pkarnig’s posthaven

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration on Tuesday lifted the six-month moratorium on deep water oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico that was imposed after the BP oil spill.

The administration has been under heavy pressure from the industry and others in the region to lift the ban on grounds it has cost jobs and damaged the economy. A federal report said the moratorium likely caused a temporary loss of 8,000 to 12,000 jobs in the Gulf region.

While the temporary ban on exploratory oil and gas drilling is lifted immediately, drilling is unlikely to resume immediately.

Michael Bromwich, director of the agency that oversees offshore drilling, said it would take "at least a couple of weeks" after the ban is lifted before permits are approved.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said that new rules imposed after the BP spill – the worst environmental disaster in the country's history – have strengthened safety measures and reduced the risk of another catastrophic blowout.

While I am generally supportive of our Democratic Administration, I am very disappointed that they have buckled under AGAIN to pressure from Big Business AKA big oil in this case. We don't need more oil. We need more innovation around our energy economy. That will lead to new jobs for the future and less risk for our precious environment. Speak out if you agree.

"While the Nobel Prize for economics is a significant recognition, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences does not determine who is qualified to serve on the Board of Governors," said Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama, the senior Republican on the Senate Banking Committee.

Diamond and the two other economists won the prize for their insights into unemployment and the impact of government policies on helping people to find jobs or cushioning their periods of joblessness.

That's certainly a prime topic right now with the jobless rate stuck at 9.6 percent and nearly 15 million Americans out of work from the worst recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

Their research found, in part, that programs such as government unemployment benefits can help the process of lining up job seekers with jobs that match their skills and abilities.

"How can economic policy affect unemployment? This year's laureates have developed a theory that can be used to answer these questions," the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said in a statement.

Isn't it ironic that the GOP is constantly nagging the Dems that they do not offer any new policies that can boost job creation, but when they have a chance to support a Nobel Price winning economist to join the Fed and deploy new strategies for job creation they block the appointment. Middle class republicans need to wake up and smell the coffee. Your GOP representatives are not looking out for you. The GOP looks out for big business, end of story.

It's striking to me that in all the heated debates we have had about health care reform, one basic fact has rarely been discussed, and that is the one thing that could dramatically bring down the costs of health care while improving the health of our people. Studies have shown that 50 to 70 percent of the nation's health care costs are preventable, and the single most effective step most people can take to improve their health is to eat a healthier diet. If Americans were to stop overeating, to stop eating unhealthy foods and to instead eat more foods with higher nutrient densities and cancer protective properties, we could have a more affordable, sustainable and effective health care system.

We all need to think about the consequences of our actions and make smart decisions. This is clearly the message we can take from this and many other posts here on the HufPo. Have a great sunday.