Redefining "success": Despite all of Congress' "accomplishments" (aka: jamming unwanted legislation down the public's throat), voters don't seem all that impressed. I wonder why?
Add great news: Over at Hot Air, we learn that, "Factory output dropped by the largest amount in the past year, the Commerce Department announced yesterday." I'm guessing that information wasn't manufactured...
Make up your minds:A New York Times story reports "“The Federal Reservedisclosed on Wednesday that its chief policy makers were divided on whether the weak economy faced a new, potentially dangerous threat in the form of deflation." Folks, please - this "Summer" thing is never going to get off the ground if you can't agree on this stuff...
Recovering from the spill?:According to the Washington Examiner, "Democrats refused to allow a vote today on an amendment introduced today by Rep. Paul Broun, R-Ga., to ensure press access to the gulf oil spill. Broun's amendment was a response to numerous reports that government authorities and BP are keeping the press away from areas affected by the spill." How's that transparency working for ya?
Recovery in the Gulf:The Associated Press is reporting out of New Orleans that, "The oil has stopped. For now. After 85 days and up to 184 million gallons, BP finally gained control over one of America's biggest environmental catastrophes Thursday by placing a carefully fitted cap over a runaway geyser that has been gushing crude into the Gulf of Mexico since early spring." Whew!
Finally!
(This was, by the way, supposed to be The Summer of George...)
OK, it’s The Bliss Index®, you say to yourself…so what does it indicate?
Many things, gentle reader. Many things.
That's just one way to look at your level of Bliss®...
Without further adieu, I present the latest installment of The Bliss Index® Leading Indicators™:
Listen…
If you listen really hard, you can hear someone tell us, “I will not rest until the leak is stopped.“ (Which doesn’t include going to sports events, golfing, attending concerts, etc…of course.)
We're listening...
Catch a rising star:All The Abused, a band out of Orange County, Calif., fronted by the hugely talented Sky Green, got out of the blocks with a great effort, “A Never Ending Story.” Her driving guitar and vocals distinguish the band and its music from so many rockers out there today. The title track is a fave and “I Don’t Care” has a Ramones-esque flavor that is infectious. Likewise, “I’ll Never Be A Rockstar,” is one of those tunes that will have you coming back for more. ATA’s lyrics are a bit heavy on the “issues” but they’re obviously heartfelt. It will be interesting to watch/listen to Green as she continues to mature as a musician, vocalist and songwriter. It’s always a thrill to catch a star on the rise and she’s one, for sure. You can listen/buy here.
In case you missed it,we sat in for Dave Congalton (KVEC-AM 920) this week. The show - featuring Bill Whalen, political analyst/columnist (looking ahead at the November elections); Jeff and Melissa Purchin (local swim school owners/operators) on what parents can do to safeguard kids this summer; Bill Morem of the SLO Tribune; and Dr. Joe Astroth, Autodesk chief education officer (on education, natch) – is available on podcast (here).
Cool bicycling gear. (Just remember what Lance says: “It’s not about the bike”…so does that mean it’s about the accessories?)
Sprint’s new 4G phone – Just not everywhere. “Salem, Oregon; Milledgeville, Georgia; York, Pennsylvania. New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Miami are among those not yet operational but scheduled for later in 2010.”
The scariest story – ever: “Goodnight Moon.” (Why is that old lady saying, “Hush!”…anyway?)
“Invictus” – The Clint Eastwood directed flick (now on DVD) starring Morgan Freeman (as Nelson Mandela) and Matt Damon (as the captain of newly democratic South Africa’s national rugby team) is interesting. It is, of course, a dramatized/sanitized version of the events, but it’s an interesting look at a nation that’s always struggled with its sense of identity – and justice. The script is so-so and it’s not one of Eastwood’s best directorial efforts, but Freeman’s performance as the South African leader looking to build a new nation on compassion, forgiveness and unity is remarkable. Damon, likewise, takes a somewhat forgettable character, deepens him and makes the guy likeable.
“Brothers” – This film (currently on DVD) should not just be avoided…it should be shunned. Not only does it take cheap shots at vets, but it only serves to strengthen prejudices against members of the U.S. military (especially its field officers). I’m not going to link to it, because I don’t want any part of helping this putrid pile of melodramatic anti-U.S. bile. I’m not one who believes in “book burning,” but let’s just say any DVDs of this stinker I find will likely become drink coasters. If you know/love a veteran, current member of the U.S. armed forces, or just plain love this country, don’t do the writers/director/stars any favors by giving this film any of your hard-earned money.
We’re from the government and we’re here to take your money, Part 2: Obama Admin. Argues in Court That Individual Mandate Is a Tax. Remember when we were told that the individual health insurance mandate is not a tax. The Obama Administration just appealed to the courts, “…the individual health insurance mandate is a tax.” (American Spectator)
If only there was a way they could legally “take” money from tourists to help pay for things -Nevada's unemployment rate tops in nation, 14%. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
On Tuesday night, President Barack Obama will speak to the American people about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico – nearly two months after BP’s Deepwater Horizon blew-up unleashing the worst ecological disaster in U.S. history.
According to the NY Times, “President Obamawill use his first OvalOfficespeech Tuesday night to outline a plan to legally compelBPto create an escrow account to compensate businesses and individuals for their losses from theoil spillin the Gulf of Mexico, administration officials said on Sunday.”
Here comes the speech - nearly two months later...
“President Barack Obama's upcoming schedule makes clear he is almost entirely focused on the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, but the president is forging ahead with a full legislative agenda,” according to a report by The Hill. “Aides to the president say Obama is able to "chew gum and walk at the same time," but the spill has clearly become the top issue at the White House as Obama will spend two days in the Gulf this week before addressing the nation on Tuesday and meeting with BP officials on Wednesday.To be sure, the president has given a few talks to the people and the press, but this will be the first speech of this magnitude – nearly two months after the disaster began.”
Deepwater Horizon - nearly two months ago...
During the nearly two months since the catastrophe ensued, we’ve learned a great deal about what has and hasn’t been done – mostly what hasn’t:
As essayistDavid Warren points out, “We learned a simple thing this week: that the BP clean-up effort in the Gulf of Mexico is hampered by the Jones Act. This is a piece of 1920s protectionist legislation, that requires all vessels working in U.S. waters to be American-built, and American-crewed. So while, for instance, the U.S. Coast Guard can accept such help as three kilometres of containment boom from Canada, they can’t accept, and therefore don’t ask for, the assistance of high-tech European vessels specifically designed for the task in hand. This is amusing, in a way: a memorable illustration of … the sort of stuff I keep going on about. Which is to say, the law of unintended consequences, which pertains with especial virulence to all acts of government regulation.”
We know that administration officials got tough with BP, “[ripping] ripped up BP's plans for increasing the amount of oil being captured from the leaking well, saying they were insufficient. The company was given a 48-hour deadline, due to expire last night, to come up with plans that would capture more of the oil, which is still leaking at a rate of 30,000 barrels a day.” (Just so you know, the deadline came and went…)
We learned that despite the situation, despite the fact that soldiers are dying in foreign lands and one of the largest ecological disasters in human history is worsening on a daily basis, “President Barack Obama [managed to spend] four hours on the golf course Sunday.” (If you’re keeping score, I believe that’s his 38th round since inauguration day.)
Closing quote: "Even though I'm president of the United States, my power is not limitless. So I can't dive down there and plug the hole. I can't suck it up with a straw." -- President Obama, quoted by theWashington Post, on the BP oil spill in the Gulf.
"Rough waters are truer tests of leadership. In calm water every ship has a good captain." — Swedish proverb
Since the horrific explosion, fire, collapse and massive leak at the site of British Petroleum's Deepwater Horizon well on April 20, the "it can't get any worse" situation has been getting worse - by the minute.
The oil continues to seep, spew and drift with the currents. What was once a Louisiana problem has now moved far enough east to become a Florida problem, and the fear is that the spread could loop around the southern end of the state and be transported to the north along the Eastern Seaboard.
The reason: President Barack Obama (and his team) have failed to own the situation. Instead, it's the other way around.
"Any one can hold the helm when the sea is calm."—Publilius Syrus.
A presidential briefing...
The basic rules of crisis management are pretty straight-forward: you've got to understand and manage the "issues" at hand. That means assessment and any immediate/urgently needed response(s); regular and reliable communication; short- and long-term vision/planning; action; and remediation. So far, the country's leadership - the president, the Interior Department, the Minerals Management Service, etc. - have done precious little in any of these areas. Of course, there is probably a great deal of work going on "behind the scenes, " but these efforts are not being communicated, which engenders more frustration, anger and mistrust (and undermines confidence all the way around).
Deepwater Horizon - April 20 (we're now nearing mid-June and things seem to be worsening)...
The early problems are now exacerbated with a number of revelations showing that the administration sat on its hands; made other, less-important matters a priority; and essentially hid the truth (or even misled the public). Some examples:
From a report in Chron.com: "Three days after the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico, the Dutch government offered to help. It was willing to provide ships outfitted with oil-skimming booms, and it proposed a plan for building sand barriers to protect sensitive marshlands. The response from the Obama administration and BP, which are coordinating the cleanup: “The embassy got a nice letter from the administration that said, 'Thanks, but no thanks,' said Geert Visser, consul general for the Netherlands in Houston. Now, almost seven weeks later, as the oil spewing from the battered well spreads across the Gulf and soils pristine beaches and coastline, BP and our government have reconsidered."
"90 percent of a crisis response is communications" – Barbara Reynolds, Center for Disease Control
And still it leaks...
The White House constantly attacks BP (and Big Oil) but the truth is “BP was a founding member of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP), a lobby dedicated to passing a cap-and-trade bill. As the nation’s largest producer of natural gas, BP saw many ways to profit from climate legislation, notably by persuading Congress to provide subsidies to coal-fired power plants that switched to gas," according to a piece by Timothy Carney in the Washington Examiner. He continues: "Lobbying records also show BP lobbying on Obama’s stimulus bill and Bush’s Wall Street bailout. You can guess the oil giant wasn’t in league with the Cato Institute or Ron Paul on those. BP has more Democratic lobbyists than Republicans. It employs the Podesta Group, co-founded by John Podesta, Obama’s transition director and confidant. Other BP troops on K Street include Michael Berman, a former top aide to Vice President Walter Mondale; Steven Champlin, former executive director of the House Democratic Caucus; and Matthew LaRocco, who worked in Bill Clinton’s Interior Department and whose father was a Democratic congressman.”
"Leadership, like swimming, cannot be learned by reading about it."- Henry Mintzberg, McGill University School of Management, The Nature of Managerial Work, Harper & Row, 1973
President Barack Obama - down by the seaside...
As noted in a new article in Rolling Stone magazine (via Hot Air), "The administration knew the spill could be far worse than its “best estimate” acknowledged. That same day, the president’s Flow Rate Technical Group – a team of scientists charged with establishing the gusher’s output – announced a new estimate of 12,000 to 25,000 barrels, based on calculations from video of the plume. In fact, according to interviews with team members and scientists familiar with its work, that figure represents the plume group’s minimum estimate. The upper range was not included in their report because scientists analyzing the flow were unable to reach a consensus on how bad it could be. “The upper bound from the plume group, if it had come out, is very high,” says Timothy Crone, a marine geophysicist at Columbia University who has consulted with the government’s team. “That’s why they had resistance internally. We’re talking 100,000 barrels a day.”
"The very essence of leadership is that you have to have a vision. It's got to be a vision you articulate clearly and forcefully on every occasion. You can't blow a weak trumpet." –Theodore Hesburgh, President, Nortre Dame University, Time, May 1987
BP chief Tony Hayward...
According to that same Rolling Stone article, the president didn't exactly get things moving on the crisis, despite the knowledge that the spill was a worst-case situation.
"The president himself was occupied elsewhere. After returning from his vacation, Obama spent Monday, April 26th palling around with Derek Jeter and the New York Yankees, congratulating them on their World Series victory. He later took time to chat with the president of Honduras. When he put in a call to Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi, it was to talk about tornadoes that had caused damage in that state, with only a brief mention of the oil spill. On Tuesday the 27th, Obama visited a wind-turbine plant in Iowa. Wednesday the 28th, he toured a biofuels refinery in Missouri and talked up financial reform in Quincy, Illinois. He didn’t mention the oil spill or the Gulf. That evening, administration officials received news that – to judge from their subsequent response – scared the shit out of them. 'The following is not public,' a confidential NOAA advisory stressed. 'Two additional release points were found today in the tangled riser. If the riser pipe deteriorates further, the flow could become unchecked, resulting in a release volume an order of magnitude higher than previously thought. There is no official change in the volume released but the [Coast Guard] is no longer stating that the release rate is 1,000 barrels a day. Instead they are saying that they are preparing for a worst-case release and bringing all assets to bear.' After he was briefed that evening, Obama told his deputies to contact the Pentagon. The following day, Napolitano declared the BP disaster, which was now approaching the size of Puerto Rico, an 'Oil Spill of National Significance' – the designation required to draw on regional resources and to appoint an incident commander to coordinate a federal response. It had taken a full week after Deepwater Horizon exploded for the government to become fully engaged – a critical lapse that allowed the crisis to spiral out of control."
There you have it: what is supposed to pass for crisis management is actually mis-management at the highest levels. A clear vision has not been conveyed to the public; a true assessment has never truly been made and/or shared; priorities are askew; and politics - not problem-solving - are the order of the day.
God help the Gulf.
God help us all.
"The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority." -
Kenneth Blanchard, University of Massachusetts, Schatz, Managing By Influence, (Prentice-Hall, 1986)
Still looking to take names almost two months later...
LATE ADD: This is not how you manage communications in a crisis...
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