I'm not saying a word about Hayward on his yacht because you righties are prepared to slam Obama for playing golf now aren't ya?? Someone needs new PR...
Shelby also called Rep. Joe Barton’s (R-TX) assertion that BP was owed an apology “dumb.” He also invited Barton and Rand Paul — who defended Barton — to come down to the Gulf and “see what’s happening.”
Is Shelby calling Barton's apology to BP dumb, or is he saying Barton was dumb for apologizing?
Furthermore, while conservatives have begun attacking the Obama administration for being too tough on big business as a result of the pressure on BP, Shelby pushed back and echoed progressive calls for strengthening regulators:
SHELBY: We need hands-on regulation in this area. Maybe we’ve learned some things — that we can’t take shortcuts. … A lot of it is common sense — and not let the industry run way ahead of the regulators. The regulators have got to be on top of the industry, not the industry on top of the regulators.
Are the GOP'ers getting nervous? There has been a ton of anger down there in the Gulf region. Are they backtracking now because an election month is looming? We'll soon see how dedicated these Gopers are when it comes time to vote on new regulations!
Think Progress has some great commenter's, here's a few I agree with:
Marie says:
Some repugs have seen the writing on the wall insofar as their defense of BP — even Haley Barbour said today that he “misunderstood” how the $20B in escrow was going to be dealt, and now that he knows, he thinks Obama was smart to do it.
Yeah, right — the only thing these guys are trying to change is that their sympathy and defense for BP is NOT shared by their constituents. They can collect $$$ from the industry, but if they still can’t get enough votes to be reelected, they have trouble.
Barton, Paul and others who have come to the aid and comfort of BP and the industry are on the wrong side of this.
June 20th, 2010 at 12:07 pm
New England Indy says:
Yeah, right — the only thing these guys are trying to change is that their sympathy and defense for BP is NOT shared by their constituents. They can collect $$$ from the industry, but if they still can’t get enough votes to be reelected, they have trouble.
Barton, Paul and others who have come to the aid and comfort of BP and the industry are on the wrong side of this.
June 20th, 2010 at 12:07 pm
New England Indy says:
The Joe Barton episode has sure put the fear in the repugs. I guess they know now that protecting corporations at all cost is too costly. This whole “shakedown” meme was agreed upon by repugs before Barton said it. Imagine having a platform that you cant make public for fear that it will look bad.
June 20th, 2010 at 12:15 pm
And I will close with a little from Rahm.....
June 20th, 2010 at 12:15 pm
And I will close with a little from Rahm.....
Marie says:
Rahm Emanual said today: Obama will make clear to voters the fundamental differences in how each party would govern, focusing on energy policy, Wall Street reform and economic recovery.
Republicans will side with big business, big banks, and big oil — Dems will side with people and our future.
June 20th, 2010 at 12:19 pm
Republicans will side with big business, big banks, and big oil — Dems will side with people and our future.
June 20th, 2010 at 12:19 pm
