As I was doing my morning sweep of the news yesterday I ran across several articles that once again distilled the extent to which Louisiana’s citizens have been let down by both their elected officials and at times the local media, which is peddling a message that is not playing outside of Louisiana.
Now that it appears that BP’s Macondo blowout has been killed once and for all national media outlets are beginning to reassess the events and ask some harder questions including at the Whitehouse. I personally think this second looksie will not treat the politicians kindly.
Let’s begin by spotlighting Louisiana’s own Mary Landrieu, who bashes BP in public while continuing to push for limiting the liability of the oil industry when they pollute. Bruce Alpert has the skinny for the Times Picayune:
But it’s clear that Reid also had problems with some Democrats, including Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu.
She raised issues with the Reid bill’s unlimited cap on oil company liability for future spills, a proposal she said could prevent small and mid-size companies from competing for off-shore drilling permits.
I want a liability shield too Mary. Wait, I’m just a small business schmuck that has to buy insurance to cover the business risk I face so I’m sorry for asking. I wonder if Mary belongs to Women of the Oil? (Hat Tip Editilla) One thing is for sure, Landrieu’s service to the oil industry is exceeded only by fellow Senator David Vitter who also pushed to limit BP’s liability for the spill.
Next up the Times Picayune’s David Hammer who wrote an interesting story for yesterday’s paper. Even as the local coastal ecosystems were being destroyed the T-P editorially was against any timeout from drilling. With that in mind let’s take a peeksie at Hammer’s story: Continue reading “Slabbed updates the Oil spill and takes a look at the environmental damage done by Louisiana’s politicians”