He's on the Payroll....

What a fukwit! I knew this was coming.

Wow... just wow.

I hate Republicans for this kind of mentality. When Obama is thoughtfully standoffish and waiting for a response from BP, they're all "COME ONE DO SOMETHING!!!" and when he finally puts his foot down "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT FOR?!?!"

This is the textbook example of the word "fool"

Only in America can a Congressman, who takes in the most amount of political contributions from the industry he regulates and whose state borders the largest man-made catastrophes in US history, apologize to the company that created the largest man-made catastrophe in US history for "a shakedown."

Fuck you, you gerrymandered tick. It's the fault of enablers like you that this happened.

I am genuinely disgusted by this man, if you can call him that. I did some simple Googling, and I found this list of funds that he's received from lobbyists:

Oil & Gas $1,448,380
Electric Utilities $1,361,985
Health Professionals $1,102,804
Pharmaceuticals/Health Products $797,738
Lawyers/Law Firms $556,415
TV/Movies/Music $503,349
Automotive $330,350
Chemical & Related Manufacturing $323,940
Lobbyists $323,000
Telephone Utilities $300,420
Insurance $282,199
Misc Manufacturing & Distributing $259,490
Real Estate $240,450
Retail Sales $237,130
Hospitals/Nursing Homes $227,384
Retired $227,272
Securities & Investment $224,208
Defense Aerospace $220,550
Commercial Banks $214,810
Computers/Internet $204,474

Also, from Wikipedia:

"During his political career, the industries that have been Barton's largest contributors were oil and gas ($1.4 million donated), electric utilities ($1.3 million) and health professionals ($1.1 million)[33] He is ranked first among members of the House of Representatives for the most contributions received from the oil and gas industry, and number five among all members of Congress. His largest corporate contributor, Anadarko Petroleum, owns a 25 percent share in the Macondo Prospect, the site of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.[34]"

So let me get this straight, yall think the ends justify the means. In that, the president, who is not the justice system, can demand sums of money with out due process of law? While no doubt this person stinks of oil money, it does, indeed set very crazy precedent. I could see an argument for this, being that he is our chief diplomat, he has sole rights to negotiate on our/congress's behalf. Are you saying that corporations should be treated as foreign nations? Would it of not been more customary for a class action law suit do something like this?

In short, I agree with this dirty politicians sentiment. If we let the ends of such things justify the means, we get an even more crazy version of the Patriot Act. I am not trying to be contrary, and I fully support that BP be "made liable" to the fullest extant that is possible (no amount of liability will fix my broken coast line). But this seems more like a political move that frightens me than a move that makes me happy. I would of loved to see it come from the courts or from the legislature. Giving the president even MORE power after the HUGE expanses of power he has already taken over the past 30 years is enough to make me get my tin foil hat.

Congress passed a law in the early 90s giving the President the authority to do what he has, with respect to oil companies in this situation. I can't remember the name of that legislation, but what Obama did is perfectly legal.

Edit: It was the Oil Pollution Act, passed in 1990.
http://www.epa.gov/oem/content/lawsregs/opaover.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_Pollution_Act_of_1990

>> ^longde:

Congress passed a law in the early 90s giving the President the authority to do what he has, with respect to oil companies in this situation. I can't remember the name of that legislation, but what Obama did is perfectly legal.


Dunno about that, it seems to fall squarely on the shoulders of the MMS regulatory body, and then the courts...but I could be completely mistaken. linky.

It seems the MMS actually encourages people to get deep sea leases (all deep water is owned by the federal government). The MMS and the federal government get huge sums of money from these leases. This seems like an institutional failure in addition to all the other aspects. The MMS encouraged leases of offshore drilling. It now accounts for over a quarter of all domestic natural gas and crude oil. At this point, saying "lets shut it all down" would basically destroy us.

Interesting side note, the department of energy was founded in 1977 by Carter to try and purse an end to reliance of foreign oil. However, MMS falls under the department of the interior, not energy. Which is doubly insulting in their dubious leasing habits, as the DPI chief concern is the conservation of natural icons of the US. The fact that they get money, and encourage risky practices and glide over regulation points them out to be a blaring failure of a regulation body.

The legislation you are talking about is the President's role in moratorium. He has the ability to susped activities and such. He does not have direct arbiter, nor enforcer of penalties. Both he and congress have an annual moratoria responsibility. States also hold a veto power to a certain extent over the activities of off shore drilling. No where does there seem to be a piece of legislation that says the president can do what he has done. And as such, there is also no way in which to appeal to a different power, there simply isn't a system setup to handle this action.

The president has taken an unprecedented action at present (zing!)

(o and by the by, I could be completely wrong about this and the president may have some obscure power to do it, and while that is "good" in a certain way, it also seems bad to me to have the president involved with affairs that should be left to the courts...that is why we have them! We may trust this president with that power, but what happens when our "Nero" comes to power?)

Pretty cool relevant link: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/environment/jan-june10/oil2_06-14.html

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/js/pap/embed.js?news01n408dqee7"></script>

>> ^GeeSussFreeK:
>> ^longde:
Congress passed a law in the early 90s giving the President the authority to do what he has, with respect to oil companies in this situation. I can't remember the name of that legislation, but what Obama did is perfectly legal.

Dunno about that, it seems to fall squarely on the shoulders of the MMS regulatory body, and then the courts...but I could be completely mistaken. linky.
It seems the MMS actually encourages people to get deep sea leases (all deep water is owned by the federal government). The MMS and the federal government get huge sums of money from these leases. This seems like an institutional failure in addition to all the other aspects. The MMS encouraged leases of offshore drilling. It now accounts for over a quarter of all domestic natural gas and crude oil. At this point, saying "lets shut it all down" would basically destroy us.
Interesting side note, the department of energy was founded in 1977 by Carter to try and purse an end to reliance of foreign oil. However, MMS falls under the department of the interior, not energy. Which is doubly insulting in their dubious leasing habits, as the DPI chief concern is the conservation of natural icons of the US. The fact that they get money, and encourage risky practices and glide over regulation points them out to be a blaring failure of a regulation body.
The legislation you are talking about is the President's role in moratorium. He has the ability to susped activities and such. He does not have direct arbiter, nor enforcer of penalties. Both he and congress have an annual moratoria responsibility. States also hold a veto power to a certain extent over the activities of off shore drilling. No where does there seem to be a piece of legislation that says the president can do what he has done. And as such, there is also no way in which to appeal to a different power, there simply isn't a system setup to handle this action.
The president has taken an unprecedented action at present (zing!)
(o and by the by, I could be completely wrong about this and the president may have some obscure power to do it, and while that is "good" in a certain way, it also seems bad to me to have the president involved with affairs that should be left to the courts...that is why we have them! We may trust this president with that power, but what happens when our "Nero" comes to power?)

Ah yes--The Oil Pollution Act-- that's it.

here is some of the transcript from the above link:

Steve Yerrid is a trial lawyer who was appointed as a special counselor to the state of Florida last week by Governor Charlie Crist. He will advise the governor about legal issues related to the spill. And Daniel Farber is director of the environmental law program at the University of California, Berkeley's Law School.

Steve Yerrid, let me start with you. Can the government, under current law, compel BP to start an escrow fund?

STEVE YERRID, special counsel, State of Florida: Well, Ray, we're clearly on new land right now, a frontier that was created after the Valdez oil spell -- spill -- excuse me.

And what I think they're going to do is premise it upon the -- the responsible party connotation and the Oil Pollution Act, which was packed -- passed in 1990, which makes a responsible party liable for all the damages and the cleanup.

What they want to do now is front-end that and put it in a trust fund to get away from BP looking like an oversight entity and put it on the government, a government we can trust a lot better than we can trust an oil company..................

>> ^GeeSussFreeK:
>> ^longde:
Congress passed a law in the early 90s giving the President the authority to do what he has, with respect to oil companies in this situation. I can't remember the name of that legislation, but what Obama did is perfectly legal.

Dunno about that, it seems to fall squarely on the shoulders of the MMS regulatory body, and then the courts...but I could be completely mistaken. linky.
It seems the MMS actually encourages people to get deep sea leases (all deep water is owned by the federal government). The MMS and the federal government get huge sums of money from these leases. This seems like an institutional failure in addition to all the other aspects. The MMS encouraged leases of offshore drilling. It now accounts for over a quarter of all domestic natural gas and crude oil. At this point, saying "lets shut it all down" would basically destroy us.
Interesting side note, the department of energy was founded in 1977 by Carter to try and purse an end to reliance of foreign oil. However, MMS falls under the department of the interior, not energy. Which is doubly insulting in their dubious leasing habits, as the DPI chief concern is the conservation of natural icons of the US. The fact that they get money, and encourage risky practices and glide over regulation points them out to be a blaring failure of a regulation body.
The legislation you are talking about is the President's role in moratorium. He has the ability to susped activities and such. He does not have direct arbiter, nor enforcer of penalties. Both he and congress have an annual moratoria responsibility. States also hold a veto power to a certain extent over the activities of off shore drilling. No where does there seem to be a piece of legislation that says the president can do what he has done. And as such, there is also no way in which to appeal to a different power, there simply isn't a system setup to handle this action.
The president has taken an unprecedented action at present (zing!)
(o and by the by, I could be completely wrong about this and the president may have some obscure power to do it, and while that is "good" in a certain way, it also seems bad to me to have the president involved with affairs that should be left to the courts...that is why we have them! We may trust this president with that power, but what happens when our "Nero" comes to power?)

I'm confused, didn't BP "agree" to create the escrow fund? I wasn't under the impression that there was any legal compulsion involved.

*news

Adding video to channels (News) - requested by NetRunner.

>> ^NetRunner:

I'm confused, didn't BP "agree" to create the escrow fund? I wasn't under the impression that there was any legal compulsion involved.


I'm going to make you an offer you can't refuse ....

>> ^maestro156:

>> ^NetRunner:
I'm confused, didn't BP "agree" to create the escrow fund? I wasn't under the impression that there was any legal compulsion involved.

I'm going to make you an offer you can't refuse ....


Riiiight. "Put $20 billion in escrow, or we'll nuke you from orbit."

If that's what he did, he should be bragging about it a lot more.

The President does not may not have the power to force BP to pay anything, he can bring forth a case against them in the court of law. Which the Judicial Branch would try.

Unless BP violated the law, which it seems to me that they did, then the Executive Branch has to enforce the law. So maybe the President can force them to do something.

It's confusing, but someone better get their ducks in a row.

>> ^NetRunner:

>> ^maestro156:
>> ^NetRunner:
I'm confused, didn't BP "agree" to create the escrow fund? I wasn't under the impression that there was any legal compulsion involved.

I'm going to make you an offer you can't refuse ....

Riiiight. "Put $20 billion in escrow, or we'll nuke you from orbit."
If that's what he did, he should be bragging about it a lot more.


I'd nuke 'em either way, but that's me.

*Promote a government for sale.

Promoting this video back to the front page; last published Thursday, June 17th, 2010 1:27pm PDT - promote requested by kronosposeidon.

http://videosift.com/video/Oil-Funded-Governor-Protects-BP-On-Fox-News

I would not be in the least bit surprised if he has a cushy job lined up with BP (300k a year lobbyist?) because this will most certainly be his last term in office. No amount of spin is going to save his political career after that and he has to know it. If it happens, it'll be interesting to see if he survives the inevitable ethics probe.

Thanks for the links longde, though, I still fail to see any point in which the President is supposed to be involved. I found some of the provisions interesting!

§4301(a) and (c) The fine for failing to notify the appropriate Federal agency of a discharge is increased from a maximum of $10,000 to a maximum of $250,000 for an individual or $500,000 for an organization. The maximum prison term is also increased from one year to five years. The penalties for violations have a maximum of $250,000 and 15 years in prison.

§4301(b) Civil penalties are authorized at $25,000 for each day of violation or $1,000 per barrel of oil discharged. Failure to comply with a Federal removal order can result in civil penalties of up to $25,000 for each day of violation.

Jail time!!! That would rock, but I not to hopeful .

The sad part is how convoluted this all is. There are no less than 5 government bubbles this falls under. All with their own set of rules and regs, and punishments and liabilities. When this country finally burns down, we have to make a new one that is easier to follow! Either way, I am all for these guys getting the sharp end of a pointy stick. I just don't want to create our destructor ( "It's the stay puffed marshmallow man!"). While it is good that Obama is trying to take some leadership on this, I wish it was on the closure of the hole

Oil should be looping around to us in the next month or so, sigh.

O here it is

"(b) Jurisdiction

Except as provided in subsections (a) and (c) of this section, the
United States district courts shall have exclusive original jurisdiction
over all controversies arising under this Act, without regard to the
citizenship of the parties or the amount in controversy. Venue shall lie
in any district in which the discharge or injury or damages occurred, or
in which the defendant resides, may be found, has its principal office,
or has appointed an agent for service of process. For the purposes of
this section, the Fund shall reside in the District of Columbia.
"

However, if the president just made them "agree" to do something instead of taking it to some legal level, that is one thing. It is a good thing, but it also means that there is nothing on the books against BP legally speaking. It would be nice to have a stamp of a class action lawsuit from the federal courts on them. This settlement will most likely nullify the need for a trial...the money is already in the bank as it were. If he was just using his bully pulpit, that is acceptable, but it takes some steam away from the courts and the process in general.

and this is why i quit watching the news. i can't do anything to stop this ass hole, but i have to hear him if i listen. tuned out and happy about it. thanks for the reminder.

Is there some kind of humanitarian fund for BP that we can donate to while they're being so unjustly persecuted?

The congressman from butt-kissing land has spoken!

How dare you question the wisdom and resolve of the gentleman from butt-kissing land!

Since English is not my main language, I thought at first that I didnt understand it properly because its so unbelievable what he says, but I actually did understand very well...
I would be ashamed if I lived in a country like that, that has politicians like this POS...
Well I do... and I am ashamed... a lot.

Torches. Pitchforks. All of them. Out. Now.

One thing to keep in mind with all of this is that Joe Barton isn't "off the reservation" with regard to GOP talking points here. The only thing he went off-script about was the apology -- the other stuff about this being some sort of "shakedown" and that it was some sort of megalomaniacal attempt to take over another private corporation is total party line stuff.

Here's Hannity and Gingrich saying the same thing.

Oh, and another thing to keep in mind, Joe Barton is the ranking Republican on the Energy Committee. If some terrible mistake on the part of the American people results in the Republicans taking the House, this guy will be chairman of the committee that sets energy policy.

>> ^NetRunner:

Oh, and another thing to keep in mind, Joe Barton is the ranking Republican on the Energy Committee. If some terrible mistake on the part of the American people results in the Republicans taking the House, this guy will be chairman of the committee that sets energy policy.


The MMS, the organization responsible in regulating off sea drilling isn't under the energy department, it is under the department of the interior.

Leave BP alone!! *cries*

this is my congressman.

Wasnt it americans doing the drilling?

It's 'green tyranny' that forces oil exploration in deep, dangerous waters instead of on land or shallow waters. Huge disconnect there.

"You" and the media elected the kenyan marxist, one of the biggest recipients of BP welfare checks. Thank goodness his incompetence matches his inexplicable hatred of capitalism.

November can't get here fast enough.

>> ^quantumushroom:

It's 'green tyranny' that forces oil exploration in deep, dangerous waters instead of on land or shallow waters. Huge disconnect there.
"You" and the media elected the kenyan marxist, one of the biggest recipients of BP welfare checks. Thank goodness his incompetence matches his inexplicable hatred of capitalism.
November can't get here fast enough.


You're absolutely right. This disaster is the best proof yet that environmentalists were insane to not want oil rigs close to the shoreline.

Close would of been better as it is easier to stop the leak. Some people are saying that this could take more than a year to plug...

The government was giving huge deals to the far spots to encourage it, because even thought it was expensive, it was still a deal for BP. This is a joint failure of captured regulators and corporate mismanagement. The illusion of law ended up dooming us.

>> ^GeeSussFreeK:

>> ^NetRunner:
Oh, and another thing to keep in mind, Joe Barton is the ranking Republican on the Energy Committee. If some terrible mistake on the part of the American people results in the Republicans taking the House, this guy will be chairman of the committee that sets energy policy.

The MMS, the organization responsible in regulating off sea drilling isn't under the energy department, it is under the department of the interior.


Not exactly -- MMS is in charge of approving leases, and enforcing the laws governing oil drilling. The House Committee on Energy and Commerce has a huge jurisdiction, including pretty much everything having to do with commerce and energy, including writing the laws that govern oil drilling.

Being an unabashed whore for big oil like this seems like a bad person to have anywhere near the levers of power. Not to mention, Barton only went slightly beyond the general Republican party position on this topic -- the making BP pay into an escrow fund to be used to pay damage claims is evil, and wrong, and horrible, and scary, and a sign that fascism has come to America.

...but at the same time, they want to tell you that Obama's not doing enough about the crisis.

PS: I also said "energy policy", thinking "subsidies and deregulation for dirty energy", not "he's going to make oil drilling even less safe", though I wouldn't put it past someone who's so obviously big oil's lap dog.

Ashamed? You, Sir, have no shame.

...where they could be capped in less than TWO MONTHS. Also, congrats to the greens for preventing drilling in ANWR, on 1% of 1% of a people-less sheet of ice. Because caribou self-esteem is more important than energy dependency.


>> ^entr0py:

You're absolutely right. This disaster is the best proof yet that environmentalists were insane to not want oil rigs close to the shoreline.

You sound like the Joker after Batman burns him in a vat of toxic waste - "You created me!"

>> ^quantumushroom:

...where they could be capped in less than TWO MONTHS. Also, congrats to the greens for preventing drilling in ANWR, on 1% of 1% of a people-less sheet of ice. Because caribou self-esteem is more important than energy dependency.

>> ^entr0py:
You're absolutely right. This disaster is the best proof yet that environmentalists were insane to not want oil rigs close to the shoreline.

Goddamn, that scares me!
>> ^NetRunner:

Oh, and another thing to keep in mind, Joe Barton is the ranking Republican on the Energy Committee. If some terrible mistake on the part of the American people results in the Republicans taking the House, this guy will be chairman of the committee that sets energy policy.