By now you have all seen the video of Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) apologize to BP for the “shakedown” at the White House. He has now issued an apology for his apology.
“I apologize for using the term ‘shakedown’ with regard to yesterday’s actions at the White House in my opening statement this morning, and I retract my apology to BP,” Barton said. “As I told my colleagues yesterday and said again this morning, BP should bear the full financial responsibility for the accident on their lease in the Gulf of Mexico. BP should fully compensate those families and businesses that have been hurt by this accident.”Ugh, what a hot mess! Calling the $20 billion escrow account a shakedown was correct. The White House does not have the authority to demand such a thing. What it did do was to make it known to BP that government would abuse its power if BP did not comply. This is no different from the Bush administration demanding banks participate in TARP. However, Barton totally botched up making this point by apologizing to BP! BP deserves no apologies. They have not been honest brokers throughout the entire Deep Water Horizon spill. Heck, they just admitted that they did not follow federal law regarding blowout preventers! BP pretty much earned the shakedown they got. Barton only had to call out that a shakedown took place.
As some of my long time readers know, I cannot stand all these meaningless political apologies. Say what you mean and mean what you say. If Barton believes that BP is owed an apology, and then he should give it them but for crying out loud, be man enough to deal with the consequences. But issuing an apology for an apology is beyond wuzzy!
Speaking of wuzzies, the Republican leadership could not be bigger members of the Pussies R Us Club. They scrambled away from Barton’s apology to BP so fast they forgot to actually speak out about the shakedown. Never mind that the very first thing Barton says is that he is speaking for himself and not for all Republicans. Maybe it is time for Chris Christie to visit DC Republicans for a pep talk.
Via: Memeorandum
Via: Politico
Via: NOLA
Via: The Last Tradition
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7 comments:
Hear, hear! You're right, it was a shakedown, and I am appalled at Boehner and gang for not standing with Barton to point out this truth.
Makes me wonder what their own goals are for when they get power. It's certainly not to stand for America, free market capitalism, or private industry. This admin had NO right to do this, BP was stupid to go along with it (they're finished, this won't help and will only hurt), and Barton is a jerk for apologizing for speaking the truth. This wasn't a Joe Wilson, "you lie!" moment that might be seen as rude or said in the wrong place (but still true), this was a man taking a stand against the state taking over private industry under ANY circumstances. Something we should ALL be standing against, including--especially!--GOP leadership.
Grrr. This one really makes me mad, and seeing Eric Cantor's signature on a statement issued by Boehner condemning Barton really surprised me for some reason. I thought he got it. Where are the people who will NOT bow to political pressure or heat of the moment opinion polls driven by people getting lies and BS from BO and his traitorous horde? Oh, there's only one, and he's in NJ. Clifton, you're going to have to give Christie up soon, he may be America's last and only chance to survive. ;)
yes, he succumbed to the extortion of the republican wusses - who sell-out to pc rather than explain the parameters of the issues and argue (in the "classic" sense) for the conservative contention
appears that too many main stream republicans are no better than "club house" political lackeys and hacks - not utopian power mongers like the left - but nonetheless too ready to go-along/get-along/sometimes-weasel for their own cushy place at the trough
Agree - the Republicans need some lessons on showing they have a backbone from Gov. Christie.
Barton made it clear he was only speaking for himself. That should have been the end of it.
Signed,
SB Smith
TX
Although Barton could have chosen his words more carefully, he was right to say that it was a shakedown. It was ridiculous for Barton to have been forced to apologize. He should have refused to do it and made a stand. Is everybody in D.C. completely gutless?
I think the term I would have used was a Kangaroo court. the people who should have been there were the senior executives from MMS, answer why they failed to follow up on the 700+ safety violation, then they should get everyone that failed to do something about the spill when it occurred, it's not like this is the first spill in the gulf, Google Mexico, gulf oil spill, one of the choice should be the spill from 1979, went on for 10 months, put 15 inches deep oil sludge on some beaches in Texas, so it's like the spill is a precedent, the only difference is the depth, 1979 was in 160 feet of water.
"Maybe it is time for Chris Christie to visit DC Republicans for a pep talk." I like it! Or how about a pep slap? Wake up Republicans! Elections are in November. 2012 is only 2 years away. Wake up!
Maybe in his spare time, Christie could tour the country giving motivational speeches to Republicans? :)
Whatever! It's a shakedown and the American People know it. More money will flow into Bambi's coffers than will flow into the business loss coffers in the Gulf. Does no one in Washington, DC have a spine or did they all sell their souls years ago?
McCain? Any comments? After all your people called me last week for a donation as "He is the Voice of America". Get real
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