In a story by David Hammer in the Times Picayune dated August 5 four Major Oil Companies, Exxon-Mobil, Chevron, Shell and ConocoPhillips vowed that in six months, their plans for a $1 billion system to contain oil well blowouts will dramatically improve the industry's preparedness. Top engineering officials from those firms appeared before the head of the new federal offshore oversight agency at a public hearing at Tulane University. They promised, in six months, an improved blowout response, and a fully revamped system ready for entire industry to share in 18 months.
The oil industry which the above companies are a part of assured the public for over 50 years the industry had the safety capabilities to prevent a blowout and remove any spilled oil from the Gulf before that oil reached land and now after over 3 months of the BP explosion and spill they tell us they won't have the means to do what they said they could do all along for another 18 months. These are the same companies who want the 6 month moratorium lifted, yet they are 18 months away from a system. They have completely ignored the 11 workers killed, those injured and the families who are still paying the price for the BP explosion.
There seems to be no shame by the oil industry for being so deceitful. Every time their officials open their mouth and every time elected officials support their positions prove that President Obama was right in declaring the moratorium and that the President displayed his leadership and courage concerning the spill and its aftermath. The oil industry and those elected officials who support their positions have reached the bottom of the barrel.
Melanie Driscoll, director of bird conservation for the National Audubon Society's Louisiana Coastal Initiative, offered a sobering counterpoint to the oil companies' assurances. Delivering a statement on behalf of the wildlife affected by the spill she said: "You protect us after the fact with imperfect protection, imperfectly managed. It must never again be acceptable to perform a massive chemical experiment on our Gulf waters and the living resources within. After the 11 rig workers, we are the next to die."
The public and government officials must never trust anything the oil industry leaders say again unless they can back up any pronouncements with facts and the ability to demonstrate such facts.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Another Tuition Increase For Louisiana Public Colleges
In a reported story by the Associated Press, students returning to Louisiana's public colleges and two year community colleges will be faced with an 8 to 10% increase in tuition this year. The reason? Legislation passed by the Louisiana Legislature, backed and signed into law by Governor Jindal. Prior to this new law the legislature had to approve any increase in tuition. The legislators and Jindal got themselves off the hook of approving college tuition increases by allowing the colleges to act alone in the matter. No courage or leadership there.
Budget cuts recommended by Jindal to the legislature for higher education was adopted to balance the budgets which the governor and legislature still do not have a handle on. Colleges said they had to have more revenue to balance the budget cuts, hence, the increase in tuition. Once again, our so called leaders are brain dead concerning the budget and how to deal with the states fiscal problems.
It has been pointed out here in "politidose" and in other commentary how budget cuts under this administration has affected the average taxpayer at the same time the budget contains $7-8 billion in corporate welfare to those who need it the least and where no cuts have been made. The Saints who are owned by a multi millionaire is a prime example. Mr. Benson is laughing all the way to the bank. One can hear him saying to himself those dummies fell for it again.
This writer has pointed out on many occasions how so called conservative elected officials have stuck it to the average citizen in a hundred different ways under the guise of smaller government at a time of severe economic conditions. Let there be no mistake, under this administration the average citizen will continue to see his quality of life and economic status decline.
Budget cuts recommended by Jindal to the legislature for higher education was adopted to balance the budgets which the governor and legislature still do not have a handle on. Colleges said they had to have more revenue to balance the budget cuts, hence, the increase in tuition. Once again, our so called leaders are brain dead concerning the budget and how to deal with the states fiscal problems.
It has been pointed out here in "politidose" and in other commentary how budget cuts under this administration has affected the average taxpayer at the same time the budget contains $7-8 billion in corporate welfare to those who need it the least and where no cuts have been made. The Saints who are owned by a multi millionaire is a prime example. Mr. Benson is laughing all the way to the bank. One can hear him saying to himself those dummies fell for it again.
This writer has pointed out on many occasions how so called conservative elected officials have stuck it to the average citizen in a hundred different ways under the guise of smaller government at a time of severe economic conditions. Let there be no mistake, under this administration the average citizen will continue to see his quality of life and economic status decline.
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