# Finally!!! Somebody Sticks Up For BP!! Hooray Republicans! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 17, 2010, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-somebody-sticks-up-for-bp-hooray-republicans/543563 "2010-06-17T16:08:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-somebody-sticks-up-for-bp-hooray-republicans/543563/1 "2010-06-17T16:08:18Z")
Here is Republican Joe Barton literally apologizing to BP CEO Tony Hayward. [http://www.dailykos.com/tv/w/002738/](http://www.dailykos.com/tv/w/002738/) They Republicans are falling over themselves to attack Obama and feel sorry for BP. Not just this guy, all the Republicans on this House Committee are doing it. Assholes. ---
**Author:** ![gravitycrash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@gravitycrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gravitycrash)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-somebody-sticks-up-for-bp-hooray-republicans/543563/2 "2010-06-17T16:56:08Z")
No they aren’t. Stop cherry picking and stop exaggerating. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-somebody-sticks-up-for-bp-hooray-republicans/543563/3 "2010-06-17T17:11:06Z")
Was it me or did he insinuating that Obama should go to jail? (~1:00 in) ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-somebody-sticks-up-for-bp-hooray-republicans/543563/4 "2010-06-17T17:31:39Z")
Fuck this guy. I came in here to post just that. These GOP oilmen are so deep in the pockets of Big Oil they’ve got grease stains on their knees. Dems need to play this over and over and over again to show just how much the typical GOP congressmen cares about regular people who have been devastated by this spill. And “shakedown”? A company that purposefully ignores and cuts corners on safety regulations paying for the damage it caused? What a novel idea! I’m sure glad the GOP isn’t the party of personal responsbility or small business! Imagine if they were, what would they blame the spill on? Dolphins? I hope this guy falls into a vat of boiling oil and LIVES, not dies, so he can suffer ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-somebody-sticks-up-for-bp-hooray-republicans/543563/5 "2010-06-17T17:32:00Z")
It’s situations like this that make the case for why Democrats shouldn’t be afraid to play dirty. If I were that guy’s opponent I would run that clip over and over again and talk endlessly about how he’s a BP apologist and willing to kiss the ass of a foreign oil company. But seeing as how the Democrats are usually pussies on these matters, I’m not holding my breath. ---
**Author:** ![howye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9adbd/32.png) [@howye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/howye)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-somebody-sticks-up-for-bp-hooray-republicans/543563/6 "2010-06-17T17:58:01Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > It’s situations like this that make the case for why Democrats shouldn’t be afraid to play dirty. If I were that guy’s opponent I would run that clip over and over again and talk endlessly about how he’s a BP apologist and willing to kiss the ass of a foreign oil company. > But seeing as how the Democrats are usually pussies on these matters, I’m not holding my breath. Bingo. If I had the money, I would run as a Democrat against the Republican congressman for my district. I don’t even need a campaign staff, just hammer him with stuff like this. I mean every commercial break during prime time. Anyhoo. Dontcha ya just love how Republicans were screaming for Obama to do something. Then he does, and he gets crucified with it? Poor little old BP. Why is everybody picking on them? ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-somebody-sticks-up-for-bp-hooray-republicans/543563/7 "2010-06-17T17:58:52Z")
It has become fashionable recently to express sympathy for the poor, put-upon oil giant in these days of its greatest travail, and to pooh-pooh the idea that they should be financially responsible, to the last penny, for the clean-up of the spill. FUCK. THAT. They spilled it. They clean it up. They pay for damages. Shame on Barton. What a corrupt shill. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-somebody-sticks-up-for-bp-hooray-republicans/543563/8 "2010-06-17T18:03:16Z")
"Uh, Mr. Chairman-- I would like to verify the witness’s statement. For years now, a growing number of my constituents have been executives of BP – and I have come to know them well. They have honored me with their support and with their friendship. Indeed I can proudly say some of my very best friends are BP executives. “However, Mr. Chairman, at this time, very unfortunately, I have to leave these proceedings in order to preside over a very important meeting of my own committee. But before I leave, I do want to say this. These hearings on the oil spill are in _no way whatsoever_ a slur upon the great leadership of BP. Because I can state from my own knowledge and experience – that BP and its senior management are among the most loyal, most law-abiding, patriotic, hard-working citizens in this land. And it would be a shame, Mr. Chairman, if we allowed a few oily apples to bring a bad name to the whole barrel…” ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-somebody-sticks-up-for-bp-hooray-republicans/543563/9 "2010-06-17T18:09:33Z")
[People are calling for his head](http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0610/38674.html) > [@](#): > > Republicans, particularly Gulf state lawmakers, are furious at Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) and may ask him to cede his job as top Republican on the Energy and Commerce Committee in the wake of his apology to BP Thursday. > > “People are calling for his head,” said a GOP member of the committee. > > Indeed, Rep. Jeff Miller, a Florida Republican, was the first in his party to call for Barton to resign as the ranking Republican on the committee after hearing Barton call the $20 billion cleanup fund a White House “shakedown.” > > “I am shocked by Congressman Joe Barton’s reprehensible comments that the government should apologize for the ‘shakedown’ of BP,” Miller said. What’s next from the GOP, a reparations package for bin Laden? ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-somebody-sticks-up-for-bp-hooray-republicans/543563/10 "2010-06-17T18:11:43Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > What’s next from the GOP, a reparations package for bin Laden? Well, I suppose that depends. What’s his history of contribution to the Republican Party? I suppose the GOP does owe him something for facilitating GW’s second term. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-somebody-sticks-up-for-bp-hooray-republicans/543563/11 "2010-06-17T18:12:19Z")
Heard on right-wing radio today (el-Rush-bo): The $20 billion “slush-fund” that Obama _forced_ BP to pony up is a bad idea because it will hurt BP’s investors. I think Rush needs a refresher on how his beloved Free Market works. See it’s like this … when you invest in a company that fucks up so hard that the entire gulf coast of the United States is affected … you might take a bit of a hit on your returns. Which translate, roughly, into Tough Titties for You. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-somebody-sticks-up-for-bp-hooray-republicans/543563/12 "2010-06-17T18:18:19Z")
> [@howye](#): > > Anyhoo. Dontcha ya just love how Republicans were screaming for Obama to do something. Then he does, and he gets crucified with it? As John Stewart pointed out last night: Fox & Friends were hammering Obama for asking for divine help during his BP speech – and (next clip played) they were calling for him to do just that the previous day on the same show. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-somebody-sticks-up-for-bp-hooray-republicans/543563/13 "2010-06-17T18:18:49Z")
Lest anyone think that this is just Joe Barton doing a loose cannon apology, here’s the Republican study Committee’s take on Obama’s request to BP: [Chicago-Style Political Shakedown](http://rsc.tomprice.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=191125) > [@](#): > > Washington, Jun 16 - Republican Study Committee Chairman Tom Price (R-GA) issued the following statement after the White House announced it had reached a deal with BP to require the oil company to place $20 billion into an escrow fund to pay claims filed against the company in the wake of the Gulf oil spill. > > “We all agree that BP should be held fully responsible for its complicity in the oil tragedy in the Gulf,” said Chairman Price. “In fact, BP has already begun paying claims. Any attempt by the company to sidestep that responsibility should be met with the strongest legal recourses available. However, in an administration that appears not to respect fundamental American principles, it is important to note that there is no legal authority for the President to compel a private company to set up or contribute to an escrow account. > > “BP’s reported willingness to go along with the White House’s new fund suggests that the Obama Administration is hard at work exerting its brand of Chicago-style shakedown politics. These actions are emblematic of a politicization of our economy that has been borne out of this Administration’s… The RSC is not some fringe group of Republicans, it’s the mainstream: > [@](#): > > The [Republican Study Committee](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Study_Committee) is a caucus of over 100 conservative members of the Republican Party in the United States House of Representatives [http://rsc.tomprice.house.gov/](http://rsc.tomprice.house.gov/) [Members list](http://rsc.tomprice.house.gov/aboutrsc/memberlist.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-somebody-sticks-up-for-bp-hooray-republicans/543563/14 "2010-06-17T18:19:17Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Heard on right-wing radio today (el-Rush-bo): The $20 billion “slush-fund” that Obama _forced_ BP to pony up is a bad idea because it will hurt BP’s investors. > > I think Rush needs a refresher on how his beloved Free Market works. See it’s like this … when you invest in a company that fucks up so hard that the entire gulf coast of the United States is affected … you might take a bit of a hit on your returns. Which translate, roughly, into Tough Titties for You. I’m sure his plan is for the US government to bail BP out of this unfortunate mess. And there will be no cognitive dissonance. ---
**Author:** ![gravitycrash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@gravitycrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gravitycrash)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-somebody-sticks-up-for-bp-hooray-republicans/543563/15 "2010-06-17T18:19:37Z")
Barton is an asshole. Way to fuck over the Republicans you fuck wit. Unbelievable. With friends like these… :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-somebody-sticks-up-for-bp-hooray-republicans/543563/16 "2010-06-17T18:30:42Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > I’m sure his plan is for the US government to bail BP out of this unfortunate mess. And there will be no cognitive dissonance. ["The **taxpayers** can take care of the mess! That’s how the free market **works,** you know!](http://www.credoaction.com/comics/2010/06/invisible-hand-of-the-free-market-man/) ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-somebody-sticks-up-for-bp-hooray-republicans/543563/17 "2010-06-17T18:44:48Z")
I just saw that Barton quote on the news, too. Who, Joe, do you want to pay for the mess? Please don’t answer because I suspect the answer is me. I was actually pretty impressed that Obama got BP to commit to suspending shareholder dividends (for one quarter?) and setting aside a 20 billion dollar fund. BP said they would set aside 5 billon a year for 4 years, I think. Obama doesn’t really have the legal power to make them take this action and that’s a mighty big concession to get from someone during a single conversation. The latest GOP meme is that Obama has done nothing to assist with the spill. I’m not sure what they want him to do (besides stuff his body in the hole! LOL!). Any action the government would take would then be derided as either a ‘government takeover of big oil’ or an unwarranted taxpayer expense. So it’s a no-win situation for everybody. Stupi- I mean Palin- said Obama did not return Norwegian offers of assistance, etc. Since stupi- I mean Palin, said it, I know it’s not true. I’m sure we accepted 3 skimmers and a bunch of boom. Anyone have a better list of assistance we have received? I wish Dems would, while not manipulate like the R’s, at least study up on messaging and do a better job of advertising the good things they do. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-somebody-sticks-up-for-bp-hooray-republicans/543563/18 "2010-06-17T18:44:55Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > Lest anyone think that this is just Joe Barton doing a loose cannon apology, here’s the Republican study Committee’s take on Obama’s request to BP: > [Chicago-Style Political Shakedown](http://rsc.tomprice.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=191125)The RSC is not some fringe group of Republicans, it’s the mainstream: [http://rsc.tomprice.house.gov/](http://rsc.tomprice.house.gov/) Fuck this guy, and fuck all the people who are flogging this ‘Chicago politics’ thing. Yes, Chicago is known for dirty politics. So is Washington DC. So is Louisiana, come to think of it. So does New York. Alaska’s also developed a nice reputation for itself in recent years. None of that has anything to do with what’s going on here, or, really, with much of anything else Obama-related. It’s not like Obama asked for a $20 billion bribe; he asked BP to set money aside so maybe some people in the Gulf can get what they need quickly instead of losing their homes and everything else because of what BP did. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-somebody-sticks-up-for-bp-hooray-republicans/543563/19 "2010-06-17T18:53:04Z")
And this just in… [http://thinkprogress.org/2010/06/17/miller-barton-step-down/](http://thinkprogress.org/2010/06/17/miller-barton-step-down/) (Lefty site, you know the drill.) **GOP Rep. Jeff Miller calls for Barton to step down from top committee spot over BP comments.** > [@](#): > > Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.), whose Pensacola district is among the most-impacted areas in the Gulf by the oil spill, condemned Barton for apologizing to BP CEO Tony Hayward during a committee meeting on Thursday. > > “I condemn Mr. Barton’s statement. Mr. Barton’s remarks are out of touch with this tragedy and I feel his comments call into question his judgment and ability to serve in a leadership on the Energy and Commerce Committee,” Miller said in a statement. “He should step down as Ranking Member of the Committee.” Offered without comment. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2010, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-somebody-sticks-up-for-bp-hooray-republicans/543563/20 "2010-06-17T19:16:10Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Fuck this guy. I came in here to post just that. These GOP oilmen are so deep in the pockets of Big Oil they’ve got grease stains on their knees. Dems need to play this over and over and over again to show just how much the typical GOP congressmen cares about regular people who have been devastated by this spill. > > And “shakedown”? A company that purposefully ignores and cuts corners on safety regulations paying for the damage it caused? What a novel idea! I’m sure glad the GOP isn’t the party of personal responsbility or small business! Imagine if they were, what would they blame the spill on? Dolphins? I hope this guy falls into a vat of boiling oil and LIVES, not dies, so he can suffer Actually, the current right-wing strategy is to blame the Gulf spill on environmentalists because they insisted that there be no new drilling in Alaska or near the West or East Coast thereby forcing the oil companies to drill in deep sea areas where something was\* bound to go wrong\*. I know this claim doesn’t stand up to much scrutiny (especially when you consider the facts of this case) but it’s the Republicans’ argument and they’re sticking to it. [QUOTE=joebuck20] It’s situations like this that make the case for why Democrats shouldn’t be afraid to play dirty. If I were that guy’s opponent I would run that clip over and over again and talk endlessly about how he’s a BP apologist and willing to kiss the ass of a foreign oil company. But seeing as how the Democrats are usually pussies on these matters, I’m not holding my breath. [/QUOTE] The thing is, however, that the whole “Leave BP alone!” position isn’t just the ill-considered outburst of one conservative Republican congressman. This argument has been creeping its way into the talking points of right-wing pundits and radio ranters and is now starting to be heard by elected officials like Joe Barton. From there, it will keep being repeated until a significant segment of the populace is convinced the government is the more evil party in this situation than BP is. Barton’s defense of BP may seem ludicrous now but, unless it results in unanimous condemnation and ridicule, it will not go away. If signs defending BP or, at the very least, attacking the Obama Administration for going after the company start appearing at Tea Party rallies, it will mean the strategy has worked and the conservative brain trust behind it has again turned tar balls into gold. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-somebody-sticks-up-for-bp-hooray-republicans/543563.md?page=2)