In his opinion column of 6/7 in the Times Picayune titled, "Defending the coast is top priority", Louisiana's representative Steve Scalise gave this writer a good laugh. The column started out to be about Hurricane season but was really about federal revenue to rebuild Louisiana's coast and land loss. Scalise states, THAT THIS IS A CRITICAL ISSUE AND ONE THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
That statement by Scalise has already proven false by his own actions. Like other republicans, Scalise opposes holding the oil industry responsible for the damage their operations have done to Louisiana's coast, wet lands and marshes. He also opposed several suits brought against the industry for their failure to pay for the damage they caused. He also opposed the moratorium on Gulf drilling that President Obama placed on the industry after the BP explosion that killed 11 rig workers and the record oil spill.
What Scalise and the republican party wants is to make the federal government foot the bill through revenue sharing so as to keep their commitment to protect the oil industry and their rape of Louisiana's environment. Scalise's voting record and his actions tell the story of a Louisiana congressman who is committed to special interest and not Louisiana or its people. He and others can continue their talk about the federal government coming up with the money, but until they demand the oil industry pay for their share of the damage, the conversation is hypocritical.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
