Every once in awhile an elected official just lets loose with what they really think. It's actually quite healthy. The latest was Republican House member Joe Barton of Texas, who apologized to the BP CEO (remember him? The one who wants his life back?) for what he called a White House "shakedown":
"I'm ashamed of what happened in the White House yesterday," deeming it "a tragedy of the first proportion that a private corporation can be subjected to what I would characterize as a shakedown, in this case, a $20 billion shakedown.
"I apologize," Barton told BP CEO Hayward. "I do not want to live in a country where any time a citizen or a corporation does something that is legitimately wrong is subject to some sort of political pressure that is -- again, in my words, amounts to a shakedown. So I apologize."
As the old song goes -- which side are you on?
Not our side, to be sure. Mr. Barton has taken more than $1.4 million in political contributions from the oil industry, so there is little doubt whose side he is on.
The single most important thing to know about Joe Barton is that he would be the next chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee if the Republicans regain control of the House in November elections.
That is the committee that writes any legislation governing matters like global warming or energy policy.
A man with a future like that is worth investing in. Particularly in an era where corporations can now make unlimited contributions to influence elections.
Mr. Barton simply did not know when to keep his mouth shut and let the American people in on exactly whose interests he represents in Congress.
Thank you, Mr. Barton. Keep talking.
Rep. John B. Larson: Senior House Republican Apologizes to BP CEO
While Members of the House were being briefed by Admiral Thad Allen on our recovery efforts in the Gulf Coast, some Republicans were cozying up to the Big Oil executives that caused the worst environmental disaster in our nation's history.
THERE ARE NEARLY 40 SANCTUARY AREA IN THE U.S. - DEPENDING ON THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF ILLEGALS EACH SANCTUARY AREA WOULD RECEIVE BETWEEN 250,000 - 300,000 NEW RESIDENCE! I am sure that their economy would grow with the industrous new residence!!! Since these cities/areas have voluntarily decided to become sanctuary cities/areas they would be totally responsible for the welbeing of thier new residents!!!!!!!!!!!!! TO HELP THESE SANCTUARY AREAS - THE GOVERNMENT WOULD IMMEDIATELY CLOSE DOWN THE BOARDERS
SEND an OPEN INVITAITON to those IN America - we provide transportation for ALL ILLEGALS. RULES: they MAY NOT LEAVE THE CITY LIMITS and the burden of their welbeing be placed on the city government and it's citizenry? Invite all illegals presently here free passage to any sanctuary city in the U.S. - making sure that the list of cities and directions are in English and spanish! It would be interesting to see how long the bleeding hearts stop bleeding? Of course there would be NO federal assistance!
SINCE THEY ARE NOT YET CITIZENS THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO VOTE UNTIL ACCOMPLISHED!!!
THIS WOULD IMMEDIATELY SOLVE most PROBLEMS THE REST OF THE CITIES!! NO MORE RACE CARD or PROFILING!!
THIS WOULD SAVE THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER BILLIONS!
If OB did this he would nearly assure the support of every hispanic voter in the U.S.! And almost guarantee his re-election as well those liberals that are on the bubble?????
If they play their hand right they will be able to show the "small people" -- especially in the blind South how insignificant they really are in the eyes of the Republican Party.
The ironic fact that Barton would be in CHARGE of the energy committee if the Republicans controlled congress SHOULD be enough to send chills through anyone's spine --especially if you're the one whose very livelihood is threatened by this gulf tragedy.
Perhaps his insensitivity to their hardship will be enough to break through their hatred of the president to realize where the real enemy lies...in the corporate-loving GOP.
I think we just saw a potential turning point, if the scales fall off enough poor Southern eyes. No way are the Republicans taking EITHER house of congress this year.
Thank you, Mr. Barton!
"Halliburton, the Texan oilfield services giant, has emerged as a key player in the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe. The controversial firm, once run by former vice president and Iraq war architect Dick Cheney, had been hired by BP to handle the cementing process on the doomed rig.
According to Transocean, the operator of the drilling platform, Halliburton workers had just finished pumping cement to fill the space between the pipe and the sides of the hole and had begun temporarily plugging the 18,000 ft well with cement shortly before the explosion that caused the rig to catch fire and ultimately to sink.
Latest reports suggest oil is blasting from three seperate holes in the bedrock beneath the gulf of Mexico at a rate of 200,000 gallons a day - a rate that has caused the slick to spread far more rapidly and widely than previous estimates forecast."
Read more: http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/62899,business,dick-cheney-halliburton-implicated-in-bp-deepwater-horizon-oil-spill#ixzz26LbijlW1
http://www.nationaljournal.com/about/njweekly/stories/2006/0209nj1.htm
http://www.nationaljournal.com/about/njweekly/stories/2005/1122nj1.htm
Senator Mitch McConnell 2005 - 2010
Select cycle and data to include:
2010200820062004200220001998Career Campaign Cmte Only
Leadership PAC Profile Only
Campaign Cmte & Leadership PAC Combined
Top 20 Industries contributing to Campaign Cmte and Leadership PAC
Industry Total Indivs PACs
Securities & Investment $1,265,224 $976,725 $288,499
Lawyers/Law Firms $991,258 $739,158 $252,100
Retired $927,980 $927,980 $0
Real Estate $832,630 $598,130 $234,500
Health Professionals $808,400 $513,500 $294,900
Insurance $777,983 $280,483 $497,500
Lobbyists $713,603 $695,864 $17,739
Pharmaceuticals/Health Products $659,985 $166,000 $493,985
Republican/Conservative $531,633 $476,883 $54,750
Oil & Gas $518,350 $267,650 $250,700
Commercial Banks $493,350 $272,850 $220,500
Hospitals/Nursing Homes $453,750 $258,550 $195,200
Pro-Israel $415,710 $304,200 $111,510
General Contractors $379,421 $282,421 $97,000
Misc Finance $377,484 $334,484 $43,000
Leadership PACs $371,044 $0 $371,044
TV/Movies/Music $325,400 $158,400 $167,000
Computers/Internet $316,335 $129,750 $186,585
Misc Manufacturing & Distributing $314,350 $200,350 $114,000
Misc Business $311,050 $289,550 $21,500