It was Michael Barone who first used the phrase "gangster government" to refer to the Obama administration's lawlessness. Today he expands on that thought, describing the administration's actions in the Gulf as "ineffective thuggery."

Thuggery is unattractive. Ineffective thuggery even more so. Which may be one reason so many Americans have been reacting negatively to the response of Barack Obama and his administration to BP's gulf oil spill.