The Gult Oil Spill Is Hammering Business From Louisiana To Florida

Long time readers know I was a big fan of Portfolio before the crisis caused its demise. Well, what isn't well known is that Portfolio re-emerged from the dead and is still in business. Today they release an excellent and concise story on the consequences of this spill. We'll have much more to say about this mess before its over but for now here's a look at how this crisis is killing businesses in Florida, Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana. All while Washington politicians do nothing. This is a travesty in every sense of the word. Hard working people are going to lose everything. And I don't give a shit what Washington says, BP is not going to make it right for these people any more than Exxon made it right for the people of Alaska with Valdez. This will be in the courts for a decade or longer while untold thousands of businesses collapse and countless innocent lives are destroyed.

The social and economic impact of Valdez was immeasurable with increased suicides, alcoholism, mental illness, divorce and on and on and on. Even the cleanup efforts caused great economic upheaval in Alaska.

I don't blame President Obama for this mess. I blame the aristocracy before him. But I do blame him for perpetuating the aristocracy and a perpetuation of a political system that doesn't give a shit about anything other than getting re-elected and lining their own pockets at the expense of society.

And I do blame him for refusing to take ownership of the Gulf oil spill because it is a political hot potato. He doesn't want the blame and with ownership comes blame. A leader would have owned this crisis from day one. A politician dithers because he fears taking ownership may jeopardize his political career. So a politician jeopardizes his principals for political expediency. It's clearly evident which one defines our President and countless others before him.