We Won't Rest...But We Won't Work Either

Obama has said on several occasions that the federal government "won't rest until the Gulf Oil Spill is stopped" - usually right before he goes golfing.  However, that message is not being heard by the federal agencies involved:

One local official is voicing his frustration over what he calls a "nine-to-five" attitude by some federal authorities in the face of the oil disaster.

Jefferson Councilman Chris Roberts says the parish has a plan to build rock levees to help keep oil out of inland waterways like Barataria Bay.

Roberts told WWL First News that after they submitted the proposal to the Army Corps of Engineers last week, Corps officials said last Friday that discussion on the plan would have to be put on hold until the following Monday, because the Corps office would be closed for the weekend.

"Whoever reviews permits, and whatever departments and stakeholders and agencies need to give approval for this...should be working around the clock, just like the people are that are trying to get this oil picked up," Roberts said.

According to Roberts, after cooling their heels for the weekend, parish officials are still awaiting an answer. He says, however, he would be very surprised to get a response over the long federal holiday weekend to come.

The problem is we've gotten so used to the idea of letting the Feds tell us what to do that nobody is willing to just go ahead on their own and risk angering some bureaucrat. If all the local officials would quit begging the Feds for permission and just start doing what they think needs to be done more of the coastline could be saved. They can argue the whole thing out with the pinheads after the work is done.