A cautionary tale

The disaster in Louisiana should send red flags up for all who want to "drill here, drill now" off the coast of Virginia and other east coast states. The well is blowing out 5 times more oil than originally reported - some 200,000 gallons a day. BP, which is already receiving assistance from the Coast Guard, now wants specialized help from the Defense Department. Hope Secretary Gates is keeping tab of all the costs and will send a bill for the full cost.

Attempts to put out the fire were futile.

The rig eventually collapsed into the Gulf, but the well keeps spewing crude.

The slick is big and keeps growing as the well is pumps out 200,000 gallons per day.

The Exxon Valdez held a limited amount of crude, but since this deep well keeps on pumping and has far more oil than a tanker, the environmental and economic consequences will likely surpass, by a wide a margin, that disaster. The folks along the Gulf coast will pay the highest price, but much will get passed on to all of us. Although the White House says BP will pay all the cleanup costs... yeah, right... you can expect to pay more for that shrimp cocktail or seafood dinner. The costs will ripple through the national economy.

"Drill here, drill now." Anybody that wants oil wells off the east coast should at least agree that those doing the drilling should proffer billions up front, to be held in trust as long as the rigs are there, to cover the cleanup costs if disaster strikes again.