Originally Posted by Villages Kahuna

If the unprecedented huge oil leak from the sunken drilling platform blackens the Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana beaches as now predicted, you won't be hearing that political mantra anytime soon.

The rig that exploded and sank was one of the newest and largest, definitely state-of-the-art. My brother, who works in the drilling pipe and fitting business in Houston, tells me this should never have happened. In fact, he explained that it couldn't happen because of the redundant automatic shut-off valves built into the pipe underwater.

But leak it did. It's still leaking 42,000 gallons a day and they're saying the slick will reach the beaches in 3 days. I'm worried about one of our favorite places, Cedar Key. Not only is the island a favorite resort destination, but about half the annual production of clams comes from the ocean within about ten miles of the island.

"Drill, baby, drill!", as a couple of candidates intoned almost daily in the 2008 elections...not likely you'll be hearing that as a campaign plank anytime soon.

Do we need a comprehensive energy policy? You betcha'.