The practice or
philosophy of taking action for the sake of appearing to be taking action in response to a threat or situation, even if the action is harmful and/or worsens the situation.
Ref: Governor Bobby Jindal's decision to open freshwater diversions on the Mississippi
River in an effort to push
oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill back out to sea, causing mortality rates of 60-80% in oyster beds the action was intended to preserve.