Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico

It has been more than a month since the oil spill started in the Gulf of Mexico. Everyday we hear of a new attempt by BP of trying to plug this leak but to no avail. Hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil is leaking into the Gulf everyday. It is hard to even estimate the fall out of this leak on the environment, people living near the Gulf, businesses etc.

However what is most disturbing is a sense of helplessness displayed by our Government. Secretary Salazar and Secretary Napolitano have been giving out one press release after another on how the whole government machinery is working to stop the leak but it is clear that they are helplessly watching from the sideline as BP fumbles from one promising solution to another.

While comparison with Katrina may not be apt, Obama administrations actions have been less than steller. There is no leadership on this issue from the President. He has handed it over it to his cabinet secretaries who seem clueless.

Political posturing has already started in all it earnest. Democrats in Congress and White House want to retroactively raise liability limit of oil companies from $75 million to $10 billion unconcerned that constitution expressly prohibits "after the fact" laws. Republicans are lining up to oppose the measure.

All this when oil continues to spill into the Gulf with no end in sight.

And you wonder why common man is so cynical about the government...