Better World Club: Boy, This Oil Spill Has Gone On a Long Time

(Your Turn: How Long?)

Well, It’s Been So Long…

Oil Spill? Given how long the BP oil has been flowing into the Gulf of Mexico, isn’t “spill” a bit…hmmm…understated??? This is a disaster, a catastrophe, a tragedy.

After all, the spill has lasted a long, long time. In fact, it’s gone on so long that, it’s now longer than

· U.S. military efforts in the 1991 Gulf War
· The 2010 NBA Playoffs
· The 1969 Moon Landing
· The Presidency of William Henry Harrison
· A Bill Clinton State of the Union
· George Bush’s Attention Span

In fact, if it lasts too much longer, it will surpass

· The Spanish-American War
· The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien
· America's obsession with the “Bennifer” relationship
· Any Academy Awards Ceremony

Well, you get the point. It’s lasted a very long time. It’s close to becoming an alternative lifestyle for residents along the Gulf.

Obviously, this is not the Obama administration’s fault. And the administration deserves tremendous credit for BP’s $20 billion commitment. (If you doubt it, look back at how Exxon escaped proper compensation for its 1989 Valdez “spill.”)

But one can’t help but wonder whether Obama was advised to let BP handle the spill and to keep his distance — and whether the federal government could have organized greater relief more quickly.

If so, then that is a tragedy as well.