GOP's Barton apologizes to BP, accuses Obama of 'shakedown'

mcclatchydc.com ^ | 6/17/10 | Erika Bolstad | McClatchy Newspapers

[Nachum]

WASHINGTON — A day after top BP officials met with President Barack Obama at the White House and agreed to set up a $20 billion compensation fund, Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas called the money a "shakedown" of the company and apologized for the president's action.

Barton, the ranking Republican on the House Energy and Commerce committee, told BP CEO Tony Hayward Thursday morning that he was sorry about what the president had done. The money is a "slush fund," Barton said, and "unprecedented in our nation's history."

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

[silverleaf]

BP did NOT make $60 billion in profit last year, FOX Business has thoroughly discussed the company and their profit was $16 billion.

Wow- lots of money yeah? Have you checked out their EPS?
They are borrowing $5 billion a year for this slush fund. Which without caps, checks or balances, will leak dollars faster than that well is leaking oil.

Obamas pay czar Feinberg, managing that fund and paying claims, is gonna be about as independent as some guy’s ex-wife’s father managing her unlimited alimony fund.

Take all of their profit and BP dies. They fold. They cannot stay in business. No one wants to invest. There is no money to put back into operations.

Like taking all the food from the golden goose and kicking it to keep laying golden eggs. But hey, after the goose dies you can roast it and have one final good meal. Then you live on govt cheese.

By the time congress and obama get done with BP they will be done. That is the conclusion of Cavuto. Obama has BP
paying unemployment checks to every drilling rig worker in the Gulf and they are unemployed because OBAMA SHUT THEM DOWN.

By 2012 or sooner you’ll get to pay for the damage.

The principle is that US Presidents do not demand slush funds in exchange for letting private conmpanies do business

[silverleaf]

You are deluded if you think they were only 2 options- obama force BP to pay, or BP pay nothing.

Barton’s alternative? The rule of law and due process. Shocking, yes.

[editor-surveyor]

Really, this is beginning to look like a pre-planned op between Obummer and BP.
.

[lonestar]

Obama is to US government

as

Hayward is to BP

[freekitty]

Wait until Obama’s followers find out they are only sacrifices to him.

[reaganaut1]

Barton is right.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

RE :”A day after top BP officials met with President Barack Obama at the White House and agreed to set up a $20 billion compensation fund, Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas called the money a “shakedown” of the company and apologized for the president's action.’

Now this is what I have been talking about. Obama apologizes to other countries for the US past actions, Republicans need to start apologizing to everyone for Obama’s actions. No better way to show up Obama but to turn his leftist techniques back on him and see the MSM try to report it. Next, apologize to minorities for Obama's high unemployment and promise to try harder to stop him.

Make no mistake about it: when Obama or Clinton apologize for the founding fathers of this nation, they boast that they are greater men than the framers.

And apologizing for Obama's actions is the only principled thing to do. His actions cast shame on his voters - and the democratic system he exploited to gain power.

[chessplayer]

Thanks for nothing, Barton. You`ve taken the heat off Capt. Kickass. The lib media talking points from now on will be,,,”REPUBLICANS APOLOGIZE TO BP!!!”

[SuziQ]

Barton was absolutely correct in his statement, and I for one applaud him for upholding the American principle of due process.

I agree completely!

[The Sons of Liberty]

Believe me as a taxpayer I do not want to pay the claims that are piling up due to BP's negligence and greed. But allowing 0bamao to "shake down" BP for $20B will mean that he will feel free to do the same to anyone he pleases, justified or not. This is a nation of laws. If $75M was too small, and it definitely is, the limit should have been increased.

Now 0bamao comes along and decrees $20B. That is an action of a dictator. Some might say benevolent dictator, but no matter how benevolent or how justified the action, I will not abide a dictator.

[Impy]

I love it.

[Bitsy]

Rush is describing the “organized crime and corruption” that is this Administration (Regime) and the thugs in this Congress.

I watched “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” this week-end. The parallel to what is happening now it our government is eerie. Wake up America!