Still Spewing

According to NOAA, here is the latest trajectory map for the BP oil spill.   Obviously this is just catastrophic for the entire Gulf.

Oh, did you hear?  The Obamas had a picnic last night on the White House lawn with a guest list of some 2,000 congressional members and family members.

Meanwhile, one Louisiana company has filed a challenge to the federal government moratorium on deep water drilling. Via NOLA, Hornbeck Offshore Petroleum says the Interior Department recommended the moratorium without any legal justification.  The Interior Department, for their part, just wants time to do studies, they say.

While they're doing their studies, the Louisiana economy is tanking.  Tom Bonnette of The Franklin Sun is not impressed with Obama's response.  James Carville is still angry.

In Lafourche Parish nine local fisherman have gotten sick by, they believe, the fumes.  Consumer advocate Erin Brockovich has come down to meet with them and provide assistance and advice to locals on protecting themselves against chemical contamination.  Unable to fish the oil polluted waters, the fisherman have begun working in the cleanup efforts but the air quality is so poor it's leading to more problems.

South Louisiana newspaper Teche Today reports

There might be other problems, says chemist and environmentalist Wilma Subra of New Iberia. On Monday in Chalmette, Subra, representing the Louisiana Environmental Action Network (LEAN) and Lower Mississippi Riverkeeper, told the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the House Energy and Commerce Committee that fumes from the BP gusher have been affecting fishermen hired by BP contractors to pick up the crude oil. The workers are already reporting headaches, nausea and respiratory problems, she said. Long-term effects can be the development of cancer, heart and lung problems, Subra said.

Twenty-five days ago, Obama formed his commission to investigate the spill, but so far, nothing.  The commission isn't even filled out yet.  The commission is charged with investigating the cause of the spill and determining future safety protocols for new rigs.  But the commission isn't even engaged.

Not much has happened except for a few Obama photo ops.

Has Obama spoken with Tony Hayward of BP yet?  In this interview with Matt Lauer, Obama explains he hasn't spoken with Hayward yet because "he's gonna say all the right things to me.  I'm not interested in words.  I'm interested in action."  Really?  Seriously?  Is poking your finger in the sand on a sanitized beach "action"? 

Frustration mounts.

And what of the miles of oil boom sitting in that Maine warehouse?  Why hasn't Team Obama taken charge and picked that up?  Jindal has been screaming for it for weeks.

Epic failure.

(H/T:  The Dead Pelican)