Some Republicans dont want BP to pay for clean-up

[AlyssaWest]

This just in :

"some conservatives who've complained that President Barack Obama isn't doing enough about the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico now say he's gone too far. They're criticizing the $20 billion fund Obama just squeezed out of BP.


The top Republican on the House panel that summoned BP CEO Tony Hayward to testify today opened the hearing by apologizing to him. Rep. Joe Barton of Texas said he was "ashamed" of what happened at the White House Wednesday and called it a "tragedy of the first proportion" that a private company would be subjected to a "$20 billion shakedown" that's really a government "slush fund." Barton said it was unprecedented and illegal."



Okay, so then should we the tax payer have to pay for this mess......What are your thoughts....I'm all for free enterprise and business too, but republicans complaining that BP shouldnt pay to clean up the mess it created , its CRAZY!

[aka]

How the hell is BP going to contibute to their campaign coffers and pay off the regulators if they spend all their cash and forward profits on pesky little problems like environmental clean up which can instead be passed on to the public? You've got to look beyond the inconvenient facts and get the big picture, Alyssa!

[spindrifter]

Holy crap don't get me started...

[Iaintliein]

Absolutely right, no need for due process or laws when we have the Big O! Just do it the way the other banana republic dictators do it! Extort as much as you can and appoint one of your lackeys to take care of the money. In other words, no one is saying BP shouldn't pay, only that there are proper ways to do it, and this isn't one of them.

Meanwhile BP (who contributed more to O's campaign than anyone else's and who was one of the first cheer leaders for Cap n Trade) have, in effect, limited their liability to $20B, which is pocket change for them and won't come close to paying for the clean up (not that any of it will actually go towards the clean up, except to over payed union "bird cleaners.")

Rant over, you can now return to your normally scheduled humor and debauchery.

Regards,

[LazurusLong]

I'm sorry but this is a Discussion forum about the hobby.

NOT a political discussion forum.

There is a forum for uneducated opinions and generalizations somewhere else on this board.

[aka]

I would suppose this guy is eminently qualified?

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...TY5UwD9GH59L00

[Truckertom]

It's not that BP is being made to pay for the clean up, it's that none of the money BP forks over will be used for the clean up. Just like the road tax isn't used for fixing the roads.

[bigbobftworth]

Its the fact that the government will be handling the claims and dispursing the 20 Billion Dollars. The governement cannot run the post office which had a monopoly for many years. The governement cant control its own spending. The government cant keep out illegal aliens from crossing the border, its amazing we won world war II.

I am a very conservative Republican. But the BP Oil Spill is a terrible tragedy that will haunt us for years to come. I cant stand big business hurting people and especially animals. The 20 Billion will not be enough for this terrible accident. But any group other than the government should be responsible for handling the claims and the money.

Now back to our original programming, getting laid by sexy women for as little money as possible.

[Randy4Candy]

Haven't you all heard? Those without a big ol' pile of money are just fodder and pawns. Speaking of banana republics, let's cut to the chase and get back to indentured servitude. When our entire economy resembles that of the Appalachian mining industry, all will be just peachy.

[DFK Hunter]

Article [V.] of the Constitution Of The United States Of America (Maybe you've heard of it?)

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

But why should the President be limited by the Constitution, it's all for a good cause, right?

Until he, or one of his successors comes for YOU.

The laws that limit the powers of the Government are there to protect us from the excess of said Government. Throughout history, Governments have had a bad habit of killing more of their own people than invaders. The Founders knew this and intentionally limited its powers to due process.

No one is saying that BP shouldn't pay (except like dishonest pundits who like to mislead), what is being said is that there is a process that should be followed, and that process is NOT the President of The United States making a decree, or shaking down the CEO of a private company (Barton is a wus).

Just because your guy now is so honest, forthright, and transparent that you'd trust him with the family jewels doesn't mean that the precedents he sets won't be abused by successors (More than likely they will, and lovingly in our collective best interests of course, just ask Tricky Dick).

“What is law? Two lines of writing above my signature.”
–President Saddam Hussein

You really wanna go there?

Get a grip, people. Money is being spent right now by the bucket loads, there is a process, let it work, lest it be allowed to work us all over.

[jrewing]

fuck the republicans, they screwed things up for 8 long years, give the democrats a chance, and yes i voted for Mr. Obama

[snowking2010]

I knew I liked you JR.

Alyssa, I think you make a good point, but others do too and im not taking sides on a political discussion on this board, it would be a no win thing, no matter which view you had. I think its better to stick to the hobby on here. If others want to discuss politics, have at it. I do like the way JR described things though, way to go JR.

[Int3rested]

Politics is a hobby...+1 JR

[LazurusLong]

Let's think back to those FEMA cash cards that they were handing out to all those needy Katrina folks and then look at the SAME federal government being in charge of this fund.

If you don't shudder, you should.

[aka]

Do you think the high dollar lawyers that represent BP overlooked the constitution, their own rights and due process? What makes any educated person think that they could represent BP any better than those that they pay and pay off?

In no way could BP have survived this without a settlement.

The feds had to cut a deal because the problem was caused in a large part due to a lack of oversight. Just like the housing crisis. That's what happens when you hand over the reigns to Big Business and hope that they regulate themselves.

You've got to decide whether the feds should have strong regulatory agencies (yeah Big Government) and whether should be allowed to play footsie with the industry. Or you've just got to let them handover taxpayer money every time Big Business screws up... and you can bet it'll be often when it's your money they get to play with not their shareholders'.