GOP Rep. Barton apologizes to BP for Obama's "shakedown"

[Cartesiantheater]

Ahahahahahahah!!!!

I'm not speaking for anybody in the House of Representatives but myself, but 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.

Fucking unbelievable!


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/ynews_ts2660


This guy must have no concern for his job security... oh, wait, nevermind, he is speaking what's on the minds of conservatives the world over...

[Blu-ray]

Probably because of this:

Congressman Barton has taken $1.4 million in campaign contributions from the Oil industry since 1989, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

[GamerGal]

Hey, he will probably win a landslide election since the people who vote for him only watch Fox Noise and FN already stated this was only Obama's fault, not BPs, not Bush's deregulation, not calls for small government and big business, nope, all Obama's fault for writing off in 2008 for the... Oh what, Bush was president in 08 and so he wrote off on the oil platform? Uh, Obama's a secret Muslim from Kenya!

[lycanox]

Sounds like one politicus that wants to hand over all power to the corporations.

[Rhiannon]

I hate politicians. They are the root of all evil.

[JenaS62]

He does not speak for everyone as I was appalled that he apologized. What state was he from anyway? They need to vote his ass out of office.

[Blu-ray]

He does not speak for everyone as I was appalled that he apologized. What state was he from anyway? They need to vote his ass out of office.

Texas.... go figure.... LOL

[Reef Badlaw]

How dare Barton suggest that the 20-billion will become a porklitical slush-fund, in which Govertment hurdles for proof of damage claims will eventually be just as insurmountably fire-hooped and time-delayed as BP's are... ?

[Cartesiantheater]

BARTON NOT ALONE
But Barton was not alone among Republicans who question the $20 billion fund.
Georgia Representative Tom Price, chairman of the Republican Study Committee, a group of conservative House members, issued a statement arguing the same point.
Price said BP's willingness to go along with the White House's new fund suggests that the Obama administration is "hard at work exerting its brand of Chicago-style shakedown politics."
And former Texas Republican Representative Dick Armey, who was House majority leader and is a leading voice in the conservative Tea Party movement, told a Christian Science Monitor breakfast this week that Obama lacks the constitutional authority to set up such a fund.
In addition, conservative Republican Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota told the Heritage Foundation think tank that the escrow account was a "redistribution-of-wealth fund."
Barton is the biggest recipient of oil and gas industry campaign contributions in the House of Representatives, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.
Its data showed that Barton has collected $1,447,880 from political action committees and individuals connected with the oil and gas industry since 1989.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100617/...xvZ3l0b2JwMw--


:cough cough: The bullshit... it's starting to burn my eyes... :cough cough:

[Blu-ray]

Total Oil Industry Contributions to Republicans
REPUBLICANS, INDUSTRY MONEY, BP MONEY
George Radanovich $149,638 ~~~~~~~ $4,000
John Sullivan ~~~~ 529,950 ~~~~~~~~4,500
Marsha Blackburn ~ 177,643 ~~~~~~~~1,000
Michael Burgess ~~ 226,246 ~~~~~~~~1,000
Phil Gingrey ~~~~~ 57,500 ~~~~~~~~2,000
Parker Griffith ~~~ 36,750 ~~~~~~~~~~0
Robert Latta ~~~~ 39,250 ~~~~~~~~~~0
Joe Barton ~~~~~1,676,930 ~~~~~~~~27,350

SUBTOTALS ~~~ $2,893,907 ~~~~~~ $39,850
Center for Responsive Politics

Total Oil Industry Contributions to Democrats
DEMOCRATS INDUSTRY MONEY BP MONEY
Bart Stupak~~~~$ 83,850 $~~~~~~~~~~7,500
Bruce Braley ~~~~~~~0 ~~~~~~~~~~~~0
Edward Markey ~~~~ 88,991 ~~~~~~~~~~ 0
Diana DeGette ~~~~~16,200 ~~~~~~~~~~0
Mike Doyle ~~~~~~~100,812 ~~~~~~~~~~1,250
Jan Schakowsky ~~~~4,250 ~~~~~~~~~~~250
Mike Ross ~~~~~~~~222,050 ~~~~~~~~~2,000
Donna Christensen ~~~~4,100 ~~~~~~~~~~ 0
Peter Welch ~~~~~~~11,250 ~~~~~~~~~~0
Gene Green ~~~~~~~375,613 ~~~~~~~~8,000
Betty Sutton ~~~~~~10,000 ~~~~~~~~~~0
John Dingell ~~~~~~~423,091 ~~~~~~~~31,000
Henry Waxman ~~~~~31,600 ~~~~~~~~~~0
SUBTOTALS ~~~~~ $1,371,807 ~~~~~~ $50,000

Interesting... very interesting...

13 Democrats received 1,371,807 from Big Oil

While the 8 Republicans received 2,893,907

The biggest recipient was Joe Barton...


http://www.cnbc.com/id/37765419

[Cartesiantheater]

Lol now he's apologizing for apologizing!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100618/...BsYXdtYWtlcmE-

The Texas Republican, the House's top recipient of oil industry campaign contributions since 1990, apologized Thursday for apologizing to the chief of the British company that befouled the Gulf of Mexico with a massive oil spill.

Ahahahahhahahahaha~!!!!!!

[GamerGal]

Come on Pico, Reef, Jena, any defense for your party saying sorry for asking BP too you know, pay for the damages they caused. So far you blame Obama(Who didn't sign off on the platform, Bush did) and ignore Bush's deregulations that you called for because Big Corporation knows better then Big Government. Or you say "I didn't support it!" Then Cart and I post your quotes where you said, and again I quote "This so far is the only good decision he's made"

[Abyssal_Worm]

Republican damage control is in full swing...

http://preview.bloomberg.com/news/20...publicans.html

‘Wrong’

Less than six hours later, Boehner’s office released a statement by Barton in which he retracted his apology to BP and apologized “for using the term ‘shakedown.’” Boehner’s office also issued a separate statement from the Republican leader, Cantor and Representative Mike Pence, an Indiana Republican, calling Barton’s statements at the hearing “wrong.”

Barton’s statement said he regretted “the impact that my statement this morning implied that BP should not pay for the consequences of their decisions and actions in this incident.”

The comments by Barton, who was first elected to his Dallas-area House seat in 1984, inflamed Gulf Coast Republicans, who are outraged at BP for failing to plug the leaking well.

“I don’t think we need to be apologizing to British Petroleum,” said Florida Republican Senator George LeMieux.

Barton was talking out of his anus. He doesn't speak for the entire party, just himself and the constituents he represents.

[medicvet]

oh bullshit. He was very sure in what he was saying, and probably thought he sounded good saying it too. And I'm supposed to believe that he didn't mean it? He fucking said it TWICE AND WITH EMPHASIS. He knew EXACTLY what he was doing. And it's not the way the GOP think? Really? again, bullshit. If he wasn't sure of support he wouldn't have said it. At least the dems have the decency to close the drapes when they kiss ass, this guy did it to bp live and nationwide. I hope to god he is up in November and get rid of this schmuck.

[Max]

In this case, I consider the republicans much better than the democrats in handling it. The democrats are all but rubbing their fat hands together at the prospect of sacrificing and destroying a global corporation, just so they can bag a few good media shots.

The republicans seem more pragmatic, they recognise a need for short term clean up of this disaster, but also long term protection of american interests and jobs. Never thought id say it, but the republicans must be reelected, Obama is not a statesman, hes a disaster. Its time his false hope died and you blinded obamafans realised.

//Statement from a recovering Obama junkie who thought obama was the messiah.//

[calliope]

This is one of the main reasons for Barton's criticism of Obama:

BP also has extensive holdings in the United States. It merged with Amoco, the former Standard Oil of Indiana, in 1998, and about 40 percent of its shares are held by American investors. It owns a refinery in Texas City, Tex., that is one of the world’s largest, and a 50 percent interest in the Trans Alaska Pipeline, in addition to a huge gasoline marketing operation.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/11/bu...html?th&emc=th

[JenaS62]

Oh look! The repubs apparently do not blindly follow and think as a unit. Looks like Barton was FORCED to appologize by his own party. Quite frankly though, his seniority should be taken away anyway for being an oil company apologist and an idiot.

"Updated at 5:15 pm ET — Ryan Grim of Huffington Post reports that House Republican leaders told Rep. Joe Barton they would take away his seniority on the House Energy and Commerce Committee (a former chairman, he is now the top Republican on the panel) if he didn't apologize for his remarks and pronto."


http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/...his-bp-apology

[Mezurashi]

this more than any other event helps the previous criticisms that Generally Speaking the Republicans are a bunch of meat puppets for the Big Money.

even the apology for the apology forced upon 'one of their own' is a huge attempt to cover collective asses. it was not done out of true feeling of any sort, except maybe greed and the worries of public perception affecting campaign donations.

sad, it's also similar to how the British PM is asking the US to 'take it easy' on BP over this.

and as for sacrificing a global corporation - if Business is War then let it be WAR for fucks sakes. I don't recall there being 'time outs' in War. I don't recall there being 'mercy' in total war. and if Big Business fucks up ... CRUCIFY THEM. and don't sell me sob stories about workers and families and such - look at the way companies like BP have regularly stomped on 'the little people' throughout their sordid histories. look at the state of the environment. think of all the people who have already lost their Livelihoods (instead of just a day job).

defend the workers of BP? they Chose to work for Big Oil - it's like Choosing to work for Tobacco Corporations ... and if you can't live with the consequences of your choice, too fucking bad, schmedly.

the only disappointment I feel in Obama's performance is that he hasn't just up and Jailed the motherfuckers from BP - it's not as bad as they deserve but it's a start.

[JenaS62]

It's not just the repubs Mez. Its on both sides. Rahm Emanuel lived rent free in an apartment owned by someone from BP. Rent free. Rent free.

We are beyond hope. One is as bad as the other and for every one we get rid of, another takes their place. They are all sleeping with the enemy.

[Mezurashi]

It's not just the repubs Mez. Its on both sides. Rahm Emanuel lived rent free in an apartment owned by someone from BP. Rent free. Rent free.

We are beyond hope. One is as bad as the other and for every one we get rid of, another takes their place. They are all sleeping with the enemy.

the one who is not sleeping with the enemy is the one you hate the most.

the irony is laughable, if it wasn't so fucking tragic ...

[JenaS62]

the one who is not sleeping with the enemy is the one you hate the most.

the irony is laughable, if it wasn't so fucking tragic ...

Are you suggesting that Obama is not sleeping with the enemy? Seriously?

[GamerGal]

Are you suggesting that Obama is not sleeping with the enemy? Seriously?

Jena, in one topic you were PISSED at the GOP for a dog and pony show. Five minutes after a Republican comes out and says BP is God... You only attack Obama. Hmm, sleeping with the enemy? I didn't know Obama owned an oil company or worked for Halliburton. Or spent the past 8 years deregulating the industry. Or used Drill Baby Drill as his campaign slogan. Also, did Rahm come out and apologize for being so mean to BP? No? It's the GOP doing that? I'm glad you can totally ignore 8 years of Republican butt fucking with Big Oil and put all the blame on a guy who has barely been in office for 1.5 years.

[JenaS62]

Jena, in one topic you were PISSED at the GOP for a dog and pony show. Five minutes after a Republican comes out and says BP is God... You only attack Obama. Hmm, sleeping with the enemy? I didn't know Obama owned an oil company or worked for Halliburton. Or spent the past 8 years deregulating the industry. Or used Drill Baby Drill as his campaign slogan. Also, did Rahm come out and apologize for being so mean to BP? No? It's the GOP doing that? I'm glad you can totally ignore 8 years of Republican butt fucking with Big Oil and put all the blame on a guy who has barely been in office for 1.5 years.

Do you have a reading comprehension problem? I was pissed at congress (in general - both sides) for the dog and pony show. Also, I clearly said that Barton should lose his seniority regardless of his apology because he is an oil apologist and an idiot. And where have I placed ALL the blame on Obama? I blame Obama for the slow response - his failure to speak to BP until 59 days after the gusher started, for not lifting the Jones Act, for using 100% toxic dispersent instead of less toxic alternatives, etc etc... Obviously Obama did not cause the spill.

[Mezurashi]

Are you suggesting that Obama is not sleeping with the enemy? Seriously?

observe the level of diatribe aimed against him for his policies - even on AO there are people saying that Obama is overstepping his authority by his actions against BP (i.e. The Shakedown).

but I guess in Certain Perspectives he is just a Big Oil Shill, 20 billion doesn't mean shit in the grand scheme of things after all ...

really ...

[GamerGal]

Nice turn around! Still doesn't excuse your stance on Big Business is good now because GOP said so. Dog and Pony shows, only bad until the GOP says otherwise. Also, it was the REPUBLICANS like Bachmann and Jindal asking for Big Government and taking over private boats against the public's will. Thankfully Obama is a democrat and didn't listen too Jindal and Bachmann and other Republicans and didn't shoot civillians for not handing over boats.