Gulf Coast vs ANWR - Why isn't Congress being held responsible?

As of this writing, BP has been able to place a cap on the oil leak in the gulf. The media, though having to mention this by default, is slamming that fact by crying that the damage is extensive, costly, and time-consuming to clean up within the same breath.

Now, let me be clear: this is an ecologic/economic tragedy. I understand that. What I'm having issue with is that we have a deep, off-shore drilling accident, in international waters, and the U.S. government has the chutzpa to take the reins of control to hold BP (a foreign company, the last I was aware) accountable for this incident (hey, where is the United Nations when they are needed?). This is the same government that has banned drilling in places that are far more controllable, like the uninhabited Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) (nearest city - Barrow, Alaska, has a population of approximately 4,000).

The arguments have been going on for years whether drilling in places such as ANWR should take place or not. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a mostly-liberal appendage of the government, has fought for the caribou with gusto. Groups wanting to drill there argue that it is far easier to control any "catastrophe" in an area such as ANWR than in deep water drilling (as in the gulf).

The government, where logical thinking seems to completely escape them, made it illegal to drill in many places such as ANWR. Therefore, logically, they (and that can include the EPA as well) believe that the damage in the gulf MUST be far less of an environmental hazard than what the potentiality of the same type of leak out on the frozen tundra might be.

So, all of those individuals/families that make their living out there in the waters of the gulf should be THANKING our government for the blessing of destroyed lives from this catastrophe, and should be donating any aid they may receive to support those few caribou.

I'm a big time-travel buff. I collect movies, in any genre, that touch on the topic, I read novels that use it as a vehicle, and even delve into books from those with the brain capacity of Stephen Hawking. One of the big concepts that shows up time and time again (pun intended) is that of "cause and effect". Anything you do has a direct/indirect effect upon someone else. When Congress makes a law, it has an effect - in the ideal world it would only be a positive effect, but this isn't an ideal world. And that is just one of the reasons that the powers of the federal government are limited.

Now, BP is spending much in damage control - advertising, financial aid, etc. - mostly to maintain the image they have worked so hard to achieve. And yes, BP holds quite a bit of responsibility for the alleged corner cutting they did with this drill site. But I believe that the EPA/federal government should have THEIR feet held to the fire over this as well. If they would not have driven the oil companies out into deep water in the first place, we wouldn't be having to deal with the tragedy we now face.

For those who think that this would still happen, you have to consider basic economics: why go out of your way to do things the hardest way for less return on investment? But not to worry, the government's solution to this is to place a moratorium on any more deep-sea drilling too. THAT should help!

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