June 25, 2010
By June Melton, III PE

The buck stops …. somewhere

There is little doubt that BP’s behavior in this matter is unjustified, but overcriticizing President Obama for the actions of a major oil company is, in my opinion, beginning to look excessive. After all, just as President George W. Bush had to do, Obama has had to depend on his team of advisors to help him. No one person, especially the President of the United States, can be expected to know all of the details or handle the problems all by himself. If the advisors misdirect the President, he has nowhere else to turn.

Democratic strategist Donna Brazile, appearing on ABC’s This Week June 13, 2010, tried to rebut criticism that President Obama isn’t doing enough to control the response to the oil spill. In a June 20, 2010 article titled “Government Has Power to Take Charge of Spill Response,” Austin American Statesman’s Aaron Sharockman wrote that Brazile had stated “The administration has been constrained by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, which basically gives the responsible party the lead role in trying to not only fix the problem, but contain the problem.” In actuality, the Act gives the president more authority during an oil event, not less, wrote Sharockman.

Thus Ms. Brazile has not helped the president by making the comments she has. Instead, she has given out misinformation that causes even more suspicion of the president’s actions.

June 22, 2010

By June Melton, III PE

What is President Obama doing about the ongoing oil disaster taking place in the Gulf of Mexico? Not much it would seem, other than making his teleprompters spin frantically while he delivers speech after speech.  Meanwhile, the fact that BP has been doing business with the Iranian government since the early 20^th century, and continues to do so during this crisis, seems to be largely ignored by the president.

What kind of BP petroleum engineers were responsible for the engineering design that resulted in the events leading up to today?  Were they the best professional engineers, trained and properly licensed in the United States and personally responsible for protecting the public health, safety and welfare by law?  Highly unlikely!  During congressional hearings last week, all American oil company representatives expressed their dissatisfaction with the irresponsible corporate and technical behavior of BP.

American oil companies hire engineers who meet their obligations.  BP evidently does not.

What kind of engineers work for BP?  Are they among a large group of technical fakers, potential terrorists, self-aggrandizing and ill-trained technicians and other people from other countries that American engineers regard as quacks, and who have been attempting to enter the United States and title themselves as “professional engineers” for many years now?