We’re Sorry, BP
June 18th, 2010
Inspired by Joe Barton BP Apology, ‘Shakedown’ Comments Slammed By White House (Huffington Post 6/17/10), BP Apologist Barton Walks Back His ‘Shakedown’ Attack, But NOT Republican Caucus (ChattahBox News Blog 6/17/10), Gulf oil spill puts industry-friendly Republicans in tight spot (Washington Post 6/18/10), MSNBC’s reports on the latest GOP (or as Keith would say, GOBP) protestations of support and sympathy for BP (watch them below), and the clever folks who came up with the idea for JoeBartonWouldLikeToApologize.com.
“Like any kind of addiction, it’s a terribly difficult thing to break.” – Republican political consultant and former McCain presidential campaign strategist John Weaver, commenting on how hard it is for Republicans to break the habit of reflexively sticking up for Big Oil (quoted in Washington Post)BP agreed to Obama’s “request” to create a $20 billion escrow account
For those harmed by the oil spill (that’s no small amount).
The House Republican Study Committee (HRSC),
Which represents two-thirds of the House GOP,
Said the fund is a “Chicago-style shakedown.”
Were they afraid BP’s stock would go down?
Instead of fighting to make sure BP owns up,
The GOP has fought to keep their liability limit from going up.
They’d rather keep the cap at $75 million
Than have BP escrow $20 billion.
If the GOP were now in power
Would it be the victims they’d be trying to empower?
Of course, according to them, the real victim’s BP,
Because the government has treated them unfairly.
A sizable contingent of the apologist squad
Still thinks the spill was an act of nature or God.
Michele Bachmann thinks BP shouldn’t give in,
And that the escrow to government takeover is akin.
Rush Limbaugh called the $20 billion a “slush fund”
(Given his previous statements, I can’t say I was stunned).
Rand Paul said the gummint should get its boot off BP’s neck,
And don’t get me started on what’s being said by Glenn Beck!
Both Rush and Sarah Palin have also claimed
That environmentalists for the oil spill should be blamed.
If we’d just let BP drill everywhere else,
They wouldn’t have had to drill off the continental shelf.
Laura Ingraham says Barton shouldn’t be chastised,
And that BP is being unfairly demonized.
The rest of Fox News echoes the refrain:
Don’t worry, BP – we feel your pain!
Even Minority Leader Boehner came to BP’s assistance,
Until he ran into popular resistance.
Boehner said US taxpayers should help pay to clean up BP’s mess,
The reversed himself and claimed he always said the spill was BP’s to address.
Joe Barton personally apologized, BP so horribly to abash
By making them pony up so much cash.
He is the House Energy & Commerce Committee’s ranking GOP member,
So he’ll control House energy policy if the GOP wins in November.
Aren’t you glad he isn’t in charge now,
And in a position the payments from BP to disavow?
Barton also said the fund is a “shakedown” of poor old BP
That BP’s mistreatment is a tragedy.
“That’s the tragedy here?” Jon Stewart replied?
What about the eleven oil workers that died?
What about the pelicans, sea turtles, and all that spilled oil
That continues the depths of the ocean to roil.
Why does the GOP seem to be going out of its way
All of these things about protecting BP to say?
Are they so used to acting at Big Oil’s behest
That they can’t even pretend to act in the public interest?
That does appear to be the case,
And explains why Republicans themselves abase,
Falling to the feet of their corporate masters,
Even when they’re guilty of causing major disasters.
Is there a moral to be discerned?
Is there a lesson to be learned?
Just this, America: Remember
When it’s time to vote in November.
***
Here’s the Daily Show’s 6/17/10 report.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Day 59 – Judgment Day – The Strife Aquatic | ||||
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Here are Rachel’s and Keith’s 6/17/10 reports. And I want to apologize to you, Joe Barton, that I misconstrued your words to mean what you said instead of what you later tried to redefine them to mean.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Here’s Hardball’s 6/17/10 report, including El Rushbo’s criticism of the “slush fund.”
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Here’s a Media Matters medley of the Fox News anti-Obama BP lovefest.
Here’s El Rushbo echoing the “shakedown” talking point while mocking Malia Obama. (Remember when the echo chamber said that families were supposed to be hands off?)
Here’s your theme music, Shakedown by Bob Seeger, from the soundtrack of Beverly Hills Cop II.
Sphere: Related Content
Tags: BP, Environment, Fox News, Gulf of Mexico oil spill, hypocrisy, Joe Barton, Michele Bachmann, Music, Obama, Oil, Rachel Maddow, Republicans, Rush Limbaugh
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