"The president’s policies right now are doing much more harm than the [BP] spill itself to the economy of the South coas

[davester]

billb wrote:
Like it or not ,the Mississippi river moves not just the largest per centage of river freight north and south , bit is also the center of gas and oil exploration and extraction in the Gulf. It is a huge percentage of the Western Gulf economy. There is no other way to extract the hydrocarbons the feeds America's economy.
Despite the Foundry's bent, the moratorium and the article's facts still remain.

Just a little bit hyperbolic this morning, bill? The hydrocarbons from the gulf represent a very small fraction of America's economy and oil is a worldwide commodity...the moratorium effects are purely local. Also, there is definitely another way to extract hydrocarbons. The american oil biz has successfully lobbied against safety standards that are de rigeur in many other nations, and have had the oversight agencies wrapped around their little finger, while they pressed on with the most hazardous type of extraction (deep sea drilling). The disaster can be attributed directly to the industry and the laxity of government oversight that grew under the Bush administration. The moratorium (which is on deep sea drilling only) was badly needed in order for the industry and regulatory agencies to get their acts back together.

Landrieu's stance is based on her need to pander to her constituents, who are definitely affected economically by the moratorium. The moratorium is definitely an unfortunate result of the disaster, but a necessary one.