Republican Joe Barton Defends BP Oil

[Drake]

Drake, I'm asking why would he decline offers of help to ease the suffering.

Just answer that please.

Hell if I know. I'm not a huge Obama fan. I'm just a bigger fan of him than other republican choices.

It's BPs responsibility, though. And everyone, GOP included, agree with this.

I can't find a statement citing the reason, and all I am finding are articles blasting people for either criticizing this decision, or blasting them for supporting it. Can't find an unbiased article anywhere.

[solo1]

So the spill is now Obama's fault? AWESOME.

IT IS BPs LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY TO CLEAN UP THEIR OWN SPILL.





Nobody raised an eyebrow when Bush refused to declare the Alaskan coast a disaster area. BECAUSE IT WAS EXXON'S RESPONSIBILITY.

You want businesses to be left alone, but it's not their responsibility to clean up their mess? Seriously?

BP has the equipment to clean this up, but they are too busy accusing people of having food poisoning and inventing fake plumes.

Obama claimed hes in control, he takes responcibility for the spill and the oil companies answer to him, what other conclusions would you draw. He is the POTUS right? where does the buck stop?
BP never denied that they are responcible for the spill and the clean up and have already paid thousands of claims. bp has the equipment to clean it and stop it but they arent allowed to use some methods because of "environmental issues", wonderful. So while we wait to determine what the impact issues may be on pelicans, otters and crabs never mind the human cost, the field is the size of Colorado and on the beaches of 5 states, who made that brilliant rulling? the esteemed Obama administration, the transparent adminstration? bingo!. The Russians have used nukes, the Scandinavians have had the same issues in the North Sea but their offer to help was turned away by Obama. Why? hes not paying for it, BP is and have re-iterated they will assume the cost of everything! Its because this is a wonderful crisis not to be wasted by Obama it and maybe just maybe it might have something to do with cap and trade?

[solo1]

Hell if I know. I'm not a huge Obama fan. I'm just a bigger fan of him than other republican choices.

It's BPs responsibility, though. And everyone, GOP included, agree with this.

I can't find a statement citing the reason, and all I am finding are articles blasting people for either criticizing this decision, or blasting them for supporting it. Can't find an unbiased article anywhere.

If a foreign country comes in with "foreign" technology they will get the credit for stopping the spill, not Obama, not Obamas Nobel Prize winning advisor, not the Obama adminstration. There are no legal reasons it seems political. why couldnt Bobby Jindal the governor of Louisiana build sand barriers weeks ago? at the very least it may have prevented some of the oil from getting to shore, he was told to wait for the environmental impact studies from the Obama adminstration before he would be "allowed" to proceed. never let a good crisis go to waste.

[Drake]

By law, BP is responsible. Funny you'd defend those primarily responsible, and attack those simply trying to "un-eff" their damage.

I don't care if you attack President Obama on his role in dealing with the crisis. HOWEVER, this is BPs mess, and it belongs to nobody else. To defend them, as I said before, is tantamount to treason. I know you wouldn't say any of these things to the faces of the families who lost loved ones due to this. People are unusually brave on the internet.

[Reality_Check]

Actually Obama is making it worse. Several European companies offered to help, but Obama said "No". He said "no" because it would have involved him waiving the Jones Act, which requires all vessels working in U.S. waters to be American-built, and American-crewed. The Jones Act is union backed, of course...

...Notice the evil, stupid, racist Bush accepted foreign help, but the compassionate, intelligent, liberal Obama said no to international help. So, who cares more about the victims?

Drake, I'm asking why would he decline offers of help to ease the suffering.

Gee, and I thought he should be doing nothing.

1Bad what do you think Obama should be doing specifically?

Nothing.

See, I'm consistent. I think Bush owed the Katrina victims nothing. It's not the Federal Government's responsibility, it's the States.

Since you can't read and/or comprehend my posts, I'm forced once again to decipher written English for you.

Here is what I posted: "See, I'm consistent. I think Bush owed the Katrina victims nothing. It's not the Federal Government's responsibility, it's the States."

Do you understand it now?

[Drake]

gee, and i thought he should be doing nothing.

zing!

...

[Drake]

"This $20 billion will provide substantial assurance that the claims people and businesses have will be honored. It’s also important to emphasize this is not a cap. The people of the Gulf have my commitment that BP will meet its obligations to them. BP has publicly pledged to make good on the claims that it owes to the people in the Gulf, and so the agreement we reached sets up a financial and legal framework to do it.

Another important element is that this $20 billion fund will not be controlled by either BP or by the government. It will be put in a escrow account, administered by an impartial, independent third party. So if you or your business has suffered an economic loss as a result of this spill, you’ll be eligible to file a claim for part of this $20 billion. This fund does not supersede either individuals’ rights or states’ rights to present claims in court. BP will also continue to be liable for the environmental disaster it has caused, and we’re going to continue to work to make sure that they address it."

It's for affected AMERICAN BUSINESSES and NOT CONTROLLED by the Government. The problem is what? We shouldn't hold them accountable for damages caused to small and large businesses in the Gulf?

Or maybe it offends CERTAIN people that we are more concerned about protecting Americans and not self-serving Brit corporate interests?

[SanHeChuan]

Drake, I'm asking why would he decline offers of help to ease the suffering.

Just answer that please.

Why are there already forgien ships in the gulf aiding in the recovery?
Can you answer that?

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen instructed the Coast Guard federal on-scene coordinator, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Maritime Administration to ensure any Jones Act waiver requests regarding the BP oil spill response receive accelerated processing.

The admiral’s guidance would route waivers through the on-scene coordinator and the national incident commander for expedited clearance.

No Jones Act waivers have been required for the 15 foreign-flagged vessels currently in operation in the Gulf of Mexico. A foreign flag vessel can conduct certain operations as part of the flotilla if it is an oil spill response vessel and meets the requirements of 46 USC § 55113.

Federal law prohibits a foreign-flagged vessel from transporting merchandise between points in the United States encompassed by the Coastwise laws. The CBP determines the application of the Jones Act.

Red Herring Maybe

Quote: Solo1

Your aware it floats and has some the most advanced machinery known to mankind to keep it level and operating in the worst weather, its lines go down over a mileyour going to make that kind of investment in a piece of state of the art machinery and your gonna cut corners?

BP exec admits clean-up technology is dated

BP Deepwater Horizon engineer called rig a 'nightmare,' days before Gulf oil spill ignited

That's cutting corners.

[1bad65]

By law, BP is responsible. Funny you'd defend those primarily responsible, and attack those simply trying to "un-eff" their damage.

Just stop.

Look, if I set fire to my place of work, I'm responsible for it. Does that mean the property owner should tell the Fire Dept to not come because it's my responsibility to clean up my mess?

Get real and stop making excuses for the guy.

[1bad65]

Gee, and I thought he should be doing nothing.

But my opinion doesn't matter. His does, and he said "No" to foreign help after HE chose to get involved.

Stop blaming me and Bush and hold the guy responsible for his decisions.

[1bad65]

That's cutting corners.

And the Obama Administration granted them a waiver to do that!

Of course I'm sure that's Bush's fault. Or 1bad65's fault.

[Reality_Check]

But my opinion doesn't matter. His does, and he said "No" to foreign help after HE chose to get involved.

Stop blaming me and Bush and hold the guy responsible for his decisions.

Ah, but you are criticizing President Obama for not doing enough when you said he should be doing nothing. As nothing is an all-encompassing word, your criticism is hypocritical. So, since you believe that he shouldn't be doing anything:

1Bad what do you think Obama should be doing specifically?

Nothing.

you should refrain from criticizing any real or perceived inaction on his part, don't you think?

[Drake]

Just stop.

Look, if I set fire to my place of work, I'm responsible for it. Does that mean the property owner should tell the Fire Dept to not come because it's my responsibility to clean up my mess?

Get real and stop making excuses for the guy.

No, I'm not going to stop. You want to compare? Fmr Pres GWB wasn't even able to effectively rally our OWN resources to help with Katrina, which you PERSONALLY said he shouldn't have helped with anyway.

Now, we have another disaster, and you are wondering why Pres Obama ISN'T letting foreign ships handle something that BP should be doing themselves? Did you read about the AMERICAN resources being used right now? Coast Guard, EPA, volunteer ships (roughly 2000 of them), a claim hotline, an escrow fund for victims (not to preclude legal suits by individuals) not to mention him being down there all the time talking to families? Did GWB do this? No. Dozens died as a result. "You're doing a great job, Brownie!" -Does THAT ring a bell?

You want me to stop? How about you stop being a hypocrite and using a tragedy to berate a president who you don't agree with. It's SICK.

[SanHeChuan]

And the Obama Administration granted them a waiver to do that!

Of course I'm sure that's Bush's fault. Or 1bad65's fault.

Oh it's definitely your fault!

How is the waiver connected to BP not taking measures that according to Solo1 and you Big oil companies would do without government oversight anyway because they are just so **** responsible?

The waiver gave them permission to drill, not permission to **** it up.

[Hardwork108]

Ask yourselves this: Why would an American President decline international help to ease the suffering of American citizens he is SWORN to protect?

That is an easy one to answers- Obama will not let this disaster go to waste and will milk it for all he can so as to impose more regulations and controls, thus increasing the size and influence of the government.

It seems that as far as Obama (and his handlers) are concerned, it is business as usual, as regards the agenda of government centralization, within a dictatorial socialistic context.