We've Stood in the Corner Long Enough

Writing as someone who lived in Texas for over twenty years, I have some sympathy for Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and other oil state senators. Opposing the oil industry in Louisiana is like opposing the auto industry in Michigan: It's just not going to get you very far in state politics. But there's a difference between supporting a business important to your home state and being in its back pocket, which is what Landrieu, David Vitter, and other oil states senators look like when they demand that President Obama lift the moratorium on new offshore drilling before the Deepwater Horizon spill is stopped.

If Landrieu and Vitter really put Louisiana's economy and jobs ahead of energy interests, why not insist that the moratorium be lifted only upon imposition of a requirement that two relief wells be drilled simultaneously with any new deep water well? That would create plenty of new jobs.

If they really believe that deep water drilling is "safe overall," why not make sure by requiring oil companies to use the $500,000 remote control shutoff mechanism that BP disdained as too expensive? Surely, a $246 billion company can afford a few those.

If they care that much about Louisianans, how about first ensuring that BP shows good faith in making liabilty payouts?

Deep water drilling proponents maintain that the Gulf spill is no different than an airplane accident -- a fluke that is bound to happen sooner or later but that does not detract from the safety of deep water drilling. But airlines take great care to fly their planes in safety. They don't seek waivers, look for shortcuts, and ignore regulations. Until there's evidence that oil companies will operate in the same manner, and there's none, why should they be treated as if they do?...

The time has come for us to pause and think of living as it was. Jorma Kaukonen's "Genesis"...

Cowtown Patty has discovered the amazement of reggae. Leave your suggestions for her here...

Tom Donahue of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says that American taxpayers should help foot the oil spill cleanup bill:

Everybody is going to contribute to this clean up. We are all going to have to do it.  We are going to have to get the money from the government and from the companies and we will figure out a way to do that.

Good old Tom, who never met an environmental regulation he liked, thinks taxpayers should help out the oll bidness, but opposes unions helping out themselves. Thus his anger over the Employee Free Choice Act:

What they are trying to do is change the rules. They want a hell of a lot more members, so they can have a hell of a lot more political influence, so they can change the way this country runs.

Gosh, we wouldn't want that. Considering what a great job Wall Street, the oll bidness, and Tom's buddies at the CoC have done, his outrage is both understandable and commendable...