--And, I still remember, from just two nights ago, he is one of that great historic trio, who consistently votes against every measure designed for the relief of the American people, 'Martin, Barton & Fish'! --FDR, 1940
When Congressman Joe Barton (R-TX), a former oil executive whose company was purchased by BP, read his prepared text apologizing to BP for President Obama's securing a $20B relief fund to pay the first part of damages from the Gulf Oil spill, he was following Republican Party orthodoxy, consistent with Republican National Committee banner ads.
But those same words on public television triggered an immediate backlash. (The medium is indeed "the massage".) Rand Paul, whose true persona was also exposed on television, referred to it as "piling on", and that he "felt Barton's pain".
Of course he did. Barton had committed the cardinal sin -- he had exposed, for all to see, the "DNA" of the Republican Party -- not just that they have a cozy relationship with big oil (and big business in general), but that they were really one and the same. Do their bidding in Congress and get re-elected. Lose an election and work for them in a lobbying firm or, if you need a more prestigious title, a belief tank that they fund to publish pseudo-scholarly pieces designed to provide excuses for whatever policy they consider best for them. Elected officials are the troops. Big business interests are their paymasters. It is one big, happy, loving family.
Usually, expressions of love and devotion occur behind closed doors. But, now, their Ranking Member put it out in the open. He had given them no place to hide.
It was like mobster Joseph Valachi breaking the Mafia's sacred code of silence (omerta) by squealing before a Senate Committee in 1963. Everyone had known there was a mafia (or Cosa Nostra). But, no one had ever admitted it before in the open. That last repository of doubt, that little 0.1% chance that everything that had been described might not be quite true or grossly exaggerated, was eliminated.
Similarly, with Rand Paul. He does not like the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1965. We know that. He told us. Whether he accepts the Supreme Court's ruling on its Constitutionality or not, he does not like it. Neither do most Republicans, especially in the South. That's how they win in the South. Not by doing anything for the people who live there, and certainly not its African-American citizens, but by giving 'winks-and-nods' to such sentiments, so the good ole boys know who their good ole boys really are, but not directly. That would alienate too many independents and even Republicans in the north and west who liked their low taxes/laissez-faire economics, but would not wish to associate themselves with the good ole boys.
The one thing I admire about the Republicans, though, is that they are more dedicated to their programs and power than they are to particular individuals. Remember former Majority Leader Trent Lott's fate when he associated himself with "how much better we would all be" if Strom Thurmond's (Dixiecrat) Party had won the presidency -- and turned back the clock on all civil rights in the United States. A good swift boot, and he was off to become a lobbyist.
Similarly, with Joe Barton. Minority Leader John Boehner -- still burned from having to pay 10% tax for his tanning booth sessions to help pay for healthcare reform -- told Barton he was going to strip him of his position as Ranking Member of the House Energy Committee if he did not apologize for the apology. Immediately(!).
Now, I must admit that I expected Barton to rely on Republican "crisis management" techniques: blame alcoholism, check into a rehab center, surround himself with concerned looking family members, pray to the Lord for guidance and strength, and then announce that God had told him to apologize to anyone who "might" have been offended by his remarks.
My expectations were dashed. Instead, Barton apologized that his remarks were "misconstrued". That is, others had misconstrued what he meant, or something like that. That technique is usually employed when a Republican has said something off the cuff, or only an excerpt has been replayed of a longer comment. Then, the "misconstruing" spin may work. But, Barton was reading from prepared text, and it was seen and heard in its entirety in real-time. For this one, I would advised the alcoholism-rehab center-family members-God technique. Perhaps God has been too busy trying to figure out how his divine creations--the corporation and a laissez-faire economy -- could have so miserably messed up his other divine creation, the Gulf of Mexico. [We do know that God is busy preparing for his February meeting with Newt Gingrich and his 3rd wife, Calista, when he is to tell Newtie whether to run for president.]
What does a deity say when two Divine creations collide? [Hint from a mere mortal: Newtie is not His solution.]
Although the Lord might not know what to do, John Boehner did.
If only the Democratic leadership were similarly inclined. Think, for example, of what health care reform might have looked like if Majority Leader Harry Reid had told Joe Lieberman the requirements for keeping his committee chairmanship included voting for cloture when asked. Or, told Ben Nelsen that he cannot block unemployment insurance extension and maintain his seniority.
Do the Democrats have the gumption to use the Barton comment over-and-over-and-over-and-over again, to expose Republicans' "DNA"? Past history would suggest they will "make their point" about the Gulf spill, Republicans will say "it is time to move on", and the media and Democrats will abide by it.
I hope I am wrong.
While they are at it, they might run YouTube ads in every Congressional district -- for months -- pointing out to people that their Republican Congressman voted for their own health care, but against their district's; for their own salaries, but against teachers, police, firefighters and private sector jobs in their own communities.
I doubt they will, but I hope I am wrong.
After this was written, but before publishing, Republicans metastasized over the media, distancing themselves from Barton's blunder, hoping to plug the gusher. But, Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney -- i.e., the Republican Presidential hopefuls -- have come out against the $20B. I suspect the Democrats will let them get away with it as the media will, again, fall for their "we apologized, let's move on" nonsense.
I hope I am wrong.
HIS POLICIES FAVOR THE MIDDLE CLASS....
http://rsc.tomprice.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=191125
For a party that expected President Obama to take over BP and plug the gusher himself, it's odd to read this:
"... However, in an administration that appears not to respect fundamental American principles, it is important to note that there is no legal authority for the President to compel a private company to set up or contribute to an escrow account."
But wait, there's more:
"BP’s reported willingness to go along with the White House’s new fund suggests that the Obama Administration is hard at work exerting its brand of Chicago-style shakedown politics. These actions are emblematic of a politicization of our economy that has been borne out of this Administration’s drive for greater power and control. It is the same mentality that believes an economic crisis or an environmental disaster is the best opportunity to pursue a failed liberal agenda. The American people know much better.”
That said, you will find Democrats acting like Republicans and voting against the Public Option, writing toothless Wall Street reform, supporting continuance of unwinnable wars, and catering to Big Oil. The reason is complete and utter corruption of the political process and a Congress that’s owned by special interests: http://www.thinkersjam.com/who-is-congress-working-for/.
The important thing to recognize is that the line between these issues is often blurred, but the solutions are separate and distinct. If you believe in the American middle class, if you would like to see Social Security fixed and not destroyed, if you believe that a strong nation is dependent on the education of ALL the people, and that those same people should ALL have adequate healthcare, then you need to support the Democrats. If you want the Democrats in office to fully support that platform, then you need to fight for real campaign finance reform — it’s that simple.
Public campaign finance seems to me to be the one thing that voters on either side should support. Couple that with preferential voting, term limits, and a closing of the revolving door, and we just might see Democrats who fully support the principles of the Party again.
(I say this with a snicker & sarcasm)
In aggregate the most telling point of all seems to me to be this: no one, even the obvious Republicans, denies the basic point of Republican "DNA". Sure, Democrats have also benefited from oil company largesse--and that is a larger point about campaign finance laws, Citizens United decision, and so forth--but there is no dissent from the observation that the Republican Party is the political arm of big oil and big business. Like the example of the mafia in the article, everyone knew it, but any scintilla of doubt that could have been used to spin it otherwise, has been extinguished.
Republican Party collusion with Big Business and how they are their government
spokesman and only real constituents.
He apologized for the thug shakedown of BP. Something this administration does on a seemingly regular basis. "You do this or else...." is the Obama administration M.O.
The finger pointing is laughable as most of us know the dems are just as deep in with the oil companies as the republicans. The big difference is that many liberals are led to believe it isn't so....the liberal politicians are much more interested in environmental concerns. Please. They have the environmentalists on one arm and the big oil/big corporations on the other. It's just a matter of how skillfully they can juggle the two while hiding the fact they are complete and utter hypocrites.
Or are you just here to spread negativity and hope everyone gives up on the democratic process.
From "When the Music's Over"
What have they done to the earth?
What have they done to our fair sister?
Ravaged and plundered and ripped her and bit her
Stuck her with knives in the side of the dawn
And tied her with fences and dragged her down
I hear a very gentle sound
With your ear down to the ground
We want the world and we want it...
We want the world and we want it...
Now
Now?
Now!
Persian night, babe
See the light, babe
Save us!
Jesus!
Save us!
So when the music's over
When the music's over, yeah
When the music's over
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights
The music is over people. This will change everything 10 times worse than 9/11.
But, as we've learned so painfully during the last year, the Obama Administration shares this identification--as evidenced by Obama's admiration for Ronald Reagan.
That's why Obama's reaction to the BP oil gusher struck most people as strange. Like his Republican brethren, Obama thinks Merchants can do no wrong.
Both parties are looking out for their own particular interests, and those interests simply do not include the welfare of the American public or the environment. We're getting played.