B.O. ~ He said, “Yes we can…”

Like most Americans who proudly watched our nation’s man of hope and change deliver his election winning speech in Chicago back in November 2008—I’m disappointed.

We all remember the tear streaked faces of his most ardent supporters who braved the chilly November night in Grant Park.

They stood shoulder to shoulder to hear a newly elected Mr. Obama give the first of his now famous 10th-grade level speeches—a speech that he punctuated with his trademarked line, “Yes, we can.”

A “line” the crowd repeated like hypnotized drones for the entire seventeen minute speech.

While Americans have reluctantly had to accept the excuses for his failures over the last eighteen months--the BP blowout has been Mr. Obama’s first real world test at leading this nation out of a disaster occurring on his watch.

This catastrophe and lack of response has proven there’s no leadership at the top, no leadership in the middle and no substance in the agency staffing at the bottom of the Obama administration.

The administration’s critical failure has been “since day one” when it was discovered that a mandated piece of equipment—an oil fire boom—was not owned by the government agency responsible for a quick response.

When the leadership of the responsible agencies finally surfaced eight days after the deaths of eleven men—they made the rounds on the Sunday morning news shows in a media mop up of their mess by reassuring the nation they’d been on top of the event “since day one.”

You’ll notice that since that weekend of them eating their feet on television--which was followed by a couple of brief appearances on the Gulf Coast—the DHS, DOI and EPA heads have been relatively unseen—swept into the closet to allow the President to appear and “take control.”

That control, or lack of it, was readily apparent in the speech delivered from the Oval Office last Tuesday night.

In using the Oval Office, a setting reserved to deliver only the most important of messages to the American people—Obama chose to redeliver his politically motivated eco-agenda and eliminated any leadership or solutions in his message to those in peril along the Gulf Coast.

His words were as empty as his suit.

In the weeks prior to the BP blowout, Mr. Obama admitted to our nation that the responsible agencies under his leadership, were incapable of responding to a terrorist driven nuclear attack of any size—and the BP oil spill reaffirmed our national level of preparedness to be weak at best.

What Obama’s proven good at is convening divisive committees who argue party lines, filing lawsuits, and layering bureaucracy so thick that nothing—I repeat NOTHING--can be done without pain to save our Gulf Coast.

In my opinion—it’s by design—to allow him to push his Obama “green economy” and his unaffordable cap-and-trade bill—-in other words, his agenda.

What better way to win the hearts and minds of the Grant Park “Yes-we-can” Club, than with pictures of oily beaches, oily dead birds and the oil-broken lives of ruined people?

The real leadership in the Gulf has proven to be the locals—just watch Governor Bobby Jindal or Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nunguesser during their interviews—they have a plan, they want to act and instead of helping lead—the President and his henchmen and women are in the way, purposely.

I wonder if those same tear streaked faces of the Grant Park group are watching the heartbreak along the Gulf Coast from their air conditioned living rooms—where are the Hollywood stars, the Jesse’s, the Al’s, the Oprah’s—they’ve been incredibly silent since April 20th.

Perhaps the multitudes who stood there in Grant Park and were so moved to mimic the chant, have realized what many of us knew before they voted for him—when it comes to leading us and our nation, through this or any other major disaster—“No, he can’t.”

"Louisiana isn't the only place that has shrimp"…

I want to thank all of you who answered my email and FB request to spread the TRUTH in the words of “The Fisherman’s Wife”.

I had many new readers pick up on this story globally--Canada, Mexico, Malaysia, Moscow, Paris and Germany—from Alaska to Maine—and from sea to shining sea, to the oil laden Gulf! THANKS for your efforts!

I’m going to go out on a limb here and ask again for another favor of you, my readers.

Multiple sources in Louisiana and on the web have reported that BP Vice President, Randy Prescott made the statement that, "Louisiana isn't the only place that has shrimp."

Apparently, Mr. Prescott doesn’t get the fact that his company’s damned oil and their sub-sea and aerial spraying of dispersants are polluting the Gulf of Mexico, as well as the air and land masses of the surrounding Gulf States.

Mr. Prescott, this ain’t just about shrimp and this ain’t just about Louisiana!

It’s about BP’s corporate culture creating the worst ecological disaster in U.S. history and possibly the worst ecological disaster to affect the modern world; an event for which--reports say--BP had no external insurance for.

For those readers so motivated, you can contact Mr. Prescott and voice your concerns over his unsympathetic remarks—Randy Prescott is BP’s Vice President of Power Origination, call him at 713.323.4093 or e-mail him at randy.prescott@bp.com.

There’s an old saying that when the small fish die, the big fish die, too. In this case, when the small fish die, the big fish die, and the entire region stands to die, too.

This is more than BP covering up a leaky oil pipe

BP and the Obama administration continue to keep what they know about the actual amount of oil gushing into the Gulf a national secret. They’ve done so by maintaining a “no-fly zone” in the skies above the site, and a U.S. Coast Guard blockade in the surrounding waters.

Louisiana’s Cajun Navy—many of whom are now getting sick after being told the dispersants were non-toxic—may end up like many of the 9/11 first responders who also were told the environment they worked in was “safe”.

The surrounding secrecy and corporate lies may cost American lives in addition to the eleven already lost unless BP is forced to “fess up”.

As a nation, we’ve explored outer-space for decades; having landed men on the moon and sent robots to Mars.

Yet our government can’t get an accurate flow rate from inner space, from a company proven to operate remotely controlled vehicles at depth while producing billions in quarterly profits without--up to now--losing a drop.

Last Friday, when BP admitted that the “Top Kill” procedure had failed, the press conference included Coast Guard Rear Admiral Mary Landry who reiterated the administration’s position of “since day one” three times in her statements--even though it’s common knowledge that “day one” means “day eight” in Washingtonese.

R.Admiral Landry commented that “they’d done a good job fighting the oil” comparatively to what has flowed in the past 40 days or so, in ratio to what has reached the shore.

Landry failed to mention that much of what has not made shore lies hidden beneath the surface of the Gulf thanks to the hundreds of thousands of gallons of dispersants used to break-up the oil.

She also failed to confirm or deny the twenty-two mile long, 6 mile wide “sub-surface plume” that scientists are monitoring near one of the Gulf’s deep water estuaries.

Voices of the victims

The truth about what’s happening at “ground zero” is heard in the voices of the victims; and it differs greatly from what’s heard in the corporate press releases from BP, or the daily press briefings with White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.

Gibbs recently went so far as to attack one victim, a Louisiana resident and Obama supporter—Democratic strategist James Carville, whose well warranted melt down about Obama’s bungled response to the massive leak in the Gulf Coast went viral in the days after he spoke his mind during a television interview.

Perhaps Mr. Gibbs needs to take a trip to the bayou and listen to the people who are living this nightmare to fully understand what Mr. Carville may, or may not know:

“Today was utter chaos for our boats and men, everything is so out of control and unorganized it's unreal.”

“Between the Coast Guard, Wildlife and Fisheries, public officials, BP and the Federal Government, it's a circus!! Everybody wants to give orders and nobody wants to do their job.”

“If they'd have let all the boats work from day one then a lot of it wouldn't have made it to shore. Instead they'd rather spray chemicals on it so it sinks to the bottom and nobody can see it…”

“We have issues with the task forces of vessels....some are getting tons of food while others are barely getting any. Some are getting all the fuel they need while others are on stand by with none. The logistics aren't set up correctly and we're 40 days into this. Sad thing is that there are capable people out there that could put the logistics together and make it work, but it seems BP doesn't want that to happen.”

“One has to wonder if someone within BP isn't sabotaging all things brought forth, because one company couldn't possibly be this unorganized.”

“Do we really think that OBAMA will make sure all his promises are kept? Heck no, he's part of the problem… Obviously, he was too busy on vacations, and traveling to push his own agenda.”

A voice of leadership

Lt. General Russel L. Honoré, US Army (Ret), is the "Category 5 General" who led Task Force Katrina and authored "Survival: How a Culture of Preparedness Can Save You and Your Family From Disasters". Lt. Honoré offers his sobering opinion in this quote from a CNN report.

“The No. 1 rule when dealing with disaster is to figure out which rules you need to break. Rules are designed for when everything is working. A democracy is based on trust. BP has proved it can’t be trusted.”

From my perspective, we’re somewhere between twenty-million and forty-million gallons of goo in the Gulf.

Perhaps it’s time for the Cajun Navy to follow Lt. General Honorés’ No. 1 rule and break a few as they work to save their way of life--after all, sometimes it’s much easier to ask for forgiveness later, than it is to ask for permission in the heat of the battle.

BP’s “Transparency” is simply Bullshitting People

Much of this article was assembled from multiple web sources and links (cut-n-paste them) to corresponding stories in an attempt to put some of the puzzle pieces together and allow us all to quickly see the truth in BP’s handling of the BP Deepwater Horizons oil gusher and the “initiatives” of the Obama administration.

They’re simply not listening. Many believe there’s a lot more being covered up by both parties as they continue their respective agendas--and unfortunately their agendas do not include, “We the people…”

At the end of this article I’ve included BP’s contact information on multiple fronts so those readers so inclined may legally express their “transparency”.

From (www.bp.com), “BP today reiterated its pledge to be open and transparent in its response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.” “We are committed to providing the American people with the information they need to understand the environmental impact from the spill and the response steps that have been taken," said BP's chief executive Tony Hayward.

This is the same guy who a week or so ago said the environmental aspects from this spill would be “very, very moderate”!

Yes, Tony—the loss of eleven lives, the physical scarring of those burned in the blaze as they jumped for their lives; along with the psychological scarring of all those on the platform when it exploded in multiple blasts—is all reduced to “moderate” in your corporate mind. It’s “all about the company and shareholders” in your world.

Has BP or the U.S. administration stopped to think that some of BP’s shareholders are some of the people who elected our current President?

When one takes the time to assemble BP’s shoddy PR, versus what’s actually being done to stop the flow and clean-up the goo, the insensitive nature of Mr. Hayward, BP PLC, the Obama Administration and the corporate world is…transparent.

Excerpts from…..
Deepwater Horizon Response http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/site/2931/
“The Unified Area Command for the Deepwater Horizon/BP Response announces it will not use hair boom in its response efforts. Individuals and organizations are asked to discontinue the collection of hair for the hair boom.” “Our priority when cleaning up an oil spill is to find the most efficient and expedient way to remove the oil from the affected area while causing no additional damage.

Yet BP refuses EPA order to switch to less-toxic oil dispersant http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-oil-spill-20100523,0,907236.story

As President Obama, the Department of the Interior, the Department of Homeland Security and countless others voice their “we doing everything in our power”, it seems that Washington is impotent.

OBAMA POLITELY ASKS FOR COOPERATION WHILE BP RULES SPILL ZONE WITH IRON FIST
http://trueslant.com/allisonkilkenny/2010/05/22/obama-politely-asks-for-cooperation-while-bp-rules-spill-zone-with-iron-fist/

The writer of that article sees the transparency saying, “Judging by the government’s handling of the spill zone, I’d be hard pressed to tell you who is in charge of the country right now. BP has stifled the freedom of the press, given the finger to the EPA, and will not be forced to testify in Obama’s shiny, new commission…”

The article goes on to quote multiple people from the media who have been “run-off” from covering this story both on land and sea stating, “BP has quartered off the Louisiana coast like an army in a war zone, and has shaken off any attempt by the government to control their response to the environmental disaster.”

In trying to find out “who is in charge of the country right now”, I found Sylvia V. Baca, a senior public and private sector manager in energy and environmental policy and programs, who was named Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar on June 18, 2009. An appointment did not require Senate confirmation.

Her resume is “all BP”.

“Baca had been general manager for Social Investment Programs and Strategic Partnerships at BP America Inc. in Houston, and had held several senior management positions with the company since 2001. She was also Director of Global Health, Safety, Environment & Emergency Response for BP Shipping Ltd. in London.”

From her DOI web page: “As vice president for Health, Safety and Environment, BP North America in Los Angeles, Baca served as policy advisor on environmental initiatives, such as climate change, biodiversity, sustainable development, land restoration and air and water programs focusing on environmental initiatives, overseeing cooperative projects with private and public organizations, developing health, safety, and emergency response programs and working on climate change…”

To read more on Ms. Baca go to her DOI webpage http://www.doi.gov/archive/bio/baca_bio.html.

This promise of transparency is the same promise made by President Obama during his campaign and reiterated in multiple speeches since his moving into the White House.

For many of us, Obama’s buzz words were understood, yet for the majority of Americans—who supposedly voted for him--the transparency is becoming apparent—he’s running his agenda while not listening to or saying anything to, the press or the American people—be it healthcare, immigration, the environment or his attitude.

It’s time for the American public to also be as transparent as possible and express themselves as we legally have the rights to do so. While I’m not suggesting looking to the streets of Greece or Thailand for suggestion, I am saying it’s time for US, the citizens of the U.S. to express our displeasure with BP and their mishandling of securing their ever so valuable well.

Perhaps informational pickets from public access around BP stores and facilities reminding BP customers and shareholders about those who died and/or were on the platform are in order.

Perhaps it’s time for BP representatives to be met by local fishermen on the docks as they traverse from the oil inundated areas and the blast site.

Or perhaps it’s just time to voice our opinions to BP until they admit we’ve been heard.

Here are some of the ways I’ve been able to express my transparency with BP. I do hope their phones ring true with our concerns and their voicemails and email inboxes be chock-full of our feelings of disgust in their handling of their mess.

Twitter: Oil_Spill_2010 follow @Oil_Spill_2010

Facebook:
Deepwater Horizon Response
http://www.facebook.com/DeepwaterHorizonResponse?ref=ts

BP America Press Office:
+1 281 366 0265

BP Press Office London:
+44 20 7496 4076
BP Investor Relations: +1-281-366-4937

Claims: +1 800 440 0858
www.bp.com/claims

Media and government inquiries:
+1 985 902 5231 or +1 985 902 5240

People interested in “volunteering” can call 866-448-5816

Call early and email often, but remember we live in a different age now so word your thoughts carefully to avoid looking insensitive, as BP’s Tony Hayward and the corporation has shown themselves to be.

“The truth may not always be heard in the spoken word…

…yet it’s always seen in people’s actions.” Those are my words, the very words I use in signing my book, BETRAYAL: Clinton, Castro & the Cuban Five (ISBN-13: 978-1440118012), a book that exposes the murder and cover-up of four U.S. residents, shot down over international waters by Cuban MiGs in 1996.

My words are also applicable to BP PLC and their handling of their “underwater oil volcano” as it’s described by Florida Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL).

In fact, Senator Nelson fears that BP PLC will not handle their responsibilities properly and try to limit their losses to a decades old $75 million dollar liability limit.

Nelson also he indicated residents in the potentially affected states should not rely on the statements made by “Big Oil” and to prepare for a legal battle.

I concur with Senator Nelson, considering developments of the past few days.

BP filed the exploration plan and environmental impact analysis I mentioned in a previous article with the federal government in February 2009, saying BP it had the capability to handle a "worst-case scenario" at the Deepwater Horizon site…with capabilities of handling a leak of 162,000 barrels per day from an uncontrolled blowout – BP’s calculations have proven to be untrue.

BP PLC has also said they will pay for the clean-up as well as damages and commercial loss due to the oil leak, but their actions Monday, May 3rd, signaled a much different approach.

FOX News reporter Jonathan Hunt reported that statements made by BP executives went so far as to try to deny that this is their accident.

BP execs claimed that while they were leasing and operating (and standing to profit from) the Deep Horizons oil rig; the rig was owned by a company called Trans Ocean; and that other equipment, including the failed blow-out preventor, was made by a different company, Cameron International.

It appears to me that BP PLC tried the old “not our fault” defense paired up with a “can’t see it from my house” attempt at disbursing the sub-surface Gulf oil by using highly toxic chemicals. Chemicals that are killing marine life while keeping the oil from reaching the Gulf shoreline in sticky, gooey globs.

Furthering their cause on Monday, BP PLC asked Gulf fishermen--who the company was employing to deploy oil booms--to sign legal waivers of indemnity.

The waiver said in part, “I hereby agree on behalf of myself, and my representatives, to hold harmless and indemnify and to release, waive and forever discharge the BP Exploration and Production Inc...from all claims and damages.” (Source J. Hunt, FOX News)

After fishermen complained BP PLC rolled out one of their spokeswomen, Ayana McIntosh-Lee; a very well educated, well spoken, cardboard cutout--specifically trained to calm rough corporate waters--who said, “We heard the concern, and we acted on it,” meaning BP PLC withdrew the requirement of indemnification from the fishermen.

McIntosh also said, “That if people have a legitimate claim and they file that, it will be honored.” BP PLC has said those claims have to be, “legitimate and objectively verifiable”, confusing words for those who work the docks and fishing fleets, as well as to those in Washington, D.C.
Corporate responsibility

BP’s primary corporate responsibility—according to what I learned many years ago in college—is to turn a profit for their shareholders. Shareholders in a stock corporation hold the keys to voting for the Board of Directors who stand to make big bonuses based on their performance.
Nothing in this business formula says the corporation has a responsibility to the safety and well-being of the general public.

Based on BP’s six-billion dollar first quarterly earnings for 2010—yes $5.6 billion with a “B” in the current economy—I see no need for BP PLC to even think about asking hard working Americans and businesses to bail them out of their sticky mess—and this includes preying on people’s sympathies by begging for volunteers.

Especially after trying to force indemnity waivers upon fishermen whom they were going to sub-contract and pay--and many whom admittedly have little or no formal education in dealing with corporate America and their privileged legal teams.

BP PLC needs to educate folks who are considering volunteering to help with mopping up their mess or oil stricken marine life and wildlife. The general public needs to be aware of the risks involved; and those who wish to help should be provided a 40-hour HAZWOPR training and certification course, appropriate HAZMAT apparel, full foot and hand protection, and respirators if the situation dictates.

Also, if people wish to be protected “down-the-road” from injuries, illnesses or even deaths caused by their slogging in BP’s oil--they need to have a formal relationship, not waivers signed—so from my perspective, it’d be best to be “employed” or sub-contracted in some fashion with BP PLC.

Anybody remember September 18, 2001?

That’s the day the Christine Todd Whitman; Administrator to the Environmental Protection Agency first released a report, in which she said, "Given the scope of the tragedy from last week, I am glad to reassure the people of New York and Washington, D.C. that their air is safe to breathe and their water is safe to drink." She also said, "The concentrations are such that they don't pose a health hazard...We're going to make sure everybody is safe."

Later, a 2003 report by the EPA's inspector general determined that such assurances were misleading, because the EPA "did not have sufficient data and analyses" to justify the assertions when they were made—and many of our 9/11 First Responders are sick, and many others have already died—based on the spoken word of the EPA.

BP’s statements and actions have not added up, and at this point I, as does Senator Nelson, question BP and “Big Oil”—so far there’s little “truth” in their “actions”.

Let us pray, that BP's coffer dam, “the big box" works!

Matt Lawrence is owner of Paratus International LLC, a company dedicated to preparedness training and planning in the private and public sector. He’s also author of “What To Do til the Cavalry Comes: A Family Guide to Preparedness in 21st Century America”. He can be reached via his website at www.mattlawrencebooks.com

Time for British Petroleum to step up and perform

In an exploration plan and environmental impact analysis filed with the federal government in February 2009, BP claimed it had the capability to handle a "worst-case scenario" at the Deepwater Horizon site, which the document described as a leak of 162,000 barrels per day from an uncontrolled blowout - 6.8 million gallons each day.

Unfortunately, we may have been “misled”.

A little over estimated--considering the Deepwater Horizon site is now said to be pumping up to “25,000 barrels per day” and could very well increase to an “unchecked gusher” should the seabed or well pipes deteriorate further. The well is considered to be “out of control”, according to the British online news source, Times Online UK.

British Petroleum’s responsibility for the spill

As the oil slick spreads so does BP’s responsibility to those in the affected areas. The looming coastal nightmare is hours away for some, and days away for others.

BP has gone so far as to say they will pay claims to businesses in the affected areas and set a precedent by hiring some of Louisiana’s soon to be displaced fishermen to help deploy oil booms at an estimated $38 to $48 per hour.

Oil industry experts and officials are reluctant to describe what, exactly, a worst-case scenario would look like - but if the oil gets into the Gulf Loop Current and the Gulf Stream and it carries to the beaches of Florida, the BP oil spill stands to be an environmental and economic disaster of epic proportions.

With that said, potential victims need to prepare for the “coming storm”.

BP had a flawed preparedness plan, that doesn’t mean you should

You can bet BP has their legal teams and insurance experts working to minimize their losses and you should too!

If your business has the potential to being affected by losses due to the BP oil spill, now’s the time to check your insurance coverage for “man-made disasters” or the loss of business due to the negligence of others—verify now, exactly what your policy covers—or not.

Seek legal advice as to your rights to file a claim and do so.

Everyone from retail wholesalers to food brokers to restaurants to water based businesses and real estate agents servicing these destination towns will feel the effects of big oil for years to come, and residents may well too—as they are pushed into paying higher taxes to make up for the loss in tourist/bed tax revenues as vacationers disappear seeking “cleaner destinations”.

Unemployment in the Southeast is about to jump…but there’s options

According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s statistics website, unemployment the affected states is already high: Alabama -11%, Florida -12.6%, Louisiana - 6.9% and Mississippi at 11.5%.

Of course the numbers don’t reflect the under-employed, those who have never filed for unemployment compensation or those who have given up looking for work.

Instead of seeking volunteers, BP should consider training and hiring oil spill mop-up and wildlife rehabilitation responders in each of the affected areas.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve volunteered many times in my past. I’ve worked multiple whale and dolphin strandings in the Florida Keys, and flew search and rescue mission as a volunteer in the early 1990’s.

This time it’s different.

BP has stated that untrained volunteers risk injury should they try to clean-up the company’s oil without proper training.

Quoting an article from Sunday’s News-Press, the Fort Myers area daily newspaper, "OSHAA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) requires that anyone who responds must be certified".

According to that News-Press article, Joanne Semmer, president of Ostego Bay Oil Spill Cooperative at Fort Myers Beach, has provided a 24-hour training classes to people since the early 1990s for such an emergency.

Her class is said to include many of the problems responders would face if the oil slick invades Southwest Florida waters, marshes and beaches.

By BP assuming the liability for uniformly training and hiring unemployed Americans in the communities their oil spill will affect, British Petroleum will help offset a portion of the job losses, new foreclosures and economic declines caused by their inability to handle a situation they said they could in their 2009 analysis.

BP’s responsibility—“Beyond Petroleum”?

This oil spill is BP’s baby, and their responsibility. It’s their choice as to how they handle the oil spill and clean-up.

Should BP choose to do the right thing and employ BP trained Americans whose backyard they’ve destroyed, as part of their “Disaster Recovery Team”--bravo to BP.

Should they choose not to, let BP provide personnel from within their global ranks of employees and import them to the communities their oil spill has destroyed.

I’m sure the local businesses will welcome British Petroleum’s employees—with their corporate credit cards--into their communities with open arms; and provide them with all their necessities for the years--and possible decades--it will take for BP employees to clean up their company’s gooey mess.

British Petroleum’s disaster is now America’s disaster and it’s time for BP to step up, beginning with a new corporate philosophy--“Benefiting People, Before Profits”--.

Matt Lawrence is owner of Paratus International LLC and author of What To Do til the Cavalry Comes: A Family Guide to Preparedness in 21st Century America