Thanks for the comment. Please reread my post. I wrote, “Although it is supposed to consult with other governmental agencies with environmental responsibilities when it issues permits, that is not how the MMS defines its primary task. Revenue estimation and collection is what it does.” My point is that the MMS has consistently viewed its primary mission as raising revenue from the leasing of federal lands. Although, as you correctly point out, that leasing is supposed to be done in an environmentally-conscious manner, the MMS has always relied on other government agencies to provide the proper environmental input – right or wrongly (and I think most of us believe it was wrong), it has tended to downplay environmental issues when issuing permits. The reason is because those members of Congress who are most interested in what the MMS does were more interested in the revenue side of the permitting process. Don’t take my word for it – read the various GAO reports I link to. They focus on alleged problems in revenue estimation – rarely do members of Congress express any concern over environmental issues. Like all government bureaucracies, the MMS responded to the political signals it receives. I am not trying to excuse its lax permitting process – I am trying to explain why it happened. We can scream after the fact about the MMS’ failure to adequately ensure the environmental safety of off-shore drilling, but if we are going to place blame, let’s start with Congress – particularly those members who are primarily responsible for overseeing what the MMS does.

PRESIDENTIAL RACES
Bush, George W (R) $2,690,575
McCain, John (R) Senate $2,403,937
Obama, Barack (D) Senate $901,051
Giuliani, Rudolph W (R) $609,358
Romney, Mitt (R) $507,544
Clinton, Hillary (D-NY) Senate $381,742
Kerry, John (D) Senate $317,110
Richardson, Bill (D) $220,875
Thompson, Fred (R) $196,704

CONGRESSIONAL RACES
Cornyn, John (R-TX) Senate $984,675
Pearce, Steve (R-NM) $720,060
[NB: Pearce lost to Tom Udall, but back in the running for a different House seat]
Barton, Joe (R-TX) House $515,960
[Ranking Member of the House Energy & Commerce Committee and past chairman]
McConnell, Mitch (R-KY) Senate $400,900
Inhofe, James M (R-OK) Senate $365,200
[Ranking Member of Senate Environment & Public Works Committee and past chairman]
Boren, Dan (D-OK) House $325,650
Hutchison, Kay Bailey (R-TX) Senate $323,186
[Ranking Member of Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee and past chairwoman]
Lincoln, Blanche (D-AR) Senate $286,400
[Chairwoman of Senate Agriculture & Forestry Committee]
Santorum, Rick (R-PA) Senate $266,200
Landrieu, Mary L (D-LA) Senate $272,250
Schaffer, Bob (R-CO) $246,850
Vitter, David (R-LA) Senate $242,600
Burns, Conrad (R-MT) Senate $238,225
Dole, Elizabeth (R-NC) Senate $230,917
Chambliss, Saxby (R-GA) Senate $222,350
[Ranking Member of Agriculture & Forestry]
Allen, George (R-VA) Senate $220,200
Talent, James M (R-MO) Senate $212,920
Murkowski, Lisa (R-AK) Senate $209,826
[Ranking Member of Energy & Natural Resources]
Roberts, Pat (R-KS) Senate $203,700
Wicker, Roger (R-MS) Senate $200,200
Bode, Denise (R-OK) $197,568
Corker, Bob (R-TN) $195,950
Pombo, Richard W (R-CA) House $194,298
White, Bill (D-TX) $184,303
Coleman, Norm (R-MN) Senate $174,900
Jones, Elizabeth Ames (R-TX) $168,750
Wilson, Heather A (R-NM) House $154,450
Kyl, Jon (R-AZ) Senate $138,900
Bennett, Robert F (R-UT) Senate $138,400
Hastert, Dennis (R-IL) House $138,200
Blunt, Roy (R-MO) House $133,100
Specter, Arlen (D-PA) Senate $130,400
O’Donnell, Rick (R-CO) $127,950
Cubin, Barbara (R-WY) House $125,150
Portman, Rob (R-OH) $125,108
Edwards, Chet (D-TX) House $123,630
DeWine, Mike (R-OH) Senate $123,150
Bonilla, Henry (R-TX) House $121,926
DeLay, Tom (R-TX) House $119,890
Conaway, Mike (R-TX) House $116,950
Coburn, Tom (R-OK) Senate $105,100
Hoeven, John (R-ND) $101,350
Dorgan, Byron L (D-ND) Senate $92,950
Thune, John (R-SD) Senate $91,140
Cantor, Eric (R-VA) House $87,000

http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/recips.php?cycle=2010&ind=E01

1 Lincoln, Blanche (D-AR) Senate $286,400
2 Vitter, David (R-LA) Senate $242,600
3 Murkowski, Lisa (R-AK) Senate $209,826
4 White, Bill (D-TX) $184,303
5 Jones, Elizabeth Ames (R-TX) $168,750
6 Boren, Dan (D-OK) House $139,700
7 Bennett, Robert F (R-UT) Senate $138,400
8 Blunt, Roy (R-MO) House $133,100
9 Cornyn, John (R-TX) Senate $130,525
10 Specter, Arlen (D-PA) Senate $130,400
11 Portman, Rob (R-OH) $125,108
12 Edwards, Chet (D-TX) House $123,630
13 Conaway, Mike (R-TX) House $116,950
14 Pearce, Steve (R-NM) $108,900
15 Coburn, Tom (R-OK) Senate $105,100
16 Hoeven, John (R-ND) $101,350
17 Barton, Joe (R-TX) House $100,470
18 Dorgan, Byron L (D-ND) Senate $92,950
19 Thune, John (R-SD) Senate $91,140
20 Cantor, Eric (R-VA) House $87,000

Matt, are there any races in which the Gulf catastrophe could tip the balance in the midterms? Or actually sober up the incumbent on the issue?

Martin