NASA image, taken Thursday, via Daily Kos
With 210,000 gallons of oil from the Deepwater Horizon disaster spilling into the Gulf of Mexico every day and beginning to reach land, the people of Louisiana are wondering, again, whether their government cares about them. From the New Orleans Times-Picayune:
The leak from the ocean floor proved to be far bigger than initially reported, contributing to a growing sense among some in Louisiana that the government failed them again, just as it did during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. President Barack Obama dispatched Cabinet officials to deal with the crisis.
Cade Thomas, a fishing guide in Venice, worried that his livelihood will be destroyed. He said he did not know whether to blame the Coast Guard, the government or BP.
"They lied to us. They came out and said it was leaking 1,000 barrels when I think they knew it was more. And they weren't proactive," he said. "As soon as it blew up, they should have started wrapping it with booms."
Today on ABC's Good Morning America, White House adviser David Axelrod signaled at least a pause in President Obama's plan to open more waters to off-shore drilling. BP's Deepwater Horizon was supposedly the very best in drilling technology, and look at the mess we have now. "No additional drilling has been authorized and none will until we find out what has happened here," Axelrod said. Since emergency crews can't even cap the Deepwater Horizon's well yet, we may be a long, long time in meeting that mark.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the White House quickly walked that back. From the Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire:
"Before production moves forward in a new region of the Gulf of Mexico, the Mid or South Atlantic, or the Arctic Ocean, an area will have to undergo thorough environmental analysis, public input and comment, scientific study and review, and a careful examination of the potential risks and spill response capabilities in that area," a White House official said.
Exploration and production planned through 2012 apparently still has a green light.
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Between my personal contacts, NPR, and other media, this sounds like it will turn out as bad as the Exxon Valdez or worse. Terrible.
Better order some cases of Dawn detergent. What a disaster. This is why us Dems were against drill baby drill, and Obamas brilliant idea to lift the ban on off shore drilling. Sometimes you just need to follow what you believe and try to stop making friends with the Republicans. Wondering what will be destroyed as far as shore and wildlife once again, and who is going to pay to clean it up? (Greed) drill deeper who cares if we don't know how to fix a leak or cap it. It won't happen anyway right.
the diaster aside, cant wait for the campaign ads showing wingnut "leaders" like palin the entertainer foaming "drill baby drill" superimposed over the coming coastal images which will be horrible.
Maybe Palin will donate some of her newly acquired riches to help clean up this mess.
we will be in New Orleans May 16 through May 21 to rebuilt Barnard Parish with 38 students form Lycee Francais in San Francisco. ANd we should think about sending them for clean up too soon..... Poor Louisiana.
I wish I could take credit for this one but no, it comes from Bushdepression over on the Huff:
"We've decided to name the oil slick 'Lake Palin'.
British Petroleum is the third largest global energy company and the 4th largest company in the world. Their carelessness has permanently damaged gulf coast shores and ecomomies. Return their favor. Boycott BP gas stations. Some of them are BP Expresss, BP, ARCO and ampm stores.
British Petroleum is the third largest global energy company and the 4th largest company in the world. Its carelessness has permanently damaged our gulf coast and its economy. Let's return their favor. Boycott BP gas stations throughout the US, some of them are BP, BP Express, Arco, and ampm Stores.
Way to go, US Government and BP! Thanks to your generous contributions, you have succeeded in the further destruction of our environment. Save the Earth? HA! Save your wallets, right? We'll all be laughing to our graves. Beautiful wildlife, included.
I just saw a press confrence w/Bobby Jindal, Sec. Slazar and Sec. Napolitano.
I am amazed that people whine about the nanny state and then come sniveling like a child to the Fed when a real problem occurs. Bobby Jindal used the word Federal government about 20 times in his speech. He's become a total sychophant about the Feds role in this CORPORATE DISASTER.
Here's a thought- HOW ABOUT BP REIMBURSE THE FED GOVERNMENT FOR THE USE OF ALL OF THIER RESOURCES COMPLETELY- END OF STORY.
I just saw a press confrence w/Bobby Jindal, Sec. Slazar and Sec. Napolitano.
I am amazed that people whine about the nanny state and then come sniveling like a child to the Fed when a real problem occurs. Bobby Jindal used the word Federal government about 20 times in his speech. He's become a total sychophant about the Feds role in this CORPORATE DISASTER.
Here's a thought- HOW ABOUT BP REIMBURSE THE FED GOVERNMENT FOR THE USE OF ALL OF THIER RESOURCES COMPLETELY- END OF STORY.
Of course the far right will be spinning this disaster as "Obama's Katrina" when in fact BP lied to the government about the magnitude of the disaster, which delayed needed government action to lend a hand getting the mess cleaned up.
This is a good wake up call to end our reliance on the filthy oil and coal industry. We must invest in clean renewable energy NOW!
If that actually happens (serious commitment to other-than-fossil-fuel energy), I would be amazed. But even if it did, it wouldn't undo the ecological damage.
I see they're going to spray chemical on the spill to break up the mess.
Has anyone actually tested the chemicals for their carcinogenic potential? Does anyone really know if little lumps of goo are better than a big wad of goo?
Obviously, with people like Palin driving public opinion re oil, we can't assume that geniuses are in charge of fixing this disaster.
Too Big to Succeed
Wallstreet is the oligarchy capital of the world. Today’s corporate management structure is a classic oligarchy with bureaucratic-pyramid-management flowchart. The top of the pyramid is a small elite chamber of managers and owners. At the bottom of the pyramid are hundreds of thousands of American jobs depending on the success of this business model.
Hypothesis:
Wallstreet corporate industries have an upper size limit to expansion of assets or employees that leads to failure and the reality of “too big to succeed”. Exceeding this limit necessarily requires government assistance in the form of excessive regulation or massive business failure bailout. Oversized corporations, become like a huge dinosaur with a walnut sized brain, that roams without consciousness of direction and the trampling under foot.
(Citibank, AIG, Chrysler, Enron, Massey, BP…)
There is limit to the oligarchy-bureaucratic-pyramid-management flowchart model that guarantees breakdown when business size gets “too big to succeed”. End hypothesis.
This hypothesis plays out over and over with reoccurring catastrophes and bailouts. (Citibank, AIG, Chrysler, Enron, Massey, BP…) These corporate failures suggest a pattern not limited to any particular industry.
It is prudent our federal government regulate and plan carefully for re-occurrence of massive corporate failure. The American taxpayer wants readiness when another starving brontosaurus corporation comes foraging for food. The government must plan for thoughtful regulation, reorganization, dismantling, or termination to protect tax payers from massive collateral damage.
How much regulation and “bailout” denial is required before this hypothesis is accepted and we face the problem squarely?
Citizen is coach to team democracy. Coach is responsible for success. It’s your call, coach.
http://coach-1640280.newsvine.com/