Who Deserves the Blame for Massive Oil Spill?


Everyone is trying to figure out who to blame for the offshore oil spill that's threatening to take over Louisiana. The federal government has decided that BP America and its lackluster response deserve the bulk of it. But the Times is suggesting that maybe the government blame someone else: itself.

The Department of Homeland Security waited too long to declare the disaster a "spill of national significance."

The Coast Guard underestimated the threat of the initial leak.

In general, the federal government relied too much on BP to manage the response.

The Times has an unlikely ally: Rush Limbaugh has also pointed a finger at the federal response, calling the oil spill "Obama's Katrina."

BP Is Criticized Over Oil Spill, but U.S. Missed Chances to Act [NYT]