US Representative apologizes to BP

[billvon 2,426]

From Rep. Joe Barton this morning:

"I’m ashamed of what happened in the White House yesterday. I think it is a tragedy of the first proportion that a private corporation can be subjected to what I would characterize as a shakedown — in this case a $20 billion shakedown."

In a startling coincidence that I am sure has nothing to do with this, Barton has received $1.4 million from BP in campaign contributions.

Coming next -

Sarah Palin apologizes to Exxon for putting that reef in the way of their tanker, and John McCain apologizes to Mexico for the disturbing lack of trolley service across the Arizona/Mexico border.

[rushmc 18]

Quote

From Rep. Joe Barton this morning:

"I’m ashamed of what happened in the White House yesterday. I think it is a tragedy of the first proportion that a private corporation can be subjected to what I would characterize as a shakedown — in this case a $20 billion shakedown."

In a startling coincidence that I am sure has nothing to do with this, Barton has received $1.4 million from BP in campaign contributions.

Coming next -

Sarah Palin apologizes to Exxon for putting that reef in the way of their tanker, and John McCain apologizes to Mexico for the disturbing lack of trolley service across the Arizona/Mexico border.

The guy has guts and called Obama for what he is
Live with it

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[billvon 2,426]

>Live with it

Oh, I have no problem with Barton revealing whose pocket he is in. (In Barton's defense, he has already apologized for saying that; we'll see if anyone believes him.)

But you go right on and support that apology. Wouldn't want to hurt BP's feelings.

[rushmc 18]

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>Live with it

Oh, I have no problem with Barton revealing whose pocket he is in. (In Barton's defense, he has already apologized for saying that; we'll see if anyone believes him.)

But you go right on and support that apology. Wouldn't want to hurt BP's feelings.

Cool

And you can go ahead and support the presidents thuggery
should make you proud

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[funjumper101 15]

If it was a conservatard like the non-maverick McCain you would support them 100%.

Instead you support a disgusting example of partisan bullshit.


Thanks to you and your kind, the country is going downhill in a hurry. I hope your kids and grandkids are working hard to learn Mandarin and Cantonese so that they can function in the world you folks are working hard to set up.

[futuredivot 0]

Did you respond to the correct person?

You are only as strong as the prey you devour

[billeisele 122]

Quote

Quote

From Rep. Joe Barton this morning:

"I’m ashamed of what happened in the White House yesterday. I think it is a tragedy of the first proportion that a private corporation can be subjected to what I would characterize as a shakedown — in this case a $20 billion shakedown."

In a startling coincidence that I am sure has nothing to do with this, Barton has received $1.4 million from BP in campaign contributions.

Coming next -

Sarah Palin apologizes to Exxon for putting that reef in the way of their tanker, and John McCain apologizes to Mexico for the disturbing lack of trolley service across the Arizona/Mexico border.

The guy has guts and called Obama for what he is
Live with it

Amen. Pure political BS that will do nothing to fix the leak.

Give one city to the thugs so they can all live together. I vote for Chicago where they have strict gun laws.

[rushmc 18]

Quote

If it was a conservatard like the non-maverick McCain you would support them 100%.

Instead you support a disgusting example of partisan bullshit.


Thanks to you and your kind, the country is going downhill in a hurry. I hope your kids and grandkids are working hard to learn Mandarin and Cantonese so that they can function in the world you folks are working hard to set up.

I didnt like McCain
He is No conservative
He was the media's pick
I dont know anything about the one in this thread but he told the truth and I respect that

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[Lucky... 0]

Quote

Quote

If it was a conservatard like the non-maverick McCain you would support them 100%.

Instead you support a disgusting example of partisan bullshit.


Thanks to you and your kind, the country is going downhill in a hurry. I hope your kids and grandkids are working hard to learn Mandarin and Cantonese so that they can function in the world you folks are working hard to set up.

Quote

I didnt like McCain

Yet you voted for him.

Quote

He is No conservative

Why? He can utter, "Tax cuts my friends" as well as fascist Ronnie; how is he not a Reaganista neo-con?

Quote

He was the media's pick

The media must have millions of registered Republicans who nominated him.

Quote

I dont know anything about the one in this thread but he told the truth and I respect that

That a corporation must pay for their errors is a shakedown, yet SS, Medicare, etc are entitlements?

I guess Union Carbide killing how many thousands in Bopal, India was a travesty that U.C. was blamed.

[rhaig 0]

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I didnt like McCain

Yet you voted for him.

I know people who voted for Obama who didn't like him. Why? More because of who he wasn't than who he was.

--
Rob

[kelpdiver 2]

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I know people who voted for Obama who didn't like him. Why? More because of who he wasn't than who he was.

Wasn't exactly an election of good choices.

[kelpdiver 2]

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In a startling coincidence that I am sure has nothing to do with this, Barton has received $1.4 million from BP in campaign contributions.

citation?

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As the top congressional recipient in the last cycle and one of the top BP cash recipients of the past two decades, Landrieu banked almost $17,000 from the oil giant in 2008 alone and has lined her war chest with more than $28,000 in BP cash overall.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0510/36783.html

[TrophyHusband 0]

i watched/listened to quite a bit of today's hearing. what a fucking joke.

as for the apology, it wasn't really necessary. was it a shake-down? maybe. the president doesn't have the authority to do anything but ask for that money, and bp could have told him to stick it in his ass. instead bp agreed to put up the money, so we should move on from that.

i do not believe the apology for the apology was genuine.

the rest of the hearing was bullshit as well. it was all grandstanding, but accomplished nothing more than to show the world what complete assclowns we have for a congress. they were nothing but a bunch of blow-hards getting their digs in at tony hayward.

they got angry that they weren't getting the answers they wanted, but a congressional hearing is about the worst place to actually get questions answered. one wrong word or mis-statement will get you a purgery charge and you can bet that there are people right now analizing every answer looking for just that.

if i every find myself in front of congress under oath, i'm not going to know shit either.

"Your scrotum is quite nice" - Skymama
www.kjandmegan.com

[billvon 2,426]

>And you can go ahead and support the presidents thuggery

Right. Holding companies accountable for their actions is "thuggery." I'm glad I don't live in your world.

But go ahead, support BP; after all, who really gives a crap about the Gulf Coast? Not you, certainly. If the Obama-haters can support a British company against the US and score a single point against Obama, it's all worth it - no matter what the damage to America.

[kelpdiver 2]

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In a startling coincidence that I am sure has nothing to do with this, Barton has received $1.4 million from BP in campaign contributions.

citation?

No matter, I found it. You made quite a misstatement there, Bill. Off by a factor of 53, and only if individual contributions are included.

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Individuals and political action committees associated with BP have donated $27,350 to Barton's political campaigns since the 1990 election cycle -- eighth among members of Congress, the Center for Responsive Politics' research indicates. (Barton might find it ironic that the man he said so mistreated BP, President Barack Obama, received more than $77,000 from BP employees during his political career.) Contributions from PACs made up 94 percent of Barton's donations.

Individuals or PACs associated with the oil and gas industry as a whole have been Barton's biggest patron since he entered Congress, donating more than $1,448,380 since the 1990 election cycle. The figure puts him at No. 1 among all House members for donations from the industry, fifth among members of Congress and fourth among active members of Congress.

[turtlespeed 212]

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If it was a conservatard like the non-maverick McCain you would support them 100%.

Instead you support a disgusting example of partisan bullshit.


Thanks to you and your kind, the country is going downhill in a hurry. I hope your kids and grandkids are working hard to learn Mandarin and Cantonese so that they can function in the world you folks are working hard to set up.

Ooooh lookie!

It's an Amazon/Lucky wannabe . . .

I wonder if we will get to see any more of the new words that she has coined.

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[billeisele 122]

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>And you can go ahead and support the presidents thuggery

Right. Holding companies accountable for their actions is "thuggery." I'm glad I don't live in your world.

But go ahead, support BP; after all, who really gives a crap about the Gulf Coast? Not you, certainly. If the Obama-haters can support a British company against the US and score a single point against Obama, it's all worth it - no matter what the damage to America.

the hearing had nothing to do with holding BP accountable, it was about scoring political points, much like Boxer dressing down a military officer, they throw power around because they can, not becasue they should, and in the end in minimizes their effectiveness

by your comments it would appear that if one dislikes Obama then one must be a BP supporter - wrong - I don't like either of them

Obama has demonstrated many times that he is not a leader

Yes, BP screwed up and they are ultimately responsible but there is also plenty of blame to go around to others, Congress is not the place for those answers, it will happen in the court system

where were the Congressional hearings when NASA blew up some great American citizens, who was held accountable, who was fired, after a series of calculated decisions which were ultimatley determined to be in error

not exactly the same as what BP (and their contractors) have done but there is a parallel

Give one city to the thugs so they can all live together. I vote for Chicago where they have strict gun laws.

[rushmc 18]

I am still waiting for you to have a valid point....

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[rushmc 18]

Quote

>And you can go ahead and support the presidents thuggery

Right. Holding companies accountable for their actions is "thuggery." I'm glad I don't live in your world.

But go ahead, support BP; after all, who really gives a crap about the Gulf Coast? Not you, certainly. If the Obama-haters can support a British company against the US and score a single point against Obama, it's all worth it - no matter what the damage to America.

Thanks
and you can go ahead and support more of the same from our Chicago politics pres

And you take what I post and twist it into knots

More of the same from you

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[Lucky... 0]

Quote

I am still waiting for you to have a valid point....

Quote

I didnt like McCain

1) Yet you voted for him.

Quote

He is No conservative

2) Why? He can utter, "Tax cuts my friends" as well as fascist Ronnie; how is he not a Reaganista neo-con?

Quote

He was the media's pick

3) The media must have millions of registered Republicans who nominated him.

Quote

I dont know anything about the one in this thread but he told the truth and I respect that

4) That a corporation must pay for their errors is a shakedown, yet SS, Medicare, etc are entitlements?

I guess Union Carbide killing how many thousands in Bopal, India was a travesty that U.C. was blamed.



I even enumerated them for you, there's 5 points for you to ignore due to inability to answer.

[jgoose71 0]

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I am still waiting for you to have a valid point....

Lucky has a hard time with the concept that for some people an election is like choosing which finger to cut off. Should I cut off my pinky or thumb? Well, my hand can still mostly function if I cut off my pinky..... (grabs knife, or in this case, ballot)

"There is an art, it says, or, rather, a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss."
Life, the Universe, and Everything

[rushmc 18]

Quote

Quote

I am still waiting for you to have a valid point....

Quote

I didnt like McCain

1) Yet you voted for him.

Quote

He is No conservative

2) Why? He can utter, "Tax cuts my friends" as well as fascist Ronnie; how is he not a Reaganista neo-con?

Quote

He was the media's pick

3) The media must have millions of registered Republicans who nominated him.

Quote

I dont know anything about the one in this thread but he told the truth and I respect that

4) That a corporation must pay for their errors is a shakedown, yet SS, Medicare, etc are entitlements?

I guess Union Carbide killing how many thousands in Bopal, India was a travesty that U.C. was blamed.



I even enumerated them for you, there's 5 points for you to ignore due to inability to answer.

Dude
when you get called on one bull shit statement you take off all over the place

Focus man focus

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[jgoose71 0]

Quote

>And you can go ahead and support the presidents thuggery

Right. Holding companies accountable for their actions is "thuggery." I'm glad I don't live in your world.

But go ahead, support BP; after all, who really gives a crap about the Gulf Coast? Not you, certainly. If the Obama-haters can support a British company against the US and score a single point against Obama, it's all worth it - no matter what the damage to America.

I think the point went right over your head. Yes, hold BP accountable. But that is not congress's job. Congress makes laws and it's supposed to be the judicial system that enforces them. There needs to be (I cant believe I am saying this) criminal and civil law suits brought up on BP to do this.

What was the purpose of dragging them in front of Congress other than political grand standing? I kind of reminded me of the baseball players testifying on steroid use. What was the point again?

For those of you that were stoned through US government in high school I'm recap:

Legislative branch: writes laws
Executive branch: approves laws
Judicial branch: enforces laws

Hope this helps

"There is an art, it says, or, rather, a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss."
Life, the Universe, and Everything

[riddler 0]

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In a startling coincidence that I am sure has nothing to do with this, Barton has received $1.4 million from BP in campaign contributions.

It'll be even more interesting to see his re-election campaign:

"... and I assure all you voters out there, that as soon as you vote me into office, I will fart in your general direction and do whatever the foreign oil companies tell me to do!"

(followed by rousing tea-party applause)

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[GeorgiaDon 340]

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Yes, hold BP accountable. But that is not congress's job. Congress makes laws and it's supposed to be the judicial system that enforces them. There needs to be (I cant believe I am saying this) criminal and civil law suits brought up on BP to do this.

How many years do you think it might take for these cases to work their way through the courts? What do you suggest businesses and people who have had their livelihoods disrupted should do in the interim? Why shouldn't BP, or any entity who causes harm to an innocent third party, be required to redress that harm in a timely manner, in order to minimize the extent of the damage?

I'm really amazed that so many people seem to believe that the best practice for a government, during a crisis, is to do nothing. You conservatives object to efforts to minimize the damage from the recession, you object to efforts to salvage the economy of the Gulf Coast, you object to efforts to help people after a natural disaster. I'm sure if there was a massive epidemic of bubonic plague you would object to the government distributing antibiotics. All the better if it allows you to take a swipe at Obama (and/or liberals) in the process.

Don

_____________________________________
Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996)
“Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats)