Republican Apologists for the Oil Industry

Rep. Joe Barton tells Tony Hayward, CEO of BP: "I'm ashamed" of the "$20 billion shakedown" by the Obama administration and "I'm sorry."

There was an audible gasp from my wife & I as we sat and watched the morning session on C-Span3. I have to admit that I do love DVR, I had to rewind the broadcast to make sure that I had, in fact, just heard a member of the United States Congress, on national television, tell the CEO of BP, the corporate felon that has admitted responsibility in the largest environmental disaster in the nation's history, that he is sorry for the way that the US Government has asked BP to provide assurance for the payment of damage claims.

The words are still ringing in my ears, the sting still fresh in my mind as I attempt to find a way to adequately describe my feelings and my thoughts about a sitting member of the US House of Representatives, Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX 6th District), apologizing to BP CEO Tony Hayward for the White House "shakedown" for a $20 Billion "slush fund" contribution. The clear implication is that, in exchange this $20 Billion "slush-fund" the U.S. government will let BP off the hook for potential criminal or civil penalties.

It is important to note that no such agreement, expressed or implied, exists and it was clearly stated by President Obama that the $20 Billion is not a cap and that it is the intention of the US government that BP will pay all damages regardless of the amount. BP has accepted liability for this accident and has stated publicly, numerous times and Tony Hayward repeated it today as well, that BP will "make this right", no matter what it takes in terms of time and money, and the Gulf Coast will be better than before.

Okay, I'll admit that the 'better than before' thing is probably a conceit on the part of Mr. Hayward, but the public commitment on the part of BP to admit their responsibility and put up a security deposit against the potential claims is something that I just can't imagine an American company doing without a serious court fight including years of appeals all the way up to the Supreme Court. The British still believe, as Winston Churchill said in 1946:

"All that is needed is the resolve of...men and women to do right instead of wrong and to gain as their reward blessing instead of cursing."

So a "shakedown" is when the injured party (the United States and the citizens of the Gulf Coast, for starters) asks that the responsible party (BP) put up some tangible, meaningful assurance that they can, in fact, pay for the damage which they admit they are responsible for. It's not like there are insurance policies for this kind of thing. Not even Lloyd's of London would insure such a risky endeavor. Hell, AIG wouldn't even be stupid enough to touch this one, and they'd transfer the risk to the US government anyway and STILL they wouldn't be that stupid.

I hope that the good citizens of the Texas 6th district will have the memory of the oil soaked shores of the Gulf states, including theirs, in mind when it comes time to choose their representation in congress. Rep. Joe Barton is so far out of touch with the people of his own district and with the people of America that he should be voted out of the House of Representatives at the earliest opportunity. Anyone, of either party, that wants to run against this idiot needs no other campaign ad than what will eventually become known as "the apology clip".

Joe Barton & Michele Bachmann are defending BP!!! I wonder what the Tea Party thinks about that?