Dead Dolphins

A lot more dolphins than normal are dying in the Gulf of Mexico. But don't expect to be hearing about this on your evening news (especially if you watch Fox). The NOAA, the government agency supposedly looking out for the nation's interests in the wake of last year's horrendous oil spill in the Gulf, has not only banned independent study of the phenomenon but also clamped a lid on news about the unusual number of dolphins--about 200 so far this year, far more than normal--which have been turning up dead in the Gulf. The agency banned any publication of any findings by independent scientists of this on the transparently flimsy grounds that the ongoing lawsuit against BP precludes divulging such information. (See story here.) According to the story the agency has completely squandered its creditability in the months since the spill. It's painfully obvious that it's more concerned with downplaying the extent of the damage to the Gulf, which, of course, stiffs the public and all the people who make their livings fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, and offers a giant assist to BP.

The early disclaimers coming out of the federal government have centered on the (false) claim that an “exact” cause of death cannot be determined, which is to say that we’ll never be able to hold BP accountable. Again, total nonsense from a scientific perspective. You can, in fact, determine causation in this matter. But first, you have to want to.

The best thing about the gag order is that maybe, just maybe, it will make the “more transparency” Obama Administration such a laughingstock that real change is made. Otherwise, the outrages will just continue.

When are the American people going to wake up to the fact that their government belongs to the multinational corporations and that the function of everyday citizens is simply to due their bidding, and oh by the way, continue shoveling hundreds of billions into their pockets?