Why would anyone want to be President of the United States

i give you the Honorable Joe Barton, Congressman from Texas (where else??).  He is ashamed that BP was "shaken down" yesterday for $20billion.

You can read about it here and there is a clip from ABC news embedded in it.

I've got a message for the congressman:  "If you think that this shakedown is something, just wait. Their fines are approaching $15 billion for the escaped oil alone.  When the businesses and municipalities along the Gulf get down with BP this shakedown will seem like a pat on the back".  ohhhh and by the way...you seem to be the epitomy of a creep.

Comments

  1. BP should pay any damages and incur any expense that they are found liable for in a court of law. They have to suffer the consquences if they were negligent in any aspect of this drilling operation.

    But as you so correctly noted on Althouse, that is a totally seperate and distinct issue from getting a handle on this leak and containing the damage.

    As Beth has outlined there are many concrete incremental things that can be done every day to ameliorate the situation.

    A dog and pony show doesnt' do anything to move the ball down the field.

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  2. You question is a very valid one. The problem with politics is that they only people who want to practice it are politicians.

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  3. Given that their liability is limited to 75 million Dollars, I cannot help but think, "shakedown" is the most accurate description for the 20 billion Dollar fund.

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  4. Given that their liability is limited to 75 million Dollars, I cannot help but think, "shakedown" is the most accurate description for the 20 billion Dollar fund.

    In that case I cannot help but think you might describe elections and other demands for accountability by the public as "shakedowns" as well.

    20 billion will probably be a drop in the proverbial bucket, so to speak. Given that we lack the technology to make the calamity from these things disappear after years, let alone "go away" immediately - to say nothing of not even stopping or containing the leak, the price of BP's damages are literally unquantifiable. If only you guys understood the concept of non-financial value...

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  5. I have nothing against elections, in fact I am for them. I am also for bad laws to be reformed via the normal legal process. What I don't understand is the point of having laws at all if it is just fine to ignore them whenever it is convenient.

    Are we a nation of laws or not?

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