I've been thinking about Bobby Jindal. Not just because I had to detour by the shuttered Charity Hospital today, either. Bobby's been doing his best to make sure we're thinking about him every day.
Wading in oily marshes, poised before national microphones or valiantly defending his mighty sand berms like Jean Valjean on the freaking barricades, our governor is about the lens time now, canceling his book tour and punching the disaster response clock. Heck, New Republic even proclaimed that Kenneth the Page is all growed up now.
The governor's cri de coeur du jour comes in the form of a direct message to the president, urging him to lift the moratorium on drilling.
I am writing to express my grave concerns regarding the severe economic impact of a six-month (or longer) suspension of activity at 33 previously permitted deepwater drilling rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, including and in particular the 22 deepwater drilling rigs currently in operation off the Louisiana coast.
. . .
The Louisiana Department of Economic Development estimates that the active drilling suspension alone will result in a loss of 3,000 to 6,000 Louisiana jobs in the next 2-3 weeks and potentially over 10,000 Louisiana jobs within a few months. If the suspension of active drilling activity continues for an extended period, LED estimates that our state risks losing more than 20,000 existing and potential new Louisiana jobs in the next 12-18 months.
Wow. Thousands of jobs lost. Just like the tens of thousands of fishing, packing, transport, restaurant, charter, hospitality and tour jobs that sloppy oil exploitation has already caused.
But our governor is not blind to the potential conflicts in his call to get back drilling, and that right quick.
Additionally, I fully understand the need for strict oversight of deepwater drilling. However, I would ask that the federal government move quickly to ensure that all deepwater drilling is in proper compliance with federal regulation and is conducted safely so that energy production and more importantly, thousands of jobs, are not in limbo.
Strict oversight? Regulation? Well, then, governor, perhaps we can accommodate your requests. Hold the line a second. . .
Now, my own message for the presient (or whatever staff is lurking 'round here): Call his bluff. Offer to restart deepwater wells already underway under the following, revised regulations: taking a page from the Canadian regulations for offshore drilling, all production well drilling must be accompanied by simultaneous drilling of relief wells at the lease site.
Heck, since it's demonstrably in his state's interest to have the safest energy production possible, let's tip a hard hat to the Norwegians and Brazilians, too, and require off-rig backup triggers for the blowout preventers. I know old Dick Cheney didn't like that idea, but I doubt he can smell the oil from McLean.
So, Mr. President, Mr. Chief of Staff, Mr. or Ms. Whomever, there's your response. Drill here, drill now, drill with the same safety regulations as the rest of the world.
Or perhaps the governor thinks such precautions aren't needed. . .
Oh, and White Housers? You've got maybe 72 hours to frame this and get it out, or Bobby's effort to paint you as "killing off the rest of Louisiana's jobs" is going to stick.
A bit of lagniappe to sweeten the praline: If two wells are needed at every site, wouldn't that mean twice the jobs, guv'nuh?