First, to those that questioned why Barack Obama would speak from the Oval Office, a stage historically used for the most grave situations; what the hell do you think is going on down in the Gulf? Crude oil is spewing into the Gulf at a rate of 60,000 barrels a day and, best case, it won't end for another two and a half months. An area where the three largest industries are fisheries, oil and tourism and where millions of people once relied on what's now a big, putrid black soup for their livelihoods.
The transcript of the president's speech is here. The video is here. There's plenty of good analysis available from Kevin Drum, Jonathan Chait, and Ezra Klein, and James Fallows.
There's only two things I would add to their comments. Towards the end of the president's speech, he said:
The one answer I will not settle for is the idea that this challenge is somehow too big and too difficult to meet... time and again, we have refused to settle for the paltry limits of conventional wisdom. Instead, what has defined us as a nation since our founding is the capacity to shape our destiny -– our determination to fight for the America we want for our children. Even if we’re unsure exactly what that looks like. Even if we don’t yet know precisely how we’re going to get there. We know we’ll get there.
It’s a faith in the future that sustains us as a people.
Damn, I really want to believe that, but find it increasingly difficult. I believe it was once true, but now I'm not so sure - the notion that, as a country, we can tackle the most difficult objectives. And, if Barack Obama really believes that, why didn't he make the specific commitments required to finally address oil dependence and climate change? I'd love to be wrong about this, but more and more I feel like the ability to accomplish the big tasks may now be beyond our reach.
Finally, I'm good with prayer. But prayer as a substitute for policy will not get the Gulf clean, allow the millions effected to find support for themselves and their families, and set in motion the kind of things required to assure this never happens again.
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