This story drives home some very troubling realities for the people of the Gulf that are only just now beginning to be affected by this disaster. Because the people in that region consistently elect people that are in politics more for THEIR own good than for that of the people. Do the residents of LA or MS really believe that Jindal or Barbour are motivated to do what is best for the people of these states? If you do, you will continue to do what you have done for decades, all to your own detriment. Rather than pick on the Gulf (you have been through enough for now) at the moment, let’s look at another example that is strikingly similar…

Take a look at West Virginia for instance. WV is a state with enormous coal and other natural resources that SHOULD be reaping the benefits of Mother Nature’s largesse in depositing these riches beneath the Blue Mountains. Instead, WV is among the bottom of the NATIONAL statistics in per capita income, education, occupational deaths and injuries, etc. Why do you think this is? Do you think maybe it’s because the mega corporations that own all the coal mines lock, stock, and barrel are allowed to take over entire areas and nobody in local or state government is willing to challenge them in any way on any issue. The local politicians are, obviously, financed by these big money interests and; therefore, the local pols want to do anything in their power to continue the gravy train. They look the other way on regulations and enforcement and the operatoes are able to do pretty much anything they want since they know the entire state is held hostage by the coal industry and the money/jobs they create there. The problem is that none of these jobs are really enough for the workers to build a future and the safety concerns and issues are chilling, to say the least. These workers endure these conditions and continue to labor to stuff the pockets of the mine operators precisely because there ARE no options in this region of the country. WV has spent nothing on infrastructure, education, development of alternative resources, and has done nothing to attract other, more vibrant industries and jobs to the area to allow its citizens a chance to improve their lives. Instead, the operators are allowed to rape the land of the resources and leave their poisoned and destroyed mountaintops and contaminated water supplies in their wake without contributing ANYTHING to the state, its citizens, or this nation. Yes, they produce a needed resource, but at what cost to the environment and the people?

As long as it is cheaper to just let workers die and replace them cheaply, there will be no interruption in the flow of our obscene profits as long as we can keep raping the environment and reaping the vast and untold fortunes while we decimate the earth and screw the employees.

If the right wing were not so caught up in the lies, fear, and the hate that is being intentionally spread for EXACTLY this reason, they might actually wake up and realize that it is the politicians in your own backyards as well as the corporate oligarchs EVERYWHERE in the world that are your real enemy. President Obama is trying desperately to take on these interests to provide protection for us little people.

True Americans should be supporting this President because he is the ONLY one taking on Big Insurance (HCR), Wall Street (Wall Street Reform), etc. and is looking to provide protection from the rampant abuse by big business. Instead, because of centuries old bigotry and cultural isolation, you scorn and disdain the man that (if you were but willing and able to see it) is actually ON YOUR SIDE! Unfortunately, rather than accept this and make peace with the fact you may well have been wrong in your political fervor, you will viciously fight with lies and rhetoric this "un-American" President that you distrust and do not like because he is unlike any that have gone before him. What a tragedy for America and I truly pity people that allow themselves to be caught up in this vicious circle and seem to be unable to wake from their stupor.

And, please don't insult my intelligence by trying to convince me that Massey or BP are not motivated by the profits to be derived from the natural resources they are desecrating our environment and decimating the ecological balance to obtain. If there were not huge profits to be made, these corporations would not be there and would not be spending capital to obtain the resources. They are not in this to be philanthropic.

In regards to the BP disaster specifically, there are those that champion BP’s “stellar” safety history. Well, I am afraid that the facts do not quite bear them out on this one. We have all heard about the Ixtoc disaster and the refinery explosion in Texas. We also know about the 700+ MAJOR safety violations and something in excess of $84,000,000 in fines assessed against BP, I believe within the last 10 years. Not to mention that their safety plans (all untested until the current disaster) have been proven woefully inadequate. While the industry was working overtime to extract the treasure (BP made over 60 BILLION dollars last year), they spent literally nothing on improving safety or disaster response technology or planning.

Since we now have one well gushing UNCONTROLLABLY in the Gulf and it is clear that the technology and expertise to quickly and effectively respond to a leak like this or to be able to clean the fouled beaches, please explain to me again why we should allow the people that cut every corner to save a few bucks and increased the risk that this could happen to resume their operations as if nothing had happened? Am I the only sane person to realize this is folly at an incredible level? I mean really people. Yes, we are dependent on oil. The USA has proven oil reserves that amount to TWO PERCENT of the known oil reserves in the world. We do NOT need to pump our oil in areas where we literally risk the future of this planet and ecosystem to do so.

The Governors of LA and MS have been beating their chests about continuing to drill for the good of their residents. When will the residents of these states wake up and realize that you have ALL been sold to the oil companies and YOU are getting nothing but peanuts in exchange for what they have now done to your beautiful Gulf. Wake up America! Reject the echo chamber, open your eyes, and try to remember what independent thought, debate, logic, and reasoning are all about.

Disgusted...

Political banter does nothing to help the people of the Gulf.....Over 2 Months and Americans and those in the Gulf have yet to see a proportional response to contain this mess...IMO, this is disgusting...I'm appauled by our gov't's lack of action...It's all talk at this point...And in the middle, caught in a bureaucratical hell are the people in the Gulf..

All this right and left rhetoric is vomitable...People in LA and MS are crying for help and do not care about politics...this is all about their lives and not ideology...

Every time I read articles and hear people in the Gulf expressing their experience, I immediately become nauseous...

The people how should be taking action are not because they believe it's limited to the Gulf...Not until it hits the shores of high priced real estate will the needed attention take place...

I'm ashamed to be an American....This situation is utterly disgusting and smells worse than raw sewage...

Ctdad,

I share your disgust and outrage. Unfortunately, there is nobody (in Government or Private Industry) that can stop the well from gushing OR effectively clean the spoiled marshes, beaches, and sensitive ecological areas. If it was possible to do so, it would have been done. Calling Obama or the Government incompetent because they do not have the technology or ability to stop or contain the flow is rather questionable.

The bigger point here is that NONE of the companies CURRENTLY DRILLING IN THE GULF have any more ability or any better of a plan to address a catastrophe like this than BP did/does. We are essentially all helpless to watch as millions of barrels of crud is constantly spewed into the Gulf because we allowed industry to drill where they have NO ability to mitigate ANY kind of an adverse incident.

We had a moratorium placed to ensure that we ARE using the best methods possible and that all safety measures ARE now being taken and that NO corners continue to be cut for financial considerations. What action is it exactly that you want the government to take? If we were to authorize 6,000 National Guard troops to each of the affected States, would THAT help? If BP were to say, fund $24 million to each of the States affected, would that placate Jindal and Barbour and preclude them from harping about how the government is not doing enough?

We have authorized troops that neither governor has used to full effect and they have been given budgets that should allow them to get off the podiums and off the dais and get their sorry butts out there to work for the people of their state!

While all this is going on, BP is still spending millions of dollars on TV advertising, promoting themselves. Maybe those dollars should go to the victims and not for public relations and advertising..

How bout this lazy bitch get a job.

Oh no, she cant take a min wage job. Well how nice that must be for her. Some people have to take what jobs they can get. But not this lady, no. She demands free money, now. My money, as a working person. My taxes pay for her to sit on her ass because she's too good for just any job.

I'm going to guess my comment wont make it past the MSNBC left wing thought police censors. Just a guess.

Bill,

Did you bother to read that she HAD a job before the BP incident that shut down practically the ENTIRE GULF COAST fishing industry? Where would you suggest she look for a job? The seafood processor down the street that is ALSO idle because of all the oil spewing in the Gulf.

I know it always comes down to "screw them! I got mine, they can go suck a rock!" until YOU need a little assistance when something goes awry that is out of your control and due to no fault of your own.

Are you a Christian Bill? If so, how does your Church help you rectify your true feelings of hate and utter disdain for those less fortunate than yourself. I always thought Jesus taught that we were to aid the poor and assist the helpless. Maybe I am reading the wrong Bible. You people make me sick...

"Its not fair". I feel bad for her. But no one ever told me life was fair.

So she thinks it better to complain and not have an income rather than work for BP who is sending her checks anyways, and now offering employment? Seems that the better paying job, no matter who the employer is, should help take her stress level down. I mean, it would be a paycheck.

Its crazy you have to wait a month before you get a check from unemployment. These people need help now its to bad politicans can't step in and move things along faster. Then again republican politicans want to block everything so I guess they won't help.

She sounds like she would be much better off blaming Bush.

You know, Disgusted has been making posts all afternoon long.  Why aren't you working?  Or do you even have a job?  Maybe the reason you like Obama so much is because he's giving you free healthcare paid for by the people who actually get out and work for a living.

so the same people who are whining about big government and high taxes a month ago, the conservatives, now blame the federal government for the lack of response to the oil industries spill in the gulf. the hypocrisy of the right wing conservatives is appalling. the so called fiscal conservatives ruined our country in eight years of mismanagement and now want to be reelected. wake up america.

Its hard for me to be sympathetic to a person thats a high school drop out, A 4 year degree is barely enough to survive with these days

Well it kind of pisses me off that they only pay minimum wage to the cleanup workers. WTF is that about?

Perhaps, but didn't the article state that she would be making more money by working for BP than from her previous job?...The compensation issue, which is another topic, is going to get real messy, especially since there are already signs of fraud and scams.

The woman stated that the BP job paid more but the work hours were not flexible which is probably something that she needs since she has three children to raise. It seems that some of the writers here think that she can pay her bills off of a minimum wage job or that she is some sort of freeloading parasite on goverment handouts. Neither she nor the thousands of people who have lost their job due to this disaster revel at the idea of being on the dole I am sure. The executives at BP and their families, I'm sure are still living quite well while we tell those whose livelyhoods were affected "tough luck". Wait until it's your turn to be crapped upon and see if you still sing the same tune.

you can all thank obama for this mess, he has sat on his ass for over two months letting bp piddle with this problem .he shows no signs of leadership ability, the white house should not be used for on the job training!

Listen -
Does anyone know the rate at which the oil in the colder depths will warm up, and thereby warm up the water?
Additionally, does anyone know at what temperature the warmer layer will itself create a sort of dead zone?
Lastly, does anyone know how much the surface burning of the oil is warming the water and for how large a radius around a burn area?

yes the bible does say to help the poor and helpless but she is not helpless she can get a she even said she had three offers but did not want to take them the bible also says god helps those who make and effort god will help but if she sits on her but cause she dosent want to take a minimum wage job she is not helping her self three years ago i made 3000 a month now i make 1000 a month and i am doing just fine i feel bad for her but sitting on you but praying for a miracle dose not help god rewards those with the faith to seek him he does not just show up when lazrus died jesus knew but he wanted the people to have the faith to seek his wisdom this just sounds like pride i to good to do that i was a lead mechanic in a gm dealer now i change oil i'm not sour about it thought and when i went on unemployment i had problems and had a check in 2 weeks

If the BP folks can't figure out how to stop the spill how on earth do you expect the President to figure it out. WTF and why do folks blame the lack of controlling and capping the spill on our President?

SECOND that lady has every right to NOT TAKE A JOB with BP, would you want to take a job with someone that ruined your lively hood? Not just that but shame on any who would suggest she even consider it.

She isn't asking for a hand out she is asking for the unemployment SHE and her company paid into. BP didn't pay into it, they cause her to BE unemployed. How dare a few of you rude ass people assume one thing about her.

 

This is interesting. Where are the fathers of all these children. Where is all the financial support these fathers owe. Where is the responsibility of not having children you cannot support. That might be the real story.

Loss of job, that ain"t like being laid off. She should get a gratuity plus compensation. All BP's money is prepaid at gas pumps and don"t try to bull by saing it is turnover money. BP is"t paying it the people who bough gas are paying it. Case of the rich keeping the poor poor maybe. Take a look at all thos lame buisnesses BP can scoff up, maybe thats why they don't do anything rightaway.

This lady does not have 3 biological children. She has two. The third child is her sister that she is taking care of as their mother is in prison. That is honerable in my opinion. Also, yes it is true that this woman did not finish high school, but she is doing alot better than her mother. Starting with not being in prison herself, followed by taking care of her two children, plus her little sister- bringing that to a family of four all depending on this 26 year old woman. Yes, she has a 12 year old daughter- do you realize that means she was 14 when she had her daughter and most likely 13 when she became pregnant? Now, I believe in you take what work you can to do what you can to support yourself and those depending on you. But please remember that even a modest living for a family of 4 would mean she would have to pull in around $40,000.

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