British Petroleum and the oil industry's lack of an emergency plan to deal with the explosion and release of oil in the waters of the Gulf and their inability to clean up the oil before it reaches shore has brought out the worst in the news media, governor Jindal and parish officials in Louisiana. Even members of congress who represent Louisiana have joined the chorus.
That chorus is now the blame game they are playing and their target is the federal government and President Obama. Jindal and other Louisiana officials have dropped the ball concerning BP's responsibility and their own responsibility to protect the Louisiana coast and are geared in full mode to blame Washington. During hurricane Katrina, a natural disaster, Louisiana officials sandbaged many of our coastal areas before Katrina came ashore and did not seek approval from the federal government to do so. But now they want to pass the buck to Washington before they do anything.
A lot of the focus has been on Grand Isle. Well Jindal does not need permission to sand bag Grand Isle's beaches to stop oil from washing up. He can give the order himself. Those elected officials who play the blame game along with the news media have no character or courage. The blame game is another reminder how America is loosing its leadership qualities and why very little is done to make the quality of life a little better for the people.
Those people in Louisiana who are leading the charge in the blame game will cozy back up to the same oil industry who created the BP mess after it is all over and done with. They will continue to be attached to the industry's massive campaign contributions and do the oil companies bidding. Some of Louisiana political leaders are already leading the charge to lift the ban on drilling in shallow waters in the Gulf that was the subject of a previous commentary just a few days ago. BP can't stop the leak and oil from spilling in the Gulf on this well yet these elected officials are ready to commit to the same mistake in shallow waters which are closer to our shore.
The news media and those who are a part of it have failed to serve the people and have become political in nature themselves. Their failure to put the responsibility where it belongs on BP is just another gash in their stated purpose of bringing the American people the facts. The cable TV networks are the worst. They have so much air time on their hands to fill, very little of their pronouncements arenews worthy. Talk radio is right behind.
One can only hope there are enough good people who can think for themselves and be rational about what is going on. Leaders who play the blame game need to be held in check and accountable for their actions or lack thereof and rational people are the only ones who can do that.
