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While watching television the other evening I was treated to a political message.  I should not have found this unusual as we are approaching the mid-term elections.  What is strange to me is that the political messages have not ceased since the elections in 2008.  What is it about our current government that leads the political parties to continue to fight between elections?

Having asked that question, I decided to attempt to carefully weed through the confusing morass of messages being sent to the American public and try to find a bit on sense.

Today the topic is the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.  Most everyone (except some officials at BP) agree that this oil spill may be the greatest environmental disaster in memory.  I know it is much worse than the Exxon disaster in Alaska a few years ago.  It also seems that no one knows how to solve the problem.  My current focus is upon the reaction of the politicians.

First the Democrats.  It is true that President Obama spoke about this problem very quickly after the spill began.  It is also true that Obama called an emergency meeting to stimulate action on the crises.  So far, however, I give the democrats little credit politically.  The democrats have talked about how they are in charge and acted like they might be able to control the effects of the great spill, but mostly they have depended upon BP to lead the fight.  Yes we have a US Coast Guard Admiral as a “point man” but what power does he have over BP and the spill site some 48 miles off our shores?   In my opinion it would be nice if the democrats could simply admit that the situation is out of control, and maybe demand that congress give the President the authority to act.

Next the Republicans.  What is it about the party out of power that leads to making   misleading statements?  The republicans were around when, after the Exxon spill, congress passed a law that limited the liability of oil companies.  The republicans were in power (1989 with President H.W. Bush) and must have been aware of how limited Presidential power was in handling a disaster caused by major corporations.  Many of the republicans have oil company experience and connections, so why aren’t they offering suggestions?  Finally, the republicans were in power when BP obtained permission to drill at the site in question.  I would expect that republican leaders would be angry at BP leaders for misleading them concerning the safety of deep water drilling.

So, if the election were held today, how would I cast my vote?  Certainly not for republicans who are complaining but offering no solutions.  Probably not democrats who seem reluctant to admit the limit of their power.