The Gulf oil spill teaches us that the government needs good planning before licenses are granted. The feds really missed this one. BP was supposed to plan a response, and it is the government’s responsibility to review and evaluate it before the drilling starts. As a people we must have greater readiness, and unity, less divisions. Study of science, good urban and regional planning. Communication and teamwork between private and public sector. Adequate government resources and preparation. The government must recognize a disaster quickly and respond immediately, not blame others. This is the government’s responsibility.
McCollum says "federal, state, and local governments must have a robust capacity to limit the loss of life in a natural disaster, terrorist attack, or public health crisis through prevention, coordination, preparation, and an effective response strategy," but doesn't mention the disaster that was the BP oil spill. Who were the key first responders, and why didn't the Obama administration mitigate this disaster? Betty didn't ask for any investigation, and Obama just blamed BP even though the administration gave the permit for the well and conducted no surprise inspections. What has the Obama administration done to engage BP to ensure they are prepared? They spent most of the time trying to get people paid and stop the well. They never admitted any responsibility.
Collett says "The federal government’s role should be to facilitate responses by those most impacted by the disaster, rather than being the 'first responder' to every disaster." But if BP teaches us anything, it is that the federal government must play a lead role in preventing and responding to a disaster like this which is international, takes place in international waters and involves several states, and a major impact on the national economy.
We must make clear that the federal government must protect America from this kind of problem, from licensing, to research on deep water methods and knowledge about how effective the private sector can be in protecting our environment and our resources. Environmentalism is not about maintaining pristine wilderness areas, it is about mitigating man's impact in activities that are necessary to develop and exploit natural resources. I would get the states actively involved in this and urge them to partner up with private corporations to protect against disasters arising from their activities, rather than just building up a national force. This is an economic development opportunity.
