Unfortunate timing with oil spill

The prospect of vast areas of the southern American coastline being coated with oil looms.   A slick the size of Rhode Island moves,  seemingly unstoppably,  toward land.  The oil platform which burned and killed several workers before sinking continues to spew thousands of gallons of oil into the water.   And this just weeks after President Obama took a public position proposing to allow more exploratory offshore drilling, though under strict standards and with the caveat that it's a short term and pragmatic decision and not an abandonment of moving away from such deep oil dependence.   The high visibility of the accident and the subsequent spill is likely to become an "aha" for those who are terrified of continuing environmental degradation.   The event is horrifying in scope and possible impact.  I am horrified.  But the biggest impact may be that it swipes away support for the President on the left even more.   


Perhaps the truth in American politics is that the Center, when fragmentation over issues is factored in, is too narrow to stand on.