1-800-gethelp

I listened to President Obama on the radio day before yesterday when he said he was going to kick ass over the oil spill, he just needed to know whose ass to kick. Today he released a video stating that he had limited powers. He couldn’t dive down and plug the leak and he couldn’t suck the oil up with a straw.

Do you think he is feeling desperate? I believe he is. What he does not seem to understand is that people are frustrated over the fact that there is red tape developing between the Coast Guard, the Army Corp of Engineers, BP and other agencies. The frustration is that no one knows who to talk to in order to get answers or action.

BP and the government need a common go-to person who can cut through red tape, give answers and mobilize resources to areas in need. If a city has a problem, or a suggestion for doing something to improve the situation, who do they contact? There is not common 1-800-gethelp phone number and there isn’t a person in charge of organizing all response who is coordinating efforts between BP and the different agencies and cutting through the red tape. There needs to be a unified effort and response. Make it simpler for the people of the Gulf Coast to get what they need or to talk with someone who can get answers for the problem. It is not the reality that causes problems as much as it is the perception of reality that nothing is being done.

If I were president, this is what I would do.