No He Did Not!

[i_am_the_swammi]

The Reps completely have their heads waaaay way up their backsides.

 

First the momo apologizes, then the righties here applaud and defend him, and then he apologizes for apologizing?

 

Classic classic stuff.....and if America is indeed weak, its not because of Obama, its because of the weakest exhibit of all: Blanton and his posse of dummies. The right has lost any and all credibility.

[rattsass]

The Reps completely have their heads waaaay way up their backsides.

 

First the momo apologizes, then the righties here applaud and defend him, and then he apologizes for apologizing?

 

Classic classic stuff.....

Almost as classic a painting yourself as an environmental president. Handing a safety award to a rig that ends up blowing up. Closing your eyes and hoping the situation goes away for two months. Then demanding that the oil company turn the payouts for damages over to the government in a lame attempt to show that you are in control or actually give a chit. Oh, and then using the opportunity to push your middle class tax increase that you swore up and down you would never do.

 

Classic indeed. Impressive.

[i_am_the_swammi]

Almost as classic a painting yourself as an environmental president. Handing a safety award to a rig that ends up blowing up. Closing your eyes and hoping the situation goes away for two months. Then demanding that the oil company turn the payouts for damages over to the government in a lame attempt to show that you are in control or actually give a chit. Oh, and then using the opportunity to push your middle class tax increase that you swore up and down you would never do.

 

Classic indeed. Impressive.

 

Nice instachange-of-topic. When you are beaten, i guess there no other recourse than to start reaching.

[evil_gop_liars]

This thread makes one feel all warm and tingly.

[rattsass]

Nice instachange-of-topic. When you are beaten, i guess there no other recourse than to start reaching.

Okay, I will give you your one point if you will allow all of mine. Fair enough?

[borge007]

Okay, I will give you your one point if you will allow all of mine. Fair enough?

Get a life

[SEC=UGA]

The Reps completely have their heads waaaay way up their backsides.

 

First the momo apologizes, then the righties here applaud and defend him, and then he apologizes for apologizing?

 

Classic classic stuff.....and if America is indeed weak, its not because of Obama, its because of the weakest exhibit of all: Blanton and his posse of dummies. The right has lost any and all credibility.

 

How, may I ask, can you assert that the right has lost any and all credibility based on the statements of one member who has been roundly criticized by the balance of his party?

 

That would be akin to sayin the left has lost all credibility based on the statements of one of their flock calling for the nationalization of the oil industry and I don't remember her being roundly criticized and forced to apologize. Or one could say the left lost all credibility on race relations when he has referred to blacks on more than one occassion using the N word, something for which he was not criticized. But, hey, if you can make political hay, go ahead.

[bpwallace49]

How, may I ask, can you assert that the right has lost any and all credibility based on the statements of one member who has been roundly criticized by the balance of his party?

 

That would be akin to sayin the left has lost all credibility based on the statements of one of their flock calling for the nationalization of the oil industry and I don't remember her being roundly criticized and forced to apologize. Or one could say the left lost all credibility on race relations when he has referred to blacks on more than one occassion using the N word, something for which he was not criticized. But, hey, if you can make political hay, go ahead.

 

Good stuff here . . . the whole Republican party shouldnt be tarred by the same brush here. However it seems like the right was more concerned about the political "gain" given to the left than the actual message delivered by Barton. (at least according to Az's quoted blurb)

 

I think Swammi was also referring to the right leaning posters on this forum that were defending his actions.

[rattsass]

Get a life

Thank you for offering your well thought out meaningful dialogue. You have enhanced the discussion greatly. I think we can all learn something from your pointed observations.

[TimC]

What, grab a mop and bucket and head off to the south coast?

 

Probably would've been more productive than grabbing a driver and 8-iron and heading off to the golf course. [Obamoco] Gulf, golf...meh. [/Obp]

[bpwallace49]

Probably would've been more productive than grabbing a driver and 8-iron and heading off to the golf course. [Obamoco] Gulf, golf...meh. [/Obp]

 

[bush] he shoulda been clearing brush [/bush]

[Perchoutofwater]

The Reps completely have their heads waaaay way up their backsides.

 

First the momo apologizes, then the righties here applaud and defend him, and then he apologizes for apologizing?

 

Classic classic stuff.....and if America is indeed weak, its not because of Obama, its because of the weakest exhibit of all: Blanton and his posse of dummies. The right has lost any and all credibility.

 

I disagree with the GOP. What Barton said in full context was correct, if politically incorrect in my opinion. I'm disappointed in the GOP for not standing by principle, but following the political winds. It was an unpopular statement, and would have been best unsaid, but was factually correct.

[bushwacked]

Clearly, BP is the victim in this particular circumstance.

[Perchoutofwater]

Clearly, BP is the victim in this particular circumstance.

 

Just like Barton said, BP should be liable for any and all damages. Nobody is arguing otherwise.

[bpwallace49]

Just like Barton said, BP should be liable for any and all damages. Nobody is arguing otherwise.

 

You are just arguing that it has to be settled by lawyers first in a protracted court battle as people lose their businesses and cant pay bills immediately because of a company that screwed them . . .. right? Even though they have accepted culpability and are trying to settle claims now, you think that should be all in court instead . . . right?

 

Arent you the guy that is against medical malpractice lawsuits?

Edited June 19, 2010 by bpwallace49

[Perchoutofwater]

You are just arguing that it has to be settled by lawyers first in a protracted court battle as people lose their businesses and cant pay bills immediately because of a company that screwed them . . .. right? Even though they have accepted culpability and are trying to settle claims now, you think that should be all in court instead . . . right?

 

Arent you the guy that is against medical malpractice lawsuits?

 

I am for the rule of law. As you said BP was already paying out settlements even before Obama's shakedown. I am concerned that BP has reached a backroom deal with Obama to limit their liability, otherwise why agree with something that Obama has no Constitutional authority to invoke, unless of course they think Obama will trample the Constitution again like he did to GM's bond holders.

 

BTW, you haven't been paying attention to my arguments regarding medical malpractice suits. I've never said that they should be done away with, only that they should be limited to actual damages, not punitive damages. If doctors need to be punished because they are criminally negligent then put them in jail.

[bushwacked]

First the momo apologizes, then the righties here applaud and defend him, and then he apologizes for apologizing?

 

You can't make stuff like this up, it only happens in politics. When you get outraged about anything and everything, you inevitable turn yourself into a hypocrite. Usually it doesn't happen quite this quickly or transparently.

 

A lot of good ol baseless loyal party pandering going on in this thread.

[Ursa Majoris]

You are just arguing that it has to be settled by lawyers first in a protracted court battle as people lose their businesses and cant pay bills immediately because of a company that screwed them . . .. right? Even though they have accepted culpability and are trying to settle claims now, you think that should be all in court instead . . . right?

 

Arent you the guy that is against medical malpractice lawsuits?

This brings up a very interesting point that I haven't seen mentioned. The Supreme Court ruled after two decades (!) on the Exxon Valdez incident that punitive damages could only be granted to the value of actual damages. BP will know this without a doubt and could use it to limit any punitive damages awarded in the future.

[bpwallace49]

I am concerned that BP has reached a backroom deal with Obama to limit their liability, otherwise why agree with something that Obama has no Constitutional authority to invoke, unless of course they think Obama will trample the Constitution again like he did to GM's bond holders.

 

You must not have been reading every single piece of information on this subject that does NOT limit their liability at all Perch.

[rattsass]

You can't make stuff like this up, it only happens in politics. When you get outraged about anything and everything, you inevitable turn yourself into a hypocrite. Usually it doesn't happen quite this quickly or transparently.

 

A lot of good ol baseless loyal party pandering going on in this thread.

That is the beauty of giving up ones allegiences to either party. Then you are not bound to some imaginary political bounderies. Then you may call a turd a turd regardless of the nametag it wears.

 

Free at last. Free at last. Thank God almighty I am free at last!

[i_am_the_swammi]

How, may I ask, can you assert that the right has lost any and all credibility based on the statements of one member who has been roundly criticized by the balance of his party?

 

Um, because he was roundly applauded here? I guess I should have been specific, and stated that the right, on THIS board, has lost all credibility.

[WaterMan]

It was an unpopular statement, and would have been best unsaid, but was factually correct.

 

Did Fox News tell you it was factually correct? Because Barton retracted the whole thing.

 

 

Barton's apology to BP officials for having to set aside $20 billion in an escrow fund to assist the victims of the biggest oil disaster in American history was a blatant reminder that many Republican politicians care more for campaign contributions from faceless multi-national corporations than they care for the American people.

 

Barton, feeling the sting of media scrutiny, and the wrath of the American people, later in the day offered a retraction, effectively apologizing for his apology. Here is the text from Barton's apology for his apology:

 

“I apologize for using the term ‘shakedown’ with regard to yesterday’s actions at the White House in my opening statement this morning, and I retract my apology to BP. As I told my colleagues yesterday and said again this morning, BP should bear the full financial responsibility for the accident on their lease in the Gulf of Mexico. BP should fully compensate those families and businesses that have been hurt by this accident. BP and the federal government need to stop the leak, clean up the damage, and take whatever steps necessary to prevent a similar accident in the future.

 

“I regret the impact that my statement this morning implied that BP should not pay for the consequences of their decisions and actions in this incident.”

 

That article said Republican politicians, but we all know it's both sides.

[detlef]

I told you we were going to have to agree to disagree.

Many companies do it, it is called a risk factor. Banks have one built into interest rates for defaults, construction companies have a factor built in for structural failure/warranty items, Insurance providers have one built in for actuarial anomalies, etc...

I thought the "agree to disagree" bit applied to whether or not Obama should be able to tell BP what to do with it's money?

 

That doesn't mean I have to buy your rationale that Oil companies have to bilk consumers on their way to massive profits because it's in the best interest of the tax payers (who are, btw, the same people who are paying more at the pump to create this slush fund in the first place).

 

Let's break it down. They're a business, so they're going to obviously want to make money. That's a given. So, they make their money. But now they need to make extra money so that they have enough so as not to pass the buck to the tax payers in the event that they have a massive screw up. So, they charge extra to the very tax payers that they're supposedly looking out for. Would it be any different if prices were less and, then in the event that they effed up, we got stuck with the tab? If they don't get us in the wash, they get us in the rinse. Either way, we pay.

 

Let's compare that to your bank rates. The bank has to charge extra on loans to cover the fact that some people who take out loans default. That's completely different. In this case, consumers are paying extra to foot the bill for other consumers who poop the bed. Same with insurance. If people, in general, start proving to be particularly accident prone, then insurance companies are going to start charging more to insure people in general.

 

In these cases, consumers are paying extra because consumers are screwing up. In your case, consumers are paying extra because the business might screw up.

 

See, when you or I enter into a high risk, high reward investment, we bear both the risk and the reward. The reward is, we may make a ton of money but the return is so high because there's a decent chance we lose everything. In this case, they're in a high risk scenario because the cost of screwing up can be so massive. However, they've completely protected themselves from that risk by charging enough so that, worst case scenario, they still get theirs.

 

I mean, bully for them, but let's not pretend that this morally justifies massive profits.

Edited June 19, 2010 by detlef

[Perchoutofwater]

Um, because he was roundly applauded here? I guess I should have been specific, and stated that the right, on THIS board, has lost all credibility.

 

I don't think anyone on this board has applauded him. I've gone as far as to call him a sleazeball. I've also said it would have been better left unsaid. There have been those of us who have defended his statement when taken in context.

[JoJoTheWebToedBoy]

As far as I'm concerned, it's just Political Theater.... IMO the Republican Strategy has been to blast anything and everything the current administration says or does, and hope like hell that some of it sticks. And that was the logic Barton was following.

 

Unfortunately for him he wasn't smart enough to understand how out of line his statement was, nor was he smart enough to run the idea thru the party for review. With any luck the people of Texas will elect someone with a little more common sense next time.