. All you need is a Username and a Password of your choosing and you are free to comment whenever you like! Welcome to the Reader Supported News community.

Name:	*
Username:	*
E-mail:	*
Password:	*
Confirm password:	*
Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required.