A political debate plays out among Louisiana oil rigs
Monday, May 21, 2012 - 12:00
in Mathematics & Economics
President Obama takes credit for a rebound in drilling jobs, while Mitt Romney criticizes the president's policies as outdated. In a community that vividly recalls the Deepwater Horizon disaster, the issue is personal.LAFAYETTE, La. — Visitors to this oil town might be forgiven for wondering whether the BP oil spill and subsequent drilling moratorium ever happened. "Now hiring" signs are plastered on billboards around town, and hotels such as the Crowne Plaza are chock full of seminars training students to work on offshore rigs. Many offshore companies can't find enough workers for the jobs they're listing. This parish has the lowest unemployment rate in Louisiana, 4.8%.