As usual, when a problem or crisis occurs, everyone seems to look to government to fix it and to blame for why it occurred in the first place. I see much more venom and finger pointing at government than BP in this crisis. If we use the small government/Libertarian/Tea Party approach, should government be involved at all? I am not clear on how this should be handled. I would think the right wing Republicans, TP followers and the Libertarians would say keep government out and let the capitalist market hang the oil spill on BP. Help me out. Should government be involved and if yes, in what capacity?

Bingo. What has the govenment done to this point? Nothing. Obama blathering on about how BP will pay for all of it, which they already have said they will do. Then Attorney General Holder goes down to look into criminal activity. This administration has politicized this event, while the public just wants the problem solved. The lawsuits can and will come later. Our country has been trained and taught that the government solves all, and they can't and shouldn't. We have become a needy nation. Needy of government intervention, and it coincides perfectly with weakening of our nation in every way.

IMO the only involvement (if needed) the government should have "at this time" is aiding BP and any other agencies trying to stop the leak. After the leak is stopped the government should aid (if needed) in the clean up in any way they can. After the clean up and the source of the problem is revealed the government should aid oil companies in making such a spill more unlikely, then pursue any criminal charges if warranted.

 

What does Obama or any other mouthpiece in congress know about drilling rigs or plugging blowouts? Help/aid (if needed) should be their biggest concern right now. That's how this concervative sees it anyway.

As usual, when a problem or crisis occurs, everyone seems to look to government to fix it and to blame for why it occurred in the first place. I see much more venom and finger pointing at government than BP in this crisis. If we use the small government/Libertarian/Tea Party approach, should government be involved at all? I am not clear on how this should be handled. I would think the right wing Republicans, TP followers and the Libertarians would say keep government out and let the capitalist market hang the oil spill on BP. Help me out. Should government be involved and if yes, in what capacity?

The insinuation here is that only those on the right are blaming the government. That is totally false as evident by James Carville and other vocal Democrats. I do not care which party stands for what, one of the bigger roles of the Federal Government is to protect its citizens. This oil spill will effect thousands of jobs and damage the environment for years. The Federal Government needs to have a say so in this. If they feel like BP or any other damage control entity is doing something wrong, they best tell them how to do it right to ensure citizens are protected.

 

The politics being played with all the finger pointing from the right and left (led by the President) seems petty. Whether it was through private business incompetence or lack of regulatory oversight through the years, the oil spill has happened. Solve that problem and not who caused it.

Send in the SEALS or NASA

The insinuation here is that only those on the right are blaming the government. That is totally false as evident by James Carville and other vocal Democrats. I do not care which party stands for what, one of the bigger roles of the Federal Government is to protect its citizens. This oil spill will effect thousands of jobs and damage the environment for years. The Federal Government needs to have a say so in this. If they feel like BP or any other damage control entity is doing something wrong, they best tell them how to do it right to ensure citizens are protected.

 

The politics being played with all the finger pointing from the right and left (led by the President) seems petty. Whether it was through private business incompetence or lack of regulatory oversight through the years, the oil spill has happened. Solve that problem and not who caused it.

 

I was not trying to point fingers or insinuate anything. I am genuinely interested in how the proponents of small government feel a situation like this should be handled. How much government involvement should there be, if any? Do the Libertarians and true right wing free capitalist types (and Tea Party advocates?) who want the smallest possible, least intrusive government possible feel government should be involved? In what way?

One can be stubborn in their political beliefs to the point of self destruction. I'm a registered Libertarian, but I prefer pragmatism. To me, the spill is a threat to our national security, namely our economy, just as surely as the Taliban is. This situation falls under the umbrella of national defense; therefore, as we have used the Army Corps of Engineers to build levees and dams to protect our cities, we should use the Navy now to protect our shores. We can bill, fine, or drive BP out of business later.

One can be stubborn in their political beliefs to the point of self destruction. I'm a registered Libertarian, but I prefer pragmatism. To me, the spill is a threat to our national security, namely our economy, just as surely as the Taliban is. This situation falls under the umbrella of national defense; therefore, as we have used the Army Corps of Engineers to build levees and dams to protect our cities, we should use the Navy now to protect our shores. We can bill, fine, or drive BP out of business later.

Bingo.

I can think of two arguments for why the Federal Government has a right to be involved. This doesn't address should they be, but the constitution does give them authority. First Article 1 Section 8 "The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States." I think we can all agree it is in the general welfare's best interest to prevent an entire ecosystem from being destroyed along the coasts of 5 states. Next I would say that Congress has the power to act based on the commerce clause. With all the multi businesses being effected by this across multiple state lines, Congress could theoretically act to protect these businesses. This wouldn't be the same as with GM or the car corporations because here you have fisherman, fish packing plants and transportation industries being effected by an oil spill caused by a company they have no direct dealings with.

It may be oversimplification, but I look at this in a similar fashion to the way I would look at a car wreck - it is generally a matter between 1 or more private entities, but the government entity steps in in the form of a police officer to aid/assist/direct/document/etc. I see it in the same way with the spill.

 

The government should not, however, assume any outright "accountability" for the catastrophe, as it appears Barry O'Bama wants to do. The only accountability that he government may have to this situation, in my eyes, is the fact that they are now decades late in taking an in-depth look at the potential for disaster that our culture's gluttonous quest for fossil fuels creates. It's something that hopefully now, in light of the oil spill and Deck Cheney's exit from the public sector, the government will make a serious evaluation of.

 

For the record, I'm a registered Republican (for the sake of being able to vote in primary elections) with somewhat Libertarian tendencies.

Is it affecting America? YES so we should be involved and charge BP for the bill.

One can be stubborn in their political beliefs to the point of self destruction. I'm a registered Libertarian, but I prefer pragmatism. To me, the spill is a threat to our national security, namely our economy, just as surely as the Taliban is. This situation falls under the umbrella of national defense; therefore, as we have used the Army Corps of Engineers to build levees and dams to protect our cities, we should use the Navy now to protect our shores. We can bill, fine, or drive BP out of business later.

 

So true. :thumb:

Generally, I think this is the test for whether the government should get involved.

 

If it happens to you, "I'm sorry but we can't fix everything."

If it happens to me, "Get in here and fix this right now."

The oil comes from government land via government leases. I don't think the government is accountable for the spill, but I do believe, according to law, that they are the final decision as to what can and can't be done. So yes the federal government should definitely be there.

 

I don't think they should take over, but I think they should be providing whatever resources and support that they can.

I do think the government should be involved. This is a disaster that will have significant impact on our country. Ideally, BP would/could clean up its own mess, but it doesn't always work that way. If there's anything they can do to minimize the disaster, the government should do what it can.