With one swift announcement, our President has created a depression in South Louisiana. The six month suspension of deep water drilling will cause thousands to lose their jobs in the short term. The oil business is highly people dependent, and service companies, truckers, restaurants, and oil companies will start laying off at once. The royal decree will have an immediate effect on many hard working middle-class people who are not used to government handouts. You may initially feel that since these people work for oil related companies, they deserve to be punished for the actions that caused the oil spill, but I do not get that. They did nothing wrong, and are hardworking individuals. I do not understand the decree. The cause of the accident is fairly obvious. One could argue that the government is partially responsible for getting too chummy with the oil companies, but I do not think this contributed to the BP problem.

Has the government ever shut down air travel for six months to study an accident? Has the government ever ordered Detroit not to make cars for six months? I have never heard of such a high-handed action that will hurt so many innocent people.