President Obama, It's time for a Presidential address, tonight if possible

I don't know a single soul who isn't worried about this tragic situation for the people of Japan as well as for the world. The planet seems smaller than in the past because of communications. We also know the environment and climate is global, not separate.

The President of the US should have far more information than reporters on CNN and other news sources. People are scared and worried about radiation as well as our futures. Children are starting to worry.

President Obama, please speak to us and tell us what we need to know. We don't need sugar coating. We need to know the truth about this situation as well as how our government will help us, and aid the people of Japan. That nuclear reactor plant was designed by a US company.

our government, and TEPCO seems to have no qualms about lying to theirs, either. I heard that the PM of Japan was furious with them and "used profanity" while speaking with them.

A little info on TEPCO's past behavior:

On August 29, 2002, the government of Japan revealed that TEPCO was guilty of false reporting in routine governmental inspection of its nuclear plants and systematic concealment of plant safety incidents. All seventeen of its boiling-water reactors were shut down for inspection as a result. TEPCO's chairman Hiroshi Araki, President Nobuya Minami, Vice-President Toshiaki Enomoto, as well as the advisers Shō Nasu and Gaishi Hiraiwa stepped-down by September 30, 2002.<6> The utility "eventually admitted to two hundred occasions over more than two decades between 1977 and 2002, involving the submission of false technical data to authorities".<7> Upon taking over leadership responsibilities, TEPCO's new president issued a public commitment that the company would take all the countermeasures necessary to prevent fraud and restore the nation's confidence. By the end of 2005, generation at suspended plants had been restarted, with government approval.

In 2007, however, the company announced to the public that an internal investigation had revealed a large number of unreported incidents. These included an unexpected unit criticality in 1978 and additional systematic false reporting, which had not been uncovered during the 2002 inquiry. Along with scandals at other Japanese electric companies, this failure to ensure corporate compliance resulted in strong public criticism of Japan's electric power industry and the nation's nuclear energy policy. Again, the company made no effort to identify those responsible.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Electric_Power_Company

The biopic about the heroic, murdered whistleblower karen Silkwood is seldom shown on TV. TCM's pre- Oscar programming showed it about 3 weeks ago about this weird time of day.

The Kerr McGee Oklahoma nuclear manufacturing facility (where rods were shoddily manufactured) was chronologically related to the plant in Japan.

The plant in Japan was antiquated by todays standards. Yet because such plants generate energy at the cheapest cost and are profitable, no governmental or atomic agancy interfered.

But now we can see what the real price is. I believe there must be an affordable means to have technologically advanced energy. We have let corporations determine and limit the needs for peoples and nations.

We let them get by with poisoning the lands and the oceans because they 'give us' jobs. Hell, they don't even do that any more. Our people are sent to fight for the next big energy requirements (rare earth, mainly lithium) in Afghanistan under the guise of 'preventing terrorism.'

We can do better. Most of us aren't greedy, wasteful people. We do give a damn. But those who make big profits don't.

they'd be all over it -- and FAST.

It's all about the money - we've learned "doing the right thing" isn't a motivating factor. To be fair, they are mandated by law to show a profit to their shareholders, but really, I don't know how these individuals who work for these companies, and make the decisions, have seemingly turned off their sense of honor. It's like their hearts and souls have shriveled up and are now just little black burned out embers of ash. :(

I'm sure he knows more than the CNN reporters. But I see no reason to assume that anyone in the world knows exactly what is going on with the reactors right now, much less that anyone in the United States does.

Given the extent of the catastrophe in Japan regardless of what happens with the reactors, I frankly would be dismayed if the president of the United States gave a speech right now focused on any potential threat to us.

That's what he does, and everyone knows this. People always want an immediate response. He'll have reporters asking questions, he wants to be as well briefed as he can be. How many people get annoyed when the President says..."I don't know." Give this some time.

Does Japan even know all the things that it should know?! I ask this, because this is sudden. When the oil spill happened, there was no immediate address, because know one knew anything. I don't think Japan is on top of all the things that are going on either. They have a country of millions and with probably close to 2000+ million deaths. Some of whom have family in Tokyo. They have their own people wondering about who's alive or dead, powerlines torn down and a good portion of the nation in unrest.

Then they have the nuclear plants that exploded and they have to do studies as to how far and how damaging is that going to be. I seriously don't think even Japan knows as much as you think the American President should know. This is massive logistical problem and a horrible tragedy. This is not 1-2-3 answer here. Things take time and I think 5 days isn't enough time.

I'll give the nation itself about two weeks here, and then another week to get the information to the President.

As a side note...Did Obama say something when Haiti's Earthquake happened?! And if he did...how long after the earthquake did he say something?

I imagine the President must be very concerned about this, Vabarella. People are stressed out. The worry here in the United States is reflected in things like potassium iodide tablets being about sold out everywhere.

BTW, I yakked with my old buddy the medical prof and he advised me NOT to run out and buy potassium iodide because taking those tablets in the absence of real need could be dangerous. Apparently taking potassium iodide in the wrong dose if one has thyroid problems or a shellfish allergy could cause big time bad reactions like hives and even put somebody who is unknowingly allergic into something called anaphylactic (sp?) shock.He said that could stop a person breathing. He also says if one's over 50 potassium iodide is probably not all that useful.

I wish the president would rethink his enthusiastic support for nuclear energy.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/03/14/idUK224060750420110314

IMHO, the nations of the world should collaborate on a project to find the cleanest, most efficient energy sources to empower modern lifestyles. I believe it can be accomplished if we realise everybody's in this world together. And greed shouldn't be allowed to lead.

I realize people are stressed out. But again I think it's too soon to expect anything much. Or too even expect an address. Most people will want an address with answers and actions plans. Japan has no answers right now from what I'm hearing.

Let's tone down on the "enthusiastic" support. Obama has never been "enthusiastically" pro anything---unless it's green energy. However, he's also said he's not completely against nuclear energy. And to be honest, with an objective outlook Nuclear plants are generally safe. Actually some of the safest. Japan had a 9.0 earthquake that causing this. That would say, nuclear plants in California are a bad idea. But again, nuclear plants are generally safe---and it's actually considered one of the most efficient and relatively clean.

However I do agree with you on what the world countries should be doing.

Once the outcome becomes clear, Obama steps in, "on the side of history.

Leading from the rear

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And then Obama made a speech about it the next day. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8457357.stm

thanks for telling me.

If --- IF -- he knows what's really going on, he's not going to tell us.

Bake

Apparently, fact gathering is such a huge bother to some. Real leaders act first and ask questions later. :eyes:

There is nothing you need to know. Even if all the reactors meltdown in Japan, the United States will be just fine.

Things change with these reactors so quickly that by the time Obama went on the air to tell us anything interesting, the situation may have completely changed.

The media is hyping this beyond all reason for RATINGS. The media, as they are apt to do, has turned this thing into some twisted reality TV show - each reactor is like a contestant on Big Brother or Survivor or something.

Japan suffered a disaster and as a result a lot of people have died. Japan is having ongoing problems with a couple nuclear power plants. In a few days or weeks it will all be resolved and then we can assess the impact and what lessons need be learned from Japan's experience. America most certainly doesn't need a presidential address.

Or something. What's the point of micromanaging? How can one internet poster expect to have any influence? How can they know enough to decide what is best to do?

What if there is something more important to do than calm the fears of some internet posters? Maybe the bulk of the nation is not that worried.

It's about time for the leader of the free world to say a few words on the subject.

The citizens on the West Coast would certainly appreciate it, and it might help dissuade silly runs on supplies. It might even help calm the markets a bit.

.... and ALL of our problems would be solved! (and no, you didn't say that, but EVERYONE has an issue and in order for him to address every issue, he'd have to do an address every night.)

But since, as you say, the planet seems smaller because of communications...

http://www.defense.gov/home/features/2011/0311_japan/

Just look at the panic in the financial markets.

There are many people around the world that are scared shitless and the President of the USA is seemingly nowhere to be found.

He needs to step up, be seen and lead this country in this time of crisis.

We also have extreme unrest in the Middle East that's leading to skyrocketing gas prices. I just paid over $4/gallon for gas yesterday.

Where the hell is he?

Proof of this fact: http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20110316-716163.html

On Monday, it fell to a two-week low. The rest of your rhetoric is also baseless.

However, gas over $4/gallon where I live. That's not rhetoric. Those are facts, my dear.