Before this backdrop is a sense of desperation so graphic that it is hard not to feel the pain of every-day folks who make their livings near the gulf waters and who are now grounded.
For instance, as described in the Louisianaseafoodnews.com
“There is little sign of activity at the Point a la Hache marina, where fishing boats sit empty tied up to the dock, as if waiting for something to happen.” where
Kenny Barthelemy as are so many like him are stating, “I wanted to make a living doing what I grew up loving: catching and cooking my own seafood. Now I can’t do anything because of this (BP oil spill).”
Perhaps leading the band of those encumbered by this horror is Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal who seems to view this war being fought by the gang who could not shoot straight.
Yesterday, at a press conference after meeting with Biden, Jindal once again repeated his message of government lack of resolve by saying “We’re glad the Vice President visited Louisiana today. Just as when the President comes into town, we see the pace of federal activity increase. The overarching message that I told the Vice President today is that the federal government needs to increase their sense of urgency. They need to treat this spill like a war and get in it to win it. We’re here to defend our way of life”.
“We’re asking the federal government to cut through the red tape and bureaucracy. It’s time for them to lead or get out of the way. The federal government should stop interfering in our work to stop the oil. Over and over again, the federal government has stopped and stalled our efforts to fight this oil off the coast”.
As Biden made his presence those dependent upon the sea-life waters to support their own families, another industry’s hopes become more dark with every setting sun.
The vice president failed to bring a resolution to the gulf drilling ban and in doing so only enhanced the anxiety and sorrow.
However, announcement by an appeal court that it will hear the moratorium case next week was perfect timing for Biden’s visit.
Yet, it also served as a vivid reminder that full resolution of this issue could result in more appeals thus delays and even more uncertainty for a region already in disarray.
Overlaying this cauldron of hot tempers and hopelessness has come a storm named Alex. What might appear to be Mother Nature’s way to get even for man spoiling its waters,
Alex made it too rough for oil containment and cleanup operations to continue while splashing more oily reminders that this disaster’s end is not in sight.
And, as Alex makes its counter-clockwise churn, those blasting the feds for its inactions and policies could paradoxically and in the long term be aiding the main culprit who caused the damage. Each and every claim of incompetence or wrong-headed policy by the US government will only support BP’s legal defense that others are the culpable parties causing the people’s miseries.
With the gulf coast region in growing chaos Biden attempted to assure all that help is here and on the way. Unfortunately for on the front lines of the oil spill battles, one more day of uncertainty means that victory is even more of an illusion in combating one of the most destructive wars in human history.
by Stephen Sabludowsky
