Deepwater Horizon Widows Seek Compensation For Pain And Suffering

By Miles Wolf Tamboli - Talk Radio News

Shelley Anderson and Natalie Roshto, the wives of two men killed in the Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig explosion, said during a hearing with the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee that BP should be required to compensate the affected families for non-economic losses incurred in the disaster, such as loss of care, companionship and comfort.

The Deepwater Horizon widows made their point clear: Economic compensation is not enough. 

“It’s not just a job,” said Mrs. Anderson. “His job is a husband, and his job is a father too … I’d give it all back to have him come home even if he was jobless.”

The Death on the High Seas Act, passed in 1920, limits responsible parties’ liability to pecuniary damages such as burial costs and financial support. There have been numerous calls for its repeal in the wake of the massive oil spill off the Gulf Coast.

“Not to recognize pain and suffering - if someone is working at sea or if someone is working on land - strikes me as being incredulous,” asserted Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.).

“Now I have to make sure that I’m giving Blaine the support of both parents - a father and a mother,” added Roshto; “I celebrated Father’s Day this year … now I am the mother and the father.”

Gulf Coast Struggling, But Open For Business

By Miles Wolf Tamboli
Talk Radio News Service

Like so many Gulf Coast businesses, the Heritage Motor Coach Resort and Marina was doing great until April 20th. Now, in the wake of the disastrous oil spill, its owner is struggling to make ends meet.

"Our phones are not ringing and we're not getting reservations because of the oil spill in general and ... how the media has portrayed it," Duke Gibbs told Talk Radio News Friday. "Nine out of ten days on our resort there's not hint of oil, there's no smell of oil, but the spill in general has just killed our activity."

Gibbs' message was clear; the entire Gulf Coast is struggling from a misleading reputation stemming from the spill's impact. In fact, he said, the beaches where he is are clean, and the area is open for business.

"Over the last week I've seen a big difference in the amount of organization and cleanup effort ... our beaches look great ... they're responding quickly, and I also believe they're doing a much better job of containment out in the Gulf," said Gibbs.

The Country Music Channel will be hosting a free concert featuring Jimmy Buffett and Kenny Chesney in Orange Beach, Alabama on July 1st to raise awareness and demonstrate support for the Gulf Coast region. To commemorate the event, Gibbs' resort will be holding a "4 for 2" night special, to encourage tourists to visit the area.

Gibbs told Talk Radio News Service that the Alabama Gulf Coast has the same white sand beaches, shopping, and dining of bigger Gulf Coast resorts like Destin and Panama City, Florida, but without the crowds. Because of this, Gibbs considers it "the perfect destination."

"Our only hope is to try to remain positive and promote our businesses ... and at the same time hope that BP will do their part," said Gibbs.

Still, Gibbs is aware that the economic future of the Gulf Coast is still uncertain. When asked about his stance on the six-month moratorium imposed by the Obama administration in response to the spill, Gibbs explained that up to 50 percent of his clients' businesses are somehow tied to the oil industry, and "they believe [the moratorium] will do nothing but absolutely kill the entire Gulf Coast economy over in the Louisiana and Texas area."

Gibbs said he has filed a claim with BP, but because he opened his resort just in the past year, he cannot provide the oil giant with the three to four years' of documents it requested. Gibbs filed his request two and a half weeks ago, and has not yet received any sort of compensation.

Senators At Odds Over Moratorium

By Miles Wolf Tamboli-Talk Radio News Service

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing Thursday to discuss a number of bills related to oil regulation and the Deepwater Horizon spill, which has just recently been re-capped after a pipe was allegedly damaged by a remotely-controlled robot, although oil can still be seen spewing from the pipe at an unknown rate.

However, lawmakers seem to have been distracted by debates over the 6-month moratorium on off-shore drilling exploration in the Gulf, which was lifted earlier in the week by a federal judge in New Orleans, as well as skepticism over the legitimacy of the presidential commission that recommended the drilling ban.

Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) expressed the views of many legislators, saying that it is "common sense" to stop drilling, at least on the rigs that are in development and not yet producing oil, until the disaster can be better understood.

Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu (D), however, stated that she "fiercely" disagrees with the moratorium. Although the ban only applies to 33 oil rigs, Landrieu argued that an economic analysis in the state has concluded that a moratorium could threaten 46,200 jobs and lost wages could amount to $5 to $10 million dollars per month.

The Senior Senator from the state that may prove to be the most impacted by the disaster cited job creation legislation Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) is trying to pass, and stated that, "if we don't get this right we're going to eliminate every job that we're trying to create by putting people out of work in the Gulf."

Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) attacked the motives behind the President's oil spill commission, calling it, "stacked with people who philosophically oppose offshore exploration."

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar contended that the ban was, "not an ideological issue."

"With all due respect, the President, in choosing the members of this commission, chose the kinds of statesmen who, I believe, will transcend partisan politics and ideology," said Salazar.

Protesters Urge D.C. Drivers To Boycott BP

By Linn Grubbstrom - Talk Radio News Service

After protests outside BP's D.C. headquarters and the White House in recent weeks, the organization Code Pink staged a demonstration in front of a D.C. based BP gas station Saturday with the goal of encouraging drivers to support a boycott against the company responsible for the oil spill in the Gulf Coast. Armed with banners and signs, the demonstrators blocked the driveway in to the station.

"One thing we're trying to do is to get people to stop from going in here," said Diane Wilson, a shrimper from Texas who co-found Code Pink. "There was a fellow just trying to turn in a little while ago and ... I was saying boycott BP and he shook his head, yelled ... squirreled around and left."

Added Wilson, "I hope he went to a different gas station."

During the last two weeks, Wilson has been arrested twice, most recently while disrupting BP CEO Tony Hayward's testimony before Congress. This time she and Code Pink hope that the local protest will do more to hurt BP's pocketbook.

"We are hoping to economically impact BP. That is the way these guys ... listen to reason," said Wilson. "You impact them economically and then it kind of registers in their heads."

Pelosi Celebrates Small Business Vote, Slams GOP On Variety Of Issues

By Miles Wolf Tamboli
Talk Radio News

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) appeared giddy during her weekly press conference on Thursday over the fact that her chamber passed an important bill aimed at providing relief to small businesses.

Earlier in the day, the House passed the Small Business Lending Fund Act of 2010, legislation that will provide small businesses with credit from a $30 billion trust, by a vote of 241-182.

"Small businesses are the creators of jobs in our country, they're the creators of capital...but they need credit," said Pelosi.

The Speaker then went to work on responding to criticism waged by Republicans over aspects of a financial regulatory reform bill making its way through conference.

"For too long now, Republicans in Congress have favored Wall Street over Main Street," she said.

Pelosi also blasted Republicans over a statement made by Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) earlier in the day, in which he apologized to BP CEO Tony Hayward during a hearing in the House for what he referred to as a "shakedown" by the White House on BP's earnings.

"I think that Mr. Barton's comments fit comfortably among the leadership of the Republicans in the House of Representatives...He is not alone in his association with sympathy for the oil companies," said Pelosi.

The Speaker also condemned the GOP for voting against a defense authorization bill that passed the House last month.

"Their mantra: 'defense, defense defense; it's our first responsibility. We all care about it.' Nine Republicans voted for it, because it had 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' in it. Over 160 Republicans did not vote for it," Pelosi said.