Thursday, June 17, 2010

The White House SHAKEDOWN on BP?

"LAWMAKER'S APOLOGY TO BP" That's Yahoo's title for this video:

Yahoo makes it sound like Barton's saying he's sorry to BP as if they did nothing wrong...maybe Yahoo didn't actually listen to him? I admire Rep. Barton. He says the White House HAS done a 'shakedown' on BP. He acknowledges that BP has done a terrible thing .... We all know that what happened is absolutely HORRIBLE for the coastline and for the folks who work and live on that coastline.
Please watch the video and tell me if the article characterizes Barton's words correctly, with no bias? And, is Rep Barton SO WRONG in suggesting the way the White House handled BP was a 'shakedown'? The thuggish language, the threats of $20 billion not being enough.....'and we'll come after you if it isn't' .......... Do you think the White House handled this professionally and with integrity or do you, too, feel dirty by association? It was a shakedown, in my opinion. I hate what happened, but the people aren't begging for retribution, the people on the coast are begging for oil drilling to continue; is this the best way the White House could have used for keeping relations at least doable between BP and those who will have to deal with BP on a daily basis when the immediate crisis is over?
I know...someone will comment that I must be HAPPY about the oil spill, I'm a Conservative after all, and who cares about the environment when big business must be saved!? That's the idiocy some will suggest.
But, my point is to focus on Barton's words........and if you think the article conveys what he said. And, if you agree that it does sound like a shakedown.
z

31 comments:

Ducky's here said...

Sure just admit BP has done terrible damage and that takes care of it. This guy has a long history as a big oil pimp.

"Offshore drilling and production platforms are so technologically advanced that one platform on the surface of the water can handle production from several different wells several miles apart, house a myriad of technologically advanced computer systems, employ scores of personnel, generate electricity, enable people to face and conquer the adversities of living in the middle of the ocean, and do so 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; all without so much as losing a gum wrapper over the side of the platform. It is truly amazing," Barton said, at an opening for a Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality hearing on April 29, 2004.


Yeah, pretty amazing. But you have to play power politics or BP is just going to tie this up in court like Exxon did the Valdez spill.

Law and Order Teacher said...

Z,
The admin will allow no emergency to pass without the appropriate big government solution to "remedy" it. Thank God we haven't had a terrorist attack, right? Sheesh.

Z said...

Once in 50 years there's a terrible oil spill in the Gulf ...that is pretty amazing...Barton was right. Thanks for doing the research.
There was one about 30 yrs ago but it cleaned up fast and well and wasn't not as bad as this one.
Good try, Ducky.

Z said...

Yes, L&0..thank God on MANY levels :-)
I hope your work lead's lightened up!

Ducky's here said...

It cleaned up fast? What are you smoking?

The spill didn't stop until a relief well was drilled. Since it was shallower waters the time was shorter but hardly fast. Interesting that at much higher pressures your precious oil companies haven't progressed beyond the relief well remedy.

(((Thought Criminal))) said...

Dictatorial talk from our amateur President and certain Congressional circles about crafting and enacting punitive legislation and applying it to BP retroactively (as ex post facto laws) adequately serves as an example of why leftism is incompatible with America's constitutional form of government.

The fact of the matter is there is no governing mechanism or legal authority currently on the books for the Obamateur administration's demand of $20 Billion and "perhaps more later" from BP, and punitive laws can not be applied retro-actively in any nation that purports to be a free nation. Imagine if the government made illegal something you were doing yesterday that was perfectly within the law then prosecuted you for violating this law before it existed? That is the effect Obama's emboldened "we're going to make BP pay" proposals will have, and any competent judge will strike down this retroactive measure to assign culpability to BP alone as their lawyers leave the courtroom laughing as a tape loop of Obama speechifying that the Deepwater Horizon rig is an "industry model of safety" runs in the background.

As Joe Biden once remarked, "the Presidency is no place for on-the-job training." Obama's "I'm the President looking for asses to kick" illegal dictator schtick will serve only to tie up legal mechanisms to collect financial damages in litigation for years and does absolutely nothing whatsoever to address the problem of the oil leaking itself.

No President has ever epic failed at the rule of law like our amateur "Constitutional scholar" Staple Gun Loader In Chief.

America now sees how absolutely dipshit goofy a leftist government over them would be. One hopes this lesson is remembered at the ballot box for centuries to come.

Obama should be praised by conservatives and libertarians alike for serving as poster boy for everything wrong with the idea of giving leftists any power.

Z said...

Ducky, the spill wasn't nearly this bad ...I only mentioned it because it's the only leak in fifty years.
Thank goodness for 'my' precious oil companies, huh? Only someone like you would damn everything because there's a problem.
Let's see what caused it/ I'm eager to hear.

Z said...

Beamish, thanks... a cool breeze in the heat of baseless, unAmerican harangues and conceit.

Anonymous said...

I don't watch 60 Minutes much anymore, but they did an interview with one of the surviving crew members of the Deepwater Horizon. It makes the grandstanding gasbags in Washington blustering for the cameras appear to be lying frauds since people in their position have to have known THIS:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLJHTTOSkpg&feature=related

Waylon

Anonymous said...

As for "never letting a crisis go to waste" in order to advance your agenda, that idea is showing its ugly face again as the smirking and giggling slobber fest between Charlie Rose and Rahm Emanuel made perfectly clear recently. They both seem to have a clear idea of "the agenda".

Not sure what it would take to get the last leftist prancing in line behind Obama, likely something close creating a GAZPROM of the USSA and expropriating the last filthy capitalist oil company.

Waylon

tODD said...

Barton said: "I apologize. I do not want to live in a country where any time a citizen or a corporation does something that is legitimately wrong, is subject to some sort of political pressure that is, again, in my words — amounts to a shakedown, so I apologize."

Gee, I can see why you'd be so upset that Yahoo! news characterized it as an "apology". I am employing sarcasm.

Ducky's here said...

Well you have due process issues here even if this is a rape and pillage oil company and that is troubling.

So does BP tie this up and make a mockery of process itself or does BP make a show that it may well challenge in court when the heat's off a bit.

One thing is certain, after coming out for "drill baby drill" three months ago and then having this hit, Obama is doing this for political expediency.

Don't know which is more cynical, him or the "well, we'll just clean it up" crowd.

Z said...

Waylon, there are a lot of Americans who don't even recognize dignity if it bit them.. The guy said the right thing, it's has been a shakedown and it's a shame that we have to go there.
This nightmare is bad enough without having to use the kind of thug rhetoric Obama's using.

By the way, Henry Waxman just asked the BP CEO for the names of those from BP who were involved in the mgmt of the riggs. Maybe Obama will cut their pay or fire them? Wait for it.
If that isn't a shakedown, I don't know what is. "Please supply us with those names of management people who were responsible.."
See, no company can do handle their own inside problems without the Democrats from America...... :-)

Z said...

Ducky, you simply can't be that obtuse. NOBODY here has suggested BP "just cleans it up". Did you even listen to Barton?
But, you sure do go for the simpleton slams to build your viewpoint up....every single time.

Anonymous said...

I always thought that "escrow" meant funds to be set aside in a trust account to be administered by a "third party". Is an appointee and supporter of Obama a third party at arms length from either party?

Keep your eye on those funds they'll mostly be grabbed by the thief in charge of the heist, IMO. I think "shakedown" is too polite a term for what is going on there.

Waylon

Anonymous said...

I recently watched a video which I didn't bother to bookmark which discussed attacks on infrastructure via the internet since most infrastructure is computer controlled. It showed how computer commands could cause the controlled machine to malfunction to actually over heat and destroy itself.

What Michale Williams describes in the 60 Minutes link in the minutes around what happened on the Deepwater Horizon, sounded exactly like this description of another machine under attack in the other video.

Obama's use of military metaphors recently might indicate that "siege" might be more apt and who would know better than the Messiah, himself?

Waylon

Z said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Z said...

Waylon, I think so, too, but in America you can't say anything that condemns THE ONE.......his people know anybody who even SLIGHTLY suggests that BP is being pushed around will be condemned as if they're on BP's SIDE or don't care about this disaster!! This is why I was so touched by those who live there and said they so don't want the drilling to stop...(see my link in my post). Don't forget: you can't criticize back at Obama because he's black...if you're against gay marriage, that means you hate gays...if you don't think the gov't should fund abortions, you're against the right of a woman to her own body....if you think illegals shouldn't be allowed in the country, you hate Mexicans. And, if you dare call what Obama's doing to BP a 'shakedown' (even after reading the full content of Barton's comments), you're WITH BIG OIL!!!!!
They're counting on those ridiculous assumptions and, so far, they've worked pretty well.

Say SHAKEDOWN and the whole world comes down on you with strawmen. Even that idiot Boehner pounced on Barton...God forbid they lose a vote because some Republican spoke up and named it for what it is.
Waxman asking for NAMES OF EMPLOYEES isn't SHAKEDOWN?
Poor England...first Obama sends that bust of Churchill back in his first few weeks in office, then the Obamas didn't understand protocol with the queen, then Obama kept Brown waiting while he had dinner and insulted him, to boot.
Poor America...how humiliating.

Ducky's here said...

When I say the "just clean it up crew" z, I mean people like yourself and Pris who imply that it's a simple matter and don't take into account the potential damage.

I see it as an attitude which trivializes the potential damage. I also have no doubt that you would support having BP indemnified for anything over the current ridiculously low cap.

Z said...

I don't see this as a simple matter. I see it as heinous. And I see that we'll get through it.

Anonymous said...

"But you have to play power politics or BP is just going to tie this up in court like Exxon did the Valdez spill."

Thanks Ducky for providing a set-up for my remarks.

The first stimulus bill had to be done. We were suffering a "crisis". Hence a slush fund of 750 billion dollars. Payback for big donors like unions. This had to be daone ASAP.

Our financial institutions were too big to fail, A "crisis", so trot out CEOs for a Kangaroo court proceeding for public humiliation, and act fast in spreading our wealth, because they were too big to fail and we had to act ASAP.

The first stimulus worked so well we needed another stimulus to stem the unemployment crisis called the Jobs Bill, we needed that ASAP.

The Healthcare bill was in response to a "crisis" in healthcare in the country, irresponsible butchering doctors, hospitals and greedy insurance cos.
This will require trillions of dollars of new debt. Bribery, threats and quid pro quos. This had to be done ASAP.

The auto industry was also too big to fail. Trot out the CEOs for a kangaroo court, and public humiliation, "loan" them billions, for this crisis, and they needed that ASAP.

New financial rules were needed, it was a crisis, to "protect" us from incompetent greedy CEOs, bankers and greedy stockholders, it too was a crisis, and we had to act ASAP.

Now, an oil crisis. Trot out the BP CEOs and executives in a kangaroo court, public humiliation,
shake them down for twenty billion dollars for a new slush fund. Stop all drilling in the gulf. This had to be done ASAP.

But the clean up? Hell, that can wait. There's no money in that is there. There's no power grab in that. The crisis is what's important, and it has to be bled dry. Cap and Trade has to be done ASAP.

And now another stimulus is pending. Unemployment is the crisis, and while the stimuli hasn't worked, we need it ASAP.

That's the MO folks. Over, and over and over again. I know you all know it. Even Ducky knows it. So Ducky? Put a cork in it.

Pris

Anonymous said...

Z, I do agree that it's no simple matter to sort out. One can be called a racist or homophobe just for disagreeing with somebody advancing a political agenda using those groups as cover. Sometimes one may just have to say 'damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead'. That's what political correctness has bred, timid individuals always weighing the feelings of some enshrined group against outright opposing the ideas of those seeking to silence opposing views.

Waylon

JINGOIST said...

Joe Barton was ABSOLUTELY right! This was an old-fashioned shakedown and he called it like we all saw it. He should NEVER have apologized, even if the powers that be in the GOP brought pressure. When you tell the truth, stand proud and tell your critics "#@$k you!"

This is the latest in the long line of terrible abuses of executive power that we've witnessed from these gangsters occupyin our White House in the last 20 months.

I'm ASHAMED and embarrassed by the behavior of the American government in the last 22 months. And I'm scared too. They're behaving like 3rd world fascists

JINGOIST said...

Just to clarify. When I said that Joe Barton "should never have apologized", I meant that he shouldn't have apologized for his original apology to the CEO of BP. He retracted his original apology to the CEO under pressure.

No doubt he's every bit as disgusted by the antics of the fascist ghetto commie as many of us have been for a long time.

ExPreacherMan said...

It is a SHAKEDOWN, Chicago style. The Mafia would be proud.

Obama and friend's tactics will bankrupt BP and taxpayers will be left holding the tab. Another CRISIS.

Just picture -- Lefties who want oil removed from the planet will probably resort to bacon grease for axle lubricant (probably won't work because the Jihadis would object), Olive oil for the engine and a windmill on top of the car to generate the power.'-)
Cretinism knows no bounds.

JINGOIST said...

I like the way you put things ex-preach. LOL!

elmers brother said...

the oil companies can't take a piss without some government oversight...they signed off on all the safety features...the government is just as much to blame.

(((Thought Criminal))) said...

Ducky,

When I say the "just clean it up crew" z, I mean people like yourself and Pris who imply that it's a simple matter and don't take into account the potential damage.

While ordinarily I'm for tort reform, I believe those responsible for this oil disaster should be held accountable to the hilt with no damage cap in sight.

But the lawsuits must target those directly responsible for the oil disaster.

First I would look at the off-shore drilling environmental restrictions that forced BP to go so far out into the Gulf of Mexico to deep points beyond our current level of technology to access and quickly contain in the event of a disastrous leak, and see which members of Congress sponsored voted for these legislative restrictions. Those politicians and registered voters of their political parties living in their districts and states at the time the restrictions were passed would be the first culprits to sue into poverty. Particular attention should be paid to voters that contributed money to the campaigns of politicians that enacted these restrictions. Their "gamble" didn't pay off, so sorry.

Then environmentalist organizations that lobbied and pushed for these restrictions should be sued into bankruptcy.

Follow that with lawsuits against the administration that permitted the Deepwater Horizon to begin drilling in the Gulf of Mexico in September of 2009. That would be the Obamateur administration.

When we've totally sued the hell out of those responsible for forcing BP to drill in the depths of the Gulf of Mexico instead of safer areas, we should probably look at suing the representatives of the unionized operators responsible for the maintenance and safety of the rig itself.

By the time we've collected all that money, it would likely be overkill to victimize BP with a frivolous lawsuit for acting entirely within the law.

Z said...

GREAT comments, I'm glad most of you agree with me because the media isn't, and the GOP doesn't.....
it IS a SHAKEDOWN.
BP MUST PAY FOR WHAT IT HAS DONE, but we don't use the kind of thuggery in this country which the WH has been using.

We can't say ($#&(@ because the Left comes in with the attacks...."Shakedown"...don't you think BP owes us?
OF COURSE!!

No gov't paid abortion? =YOU DON"T CARE ABOUT A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO HER BODY?

no gov't pd free lunches? - Don't you think kids should EAT?

you're not for gay marriage? -you hate GAYS?

No cap and Trade- You don't care about the ENVIRONMENT?

CLOSE the borders- You hate Mexicans?

Waylon..that was for you :-) That's what political correctness has bred. And I'm right, aren't I.
They've set us up..the left set us up with those ridiculous conclusions from our protestations (above) and our kids actually believe that crap.
ugh.

elmers brother said...

you're right Z.

Craig and Heather said...

CLOSE the borders- You hate Mexicans?

I know it's totally off topic, but I spent some time last weekend discussing this with my husband's grandma who recently moved up from Tucson.

I feel really awful for the people who still live down there. Practically speaking, we've been invaded and the area's steadily becoming a war zone.

H