from a release by Louisiana 3rd District congressional candidate Hunt Downer…

Recently retired Major General Hunt Downer, candidate for Congress, declared Southeast Louisiana a ‘Presidential Disaster’ area today to highlight the consequences of the responses of the President, his Cabinet, and federal agencies regarding the oil spill still flowing into the warm Gulf waters off the coast of Louisiana.

“America’s “get it done” mentality has been undermined by the President’s “find someone to blame'” mentality. This attitude is killing our coast and our way of life.  While BP is at fault for causing this catastrophe and must be held accountable, the President’s response or lack thereof is the reason for the magnitude of the disaster,” said Downer.

The following are direct and/or indirect effects of the unfolding Presidential Disaster:

1.       Louisiana’s Coastal destruction: While the initial damage to the coast was caused by BP, the failure of the President and the Army Corps of Engineers to quickly approve the coastline reconstruction plan submitted by Governor Jindal allowed oil to invade our marshes.  President Obama refused to approve, until environmental impact studies were done, the rebuilding of previously existing barrier islands that were built by nature.  This refusal to act has lead to the ruination of America’s Wetlands!

2.       Clean-up: Failure to approve the building of sand barrier islands will further hinder cleanup efforts in the marshes. The oil will continue to invade the marshes and our shoreline; making it more difficult to begin to clean up.

3.       Louisiana’s Economy: The President’s job killing moratorium on offshore drilling has caused the economy of coastal Louisiana to fall to its knees. The moratorium puts nearly 60,000 Louisiana jobs in the oil and gas industry at risk.* I urge everyone to go to www.GEST.la.gov to sign the petition to lift the moratorium.

4.       America’s Energy Independence:   Instead of America moving forward on increasing domestic energy production, President Obama’s moratorium on offshore drilling does the exact opposite. The President’s energy reducing moratorium actually sends oil rigs and the crews overseas to foreign nations and increases the amount of foreign imported oil into America.  This reduction in our country’s production of energy reduces America’s independence.

5.       America’s National Security:  The President’s National Security Strategy should include a vital oil and gas element which places extreme importance on America’s domestic oil production and the protection of our Strategic Petroleum Reserves. The drilling moratorium’s other, and more significant, effect is America’s increased dependence on foreign oil which is in direct conflict with a national security strategy focused on the safety of Americans.

“There is no other way to describe our situation other than an outright ‘Presidential Disaster’ that was created by the stroke or lack thereof of the President’s pen,” said Downer.