Months after the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, BP is optimistic in their statements that they have "fixed" the problem. Fixed it? Well, if by "fixed" they mean they've finally managed to stop the crude oil from spilling into the ocean, then I guess they've "fixed" it. I wouldn't really consider the situation fixed; I would say that they've stopped the initial problem from getting worse. Now it time for us to deal with the consequences.
While the BP execs shake hands with each other and pat themselves on each other's backs for their "accomplishment", the American citizens are the ones who literally have to clean up the mess and learn to survive in this post disaster.
Example: A friend of mine owns a business down in Florida which is directly tied to the tourist industry. Now, granted, Florida has not seen the devastation that the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts have seen, but the tourist industry in Florida has still been affected.
My friend decided to take advantage of all these "services" that have been set-up by our government to help people affected by the spill. He inquired about filing a claim for lost wages-he saw a huge decrease in business this summer and strongly believes it's because tourists have been afraid to spend their hard earned money to come on vacation to a place where there might be oil in the water and on the beaches.
So, he contacts the individual in his area who has been put in place to help citizens in this situation and is told that he can file a claim if he can provide proof that customers canceled their plans to use his services. What?! How in the world is he supposed to do that?
If a restaurant owner, for example, has lost money this summer because they didn't get nearly as much business as they should have, how are they supposed to prove that? People don't call up, email, or stop in to a restaurant to say, "By the way, just wanted to let you know, I will NOT be eating here tonight."
It's ridiculous! Once again, our government is finding a way to screw us out of our hard earned money, and in this case, money we were more than willing to work hard to make if BP hadn't had their little "mishap" in our ocean!
Jumping through hoops and putting up with headache after headache will end up costing us more in time, energy, and money than it's worth. So, sadly, chances are good that BP will "get away with it" and not be held nearly as accountable as they should be.
It will take the majority of the people along our Southeast coast years to recover from this-if they can recover at all. This oil spill, and they way it is being handles by our government, is yet another perfect example of why we, the humble citizens, need to be more self-sufficient and independent of our government.
My number one focus is growing my own food. I don't think that really counts as a hobby. For some people it is, but for me, growing my own fruits and vegetables and saving my own seed is the key to survival. The only person you can count on is yourself, if you ask me. The government is trying to "help" us all with GMOs and welfare, but it's all a crock. We need to know how to survive on our own. |  |
