Monday, June 7, 2010

This Is Not The America We Advertise

My friend RAMBLING WOODS did a wonderful informative post about saving birds devastated by the oil disaster in the Gulf. She included many links to follow.

I’m going to link to the National Audubon Society – check out their AUDUBON ACTION CENTER

A former EPA administrator calls BP ‘Serial Environment Killers’. You can read about all their blunders and short cuts and outright illegal maneuvers HERE

There never seems to be consequences for the rich and greedy. Wall Street throws the economy into chaos, people lose jobs and homes and yet they collect bonuses and go on about their merry way.

Now we have BP CEO Tony Hayward.

I think this quote …

"We're sorry for the massive disruption it's caused to their lives," Hayward said."There's no one who wants this thing over more than I do, I'd like my life back”

… pretty much sums up the kind of man he is.

I wonder if that’s what he’s telling this worker. Hurry up, I have theater tickets waiting in London. Or perhaps he’s telling him he’s not really sick from the dispersants and the oil, just don’t eat the gumbo.



"I am sure they were genuinely ill, but whether it was anything to do with dispersants and oil, whether it was food poisoning or some other reason for them being ill, you know, there's a—food poisoning is surely a big issue when you've got a concentration of this number of people in temporary camps, temporary accommodations."

Christie Todd Whitman – the brilliant mind who brought us the declaration of safety at Ground Zero just days after the towers fell is once again sharing her wisdom as she trots around raising funds for more asshole Republicans.




You can read all about her wanting to do nothing, regulate nothing HERE

There are no consequences for the powerful and ignorant.

Thanks to Christie and this piece of crap …



... 7 of 10 First Responders at Ground Zero are sick. Many have died. The legal proceedings to develop real programs to help them go on and on – it’s been nearly 10 years.

10 years

In case you're not sure who the piece of crap I refer to is - it's the one pointing toward his political future, already planning how many times he can mention 9/11 during a speech - it's NYC's former king Rudy Guiliani. The sack of shit next to him, wearing a jacket from the Ahmadinejad bat shit crazy leader line, is none other than Prince Georgie.

How many years will the people and wildlife of the Gulf Coast suffer? After Katrina suicide rates in the region rose 30%. I saw an interview with the wife of a fisherman. He had finally finished the back breaking work it took to restore his business and now this. She says he walks around aimlessly, he doesn’t sleep, he has fits of anger and long bouts of silence.

They can’t pay their bills. They will lose what little they rebuilt. Their children are in college and she fears she won’t be able to continue their tuition payments.

Clearly there are consequences for them.

This is not the America we advertise.

21 comments:

DJan said...

Brava! For saying everything that I'm thinking, and that I'm unable to say for fear of being gunned down... thank you for showing that this is NOT the America we advertise. I am totally and completely heartsick over the Gulf Disaster, which is still as I write this spewing with only a tiny bit controlled.

What can we do about this?? I feel so helpless.

Jay said...

And let's not forget Mississippi governor Haley Barbour. He went on CNN to blast everyone and anyone who is saying bad things about BP. He said BP and the gov't have been incredibly responsive and just wonderful. He also said that this oil spill is nowhere near as bad as Exxon Valdez.

Now there's oil washing up on Mississippi beaches.

Linda Reeder said...

What's that old saying? "Money is the root of all evil?" Certainly it's money driving BP, but the people of the Gulf states also enjoyed the prosperity that big oil brings them.That explains Haley Barbour.
I do believe BP is making its best effort now, because every day is costing them more money. Too bad they did't want to put down the extra cash to prevent this man made disaster from happening in the first place.
There are sometings money can't fix - like pelicans and fishing grounds.
While I'm glad you got George W's face in there to share the blame, I must say that just seeing him disgusted me. Ugh.

ellen abbott said...

Not the America we advertise but it is clearly the America we live in. That Tony Hayward is a jackass. Oh, he's so sorry, he's so contrite, it's all so terrible...for him.

Daryl said...

Wrote a long ranting comment and deleted it .. you said it perfectly. I will just say Amen.

Ron said...

"This is not the America we advertise."

Amen....and THANK YOU!

And thank YOU for your voice!

X ya, TONS!

bobbie said...

I really have no comment. You've said it all.

Akelamalu said...

It's the same here - it's never the rich and powerful who suffer :(

Dianne said...

DJan - I've been gunned down a few times, I don't sweat it anymore
I lost friends during the Presidential race because of their outright hatred of Obama based on crazy assumptions
if ever the racists came out of the woodwork it was then
and still now
my town has posters up everywhere for a 'Tea Party Approved' candidate for local office
I can hardly wait for that town hall meeting!
thanks so much for coming by
I feel helpless too

jay - they go where the money is

linda - supposedly they knew there was a good chance this could happen and did nothing
it's like driving a car without brakes and then being surprised when you run someone over
all investigations into their practices were repeatedly shot down in DC
oil lobby is powerful

ellen - and when they throw him on his sword someone equally disgusting will take his place

daryl - you can rant here any time you want
xoxo

ron - I love ya too kiddo
spent the morning with Hope, she sends hugs

bobbie - if only saying it accomplished something
I wish I was younger and stronger, I'd go down there and volunteer

akelamalu - our systems of government kill anyone who starts out with ideals
I just saw a movie 'This Special Relationship' about the relationship between Blair and Clinton
Blair started out so naive and with such good intentions
Clinton was already a machine with Hillary pulling the gears
it was all so sad because it's all so true

Unknown said...

Tony Hayward is an arrogant, selfish, self-important ass.

BP is certainly to blame, but so is our government for not setting stricter standards and continuously for decades, allowing corporations to literally get away with murder. It's how things work here. I hate to always compare but in Canada they also allow off-shore drilling but with much stricter standards. Not that I think off-shore drilling is okay - that's a whole separate issue, but at least the welfare of their people and their environment is way more safeguarded.

And nothing will change as long as the corporations are stuffing the pockets of the politicians.

What way out this? No way. We don't want to vote against Obama for fear of having another Republican at the helm and those are the only choices.

It is often that I wish we had a Parliamentary form of government. This just ain't workin' no more.

Anonymous said...

Big business always wins, because the apathetic masses allow it.

Lisa (Mountain Photog) said...

Wonderfully put, Dianne. I have been wanting to post a long article about this myself but family issues have prevented me from doing so. I find it all so terribly depressing. I knew they were full of shit from the get go when the first "official" word came that they didn't expect any oil to be leaking into the Gulf other than the little bit from the initial platform explosion. Liars, liars, liars.

Oil still sits on the bottom of Prince William Sound 20+ years later. . .

I'm ashamed to be an American sometimes.

Hilary said...

You said it, Dianne. It's such a heartbreak.

Schmoop said...

What's a little oil between corporate criminals and money grubbing politicos? Hmmmm? Cheers Di!!

Robin said...

Hear hear. Adding my own amen.

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Dianne said...

pagan - you're absolutely right
nothing will change unless ALL lobby groups are thrown the hell out of DC - and that's just for a start

rob - apathetic doesn't even cover it, I'm starting to think most Americans have been hypnotized
I go to all my town meetings, some outgrageous crap has been going on and no one shows up

lisa - careful about using the "ashamed" word, rednecks carrying obscene signs and their babies will show up to threaten you
remember the Dixie Chicks ;)

hilary - the video of the oil covered pelicans just killed me

matt-man - true, so true

robin - thanks :)

OldLady Of The Hills said...

It is such a depressing mess, isn't it Dianne? I feel like we are being held Hostage by Big Corporations and Big Banks, and Big Oil Company's and all those who are 'in bed' with them.
I feel like there could be a Revolution, like 'Let Them Eat Cake' type revolution...The people will Rise Up and God knows how THAT will end....
I cannot bear to see those Pelicans covered in oli. This beautiful species that have just made somewhat of a 'comeback'....HELP! HELP! HELP!

As always, you write BEAUTIFUL; pull no punches; and get right to the Heary Of The Matter. Thank you for your honesty, my dear.

Scott Oglesby said...

I can’t even begin to comment on the rage I feel towards these corporations, especially BP, and the ignorance of the far right or I’ll still be typing when my fingers are nothing more than bloody stumps.

This may be a conspiracy theorist but what he is saying is some very scary shit…when you get a minute google James Fox Oil Spill Media Blackout. It’ll blow your doors off.

Noe Noe Girl...A Queen of all Trades. said...

I feel sick and helpless over this shit. BP does not have enough money to fix the damage they have caused. I would like to slap Tony Haywards face everytime I see his mug on TV. Great post D!
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Vinny "Bond" Marini said...

What a total cluster-f**k...I saw some BP douche this morning denying there is oil under the surface and that 'if there is, it is inconsequential'

I almost broke the TV, but I stopped short...it was him I wanted to break

Mare said...

You pretty much said it all. Money is the root of all evil. And I was watching the news detailing how much money was spent by the newly elected women, millions...millions...who can afford to run?
I think the founding fathers are spinning in their graves!!