And, In Other News...

We are now 60 days into the fiasco in the Gulf of Mexico. Two full months have passed, and oil is still gushing from a mile beneath the sea. I am bewildered by the fact that BP doesn’t (never did?) have realistic, researched and practiced methods to stop what they started. And the techniques they’ve tried, to date, seem so rudimentary in comparison to the high technology needed to initially drill.

I ascertain that BP executives formulated their ideas to stop the gusher, by consulting with kindergartners, with names like Top Hat and Top Kill (Dr. Seuss, for sure). From this dog’s perspective, that scenario plays out more truly than the visual of a boardroom, full of stuffed shirt stiffs, headed by Hayward.

I can hear it now: “Mr. Hayward, the handful of untested schemes we’ve tried, have not been successful in quelling our tiny spill.” And, in complete earnest, Tony the Tiger responds; “I am shocked that the top hat and cane didn’t work. Or the cut and paste. Or the assassin in a beret. When I played with those concepts on my etch-a-sketch, they seemed flawless. New idea’s anyone?”

A bloated (possibly gout-ridden), BP executive chimes in with, “I have a brilliant hypothesis! I think, if we stuff the pipe with garbage and concrete, and maybe even some golfballs, we can plug the leak. It’s a sure thing, I tell you!”. Dear readers, this is where everyone in the room should howl with laughter, right? I mean, that is pretty darned funny and outrageous, and humor is a good way of diffusing a tense moment. But, no! This was one of the real solutions provided by the experts running BP.

Yes, friends, my fantasy scenario happened last month, when we were weeks into the “spill”. We are now at the two month mark, and no better solutions have come from the corporation(s) that caused this travesty.

I was titillated watching the BP executives yesterday, most notably Mr. Hayward, squirming under Congress’s interrogation. There is some comfort in knowing they will pay for their crimes against the U.S. and the environment, but that does little to rectify the damage already done, not to mention the oil flood has not ceased.

As the hearings progressed, I was really feeling fed-up with Mr. Hayward’s blanket answer of “I don’t recall”. It appeared that most of Congress was feeling as I was, until the tedium was broken by one Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tx). God bless his greedy, heartless little soul! Rep. Barton sure perked up the room when, with complete resolve and confidence, he apologized to the offender! Un-freaking-believable, even to this savvy pup!

Mr. Barton was voted into office by the people of Texas, not the executives at BP, Transocean, or Halliburton. Yet, his loyalties clearly lie with big oil, defending their big mistake and big profits, not with the people of the big state of Texas. What is the disconnect with Republicans from southern states?

Dear readers, this week we have heard; BP’s Chairman of the Board (that Swedish cat with the aristocratic name) identify the Gulf Coast residents as “small people”. Barton defend big oil, and in the same breath vilify our President and administration. CEO Hayward giving zero tangible answers. And, in the other news...the oil continues to erupt into the Gulf...

Shout Out To Patty Hughes

I am delirious with the news that our friend, Patty Hughes, will be meeting Bo’s Papa (known to some as POTUS), this week! You know that six degrees of Kevin Bacon thing? Well, I’m only one degree of separation from The Bacon, The Big Cheese, The Top Dog, since Patty will be meeting our Commander in Chief!

Dear friends, Patty is not meeting the President at some big fundraiser or gala, with the masses. No. Our Ms. Hughes has been invited to meet personally with Bo’s Papa. I cannot say that I’m surprised, in that Patty has done more for OFA and the Democratic Party in our region than most anyone. I am in awe of her hard work, tireless dedication and loyalty to her candidates and causes. Hard work, dedication and loyalty are the hallmark traits of a canine, maybe that’s why I admire Patty so much...I think she may be part canine.

Here’s to you, Patty --- our OFA pack leader!

ps Any chance of getting a pawtograph of Bo for me?

Promises, Promises...

Being a canine politico, I enjoy the Sunday morning news shows. I was watching Meet the Press this morning, and, I must say, I was getting pretty angry when talk of the oil spill got going. As you know, dear readers, I have been very upset about this environmental travesty (in case you missed it, please refer to my “Shrill Baby Shrill” post).

As the law stands today, big oil companies are only liable for $75 million in damages, a cap put in place in the 1990 Oil Pollution Act. Considering the Exxon Valdez oil spill cost approximately $2.1 billion in clean up and damages, the cap seems a bit on the low side (that’s obvious even to this thoughtful canine). Sounds like an awfully sweet deal for Big Oil. You’d think the lawmakers that passed that bill were in the pockets of Big Oil, or something. Oh, I forgot...1990... Big Oil was running the White House.

Last week a group of Senators, led by Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), offered a bill that would push that cap from $75 million, to $10 billion. Big Oil reaps obscene profits quarter after quarter, regardless of the economy. They mess it up, they clean it up. Even a dog understands the importance of cleaning up what you dirty, so to me, it’s a no-brainer to up the cap. Those who make the mess need to take responsibility to clean it up... common sense, right?

Well, it’s not common sense to the GOP (Grand Obstructionist Party) side of the Senate. They effectively filibustered, and blocked the proposed legislation last week. As a canine, I’m dumbfounded by the plain old dumbness of some humans. I know that it’s their agenda to “just say no” to any and all proposals coming from the other side, but at the expense of taxpayers, their constituents? I simply don’t get it.

This morning on Meet the Press, Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Ala) said that raising the cap legislatively was unnecessary because “BP people have told me personally, they are going to be responsible for all legitimate claims made against them”. Well, gosh darn it, why hold BP lawfully accountable when they made the pinky-promise with Senator Sessions?

To me, this all stinks of graft and corruptionx. For a canine to say something stinks is quite a strong statement, because most anything humans find vile smelling, I adore. But this does stink. Even to one who loves the aroma of critter carcasses, spoiled cottage cheese, and cat feces...it stinks.

Shrill, Baby, Shrill!

I’m very concerned about the creatures in the Gulf Coast, and the humans who’s livelihoods are threatened because of the ruptured under-sea oil well. This is a tragedy on all levels. So many species are being be harmed -- shrimp & jellyfish, crawdads & catfish, birds & reptiles....canines and humans.

I vividly remember (anxiety-provoking flashbacks, actually) the shrill cries of “drill, baby, drill”. The “shrill”, being an avid hunter (don’t even get me started on that subject), who quit her job, lost her race, went to multiple colleges to get her undergrad degree in journalism (a profession she now reviles as “lame-stream media”) and has a litter larger than my birth-mother. Mama or I scramble for the mute button the moment she’s on the telly, but I’ve heard that rally cry enough times to haunt my subconscious forever.

I am completely dumbfounded by the fact (polls?) that some people lick up this dribble (yes, that was a play on words...I was an English major). Granted, I’m just a canine with political aspirations, but I think I may have stronger qualifications to hold public office than “the shrill”. Please note: In today’s photo I am wearing the doggie version of the obligatory flag pin that candidates must wear, in order to assure the masses of our patriotism.

I can’t, in all fairness, put everything on the ex-beauty princess from Way-silly. Bo’s papa (note: I have a huge man-crush on Bo!), approved more off-shore drilling exploration just a few weeks ago. Yes, I was shocked, disillusioned & saddened (and I intuit that my bud, Bo, was feeling the same). I have confidence, though, that Bo’s papa will re-evaluate the alternatives after reviewing the devastation of the gulf.

I understand that I’m a dog, and not part of the voting public. But I have to believe that I put more thought into many of these issues than some humans. Renewable, sustainable energy seems to be a much better place to focus our attention than finite resources that carry a great risk to our planet and our well being. Why would this make sense to a dog, but not to all humans?

On an upbeat note, in regards to the oil spill, I think I have helped with reigning in some of the oil. I just had a major haircut (the dreaded “summer-cut), and I’m pretty sure I contributed to helping the cleanup effort. This is really cool, dear readers; check out this link to learn about my contribution and how you can help too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwQOD_Ir2vQ