We are at 50+ days and counting since the explosion of a BP oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico and we still haven’t just plugged the “damn hole.” The destruction of our coastal environs is an unmitigated disaster, not only for the southern states directly affected, but for our whole nation.
Now our Dear Leader has announced that we will have a moratorium on drilling in water deeper than 500 feet. Secretary of the Interior Salazar’s May 27 report to BHO said a panel of seven experts “peer reviewed” his recommendations, which included a moratorium on all ongoing drilling in waters deeper than 500 feet. Now we find out the the peer reviewers and others who contributed to the report said that they only reviewed an earlier version that wanted a moratorium on new drilling in waters deeper than 1,000 feet.
In a joint letter written by the panelists to various politicians, they stated:
“We broadly agree with the detailed recommendations in the report and compliment the Department of Interior for its efforts. However, WE DO NOT AGREE WITH THE SIX MONTH BLANKET MORATORIUM ON FLOATING DRILLING. A moratorium was added AFTER THE FINAL REVIEW and was never agreed to by the contributors. A blanket moratorium is not the answer. It will not measurably reduce risk further and it will have a lasting impact on the nation’s economy which may be greater than that of the oil spill. We do not believe punishing the innocent is the right thing to do.”
According to Minerals Management Service, a division of the U.S.
Interior Department, 33 deep-water drilling rigs in the Gulf of Mexico
must halt operations and not issue new permits under the Obama
administration’s moratorium.
According to state estimates, the oil industry employs roughly 58,000
workers in Louisiana; and its total of 260,000 oil-related jobs accounts
for roughly 17 percent — one of every six jobs in the state.
Now call me crazy, (I’ve certainly been called worse) but doesn’t it seem odd that we have shut down 33 oil production facilities that supply almost 20% of our nation’s oil and provide employment for almost 20% of Louisiana’s population? How are we going to replace that oil? The more important question is: will we? And how will we replace the jobs? Or can we?
We have a president who on many occasions has publicly stated his intent to move the United States away from fossil fuels; no matter the cost. Did this crisis give him the fuel (no pun intended) that will propel his agenda more quickly than he had planned? In his report, Secretary Salazar blatantly lied about the reviewers recommendations. Why, you may be so bold to ask? Well, obviously the truth didn’t fit the agenda.
When BHO was running for president, he said he would have the most transparent administration in history. A lot of Conservatives have taken him to task over that and have said that he has done just the opposite. Well, I hate to be disagreeable, but I say nay, nay.
Mr. President, when you ignore a massive oil spill for almost two months while you attend parties and concerts and play golf; when you ignore governors’ of affected states pleas for assistance; when you do not seek advice from experts who offer their services; when you turn away offers of assistance from countries with the expertise we need, and when you use this crisis as an excuse to create another massive government program which will increase the cost of energy to consumers exponentially through onerous taxation, then I think you are transparent. In fact, I can see right through you. And I don’t like what I see.
What I see is a man who has no love for his country; a man who is vapid and narcissistic, and a man who is detached from the people he is supposed to serve.
I’m sure you’ll keep looking for more crises that you can’t let go to waste. But remember this, with each crisis, you become more transparent.
And for America, that’s a “damn” good thing.
