Scarborough sings a different tune when his own ox is getting gored. Why is he such a late convert to opposition to oil companies?
See also Republican suggests US pay for oil spill.
Scarborough: "Why is Joe Barton being allowed to keep his job?"
By Greg Sargent
Washington Post
June 24, 2010
"Why is Joe Barton being allowed to keep his job, when Joe Barton apologized to a corporation that is destroying my home town's economy, and is destroying the environment across the Gulf Coast?"
That's Joe Scarborough this morning, posing a very well-framed question to Eric Cantor. The ensuing verbal skirmish between the two men is the day's must-watch video:
Cantor put up a good fight, repeatedly claiming that Joe Barton is "not the issue," reiterating the Republican line that the real issue that matters is stopping the spill. When Cantor compared Barton's BP apology to gaffes issued by Joe Biden, Scarborough repeatedly pushed back hard, pointing out that Barton's apology came from prepared remarks.
And Scarborough wondered aloud in a mystified tone why Republicans weren't axing Barton:
"This hurts the Republican Party. This hurts the Republican brand. Joe Barton is the most powerful Republican on the Hill when it comes to energy policy, and that shows his mindset. Does it not?"
The question is, Why haven't Republicans removed him? As best as I can determine, Republicans believe there's no political percentage in doing so because Dems will continue attacking them as stooges for Big Oil no matter what they do. Republicans don't appear to think the Barton attack is as effective as, say, attacking them for taking Big Oil's campaign contributions. ..
Showing posts with label oil spill. Show all posts
Showing posts with label oil spill. Show all posts
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Republican Joe Barton seems to feel that he's the only one who should shake down oil companies
Republican, Under Pressure, Backpedals From Apology to BP
By JACKIE CALMES
June 17, 2010
Representative Joe L. Barton had to be truly sorry by the time he apologized for his apology on Thursday.
In the four hours between his televised apology to BP — for what he called a $20 billion “shakedown” by President Obama for loss claims in the gulf oil spill — and his apology for that apology, Mr. Barton, a Republican from Texas, had been pummeled in the blogosphere, assailed by Democratic Party operatives and Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., and, in the blow that landed, threatened by Republican leaders with being yanked from the party’s top seat on the powerful House energy committee.
...“Who would the G.O.P. put in charge of overseeing the energy industry & Big Oil if they won control of Congress? Yup, u guessed it — JOE BARTON.”
...The shakedown, in the eyes of the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, which monitors campaign contributions to lawmakers, is actually the pitches by lawmakers for oil industry donations.
Individuals and political action committees in the oil and gas industry have been Mr. Barton’s biggest source of campaign money, it reported, contributing $1.4 million since the 1990 election cycle.
By JACKIE CALMES
June 17, 2010
Representative Joe L. Barton had to be truly sorry by the time he apologized for his apology on Thursday.
In the four hours between his televised apology to BP — for what he called a $20 billion “shakedown” by President Obama for loss claims in the gulf oil spill — and his apology for that apology, Mr. Barton, a Republican from Texas, had been pummeled in the blogosphere, assailed by Democratic Party operatives and Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., and, in the blow that landed, threatened by Republican leaders with being yanked from the party’s top seat on the powerful House energy committee.
...“Who would the G.O.P. put in charge of overseeing the energy industry & Big Oil if they won control of Congress? Yup, u guessed it — JOE BARTON.”
...The shakedown, in the eyes of the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, which monitors campaign contributions to lawmakers, is actually the pitches by lawmakers for oil industry donations.
Individuals and political action committees in the oil and gas industry have been Mr. Barton’s biggest source of campaign money, it reported, contributing $1.4 million since the 1990 election cycle.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
John Boehner accidentally, briefly suggests feds foot oil spill bill
John Boehner accidentally, briefly suggests feds foot oil spill bill
By Alex Pareene
Jun 10, 2010
Salon/AP
The Chamber of Commerce does not think it is fair that British Petroleum will have to pay to clean up the tens or hundreds of millions of gallons of oil that have spilled into the Gulf of Mexico because of its negligence. So they would like taxpayers to help foot the bill. And because GOP leadership basically represents the interests of the Chamber of Commerce, House Republican leader John Boehner accidentally revealed that he will probably eventually lobby for the federal government to contribute to the cost of cleaning up BP's huge mess...
By Alex Pareene
Jun 10, 2010
Salon/AP
The Chamber of Commerce does not think it is fair that British Petroleum will have to pay to clean up the tens or hundreds of millions of gallons of oil that have spilled into the Gulf of Mexico because of its negligence. So they would like taxpayers to help foot the bill. And because GOP leadership basically represents the interests of the Chamber of Commerce, House Republican leader John Boehner accidentally revealed that he will probably eventually lobby for the federal government to contribute to the cost of cleaning up BP's huge mess...
Monday, May 03, 2010
Why didn't the Gulf oil rig have a remote-controlled shut-off switch? Because Dick Cheney wanted his oil company pals to keep the $500,000
Now we have a clearer idea of how the oil companies came up with such hugely obscene profits during the past decade.
Contempt for the environment seems to be based on the belief that if we don't have proof that something bad will happen, then we shouldn't worry about it. I believe the correct term for this kind of thinking is "short-sighted." Or perhaps it should be called magical thinking?
May 3, 2010
Who's to blame for the oil spill? Dick Cheney
By Alex Pareene
The Gulf of Mexico oil spill could end up being the worst American man-made environmental catastrophe of this generation. With the oil still spilling and investigations into the causes yet to come, it's too early to neatly assign blame to any one person. But for now, let's hold Dick Cheney personally responsible for the whole thing.
Here's the evidence: The Wall Street Journal reports that the oil well didn't have a remote-control shut-off switch. The reason it didn't have a thing that it seems every single offshore drilling rig should have? According to environmental lawyer Mike Papantonio, it's because Dick Cheney's energy task force decided that the $500,000 switches were too expensive, and they didn't want to make BP buy any...
Contempt for the environment seems to be based on the belief that if we don't have proof that something bad will happen, then we shouldn't worry about it. I believe the correct term for this kind of thinking is "short-sighted." Or perhaps it should be called magical thinking?
May 3, 2010
Who's to blame for the oil spill? Dick Cheney
By Alex Pareene
The Gulf of Mexico oil spill could end up being the worst American man-made environmental catastrophe of this generation. With the oil still spilling and investigations into the causes yet to come, it's too early to neatly assign blame to any one person. But for now, let's hold Dick Cheney personally responsible for the whole thing.
Here's the evidence: The Wall Street Journal reports that the oil well didn't have a remote-control shut-off switch. The reason it didn't have a thing that it seems every single offshore drilling rig should have? According to environmental lawyer Mike Papantonio, it's because Dick Cheney's energy task force decided that the $500,000 switches were too expensive, and they didn't want to make BP buy any...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)