U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu and U.S. Representative Bill Cassidy are running political ads bragging how they opposed the moratorium in the Gulf after the BP disaster and spill. There was good reasons why President Obama took the actions he did and put the moratorium in place. BP, the rig owner, the supppliers and the oil industry said they had no answers even though 11 rig workers were killed. BP and the industry did not have any equipment available to shut the flow of oil off timely or the equipment necessary to clean up any spilled oil before it reached shore.
Yet, Landrieu and Cassidy wear their opposition to the moratorium as a badge of courage. It is actually a badge of shame. They were not the only elected officials from Louisiana to oppose the moratorium. Steve Scalise and others also opposed. Those same folks also predicted the moratorium would cause an exodus of rigs from the Gulf and the industry would lay off up to 20,000 rig workers. Well it never happened. In fact more rigs left the Gul of Mexico during the George W. Bush administration. (see my commentary on the subject matter dated, 7/22/11 titled, "Drilling Offshore Louisiana in The Gulf of Mexico: Facts and Nothing But The Facts."
Louisiana's elected officials who become the mouth pieces for the oil industry have betrayed the people and the environment and show their lack of regard for safety regulations. They also show their lack of compassion for the families of the 11 rig workers whose lives were taken by the blowout.
This writer is unaware of any stories in the news media that has reported on this situation and challenged those who opposed the moratorium. The news media never told the real story about the BP explosion but "PolitiDose" did in a commentary dated 5/8/10 titled, "The Untold Story Of BP's Oil Spill In The Gulf of Mexico."
Landrieu and Cassidy were wrong to oppose the moratorium before answers were even found and the President was right in his decision. The ads show how elected officials will say anything to help in their election bid. President Obama displayed his character and courage with the moratorium after a disaster, both in human life, the environment and the damage to property. Landrieu and Cassidy lacked character and courage and instead tried to protect an industry who contributes to their political campaigns. The same industry who has a terrible record when it comes to protecting the states environment. And that really says it all.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
