Crude sucking barges stopped by Feds

[cmoore]

Guys you have to read this to believe it. The Coast Guard shut down oil sucking barge vessels that were working.

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/bp-oil-spil...ry?id=10946379

What is everyone's opinion of the handling of this tragedy?

[Mike Holmes]

It's a political football now. Nobody from Obama down wants to accept any blame, but they would all like to take credit for "fixing" something they are not qualified to fix. Washington politicians know little about the oil business, or the Gulf, as Waxman and others - including Obama - proved in their grilling of the BP CEO. Just a continuing power grab by people who could care less about what is happening in states that voted Republican in the last election - and are likely to do so again in November.

[A. G. Davis]

It isd just regulations. Everytime that I am stopped by the game warden I have to show life preservers and fire extinguisher. This is just part of what the Coast Guard is supposed to do. We don't need anymore deaths or accidents out in the Gulf. I cannot understand why the question of the manufacturer of the barges is important. The game warden never asked me about the manufacturer of my boat.

[Mike Holmes]

There are regulations concerning commercial use of vessels built in foreign countries in US waters. A boat built in some other country - or even that has been registered in another country - cannot be used as a charter boat in the US without going to extreme measures. It would seem exceptions could be made for foreign vessels being used to help in the cleanup, however. Personally, I suspect some of this - including the life jacket deal - is more political than safety oriented. Also, if you are boarded by the Coast Guard, they will ask to see a drivers license or other form of ID showing you are an American citizen.

[SLaMascus]

The world's 3 biggest lies:

The check is in the mail.
I'll respect you in the morning.
I'm with the federal government and I'm here to help.