Do The Freakin Math

Liberals and conservatives alike frequently rely on limited evidence, personal experience, religious beliefs or gut emotions to determine solutions for complex problems. From immigration to global warming - taxes to terrorism - or health care to free trade - analytical study is rare. Science based policy making isn’t the way of Washington. And the consequences are catastrophic. Change is urgently needed. Just do the freakin’ math.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Obama Ignoring the obvious?

Oddly, the Exxon Valdez Oil spill helped the US GDP 21 years ago. Work, even dirty nasty work, employees people and spurs economic growth. While there are dozens of other ways that going green can help the economy the BP Gulf Oil catastrophe offers one that comes at a very opportune time in US history and holds within it the capacity to change American thinking.
The Deepwater Horizon accident is also a shovel ready project that even conservative extremists will support. And, it should be fully funded by the corporations and others profiteers ultimately responsible for this environmental disaster.
The Obama Administration could demonstrate the value of big government to the economy, the environment and the American people by putting FEMA and/or the EPA in charge of hiring all able bodied unemployed Americans (and even a few undocumented workers) to clean up, protect and then restore the entire Gulf of Mexico to its pre BP status. They could even help fund their transportation costs and living expenses and then bill PB for all cost associated with the cleanup effort plus 10% for government administrative costs and other likely incidentals such as health care needs of those affected by exposure to crude oil.
Our government bailed out large corporations during the economic blowout…now it needs to bail the oil out of the Gulf and bill corporations with culpability and capacity to pay.
Contrary to conservative thinking…there is a roll for big bad government. It might not be efficient…but it can serve the greater good and make for a more perfect Union.