The BP Oil spill was one of the worst natural disasters to take place in US history. The resulting drilling moratorium that was imposed on the oil industry has only doubled the economic impact that the tragedy has had on those gulf state residents who rely on this industry to make their living and provide for their families. Permits for new drilling have only just begun and things are moving slowly. BP is not living up to its promises and the policies in place are only making things tougher on those affected by the tragedy.
One Gulf state resident, Thomas Clements the owner of Oilfield CNC Machining, in Broussard, LA has been outspoken about the impacts the BP spill and resulting moratorium have had on his small business. Mr. Clements recently did a piece that he has given permission to repost here so that he can express a firsthand account of this continuing tragedy to us. It is BP that should be held responsible and punished not people like Mr. Clements.
Punish BP, Not U.S. Energy Production and Economic Growth
By Thomas Clements
The President's Oil Spill Commission co-chairs will testify before Congress this week on their findings. Commission chief counsel Fred Bartlit released a report last month on the sinking of Deepwater Horizon in which he characterized the April 20 incident as "an entirely preventable disaster." His conclusions confirm what many have suspected all along: that BP has been an irresponsible safety outlier in American energy production for decades.
Mr. Bartlit's report details what personnel described as a "by the seat of our pants" mentality onboard the Deepwater Horizon. Employees were feeling pressure to hurry operations on a project already 38 days behind schedule and $58 million over budget. The report made clear that BP was more focused on finishing their assignment than with implementing standard safety protocols, or providing employees the training and information they needed to safely drill and operate the well.
This revelation of irresponsible, potentially criminal behavior by BP should act to acquit the rest of the oil and gas industry, and put the Gulf back to work. Yet the Obama Administration has issued only two deepwater permits, and to add insult to injury, one went to a well BP stands to substantially profit from as the majority owner. BP was also allowed to drill two relief wells after the spill in the Gulf, meaning they've played a part in all Gulf water drilling following the spill, while permits remain frozen for the safe and responsible players in the industry. While they profit, the future of Gulf businesses and others who appear to have been deemed collateral damage of the spill remain in limbo.
Now, this company which caused the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history appears primed to skirt any real accountability.
At a Houston Conference, BP CEO Bob Dudley apologized on behalf of the entire energy industry, trying to clean up their image by dragging everyone else into the mud. After the spill, instead of owning up to their responsibilities, BP invested $100 million in an image campaign to "Make it Right". Yet, despite these claims, it demonstrated callousness towards desperate workers and small business owners by forcing them to waive their rights to sue for paltry payouts of as little as $5,000 in hush money and refusing to compensate those affected by the moratorium altogether.
Unfortunately, instead of recognizing this blatant pandering and neglect by isolating the outlier for punishment, the federal government's industry-wide moratorium is costing our entire country jobs and economic activity. In fact, scrapped plans to develop additional U.S. energy resources following the spill will cost the country 250,000 jobs and $500 billion in economic activity; completely separate of the moratorium damages. Now, with the growing uncertainty in places like Egypt and Libya, the policies enacted as a response to the spill are jeopardizing our energy security as well.
Fuel prices are now near $3.50 a gallon across the country, yet potential production of 1.5 million barrels per day in areas already 'technically' open to exploration remain under federal lock and key. Instead of shrinking the energy industry, policymakers should be seeking ways to expand it. Increasing domestic production adds to the world supply of oil, ensuring that the international oil market does not experience extreme price fluctuations when a relatively minor producer faces political turmoil. And the benefits extend to the government as well.
A recent study by the research firm Wood MacKenzie suggests expanding offshore drilling has the potential to increase government revenue by up to $150 billion over five years. With all the debate in Washington regarding the deficit, the idea of more funding without higher taxes should be welcomed with open arms. Yet the disaster in the Gulf has ensured that these beneficial plans are off the table for the next half decade.
Lawmakers and regulators must finally end this saga of unnecessary damage to the economy by lifting the ban on energy workers and domestic energy development in the Gulf, and instead impose a drilling moratorium where it belongs: on BP.
It's time to change fundamentally the dynamics of the energy industry. America's future depends on clean, affordable energy from a variety of sources. In the 1970s America faced a similar challenge to today's energy crisis. A small group of countries had threatened the prosperity of the entire world. The United States Congress led the way to reducing our nation's reliance on foreign oil, requiring new technologies to reduce home and automobile energy use. Instead of the disaster the doomsayers predicted, consumption fell and the economy bounced back. A wise energy policy makes a stronger America.
During the 2006 campaign for Texas Agriculture Commissioner, Democratic nominee Hank Gilbert said that consumers were getting shorted due to faulty gas pumps.
The question I ask consumers, particularly urban consumers, is, "how many of you can go buy top-notch electronic equipment and it works perfectly, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for four years without malfunctioning?" It just doesn't happen.
So every time you buy gas now, every time you buy any type of packaged meat that has been weighed, or fruits, or vegetables weighed on a scale, you're probably getting less than what you are paying for.
Even according to the current Commissioner's own documents, there a lot of regions in the state where the weights and measures are off. They are never off on the side of the consumer.
Well, turns out he was right ... even the guy who defeated him, Todd Staples is admiting it.
"At a time when families are struggling to purchase fuel, I am sure all Texans would agree with me that despicable violations such as these are repulsive and must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," said Staples, whose agency is responsible for checking gas pumps for accuracy.
Wow, Todd sure seems angry. Of course, if he had acknowledged the problem back in 2006 -- like Hank did -- it could have addressed back then.
But no, Staples has waited until now, when astronomically high gas prices make his outrage the politcally convenient thing to do.
Not all the blame is on Staples. Previous Republican Agriculture Commissioners Rick Perry and Susan Combs "instituted legislation to where the scales and pumps are now calibrated only every four years."
We'll be lucky when Todd Staples tries to run for higher office and loses in 2010.
Of course, we'd be even luckier if Hank Gilbert decided to run again.
The concept is simple; use flyers to get the word out about John Cornyn's record. I thought about how John Cornyn is one of Big Oil's favorite Senators because he votes in their interests, not ours. The people I talk to in my neighborhood are upset about high gas prices, but aren't aware of how politics impacts those prices. So I thought it would be a good idea to do a little research and spread the word. I figured people are upset when they have to pump their gas nowadays and if they found a flyer or fact-sheet at the pump (in the little ad container or slot) while they were filling up, they might read it and get thinking about how they could send a message to Cornyn this November. I came up with this: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=...
Anyone could print out 50 copies and place them around their local community. Cornyn has all that money from Big Oil and other corporate donors to advertise all over the state. I say we use our computers, printers and energy to get out the other side of the story. I will stress that a flyer effort should stick only to facts and show respect for property, but I think it's a traditional grass-roots way to inform people about their elected officials.
If my fellow Texans out there spread the word about this tactic, it can have a big impact. Also if y'all have other ideas for Guerrilla flyers, feel free to use the format I used above or improve upon it as you see fit.
As if we need any more ammunition. I have a few quotes that just sound more ridiculous when you read them the third fourth and fifth times.
1. Cornyn really believes in taking care of our environment:
It is vital that we be the best possible stewards of the environment. Fortunately, improved technology has enabled us to take advantage of America's own abundant natural resources in an environmentally sensitive way. Yet the U.S. remains the only country in the world that refuses to develop many of its natural resources.
Drill, Drill, Drill - ANWR, ANWR, ANWR - What is environmentally sensitive about that? What about wind and solar power? How do you feel about that?
2. Cornyn really cares about lowering gas prices:
Gas prices are now hovering near $4 per gallon. High fuel costs are causing disruption in our society, prompting layoffs in some industries. Yet Congress is doing virtually nothing to address the problem. In fact, it's talking about ways to make the problem worse.
Did you vote for or against the windfall profits tax on oil companies? Do you take contributions from all five of these companies every cycle? Do you know that you are in the U.S. Senate.
3. The Climate Change Bill would have cost 300k jobs :
But earlier this month, the Senate actually considered a massive climate tax bill that headed in the exact opposite direction. This massive $6.7 trillion Rube Goldberg scheme proposed by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., would undermine our economy and likely lead to $10 per gallon gasoline. It could well eliminate some 330,000 Texas jobs, sending them to places with limited regulation like China and India.
What have you done to keep jobs going overseas? Did you ever figure out how this would cost Texas 330k Jobs? Does the figure go up every time you think about it? Do you know there are eventually going to be green jobs created?
I'm not sure I can take any more of this. I know that I am giving a small donation tonight. Can anyone match me? This guy gets more and more ridiculous. Does he know that the windfall profits tax would have also created incentives for development of alternative energy?
Just like in the run-up to the invasion of Iraq, a local TV station is pushing Republican propaganda on energy. How many times do Ralph Hall and his corporate cronies have to be wrong before the media question their judgment? Is Tokyo Rose a professor in American journalism schools?
A perfect case in point is this KXII's story, "Texas-born petition supports fight against high gas prices in Washington." Reporter Emi FitzGerald simply repeated Hall's false assertions without ever reading the details of his proposal. FitzGerald also neglected to report any counter arguments or explain how this plan offers more of Hall's same tired proposals. During a heated national election you would think FitzGerald might call Hall's opponent. You would be wrong.
