Choking on Oil in the US

Please forgive this very malformed rant. I am all over the place, angry, pissed all shades of red, and generally cannot grasp the insanity of our legislators *constantly* siding with big business against the health, wealth, and welfare of common Americans.

I know at times my recovering Catholic shows here on my blog, but I cannot help but think of two major sins from catechism that relate closely to the oil disaster continuing to grow in America's Gulf region.

Gluttony and Greed.

Now, I am not equating oil prospecting with sin, because that would be:
A) Stupid, and

B) Stupid.

But the facts remain. The oil plume now threatens Florida and the southern Eastern US "Loop Current". Transocean Company which owns (well, owned) the rig paid its shareholders $1 BILLION today, leaving me with only a few simple (and rather emotional) thoughts.

American gluttony and greed for oil is going to choke our natural fisheries for decades. Lawyers are already being hired in Western Florida. Stan Fenner, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) director of conservation science, said Monday (May 3rd): "[...] oil leaking into the Gulf could affect generations of wildlife."

This does not even account for the unprecedented amount of "dispersants" being used to do whatever it is they do to the oil. "The dispersants themselves are toxic as well. [Organisms are] being exposed to a lot of toxic materials." Studies from 2007 indicate this, too.

As a cancer survivor, I cannot even imagine the impact on human health the spill and the chemicals being used to "disperse" the oil will have on generations of Americans.

What's the point? Our oil reserves are barely 1/12 what Saudi Arabia has; one-sixth of Iran (see previous link); barely a *third* of Nigeria (see previous link). And before any of you trolls start lecturing me about the purpose of the reserve, zip it. I know the difference between production and reserves.

Our reserves will never approach those of other countries in times of war.

Ever.

They win.

Poof.

Over.

Why are we kowtowing to other nations, watching our prices rise at the pump instead of developing new technologies and *creating JOBS* in our own energy sector? We 'Mer'cans have a strong appetite for energy. Seems like we could keep *a lot* of our own employed just on that greed and gluttony alone.

I am also trying to wrap my brain around this insanity of BP *not* letting outside scientists study the leak (I am looking for the source of that information Tom provided me with yesterday).

Is there any way we can move the Arizona legislature to the Gulf region? Seems like those who need a good old-fashioned Biblical smiting always get away with whatever ills they conduct...

Next post will be more coherent. Bear with me. I am out of practice and need to do more research. Perhaps next up, the cost of war (which is gargantuan compared to Healthcare Reform and I have the links to government reports to prove it).

*** To balance my insanity, I leave you with unadulterated cuteness; she looks *just* like our Bella (baby bear kitty) a mere seven months ago when we first got her (pic in link is at four months):