Evening Buzz: Mental Health Worries Linked to Oil Spill
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/TRAVEL/07/02/oil.spill.beaches/story.alabama.beach.gi.jpg caption="Workers clean up oil residue a few days ago on Orange Beach, Alabama." width=300 height=169]
Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer
The state of Louisiana is still asking BP for $10 million to fund mental health programs for those impacted by the Gulf oil spill. State health officials have made the request not once, but twice. The first time the oil company said it looks forward to "continuing the dialogue." But there's been no more dialogue. BP has not said whether it will fork over the money or not. Meanwhile, fishermen and others continue to suffer.
Tonight on 360°, Randi Kaye continues to follow this story. She'll show you who the money, if it ever comes, would help. Then we dig deeper into the problem with psychiatrist Dr. Elmore Rigamer, who's the medical director of Catholic Charities – Archdiocese of New Orleans.
We're also looking into the gap between BP promises and BP results when it comes to cleaning up all the oil in the Gulf. Critics call it a numbers game. We'll show you the allegations of fuzzy math.
Also on our radar, the new legal maneuvers over Arizona's tough immigration law set to take effect later this month. The Justice Department has filed a lawsuit asking the federal courts to stop enforcement of the measure. The new law could require immigrants to carry alien registration documents at all times and allows police to question the residence of people when enforcing other laws.
It's "wrong that our own federal government is suing the people of Arizona for helping enforce federal immigration law," said Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer in a statement. "Today's filing is nothing more than a massive waster of taxpayer funds," she added. "These funds could be better used against the violent Mexican cartels than the people of Arizona."
Meanwhile, Attorney General Eric Holder argues "setting immigration policy and enforcing immigration laws is a national responsibility. Seeking to address the issue through a patchwork of state laws will only create more problems than it solves."
We'll talk over the raw politics with CNN Sr. Legal Analyst Jeffrey Toobin and Sheriff Paul Babeu of Pinal County, Arizona.
There's also the buzz surrounding Queen Elizabeth's visit to New York. A lot of people are talking about the hat Her Majesty wore at the U.N. But her speech to delegates also drew a lot of attention, considering she represents nearly a third of the world's population, as the Head of State for 16 countries and the leader of the Commonwealth.
This was the Queens first time back at the U.N. in 53 years. Times have changed, but she didn't want to look back. She issued a new challenge to U.N. members. We'll talk it over with CNNi's Richard Quest.
See you at 10 p.m. ET.
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Filed under: Maureen Miller • The Buzz |
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I believe that what happened in the gulf will be another reason added to the growing list of reasons doing business in the U.S is becoming imposible. Like Supply and demand triggers cost and affect. This 1 rule is responsible for most of the greed poverty and lack of any kind of healthin our whole world today. As a matter of fact greed and this 1 rule are also why the dearm of the people's own home will die. Just like it and the dearms of happieness did with all the great and once beautiful countries on earth did. You see I believe that its been these rules and laws that have been most to blame for the consteant death of the dream again and again of the governments attempts to rebuild paradise here on earth. I believe that until we all find a way to 1 rid our world of these 2 rules or 2 we find a way to controle contenental populations, the dream of paradise that may come true by way of man's in-ability to suffer anymore may be the Vadican's profacy of a global cleansing; and if you remember right man tryed that when they left their own world and came to the new world here the U.S. So that all being said, we can't ever distroy what we all created and love so much.
The government and BP do not want to pay for this or much else. There is no benefit to them to spend billions of dollars. They have no interest in exposing the mental health issues, the real story behind the people, the long term effects (mentally or physically). The government can't let BP go under financially and BP simply won't. They arene't dragging their feet by accient, either party. Unfortunately, there is no one to stop either side from their false statements, inactivity, blatant disregard and just about anything else the government or BP decide to do. Things down here are being run by BP, NOT the government. They simply don't want to spend the money necessary to clean this up...it's financial ruin for both sides. It would be in the TRILLIONS, not the billions.
IF BP is gonna be required to pay for depression for the oil spill patients, who is going to pay for the depression and destruction caused by the housing market fallout these past 3 yrs?
I didnt vote for Obama but thought he was doing a pretty good job.
What I dont get is why as president of the US he isnt protecting the US and its gulf people more than he is protecting BP? So what if they donated $70K to his campaign. Thats nuttin to rich folks.
What is Obama afraid of?
I think it's absolutely shocking. It's like there's a major catastrophe right in our own backyard and the government is doing nothing. I can't believe that after all this time the leak STILL isn't blocked.
Did we not learn anything from valdez.. They don't care about nothing but $. He who has the gold makes the rules. We better wake up. If for 1 minute for them to decide who lives or dies, then just surrender. I for one will go down fighting til my last breathe, I was not born to lose but to give my all, not to bend down to those that think they rule. God help us if we do what they say not do what they do.
I think the gulf oil spill is a disaster.....man-made. Our "president" is so far removed from the rest of us he doesn't know how to help solve any of this country's problems. Hes our biggest problem. Sure,he is educated but he doesn't have any common sense. He is what the older folks call an "educated idiot". He doesn't know how to lead. He just likes to get his photo taken and be on tv. He is good at looking busy,but he cant do anything.
While I was glad to see that BP has provided funding to help provide mental counseling and stress management. Hopefully some of the agencies helping with that are already aware of the tested and proven resources for managing and reducing stress from Heart Math.
As a former federal disaster relief specialist, I am also wondering where in the hell is FEMA, the fedearl Emergency Management Agency.
Surely this is an EMERGENCY, With 5 states now directly affected by the oil spill, surely this is a FEDERAL disaster And God knows the main missing ingredient is MANAGEMENT.
I have lost all respect for our Government. I feel we the people are at a loss and it is up to our Government to protect our land and water ways from villain like BP. I am very sad for all who live in the Gulf and our land.
Like Boss Hog in Dukes of Hazzard, Louisiana residents and politicians have been big on feeding from the Big Oil payoff food dish. For decades the direct dredging of the Swamps and Marshes thru-out Louisiana have resulted in the loss of 2,000 miles of Wetlands.
And the Swamp Parish Presidents of Louisiana want us to feel sympathy for them losing 20 miles of Maaarsh due to the current Louisiana BP Oil gusher? Why didn't these self-righteous individuals clamp some sane and reasonable legislation on Big Oil before as they watched 2,000 Miles of Wetlands disappear?
Wasn't Republican Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal leading the charge for Big Oil profits during the exact same time that Wetlands, and Marshes were disappearing because of Oil and Gas dredging PRIOR to the current Louisiana BP Oil gusher?
BP IS FALLING SHORT IN ALL ASPECTS OF CLEAN UP AND RECOVERY.THEY SHOULD BE DOING ANY THING THAT EVEN SOUNDS LIKE IT MIGHT HELP. AND THEN WE HAVE OBAMA,COMMANDER AND CHIEF OF SUPERPOWER,BUT IT APPEARES THAT HE CANT EVEN CONTROL BP IN OUR OWN GULF. IS HE FALLING SHORT OR IS THERE AN AGENDA?
It is my understanding that we are entering a season that is predicted to have an above average number of hurricanes. Unless the skimmers are able to clean it up quicker than they appear to be able to, there will still be millions of barrels of crude on the surface in the Gulf when those hurricanes come through. I am not a meteorologist and no one that I know of has addressed it as a problem, but I still would like to know the answer to the question: What will be the effects when the hurricanes suck up the surface oil and deposit it on farms, orchards, forests, wetlands, rivers, streams, streets, buildings, in deed, over all of the Southeastern U.S? Will it just be a slimmy, slick, sticky, stinky nuisance, or will it affect crops or cause disease to humans, wildlife and vegitation? If these plagues are a possibility, people need to be alerted to them. If indeed it is a new, additional, imminent disaster, shouldn't the experts be talking about what we can expect and offering suggtions about how to deal with it?
There is a lot of talk about the loss of wages, loss of homes, and mental health problems in Louisianna. It is tragic.
But, there are many more people in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvannia who have been out of jobs for several years. Lost homes. And have a lot of personal stress . All of the same family issues.
I hope CNN will give them the exposure that they are rightly doing for all those devastated in Louisianna.
My heart goes out to all in the region: people and wildlife suffering, and dying. When will the voice of Reason reign again and when will the greedy stop ruling and ruining our lovely planet? I am so saddened and sickened by this. This is supposedly a democracy: let us all rise to the occasion and protest this assault upon our humanity, and our animal friends. It's all we have left.
I don't understand why they have not been able to stop the oil from spewing into the gulf? They must know that a simple explosive device sent into the well will cause it to implode on itself and should seal the flow completly if not most of it!
Back when Sudom Husane (forgive my spelling) set fires to the wells in Kuwait, it was reported that, that is how they put out the fires and stop the gushers from flowing. Why is there no mention of the possibillity of useing explosives in stopping the oil flowing into our gulf?
Question- Why is there more red tape to clean up the oil spill than there was to begin drilling?
GULF DEAD ZONE at least that.s what it will be for decades. I don.t know what the citizens in the region affected by the spill will do. In fact I don't know what we will do . I bet thousands are already on the unemployment roll and with the blocking of the unemployment extension millions, that will means millions will are affected by the depressive economy. That oil spill is our third war... can we sustain another disaster?
I am getting so sick and tired of all these Gulf state oil company hugging bureaucrats crying about how the Government isn't doing enough to clean up the oil.
These are the same guys who recently said they wanted the Federal government out of their lives, and that their states can take care of themselves without the federal government intruding into their state's sovereignty!
These are also the same guys who fought the fight for their corporate oil company masters. Why doesn't each Gulf state have their own emergency oil cleanup plans and equipment? Why aren't the governors of these states being held accountable for their own policies, and the harm that they have done to their own states.
Good evening, this is a sad situation, but isn't this really part of the larger problem which we as Americans find ourselves in as a result of having allowed our Congressmen to privitize our legal system; and to de-regulate Corporate America, and yield our protections which had been gained through rights for the people, in the name of greed? Unfortunately we willingly looked the other way, and allowed these things to occur, but now that it is affecting us directly, and not some poor people in a third world, that we had anticipated makng profits trinkling down from our investments. Priviledge is always coupled with responsibility; We the people must accept that responsibility, even though men havelost their lives, many still say keep drilling!
Why is Louisiana "asking" for the funds towards mental health assistance? They should be in full swing w/ a class action suit against BP. The Governor should be using as much legal muscle as possible to seize BP assets.
we can blame BP for this oil spill, but we need to put the blame for all the damage were it truly belongs, OUR federal government. the president is more to blame for all the damage then BP.
the government has done everything it can to slow the clean up from the beginning, the great out come of all this damage, more restrictions and control on american companies, and people.
Like the immigration issue, it seems that the federal government is doing everything it can to crush the american people.
Bp doesn't need to pay for these mental issues. The person should just go see a therapist. Lets just stick to containing the oil. Bp is going to run out of money before they can stop the spill. Then who's gonna pay? Our country thats 13 trillion dollars in debt?
Re Jeffrey Toobin: Always interesting! Thank you for having him on your show, AC360.
I was impressed with the interview with the Director of Mental Health for the Catholic Charities. He described the PROACTIVE things his organization is doing to address the mental health issues. And he described how BP came to him to ask him what he needed and to write for a grant. They got the money, and are doing something positive.
As opposed to the interview with the Newseek writer and the man with her , who did nothing but complain that BP and government did not give good numbers - and thats the NATIONAL issue.
The same amount of oil would have spilled if the numbers had been right. The error in numbers is a fly in the ointment. But thats all they could . And they sure used the 'podium' for political belicosing.
Lack of immigration enforcement hurts all americans and companies which abuse low cost labour which illegal immigrants provide. If illegal immigrants felt more insecure/threatened by being in the US illegally, then there would be less appeal to enter & live in the US illegally. There needs to be ramifications for entering the country illegally. Illegal immigrants can easily be duped to perform "slave labour" currently so employers of illegal immigrants should also face stiffer penalties.
If the US wants to help more Mexicans access the US maybe they need to increase legal migrant workes but have this a documented and controlled system. I support Arizona's effort to deal with illegal immigrants and provide better living conditions for legal citizens.
OK.iam truly fed up with day after day of complaints about President Obamas failure regarding this horrific gusher. Most of the people complaining are the SAME people that make a living off BP and other oil cos.Where has their STATE Gov. been in preparing for such an event? They insist on drilling, yet no plan? VERY Irresponsible! I feel SiCK over the wildlife and the Fishermen/their families. But the GOVernor blaming the President? OUTRAGEOUS!!!!
BP looks forward to "continuing the dialogue." That is a quaint euphemism for "doing nothing for as long as we can!"
Stop blaming Obama, BP, coast guard...if you consume gasoline and petroleom products, you are responsible for this disaster. The oil has already "peaked" in the world. We refuse to stop! Buy a hybrid, ride a bike, walk, move close to your work. The earth is shouting for us to stop. How can you be part of the solution?
The need for mental health professionals is so overwhelming it is hard to know how to go about helping in these circumstances. The people being interviewed seem to have the knowledge and desire to help and additional education on their situation but networking with each other with some guidance is not to be underestimated and should be encouraged. The massiveness of this event and implications, much like Katrina, is overwhelming and the number of professionals needed is likely not going to be available for many. We can only hope and pray that others do not die as a result.
This lady Julia Reed is so negative and wrong about the President. It appears that it's more about assassinating the character of the President than the oil spill. The President has committed an abundance of resources and manpower. Admiral Thad Allen and the Coast Guard are working 24/7 to address this huge tragedy. It's unfortunate and sad this woman is given a platform to engage is untruths.
Hi Sanjay good see you again
Day one first seconds BP decided to lie because of their stocks We know that
They worried about their wealth not Humans
Sad part is our congressmen apologizes to BP
Obama has failed miserably in his first duty as President, to defend our coastline. Thad Allen is a bad joke. I agree, it is starting to look like the administration has a sinister agenda.
Sanjay wants to know who benefits from the weak, delayed, inadequate clean up? Julia, Sanjay and the other man were stumped. I can tell you – BP benefits by amortizing the costs of the clean-up over a long period of time – years – by delaying costs they save more of their (obscene) profits. That's one reason they used the dispersants: out of sight, out of mind for now. Why has Obama's response been so weak? Hmmm....BP supplied the most fuel to the military, I believe, of any oil company.
I have been going to Gulf Shores since I was 5. I'm very very very upset by this spill. I feel nothing is getting done from the outside looking in.
At what point does BP think that taking away a peoples way of life, way of work, daily routine, generations of family run business's, their heritage and not to mention pride, and of course destroying an amazing place for recreation and wildlife that depression isn't going to sink in to a large amount of people. In the end money is nice but this is someone's home,and watching it be slowly destroyed has got to be hard. I'm not from the region but that's got to be tough for anyone to take in. God bless the people and the whole region being affected by this nightmare.
Josh W.
McLean Va.
Richard Quest is always worth watching; he knows his stuff and he is very entertaining in the way he tells his story – I have enjoyed his prior appearances on AC360 and am looking forward to hearing this one.
The government needs to take the money they are going to spend suing AZ over their illegal immigrant law and spend it on enforcing the national immigrant law. Might see some changes that way but the way they are just going to take AZ to court all we will see is more dollars down the drain and a lot of political hot air expended.
I bet on the fuzzy math on BP that we'll find that BP promises are much greater than BP results. Unfortunately it will probably stay that way too. Looking forward to the show!
Both classes, it looks like they live in a different world in the same space from the picture.
First and foremost is to focus on collection of prior and current oil spilled and spilling. This can be done now –
1) stop using dispersant. allowing oil to surface.
2) start using tankers/barges to collect in proximity of well – where are they?
bp will prevent all efforts to collect and/or contain oil as a liability – just the way it is.
the future death toll of all life is at best really really bad