BP Oil Spill Should Change Minds On Off-Shore Drilling...

"A Research Vessel with Scientists has discovered that the oil spill might be much worse than estimated.  Scientists say they have found giant plumes of oil in the deep waters of the Gulf, including one as large as 10 miles long, 3 miles wide and 300 feet thick.  The plume reports added to the many questions that have been raised about the amount of leaking oil, which many scientists have said is far higher than the official estimate of 5,000 barrels, or 210,000 gallons, a day.  That estimate was reached using satellite imagery, flyovers and visual observation, company officials have said."  This is from a New York Times article out today.  It is not good news for anyone involved.  The fact that 210,000 gallons of oil are leaking out into the Ocean every day was bad enough.  At that rate, if the spill is not stopped or significantly slowed, it will surpass the size of the infamous 1989 Exxon-Valdez spill by Father's day.  But with these new findings, it would likely happen before that with oil likely leaking out faster than estimated.   All of this should not be lost on the American people.  Everyone' focus right now should be on stopping the leak, cleaning up, and helping the people and animals who will likely be affected by this for the rest of their lives.   But after that, Americans need to take a good, hard look in the mirror and check their priorities.  Are we going to keep allowing big oil lobbyists infiltrate our elected representatives?  Or will we hold their feet to the fire and force them to enact tougher drilling laws and safety standards that will help to prevent this sort of disaster?  Another problem has been enforcing the laws already on the books.  According to USA Today, "The federal agency that inspects oil rigs, the Interior Department's Minerals Management Service, fell far short of its own policy of doing at least one inspection each month, according to an Associated Press Investigation. Since January 2005, the agency conducted at least 16 fewer inspections aboard the Deepwater Horizon than the policy specifies, a sharp decrease from prior years, the AP reports. The MMS, which both regulates the oil industry and collects billions in royalties from it, also allowed dozens of oil companies to drill in the Gulf of Mexico without required permits, according to a New York Times Report. The story says one of the approvals include the Deepwater Horizon well that exploded on April 20, killing 11 workers and spewing thousands of barrels of oil into the Gulf each day. In addition, the agency did little to fund research on how better to clean up oil spills, the Houston Chronicle Reports. It spent a tenth of a penny on such research for every dollar it collected in royalties for drilling rights since 1990."   All of this should make Americans re-assess whether or not we should be drilling for oil so close to our precious shores.  Wouldn't it be smarter to focus our time and resources on developing renewable sources of energy that are already out there like Hydrogen, Algae and other technologies?  What about electric or battery powered cars hitting the market?  If we force our elected officials to give tax breaks and funding to small businesses to help develop this technology (much like President Obama has called for), wouldn't that help to speed up the time it will take to implement this into our vehicles in a timely and cost effective manner?  All of these seem much smarter, much safer and much cheaper than lifting drilling bans off of shore for the first time that will let Big Oil drill in places that put much of us and our local economies in danger.   I for one hope the President reverses course on his recent decision to authorize some off shore drilling over the next decade.  I know he was trying to extend an Olive Branch to Republicans in doing so, but at what cost?   Mark "Marky Mark" Grimaldi The Leslie Marshall Show "The Only True Democracy In Talk Radio - Of, For and By The People" www.lesliemarshallshow.com