John Mica — the most drill-happy congressman Florida has ever elected.
John Mica — the only member of Florida's congressional delegation unwilling to sign a letter in 2003 that called for drilling restrictions in the eastern gulf.
John Mica — whose brother runs the Florida Petroleum Council.
Yes, that John Mica.
In fact, the Winter Park Republican is not only looking to cast blame, he's pretty sure he's found the culprit: Barack Obama.
At a hearing last week, Mica presented his timeline for what he called "The Obama Oil Spill."
Not the British Petroleum Oil Spill, mind you. In fact, Mica went so far as to say: "I am not going to point fingers at BP, the private industry, when it is government's responsibility to set the standards, to do the inspections."
Apparently, big government wasn't big enough.
And why blame the company that actually ran the rig when you can blame the head of the opposing political party?
To tell the truth, I absolutely believe that officials in the Obama administration are partly to blame. The rotating door of lobbyists-turned-regulators has become part of Washington's culture. It's engrained in both parties. And it's repulsive.
In fact, word is already starting to leak out that some of these supposed regulators accepted trips, gifts and meals from the very oil companies they were supposed to be regulating.
Those folks should be force-fed tar balls till they choke.
But, all that said, it takes some Cirque du Soleil-style acrobatics to blame the current administration for this blowout without also blaming the company that actually let it happen — and the politicians like Mica who cheer-led drilling every step of the way.
That's like pushing to build a playground in the middle of an eight-lane highway — and then acting surprised when a kid finally gets hit by a car … and blaming the highway patrol for not preventing it.
And that's one of the problems with the deflection game Mica is trying to play: It's so absurd, he looks foolish trying to play it.
Until now, Mica has been so unapologetic and unabashed about his passion for drilling, it was actually refreshing.
There was no hiding behind anyone else or excuses. He stood tall and proud — often alone.
