The Moral Imperative of the BP Oil Spill: Drive 20 Percent Less
by Jason Henderson on June 14, 2010
The Moratorium
After almost two months of failed attempts at "topkills," "tophats," "junkshots," "cofferdams," and "caps-on-the-diamond-cut-riser" it is evident that the BP wellhead spewing oil into the Gulf of Mexico has unleashed an unprecedented catastrophe. We made a mistake in wishing away the risks of deepwater drilling. Despite protests from the oil industry, the six-month moratorium proposed by the Obama administration is clearly needed in order for the nation to have a pointed and deliberate reflection about its priorities.
As a Louisiana native I am sensitive to the disruption this moratorium might cause for the 150,000 people employed in offshore drilling and corollary services. Yet take one look at the destruction of a truly renewable and sustainable industry -- fisheries -- and think it through. The offshore oil industry just killed the commercial and recreational fishing industry, it may destroy tourism, and will kill more if we do not get drilling and environmental protection right. How many jobs will be lost because of this ecological catastrophe? And what future start-up companies or footloose firms want to move to a region that is mired in a toxic cesspool of oil? Who would want to invest in property or raise families in a region that has not carefully protected its environment and regulated polluting industries? In the long run, the moratorium gives us time to work this out, and is better for the Gulf Coast economy. It's also best for the nation....
http://sf.streetsblog.org/2010/06/14/the-moral-imperative-of-the-bp-oil-spill-drive-20-percent-less/comment-page-1/
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
The reason the 'emoting thing' became an issue at all is because Jindal has been running around emoting.
Then emoting was a good way to tell people the Governor cared so he could continue ot pander to the petroleum industry.
It would be interesting to find out if emoting actually brings in donations to an election fund. Positive reinforcement for emoting.
It is unfortunate the USA citizens are not used to leadership that actually knows what its doing.
The Lousiana seafood really isn't marketable. It is just a fact of life. People won't buy it. All that should have been considered before the explosion of an unregulated rig 42 miiles from the Louisiana coastline.
Jindal requests $457 million for seafood safety program (click title to entry - thank you)
Written by Colleen Rush
Tuesday, 15 June 2010 11:01 New Orleans Food
...The amount of money Jindal is requesting is a drop in the bucket compared to the seafood industry’s estimated $2.3 billion impact on the state’s economy. It only takes a short trip South to get a sense of the massive, unaccounted for economic impact the still-going gusher will have on peripheral businesses once BP pulls out after the cleanup....
It is amazing to realize that seafood is $2.3 billion to the Louisiana economy and yet this disaster means absolutely nothing to Jindal and those elected, except, to ask for money to supplement their lack of insight and protection of their own citizens.
The President's reponse to this Louisiana disaster, that has caused the entire Gulf Coast and International waters into the Atlantic damage, has been nothing short of incredible and 'right on point.' Hind sight has never served this President. Except, for the 'emoting' issue there has been little to no back tracking to 'get it right.'
Governor Jindal sends group to argue moratorium
Gannett Capital Bureau • June 15, 2010
...Scott Angelle, who until his appointment as temporary lieutenant governor headed the state Department of Natural Resources, will lead the group in meeting with Salazar on Wednesday to discuss how the jobs of thousands of Louisiana residents are threatened but the halt in drilling...
http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20100615/UPDATES01/100615014
Temporary Lieutenant Governor?
Where was that legislated?
A Lieutenant Governor is supposed to be part of the State Constitution. There is a provision for this or not?
Because it seems to me that Jindal is increasing the size and the cost of his government to head a lobbying effort for the Petroleum Industry.
Not only that, but, an appointment to the powers equivalent to the Governor is nearly a perfect stranger to the Louisiana electorate.
A Lt. Governor has a lot of power within that state infrastructure and this is an appointment? For a person that is lobbying for the petroleum industry?
...In the face of the worst environmental disaster in American history lapping at Louisiana's fragile coastline, Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration has been working feverishly — trying to hire expensive, out-of-state lawyers to represent the state against BP in court.
Sources familiar with the administration's efforts say that Team Jindal at one point proposed hiring a pair of non-Louisiana law firms, one of which typically represents large corporate clients, to sue BP on behalf of the state. That, even though many of the nation's top environmental plaintiff lawyers live right here in Louisiana....
http://www.wwltv.com/news/DuBos-Jindal-looks-to-out-of-state-lawyers-to-fight-BP-96379134.html
This is for real? Jindal is spending Louisiana tax dollars to out of state attorneys for suing BP? Like what? And Jindal is screaming about money? Really?
What ever happened to "Buddy" the Louisiana Attorney General? Not able to carry out the priorities of the state?
Gov. Bobby Jindal on Gulf of Mexico oil spill: 'We are not winning this war'
Published: Tuesday, June 15, 2010, 4:59 PM Updated: Tuesday, June 15, 2010, 5:23 PM
Gwen Filosa, The Times-Picayune
...Nonetheless, during a news conference in Grand Isle Jindal detailed the area's oil-fighting - vacuum-topped barges, booms, oil skimmers, rock jetties, sandbags - and said, "Failure is not an option.''...
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2010/06/jindal_on_keeping_oil_off_mars.html
The fisheries and wetlands in Louisiana are virtually destroyed, Jindals states the efforts to curtail the damage are failing and yet he demands 'Drill here, drill now." THAT is a sane response? No.
The President has brought the best minds in the country to bring insight to policy and I really to beieve Jindal is seeking monies for his election strategies. He isn't accomplishing anything and those are his own words.
BP has been deceptive in their dealings to control their fines. There was no way for the US Government to properly determine the oil discharge until now.
I still don't believe BP, Transocean and Halliburton have come forward wtih transparency.
At Congressional Hearing, Oil C.E.O.’s Throw B.P. Under the Bus, or Rig, or Whatever (click title to entry - thank you)
by Juli Weiner June 15, 2010, 1:45 PM
by Juli Weiner June 15, 2010, 1:45 PM
...Rex W. Tillerson, the impossibly named chairman of Exxon Mobil, and John S. Watson, the Sherlock Holmes character who moonlights as Chevron’s chief executive, both implied that the Gulf oil spill could have been prevented had B.P. taken proper precautions. It’s a departure from commonplace evil-executive Congressional hearing behavior: even those fellows from Goldman Sachs would barely admit that anyone at any time should have done anything differently....
The initial estimate from BP was 1000 barrels a day. That all changed when the underwater films started to emerge. Now, the solutions that 'CEOs' and their BEST efforts were suppose to stop the rupture has turned into a nightmare of insurmountable odds. There is no way BP will ever collect even half of the rupture discharge. Who are they kidding?
This disaster is DIRECTLY related to 'deregulation' and 'indulgence' of Wall Street as if they really know what they are doing. What else is new in a Republican 'scheme' for the USA?
Republicans. They don't care about this country and never have.
I look forward to the President's speech to clearly understand how lousy this mess really is.
Don't forget to evaluate the 'emoting meter' RIGHT UP TO the point where the President actually emotes and then sharply criticize him for emoting. Jerks.
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