BP and the destruction of the South's coastline

The oil spill first happened 6 weeks ago. It has polluted 125 miles of Louisiana coastline. Crude has already been reported along the barrier islands of Alabama and Mississippi. More and more federal and state fishing waters are being shut down. Everything they have tried to "fix" the problem has failed. Now there won't be a permanent fix until (maybe) AUGUST???

Why is it that these big oil companies can pump and pump oil, charge the consumer whatever they wish per gallon, but not be required to already have emergency plans AND the equipment needed set it place? For all of the money that oil companies have made over the years, they should have been implementing ways to fix an oil leak. Isn't it worth a couple of million dollars to already have a proven plan of action rather than risking the destruction of our oceans and coastline? It's not like it's just some beaches that will become "dirty". Fisherman rely on fishing waters to make a living. Americans rely on the fisherman for their food. Small towns all along the coast of the areas affected rely on the tourism to feed their families. And now BP is throwing $5,000 at people who have lost their entire way of living and think these working class families can live on that? What happens when the tide takes the oil up the Mississippi River, or if it makes its way around the Florida panhandle, or past Texas and up the Pacific Ocean? Florida beaches aren't even being protected because it is "too difficult". It is easier to clean it up.

The government and President are completely dropping the ball. The President has ordered an independent commission to examine the disaster and "to follow the facts wherever they lead, without fear or favor." He has also said that if the laws are insufficient and if the government oversight wasn't tough enough, it will change.

Dear Mr. President, Stop having your assistant write up statements that sound intelligent and make it seem like you are involved in controlling this disaster. I want to know what the government is doing to HELP the situation. What the government is doing to protect more areas from being destroyed. What is the government's plan of action when it comes to cleaning up this mess.

This is a huge disaster that we are going to be seeing the negative effects for a very, very long time... A disaster that could have been controlled from the beginning if the laws had already been put in place and if BP would have been proactive.