Falls Church, VA

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Falls Church, Virginia — "Today, I call on the President to take charge and control of the oil blowout and resulting catastrophic oil spill by issuing an Executive Order calling on the Coast Guard to seize the property and operational capacity of BP to cap and clean-up the Gulf Coast oil spill," said Maj. Brian Hampton, Publisher of the VETERANS' VISION publication.

Eight weeks after the April 20th explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, the efforts of BP to cap the blowout have been an abysmal failure. The past is a prelude to the future. The efforts from 16 federal agencies to adequately respond to the enlarging spill have been disjointed, disorganized, chaotic, lacking urgency and any lines of authority.

The American people are asking, "Who is in charge?" The American people know that BP is obstructionist, incompetent, likely criminal and still calling the shots for the cap and clean. Why? Because the U. S. government has not taken control. Voters want answers and action.

Testifying in front of the U.S. Senate, local leaders from Louisiana stated they were not sure who was in control: BP or the Coast Guard. Observers say the independent contractors BP is using for the clean-up are incompetent and doing more harm than good.

While chaos spews forth in a national disaster that cries out for a decisive, coordinated response, the federal government has gotten on its horse and is riding off in all different directions.

Hampton cited the successful precedent of April 9th, 1952, when President Harry Truman issued an Executive Order to nationalize the country's steel industry, averting a potentially devastating labor strike. The Executive Order, heavily criticized at the time and later overturned by the Supreme Court, helped ensure the nation's security and today is cited as an example of effective Presidential leadership during a national crisis.

The federal government's tack with PB has gone from indifference to spineless. "Could we please have a better video of that oil coming out? "We hope BP will do this?" "We are asking BP to do that." "Gee, now after a couple months, we are really getting tough, we are demanding of BP that you tell us what is really going on, and give us some more money." "Now we are demanding you do a good job!"  Why would anyone possibly depend on the management of BP to do anything right or just?????

Despite responsibility for the largest oil spill clean-up in U.S. history, an impending criminal investigation and repeated calls for more transparency regarding the cause of the initial oil rig explosion, BP continues to make specious claims in an attempt to minimize the scope of the spill and the long-term damage. The growing criticism to BP's response to the oil spill continues to point out the oil giant is more interested in preserving their profits than Gulf Coast marshlands.

By seizing BP's operational assets in the area, the federal government will establish definitive control over the handling of the spill, while retaining BP's engineers and scientists, without the obstruction of the BP corporate management. Furthermore, the government could then seek out the most knowledgeable experts in the world outside of BP who could more effectively address the oil blowout and the long-term clean-up effort.

Recent calls for criminal investigations, oil funds, new energy legislation and suspending BP shareholder dividends deserve consideration, but do nothing to deal with the acute, immediate crisis. Everyday thousands of gallons of oil continue to spew into the open water with no promises of relief until August, or even later. The urgency for immediate action cannot be understated and the federal government must act decisively and swiftly.

"Tourism, hospitality, employment, the safety of the food supply and the entire local economy might be completely devastated," said Hampton who used the example of garage owners and any number of other businesses throughout the area, whose very livelihood are in peril.

Without decisive action, the dynamo effect could wrap around the East Coast and start to infect the whole continent. Consider the image of the U. S. around the world, adrift without direction. What is going to happen to the stability of the earth with millions of gallons of oil escaping from the core?  Nobody knows.

Hampton suggested the White House use the gulf oil crisis as an opportunity to aid the economy and rebuild the environment. Franklin Delano Roosevelt created the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1933 as part of the New Deal Program. During the 10 short years from 1933 to 1942, the CCC provided jobs for approximately 3 million Americans, over 250,000 were military veterans.

The creation of a new CCC under the Interior Department would provide new jobs to replace those lost from this environmental disaster and can once again help struggling veterans who have proven themselves capable of serving their country to reverse the damage along the Gulf Coast.

Since 1993, the VETERANS' VISION has focused the experience and dedication of the leaders of America and veterans on the challenges facing our country." Every two years, the most carefully read portion of the publication is endorsements of candidates for federal office.

Since 1993 complementary copies of the publication have been distributed to every Congressional office on the Hill, the White House, Executive Cabinet offices, the Pentagon, military instillations, and thousands of convenience stores around the nation. Tens of thousands of the VETERANS' VISION were physically handed out at the last 10 Democratic and Republican National Conventions.

Brian Hampton

Founder and Publisher

VETERANS' VISION

Falls Church, VA

703-237-8980