The Rand Paul nuttery nobody noticed...

[Leon Troutsky]

"What I don't like from the president's administration is this sort of, 'I'll put my boot heel on the throat of BP,'" Paul said in an interview with ABC's "Good Morning America." "I think that sounds really un-American in his criticism of business."

So criticizing and holding accountable a BRITISH company is now un-AMERICAN? Wait, what?

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/may/27/rand-paul-obamas-criticism-of-bp-un-american/

[sourdiesal]

lol..Maybe he thinks BP stands for Boston Petroluem..

[capologist]

So criticizing and holding accountable a BRITISH company is now un-AMERICAN? Wait, what?

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/may/27/rand-paul-obamas-criticism-of-bp-un-american/

Or possibly in better context he just thinks that it's a bit agressive considering BP hasn't said anything about not paying for damages as it says later in the article, albeit, hidden:

On the oil spill, Paul, a libertarian and tea party favorite, said he had heard nothing from BP indicating it wouldn't pay for the spill that threatens devastating environmental damage along the Gulf of Mexico coast.

[sourdiesal]

Or possibly in better context he just thinks that it's a bit agressive considering BP hasn't said anything about not paying for damages as it says later in the article, albeit, hidden:

On the oil spill, Paul, a libertarian and tea party favorite, said he had heard nothing from BP indicating it wouldn't pay for the spill that threatens devastating environmental damage along the Gulf of Mexico coast.

Which part of of what the president said was Un-American?

[The Monarch]

Or possibly in better context he just thinks that it's a bit agressive considering BP hasn't said anything about not paying for damages as it says later in the article, albeit, hidden:

On the oil spill, Paul, a libertarian and tea party favorite, said he had heard nothing from BP indicating it wouldn't pay for the spill that threatens devastating environmental damage along the Gulf of Mexico coast.

Yes. We should take them at their word. Just like they said they'd be better off regulating themselves in the first place. And kind of how Exxon said they'd take care of all the damage from the Valdez spill.

We should totally trust these guys. I mean, there's no way they'll end up battling in court over damages while raking in billions in profits every year. No way.

[kicker]

Well, I don't really agree with Rand Paul because I think BP has done a horrible job so far on the spill, but Jesus Christ Acworth, is there anything you won't make a thread about for this guy? You're the 'snake' of Rand Paul threads.

[kicker]

Yes. We should take them at their word. Just like they said they'd be better off regulating themselves in the first place. And kind of how Exxon said they'd take care of all the damage from the Valdez spill.

We should totally trust these guys. I mean, there's no way they'll end up battling in court over damages while raking in billions in profits every year. No way.

What business has ever come out and said, "yes, please please pretty please regulate us?"

[Leon Troutsky]

Or possibly in better context he just thinks that it's a bit agressive considering BP hasn't said anything about not paying for damages as it says later in the article, albeit, hidden:

On the oil spill, Paul, a libertarian and tea party favorite, said he had heard nothing from BP indicating it wouldn't pay for the spill that threatens devastating environmental damage along the Gulf of Mexico coast.

Their liability is capped by law at $75 million. You think BP is going to pay more than that out of the goodness of its heart? In fact, BP has been lobbying very strongly to kill legislation that would increase that cap to $20 billion.

Also, BP is trying to have civil lawsuits heard by a Houston judge with strong ties to oil and energy companies:

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/05/26/94887/bp-wants-houston-judge-with-oil.html

Yeah, we can trust BP to do what's right.

[Adema1226]

I don't understand why the republicans are blaming Obama for this oil spill. I think they are just trying to get even with all the mindless liberals that blamed Bush for Katrina. Regardless, it's stupid.

[Leon Troutsky]

Well, I don't really agree with Rand Paul because I think BP has done a horrible job so far on the spill, but Jesus Christ Acworth, is there anything you won't make a thread about for this guy? You're the 'snake' of Rand Paul threads.

This kind of stuff is going to have huge implications for the November elections. The TEA Partiers are nominating these nutjobs that can't win the general election, which is going to lessen Republican gains. The GOP is shooting itself in the foot.

[kicker]

Which part of of what the president said was Un-American?

UnAmerican was a poor choice of words. Unbecoming was more accurate. Considering how many people BP employs in the Unites States, it is absolutely an American company.

[sourdiesal]

I don't understand why the republicans are blaming Obama for this oil spill. I think they are just trying to get even with all the mindless liberals that blamed Bush for Katrina. Regardless, it's stupid.

I don't care what republicans say.. But his reaction has been way too slow and nonchalant imo..Him going to a dinner for Barbara Boxer in California when part of out coast is being destroyed was in poor taste..

[Leon Troutsky]

What business has ever come out and said, "yes, please please pretty please regulate us?"

And that's the whole point. The deregulation and leaving these businesses to their own devices creates problems like this spill. You've got oil and energy companies very cozy and connected with members of Congress on the committees that regulate as well as the Minerals Management Service on the Executive side. These companies have billions of dollars to spend on donations and campaign resources and perks for bureaucrats who are responsible for regulating them. They've bought themselves favorable regulation and used that as an excuse to boost profits at the expense of taxpayers and the environment.

It has to stop and idiots like Rand Paul need to get that message loud and clear.

[Leon Troutsky]

I don't care what republicans say.. But his reaction has been way too slow and nonchalant imo..Him going to a dinner for Barbara Boxer in California when part of out coast is being destroyed was in poor taste..

I do agree with this. Unlike Katrina where FEMA is directly responsible for getting water and supplies to victims, here the federal government doesn't directly control the response to the spill. However, Obama has been very slow getting in front of the story and in that regard the comparison to Katrina is fair to an extent. He should have been on the coasts in LA from day one.

[sourdiesal]

UnAmerican was a poor choice of words. Unbecoming was more accurate. Considering how many people BP employs in the Unites States, it is absolutely an American company.

It's much more than an accidental poor choice of words (I know you didn't claim it was an accident).. It's a deliberate attempt to paint the president as an outsider that's "not one of us"... It's starting to become the far rights equivalent of playing the race card.. Everytime someone says or does something they don't agree with it's "unamerican".. As if their narrow view is the only definition of what being American details..

[kicker]

This kind of stuff is going to have huge implications for the November elections. The TEA Partiers are nominating these nutjobs that can't win the general election, which is going to lessen Republican gains. The GOP is shooting itself in the foot.

$10 says Rand Paul wins in Kentucky.

[Leon Troutsky]

UnAmerican was a poor choice of words. Unbecoming was more accurate. Considering how many people BP employs in the Unites States, it is absolutely an American company.

In the pursuit of record profits, this company is destroying whole chunks of the environment in our country. Consider the shrimpers and fishermen whose businesses are now destroyed. Think about the parts of LA that rely on tourism that are going to be decimated. Nevermind the environmental damage, just ponder the economic damage this company has done to innocent Americans.

How is it unbecoming to criticize a foreign company for what they've done to American citizens in this area?

[Adema1226]

I don't care what republicans say.. But his reaction has been way too slow and nonchalant imo..Him going to a dinner for Barbara Boxer in California when part of out coast is being destroyed was in poor taste..

Why? Why do you hold him accountable for the oil spill? What's he going to do about it anyway, fly over the ocean in his jet just so he can say he saw it in person? I don't understand why people still think Obama is the "savior" when he's obviously a Marxist who cares nothing about the well-being of the United States.

[The Monarch]

What business has ever come out and said, "yes, please please pretty please regulate us?"

That's the point. These businesses will spend more money fighting regulation than they will cleaning up their own messes. Under their own self-supervision, they will cut any available corner to boost profits, just as BP did in this case.

The problem with that is that we end up assuming the majority of their risk when something does go kaboom. They've effectively socialized the damages they cause (we end up picking up the bill) while privatizing the profits they make. They still get ridiculous amounts of subsidies, effectively assuring a locked-market for their commodities (good luck competing with them, solar), then do everything they can to assure they pay as little tax in this country as possible.

It's simply lunacy to believe that our country will be more prosperous by leaving massive corporations to their own devices.

[Adema1226]

I do agree with this. Unlike Katrina where FEMA is directly responsible for getting water and supplies to victims, here the federal government doesn't directly control the response to the spill. However, Obama has been very slow getting in front of the story and in that regard the comparison to Katrina is fair to an extent. He should have been on the coasts in LA from day one.

Why do you say that? I'm not trying to argue or make a point, I'm honestly asking. Why should he be there to see it, what could he do about it?

[Leon Troutsky]

$10 says Rand Paul wins in Kentucky.

I'll take that bet. I think it will be a close contest and that Paul has a decent chance (probably less than 50% but not much less) of winning, but this stuff is going to hurt him, especially the Civil Rights Act debacle.

[kicker]

And that's the whole point. The deregulation and leaving these businesses to their own devices creates problems like this spill. You've got oil and energy companies very cozy and connected with members of Congress on the committees that regulate as well as the Minerals Management Service on the Executive side. These companies have billions of dollars to spend on donations and campaign resources and perks for bureaucrats who are responsible for regulating them. They've bought themselves favorable regulation and used that as an excuse to boost profits at the expense of taxpayers and the environment.

It has to stop and idiots like Rand Paul need to get that message loud and clear.

He's playing to his base. If oil is regulated, coal is regulated. And that means less profits for his state. He might be an extremist, I don't really know all his social views, but he's in Kentucky. And Kentucky is a red state more so that Georgia.

[eatcorn]

Hundreds of millions of people gobbling up oil like it's ice cold beer while at the same time lamenting the known risks of drilling for the oil they gobble up.

I love America.

[kicker]

I'll take that bet. I think it will be a close contest and that Paul has a decent chance (probably less than 50% but not much less) of winning, but this stuff is going to hurt him, especially the Civil Rights Act debacle.

You're on.

It was a poor argument, mostly because you just aren't allowed to argue race if you're a white guy. But I will say, I absolutely agree with him. Private businesses (that don't provide life saving service) should absolutely be allowed to serve who they want.

[eatcorn]

He's playing to his base. If oil is regulated, coal is regulated. And that means less profits for his state. He might be an extremist, I don't really know all his social views, but he's in Kentucky. And Kentucky is a red state more so that Georgia.

So maybe Obama is just playing to his base.