Whom Could We Get To Clean Beaches, Man Oil Booms This Summer? - FDL

[WillyT]

From Thursday...

Whom Could We Get to Clean Beaches, Man Oil Booms this Summer?
By: Scarecrow Thursday June 3, 2010 9:59 pm

<snip>

One of the segments on MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow last night took us on a tour of the coast line to point out how most of the booms, probably set out weeks ago, were now out of place, washed ashore and unmanned. Left like that, they’re useless, no matter how many miles of booms are out there. That’s inexcusable.

Our dysfunctional Congress left town last week without passing a jobs bill, which means that unemployment and COBRA benefits will expire for many, state budgets won’t get the help they need for Medicaid and other essential services, and 100 to 200 thousand teachers will be layed off, all because Congress is afflicted by a debilitating economic disease called deficit anxiety syndrone. That’s inexcusable.

And part of what Congress failed to pass is the funding they’ve always provided to put students to work over the summer. Think about that; it’s June and we haven’t arranged for summer jobs for students. That’s truly inexcusable.

On Friday, the President of the United States will visit the affected Gulf region again, asking folks what they need. The country would like to help, but hasn’t been told how.

On Chris Matthews’ Hardball, his "let me finish" segment described a long admired American tradition of putting young people and others who want to serve their country to work, this time along the Gulf Coast, helping with mitigation and cleanup efforts. A modern version of FDR’s Civilian Conservation Corp, or JFK’s peace corps; a national environmental corp. Sounds like a good idea.

The Gulf Coast needs help; the booms need to be manned, we have over 15 million unemployed, the nation’s students need summer jobs, the country wants to help and BP can help pay for it. And are the Republicans going to say "no" to helping Bobby Jindal rescue his state?

We once did things like this, and the participants did a lot of good things; they made the country better, left a legacy, and made us all proud. Can America still do things like that? Someone should ask the President today.

<snip>

Link: http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/52709

:patriot:

:kick:

[Mari333]

1. BP.

[Xipe Totec]

2. I would not want the flower of our youth wallowing in that toxic cesspool nt

[Ruby the Liberal]

3. "and BP can help pay for it" > Help?

[jwirr]

4. All those unemployed oil workers?

[Hempathy]

5. What about the oil workers, the fishermen, hotel/leisure workers in the region...?

And the vast pool of unemployed non-students around the country who have families to support..?
Personally- I think that THOSE are the ones who should be given first priority for any possible jobs to come out of the cleanup.

[madrchsod]

6. hell new orleans has`t been cleaned up...

does anyone think they really give a shit about the beaches and birds?