This Is When I Get Angry

The BP oil spill in the Gulf has been going on continuously for 36 days now. 36 days. 36 days of oil spewing uncontrollably into the water not far off the coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Texas. 36 days of chemicals being pumped into the water to help breakup the oil. 36 days of long-lasting destruction to the coastal environment. 36 days of long-lasting damage to the coastal economy. 36 days of what has been equated to 7 or 8 Exxon Vandez oil spills. 36 days.

This morning I heard three different responses to the crisis from three different leaders involved. One said, "We're keeping our boot on the neck of BP. It's their problem to deal with, but we may have to take over soon." Another said, "We're working on a few measures to protect the coasts from the spill, but they wont be effective for 6-9 months." The third said, "What exactly would you like us to do?" It sounds like a bad joke.

I don't care whose "responsibility" it is. Sure, it was BP's rig that exploded, and their efforts that directly led to the leak. But it was the also government's actions and inactions that allowed them to be there in the first place and to operate without properly enforced safety standards. Stop blaming each other and stop the leak. President Obama needs to take immediate full leadership command of the situation, and direct the military and BP to use any and all methods to stop the leak. In other words, blow up the damn well. You see, the problem is that BP hasn't been attacking this situation with the Gulf Coast in mind, but rather with their own pocket in mind. They've spent the past 36 days trying to stop the leak in a way that will allow them to still make tons of money from this well, and utter devastation has been the result.

This country put a man on the moon 41 years ago. You cannot tell me that we don't have the capabilities to stop this leak and save what is left of the coastal environment and economy. Stop making excuses.

This is when I get angry.

Time To End It

Read a compelling account of the effects of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" here.

Memorial Day Flags

Every year in preparation for Memorial Day, the City of Poughkeepsie funds the purchase of American flags for placement at the graves of veterans buried at Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery. If you would like to volunteer to help place the flags on Saturday, May 22, please contact Bob Silkworth at (845) 452-3864.

More Perfect

So I woke up today, walked outside, and what I found was amazing. The sky was not in pieces on the ground. In fact, it was perfectly in tact and right where I left it. Go figure. I guess health care reform becoming law didn't cause the sky to fall, after all.

But I'm glad it's over. I'm glad it's over because I'm sick of the complaining and whining. I'm sick of hearing the complaints of the people who have no earthy idea what they're talking about. I'm sick of hearing the complaints of the people who didn't say a word about government spending when President Bush was in the White House, only to suddenly become concerned on January 20, 2009. I'm sick of hearing the complaints of people who have no other ideas. I'm sick of hearing the complaints of people who don't even properly understand the definition of "socialism." And I'm sick of the complaints of the people who think that the American public always knows what's best for them, because they don't. If they did, there's a possibility my friend Dwayne and I would still have to use separate bathrooms.

But despite how mad hearing them talk may make me, I'm not going to sit here and argue the points with them. And I'm not going to walk onto the floor of the House of Representatives and yell, "You lie!" or "Baby killer!" And I'm certainly not going to call congressional offices and make violent threats against members of congress who did not vote the way that I would've liked them to (as is now happening). I won't do these things for two main reasons:

First, you never argue with a drunk or a fool.

And second, I know that given enough time social conservatives will lose every time. That's what happens when you try to apply yesterday's thinking to today's problems.

Perfect? Not even close. But rather, more perfect.

A History Lesson...

...of the musical kind.

Gillibrand Questions Obama

If you didn't catch President Obama's Q & A with Senate Democrats today, check out Senator Kirsten Gillibrand' question here. I think it's important.

You Can't Be Neutral On A Moving Train

I was first introduced to Howard Zinn in my 11th grade Advanced Placement US History class, and I read A People's History of the United States shortly after graduating college. And now that he's gone, we have to remember his greatest lesson: You can't be neutral on a moving train.

Patterson Not the Only One Being Replaced

2010 does not look like a good year for Governor David Patterson. His polls are in the tank. His campaign funds are desperately low. He just lost one of his top campaign strategists. And he's faced with making severely unpopular proposals in an effort to bridge New York State's $7.4 billion (that's with a "B," people) deficit. Do you think imposing a one-cent-per-ounce tax on sugary drinks is going to send people running to pull a lever next to his name? How about that $1-per-pack tax on cigarettes? (By the way, I'm not saying these proposals are good or bad, just that they are most likely bad PR for a governor in Mr. Patterson's position) I guess those commercials I mentioned back in November haven't been helping all that much.

So, with each passing day it looks more and more like Attorney General Andrew Cuomo will be the Democratic nominee for governor of New York this November. He has the numbers, the money, and the image to defeat Patterson in the primary, and Patterson's campaign is in a state of turmoil. I guess we'll find out September 14.

But Governor David Patterson isn't the only one that's going to be replaced this year. I am, too. For a few different reasons, I have decided to indefinitely suspend my blog, and it will subsequently be removed from the Poughkeepsie Journal website once a replacement has been chosen. If you are interested in being the person who replaces me, please send an email of interest and sample blog posts to Irwin Goldberg at igoldberg@poughkee.gannett.com. Until then, I'll still be making a few posts here and there.