While Louisiana’s coastal communities welcomed America’s President and appreciate the effort to share our suffering, the frustration, anger and anxiety could have been better responded to by two things:
First: A series of photo ops with real meaning –
1) the president in an airboat in the inundated marshes,
2) a picture of our President meeting with a room full of white-booted fishers telling him directly of their situation from their own voices and hearts,
3) and that visual followed by the president meeting with and listening to the eight parish presidents who are having to respond to this mess on their shores.
Second: A speech that was very specific in what he’ll do – such as directing the following to be done immediately:
1) direct the Attorney General to determine if there has been criminal negligence, and if so, to bring the full force of the law to bear,
2) request congress to raise the liability limit from $75M to $10B,
3) appoint a national commission to work with Governor Jindal to help sustain and preserve the cultures of the coastal communities of Louisiana and to preserve and sustain the finest example of America’s wetlands and fishers,
4) supply the parish presidents with all materials and assistance they require to get the job done and deploy 3,500 National Guard personnel to work directly with the parish presidents and the local fishers to a) prevent more oil from getting into the marshes and beaches and b) to clean up that which has already breached our shores.
5) Finally, the President could state, “I continue to listen and learn directly from those most affected, I will take further action as warranted. I am committed to the full remediation of and compensation for this national tragedy.”
Find out more by visiting www.SouthernMutualHelp.org.
Southern Mutual Help Association, Inc.