REP. Joe Barton of Texas is a slimeball

[pBills]

1)Because the Federal Government shouldn't be in the extortion business.

 

2)This reeks of redistribution of wealth and sets a scary precedent

 

3)And frankly are fisherman really constitutionally entitled to be guaranteed a job/career as a fisherman for the rest of their lives? This sets another scary precedent. Life happens, some deal with it and others blame others and look for handouts.

 

 

Not extortion for one thing. And yes, I believe it is the job of the government to protect the people of the gulf and their businesses in cases like this.

 

 

Life happens, damn that Katrina... oh well New Orleans. You are on your own. Great stance to take huh?

[erynthered]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/18/us/18assess.html

[DrFishfinder]

"Well, BP said the numbers weren't that bad at first," is not justification for government incompetence. I know it's being spun that way, and I know it probably sounds good when the heat is on, but at the end of the day, it's the leadership equivalent of a minimum wage employee being asked to do something and responding wth "Well, I'd like to, but that's not my job."

 

I'm not sure if it's a phrase used through the various software worlds, but in the little world I work in, we use phrase; "chasing the scope." Essentially, we're given a scope of work outlining how the software should function when it's written. Many times the top level people putting the project together look at the project, think they have an understanding of how it should work, and never put out a detailed scope. This, of course, leaves many small, but significant parts, of the program open to interpretation. When the initial rev is delivered, the customer initially says "Yes, that's what I wanted," until they start operating the software, at which time you hear the painfully inevitable words, "This is nice, but you know what it's missing?"

 

In the worst scenarios, the programmer makes the change, and all is well until the customer finds the next thing that's missing. Then the next. Then the next. And suddenly you're working in circles with no end in sight because there was never a detailed plan of what was really wanted in the first place.

 

That's what I'm watching with this administration. It's not working on a plan, so it has no goal to accomplish beyhond "plug the damn hole" and "know who's ass to kick." It's throwing people and money at every little issue that arises, responding defensively and not pre-emptively, and as a result, you're seeing what you always see when people start chasing a scope: incompetence and stupidity on full display, to the extent that the only thing left to do is be first in line to start casting blame. Enter yesterday's hearings.

 

And that is a small example of what happens when you hire someone for a job they are naturally unqualified to perform.

Well said, sir.

[Magox]

I have no problem whatsoever in BP setting up a $20B escrow fund, it´s not as if that they have to pony up all the money up front, it´s basically x amount up front and the rest is a pledge.

 

They !@#$ed up, and they !@#$ed up in a big way, and from now on the rules should change. Every single deep water well should be required to have an emergency well. That´s for starters, the scrutiny each oil company should get before they begin drilling should be off the charts. I´m still amazed to this day, that both the oil companies and the government were so terribly prepared for this situation. I mean seriously, plugging the leak with golf balls was option number 1.

 

This should never ever happen again. So if that means that the price of oil should go up because of stiffer regulation, higher insurance costs for the oil companies and extra protective measures such as the emergency well, then so be it. This way this will help ensure something like this from ever happening again. It´s amazing to me that some people are bitching about BP setting up an escrow account. What the !@#$ is wrong with you people? Look at what´s happening, look at the lives that are being ruined, look at the !@#$ing gulf, there is oil all over the place, some areas will take decades to recover if ever. Once is TOO MUCH!!

 

In this instance, the Obama administration and congress was right to put the pressure on BP to set up this fund. Obviously legally speaking, they couldn´t make them do it, but with all this public pressure and anger, BP HAD TO DO IT, or else there would of been an even bigger public backlash against them.

 

They should get sued out their ass, I´m talking about thousands of class action suits, the amount of loss wages and damages on this one is going to be tremendous.

 

Now I´m not going to argue the fact that many liberals and the Obama administration have alterior motives behind their actions and that many times they pretend to care about people behind the veil of politics as usual. Ya, I get that.

 

I´m not so much in agreement with how BO has handled this situation as much as I´m pissed as hell that BP and many of the other oil companies along with the government allowed for this to happen. And the people of the gulf and anyone else that has been either directly or indirectly effected SHOULDN¨T HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR !@#$UP!! BP and whoever else was responsible for this mess is liable for ALL DAMAGES.

[IDBillzFan]

I´m not so much in agreement with how BO has handled this situation as much as I´m pissed as hell that BP and many of the other oil companies along with the government allowed for this to happen. And the people of the gulf and anyone else that has been either directly or indirectly effected SHOULDN¨T HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR !@#$UP!! BP and whoever else was responsible for this mess is liable for ALL DAMAGES.

Including those put out of work by Obama's drilling moratorium?

[PastaJoe]

Including those put out of work by Obama's drilling moratorium?

 

BP has also voluntarily agreed to create a $100 million fund for the purpose of compensating oil rig workers now unemployed as a result of closure of other deepwater rigs after the April 20 Deepwater Horizon explosion.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/06/16/obama.bp....?iref=allsearch

[IDBillzFan]

BP has also voluntarily agreed to create a $100 million fund for the purpose of compensating oil rig workers now unemployed as a result of closure of other deepwater rigs after the April 20 Deepwater Horizon explosion.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/06/16/obama.bp....?iref=allsearch

I know what they agreed to. That wasn't the question.

[Dave_In_Norfolk]

I have no problem whatsoever in BP setting up a $20B escrow fund, it´s

This should never ever happen again. So if that means that the price of oil should go up because of stiffer regulation, higher insurance costs for the oil companies and extra protective measures such as the emergency well, then so be it. This way this will help ensure something like this from ever happening again. It´s amazing to me that some people are bitching about BP setting up an escrow account. What the !@#$ is wrong with you people? Look at what´s happening, look at the lives that are being ruined, look at the !@#$ing gulf, there is oil all over the place, some areas will take decades to recover if ever. Once is TOO MUCH!!

 

 

So true. Looks like Obama may get through an energy plan after all.

 

A bill that would do both has been stalled before Congress for months, as Republicans and even some Democrats claim it would raise energy costs and lead to lost jobs. But outrage over the black tendrils of oil spewing from BP’s broken well in the Gulf is creating new opportunities for the once moribund legislation.

 

A new poll from the Pew Research Center shows widespread public support for more renewable energy, tougher energy efficiency standards, and climate policies that would limit the harmful greenhouse gas emissions that are the source of global warming — even if such action would raise the price of energy. Surprisingly, a majority of Republicans in the poll supported taking steps to reduce climate change and protect the environment.

 

A chance to do the right thing

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/ynews_pl2693...GZzcGlsbGNvdQ--

[DC Tom]

I have no problem whatsoever in BP setting up a $20B escrow fund, it´s not as if that they have to pony up all the money up front, it´s basically x amount up front and the rest is a pledge.

 

They !@#$ed up, and they !@#$ed up in a big way, and from now on the rules should change. Every single deep water well should be required to have an emergency well. That´s for starters, the scrutiny each oil company should get before they begin drilling should be off the charts. I´m still amazed to this day, that both the oil companies and the government were so terribly prepared for this situation. I mean seriously, plugging the leak with golf balls was option number 1.

 

This should never ever happen again. So if that means that the price of oil should go up because of stiffer regulation, higher insurance costs for the oil companies and extra protective measures such as the emergency well, then so be it. This way this will help ensure something like this from ever happening again. It´s amazing to me that some people are bitching about BP setting up an escrow account. What the !@#$ is wrong with you people? Look at what´s happening, look at the lives that are being ruined, look at the !@#$ing gulf, there is oil all over the place, some areas will take decades to recover if ever. Once is TOO MUCH!!

 

In this instance, the Obama administration and congress was right to put the pressure on BP to set up this fund. Obviously legally speaking, they couldn´t make them do it, but with all this public pressure and anger, BP HAD TO DO IT, or else there would of been an even bigger public backlash against them.

 

They should get sued out their ass, I´m talking about thousands of class action suits, the amount of loss wages and damages on this one is going to be tremendous.

 

Now I´m not going to argue the fact that many liberals and the Obama administration have alterior motives behind their actions and that many times they pretend to care about people behind the veil of politics as usual. Ya, I get that.

 

I´m not so much in agreement with how BO has handled this situation as much as I´m pissed as hell that BP and many of the other oil companies along with the government allowed for this to happen. And the people of the gulf and anyone else that has been either directly or indirectly effected SHOULDN¨T HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR !@#$UP!! BP and whoever else was responsible for this mess is liable for ALL DAMAGES.

 

You do know that BP started today looking to line up lines of credit from banks? Apparently, it's because they're running out of money to pay for the actual capping of the well.

 

A shame they're running out of money to solve the real problem, after they've been forced to set aside a boatload of cash that could otherwise be used for it.

[Alaska Darin]

Not extortion for one thing. And yes, I believe it is the job of the government to protect the people of the gulf and their businesses in cases like this.

If that was the case, the government wouldn't have given in to the enviro-hippies and pushed drilling out to the point where if something went horribly wrong...

 

Never mind.

 

The "Escrow Account" is more pandering to the stupid, which is obvious by the responses in this thread.

[PearlHowardman]

...there's one thing everyone seems to have forgotten: THE OIL IS STILL HEADED TO SHORE and efforts by this administration to act aggressively to battle this inevitable truth will overshadow any escrow account in the coming weeks.

 

They refuse to waive The Jones Act. They refuse countries who may have solutions help us out. Hell, yesterday the Coast Guard held up barges Louisiana from cleaning up oil to ensure there were enough life jackets on the boats.

 

But look everyone! We got $20B dollars! Woo-hoo!

 

Most sensible post in this thread, LABillzFan. Bravo!

 

1. The oil is still spilling into the Gulf of Mexico.

 

2. It's going to be on the beaches of the Gulf states pretty soon.

 

3. Obama handles the office paperwork end of the problem. $20 billion is by no means trivial but as usual, Obama's priorities are completely backward.

 

4. Senate and/or Congress hearings will review Obama's performance. Not just post-spill but ever since he came into office where he perpetuated the practices of George Bush despite Obama's claim to be "Change We Can Believe In."

 

Democrats are just complete idiots who can't see beyond the $20 Billion paperwork.

 

Oh, yeah. While we were all focused on the Gulf the economy continues to tank.

[IDBillzFan]

Oh, yeah. While we were all focused on the Gulf the economy continues to tank.

You obviously missed Biden and Obama this week. Biden announced that the stimulus plan saved or created 2.5 million jobs. Obama announced the 10,000th roadwork project funded by stimulus. People are working. The economy is improving. Hell, they added almost 500,000 jobs last month. Why, it seems like only months ago when they inherited a monthly job loss of 750,000.

 

The economy is fine. Health care is fine. The budget is fine. In fact, we just picked up an extra $20 billion, so that Gulf thing is fine.

 

Everything is fine.

 

In fact, it's better than fine. It's a big fuggin' deal.

[Fingon]

BP has also voluntarily agreed to create a $100 million fund for the purpose of compensating oil rig workers now unemployed as a result of closure of other deepwater rigs after the April 20 Deepwater Horizon explosion.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/06/16/obama.bp....?iref=allsearch

They shouldn't have to. It's the government that has made those people unemployed.

[drnykterstein]

So you're calling on President BO to return the money to BP that they contributed to his election?

He's not even calling on Barton to do that. Get a grip.

[PastaJoe]

They shouldn't have to. It's the government that has made those people unemployed.

 

Another BP apologist. And if there was another oil leak from another rig, you'd be one of the first blaming the gov't for allowing them to continue without a review of procedures.

[Fingon]

Another BP apologist. And if there was another oil leak from another rig, you'd be one of the first blaming the gov't for allowing them to continue without a review of procedures.

I'm not a BP apologist. It's not BPs fault that the government is taking a once in a lifetime oil spill and putting 20,000 people out of work. It might be difficult for you to understand, but the chances of another well exploding are astronomical. It's simply a knee jerk reaction by the administration.

[Dave_In_Norfolk]

If that was the case, the government wouldn't have given in to the enviro-hippies and pushed drilling out to the point where if something went horribly wrong...

 

Never mind.

 

The "Escrow Account" is more pandering to the stupid, which is obvious by the responses in this thread.

I think you mean the tourist industry, but never mind.

[Dave_In_Norfolk]

I'm not a BP apologist. It's not BPs fault that the government is taking a once in a lifetime oil spill and putting 20,000 people out of work. It might be difficult for you to understand, but the chances of another well exploding are astronomical. It's simply a knee jerk reaction by the administration.

I gotta disagree here. The system for inspecting these wells had been so weakened or just non-existant that it would be foolish to allow drilling to continue. If this well was so recklessly pushed forward, no doubt others were as well

[Chef Jim]

I think you mean the tourist industry, but never mind.

 

You're right. That Club-Med ANWR is one happening resort.

[Dave_In_Norfolk]

You're right. That Club-Med ANWR is one happening resort.

Thank you for proving my point for me, though you didn't mean to. Environmentalists are for banning drilling, like in Anwar, while the tourist industry takes the nimby approach.