What did President Obama mean when he said the British Petroleum oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was due to the "cozy relationship" between a federal agency and the oil industry? What steps did the president take to avoid such disasters in the future?

Answer:


An ideal response will:
1. Explain that the Minerals Management Service (MMS) within the Department of the Interior was responsible for implementing federal laws regulating oil and gas drilling and for setting safety standards for offshore drilling, but it granted permits that allowed the oil industry to extract as much oil as possible, which led to BP rushing to start pumping oil too soon.
2. Identify how Obama overhauled the MMS by breaking it into two new agencies, one for assuring safety and the other for granting permits; accepted the resignation of the political appointee heading MMS and gave the U.S. Coast Guard authority to supervise BP's efforts to stop the spill; appointed a special commission to investigate the disaster; and promised a new era of accountability in government oversight of the oil industry.

Political Science

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Which of the following is NOT a cost of alliances?

a) Weak nations may become dominated by their stronger allies. b) Weak countries can be protected from more powerful countries.c) Alliances may draw countries into war. d) Alliances may make countries susceptible to attack because of foreign military bases on their soil

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Following oral arguments, the justices gather for a __________, during which they discuss their current thinking on the case and cast preliminary votes

Fill in the blanks with correct word

Political Science

__________ can regulate behavior, redistribute wealth, or be symbolic

Fill in the blank(s) with correct word

Political Science