The oil continues to ooze from the oil well at an estimated 5,000 barrels a day. This disaster comes at a time when President Obama proposed opening more areas of the Gulf coastline to oil and natural gas drilling. Was I disappointed? YES. For one thing, offshore drilling is dangerous work, as this tragedy reminds us. It puts our oceans at risk. It threatens the marine life and anything else that crosses it. Currently, the oil slick in the Gulf is threatening to poison the Mississippi Delta and the coastline along four states. And the best solutions officials have come up with is to set it on fire?! Jeez Louise, we have to do better than that! How 'bout NOT drilling offshore AT ALL?!
If you recognize the title of my post, yes, I stole it from half-governor Sarah Palin. Remember when she shouted, "Drill, baby, drill!" while campaigning in 2008? Hmm, she's been pretty silent so far on the latest development. Hey Sarah, how's the cat-got-yer-tongue workin' far ya? Where's that big mouth now you...o#@$&**^%!? I'm with Bill Maher's tweet: "Every @!$%# who ever chanted 'Drill Baby Drill' should have to report to the Gulf Coast today for cleanup duty." Excuse me Bill, I will go even further. Everyone who is for offshore drilling and who stated, "It's about time Obama changed his position on offshore drilling" should also report for cleanup duty.
Mr. President, there is no excuse for you to be on the side of Big Oil and the GOP on this one in the first place. That is NOT what you were elected to do. Offshore drilling has been widely opposed by Democrats. Your fellow Democrats should have let you have it when you announced that you were joining Mitch McConnell and the fine folks at Exxon on this one. Now the chickens are coming to roost...if they aren't covered in oil! Bust out the Dawn dishwashing liquid!
I know I have my critics asking, "Then what should we do if not drill offshore?" Well, let's see, I'm thinking about the disaster in the Gulf. I'm thinking about the coal mining disaster. The way I figure it, this country should be actively trying to shift from dirty to renewable energy. Oil and coal are dead. Wind, sun...these things should be our future....Conservation...Alternative energy sources. We cannot drill our way out of our energy problems. The risks of doing so are there. Why tempt the gods?
Unfortunately, the worst for the Gulf Coast's economy and wildlife is yet to come. Tsk, tsk, tsk. The oil companies have had almost everything on their side--money, power, influence. Everything, that is, except reality.
My message to President Obama: RETHINK YOUR PROPOSAL TO DRILL OFFSHORE! DON'T!
As for the mess in Arizona, I can't help but to shake my head in disbelief...still. Now there is talk in my own state of Texas of passing a version of the Arizona statute. My response: No creo yo. (I don't think so.) Oh my gosh Mr. President. What are you going to do about it? You have called the Arizona law "misguided" and promised to keep an eye on it. But when racial separation finds a foothold in any of the fifty states, you...ahem...need to do more than mildly criticize. You should act. In fact, you should have acted sooner. Do you remember how the Hispanic Congressional Caucus consistently reminded you to do something about immigration reform? You heard, but you didn't listen. Now we have to deal with Arizona and possibly Texas. With all due respect, you must react forcefully to the Arizona statute...before things get out of control.
The book featured with this post is Offshore Drilling (Opposing Viewpoints) by Margaret Haerens. The title speaks for itself.
BIRTHDAY SHOUTOUTS FOR MAY:
We have one birthday for the month--J. J. (May 31st). Happy Birthday dude!!!! We also have several members of our family graduating...two nieces and one nephew will be receiving their high school diplomas:
1. Felicia
2. Dominique
3. Jacob
We have a member of our extended family who will be receiving her Bachelor's degree from Sam Houston State University and moving on to grad school (University of Houston)....Jana.
Pictures above: FELICIA (left) and DOMINIQUE (right playing with her cell phone; her baby boy AYDEN is being held by BETTY, her great aunt [and Dora's sister])
Pictured above is JANA with her daughter WILLA.
CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES! THE FUTURE IS YOURS!
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