The Rally for Economic Survival to be held today at the Cajundome may be one of the most important events in recent Louisiana history according to several politicians, economists and everyday citizens.

“Hopefully, this event will get the people in Washington to stand up and take notice,” said offshore worker Todd Michaels of Lafayette. “It just seems like their going to force this thing through no matter what we say . . . and it’s not like we’re not already hurting.”

Thousands of people from across the state and the Gulf Coast are expected to show up for the rally which begins this morning at 11 a.m. and is expected to last until approximately 1 p.m. The focus of the rally is to draw attention to the plight of Louisiana’s oil industry and to get the Obama administration to lift the moratorium for the health of Louisiana’s economy.

The rally is being sponsored by 28 oil and energy related companies who, according to their website want to get the following facts across.

- Thirty-three percent of the domestic oil and gas production comes the from the oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico.

- In one act, the Obama administration has signed the pink slips of tens of thousands of Louisiana and Gulf Coast citizens.

- The financial consequences from the moratorium rally will eventually create an economic ripple effect that will negatively impact every citizen of the United States.

- Consumers will bear the brunt of the federal drilling moratorium paying more everywhere from the pump to the grocery store.

At 10:30 a.m., prior to the rally country music star Sammy Kershaw will be performing. Lieutenant Governor Scott Angelle will be the event’s emcee and he will be introducing 13 different speakers including Governor Bobby Jindal.

Jindal wrote an editorial in the Washington Post last week entitled ‘Ban on deep water drilling adds insult to injury’ in which he states “Louisianans, of all people, don’t want to see another drop of oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico. Our land and our way of life are being harmed. Yet the administration simply tells our people to file a claim with BP or file for unemployment. Our people want to work not collect unemployment checks.”

During last week’s Network at Noon in Crowley, Rusty Cloutier, the President/CEO of Midsouth Bank painted a fairly grim picture of how Louisianan’s future may play out should the moratorium pass and emphasized the importance of having a large attendance at the rally.

“If you work in Louisiana, no matter what you’re job is, it is very important that you attend this event,” said Cloutier. “The future of our state is on the line here.”