Judge who killed drilling ban a hero in Louisiana

[Scurrilous]

In a state where the oil industry employs 32,000, some fear a moratorium on deepwater drilling will make a bad situation unbearable

<snip>

"Along the troubled waters of the Gulf of Mexico, U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman has become a bit of a folk hero.

He's the Ronald Reagan appointee who overturned the Obama administration's six-month ban on deepwater oil exploration, siding with oil service companies and the state of Louisiana, which argued that the moratorium -- coming on the heels of the gusher in the Gulf -- would seriously weaken the state's economy.

"The court is persuaded that it is only a matter of time before more business and jobs and livelihoods will be lost,'' Feldman wrote. "An invalid agency decision . . . simply cannot justify the immeasurable effect on the , the local economy, the Gulf region.."

Jeanette Tanguis, 45, the wife of an oil rigger, couldn't agree more."

"This moratorium is an attack on our livelihood," said Tanguis, so worried about the future that she can't sleep at night, anxious that the next paycheck will be her husband Ken's, last. She brought her fears, their teenage son and a sign, "Stop the Moratorium," to a rally last week headlined by Gov. Bobby Jindal, whose administration has set up a "Gulf Economic Survival Team" to lobby against the moratorium."

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/06/26/1703024/judge-who-killed-drilling-ban.html#ixzz0s5Do19CS

[AnnieBW]

1. Yeah, because the livelihoods of your neighbors are already gone

You know, the ones who cater to the tourists, and the fishermen and shrimpers. But screw them, we want ours.

[howaboutme]

4. that is the new America

I got mine, now fxck the country, my neighbors, the environment and the next 10 or 100 generations.

Since when should 40,000 jobs decide whether we destroy a major environment for what could possibly be an eternity?

The prudent game plan should be to make sure this doesn't ever happen again, and if it means correcting and not repeating what we've just done for six months, and losing some jobs in the process so be it. It is the responsible move.

[GoCubsGo]

7. Not only that...

These are probably the same people who cheer when the state government cuts its budget and lays off employees. The real galling thing is that the oil companies could easily afford to pay those workers for the six months, barely making a dent in their profits.

[Johonny]

12. I agree

given that the moratorium is an attack on like 1% of the oil activity out there and the 6 months covers hurricane season when there's bound to be shut downs anyways... this is serious short sighted panic by narrow minded employees.

[benld74]

2. Of course he is, SHORT SIGHTED IDIOTS,,,

[geek tragedy]

3. Can we rename that state "Oilslickiana?"

They'd probably take it as a compliment.

[randr]

10. How about "Oilslikistan"?

[Walk away]

5. These are all "Red States". The majority of voters are in favor of drilling...

"right here, right now". Sure BP is responcible for this mess but so are the American people who let this happen.

I live in New Jersey where, years ago, we elected Christine Todd Whitman so that she could dismantle any ecological protections we had and give away our farm lands and forests to her friends in industry. Then we sent her off to Washington to to the same thing for the entire country. It's pure greed and stupidity on the part of the people who vote for these traitors.

But we never learn and it never stops.

[gateley]

6. There are only about thirty (30!) rigs affected out of about 3,600

that are in the Gulf doing business as usual. WTF?

[Karenina]

8. Too STOOPID to survive.

They MAY get their wish. :eyes:

[randr]

9. The only people losing money on the moratorium

were the oil barons and investors. All workers wages are to be covered by the BP fund.
These people are still licking the hands that beat them.

[midnight]

11. Profit over peace reigns again.

[dorkulon]

13. Jobs are not God. I your job involves risking environmental disaster, you should be laid off.

If we had a decent welfare state, it wouldn't be a tragedy for the people involved.

[booley]

14. It's like an addiction

Even as it kills them, they will cry that they need it.

They will say we need to drill for the economy until there's nothing left to have an economy on.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

15. At the rate we're going, they won't need drillers anymore

Just stick a hose in the ocean and fill up. Stupid fucks.

[Hawkowl]

16. Let their culture die

Their culture is unsustainable and will disappear within a generation. If they are too stoopid to live, then they won't.

[Hawkowl]

17. Let their culture die

Their culture is unsustainable and will disappear within a generation. If they are too stoopid to live, then they won't.

[Hawkowl]

18. Let their culture die

Their culture is unsustainable and will disappear within a generation. If they are too stoopid to live, then they won't.

[LawnKorn]

19. Money trumps the environment - true Republican values

Feldman is a Republican appointee, showing his allegiance to the oil companies that support him, and following Republican doctrine. The legacy of Reagan needs to be expunged from this country.