Do we need any more proof that this new version of the Republican Party cares more for corporations than people? This is the party that crucified the low-income family advocate ACORN for their "foot in mouth" moment when they were set up and caught on video discussing mortgage opportunities for a brothel. Even though ACORN was subsequently cleared of breaking any laws, Republicans fiercely sought and won complete defunding of the $3.5 million given annually to the non-profit organization. At the same time, Republicans continue to seek increased funding for private security firms like Blackwater, whose employees are known to have committed murder while on duty in Iraq and are paid with American tax dollars from the over $1 billion paid out to their employer.
So it shouldn't come as a surprise that there have been no calls from Republicans to stop the billions of our tax dollars going to BP (and others), in the form of tax breaks and "royalty relief," even though their actions, possibly criminally negligent, have resulted in the deaths of 11 people. Instead, they are APOLOGIZING TO BP!!!
Should such arm-twisting of corporations by a U.S. President be standard operating procedure? Of course not. But extreme conditions call for extreme measures.
To publicly feign real concern for the damage done by BP, Republican leadership forced Barton to apologize for his apology but their true colors can't be hidden. Too many others have come to Barton's defense.
Republican apologists are saying that this whole mess would be better handled by the Justice Department. (This is the same Justice Department that they claim can't properly prosecute a terrorist.) If we let the courts handle it, we might see a settlement--eventually. Americans who have lost their livelihoods need help NOW. That is what the escrow fund, funded with BP dollars, not taxpayer dollars, will do.
Democrats have called Barton's comments "incredibly insensitive, incredibly out of touch." They have observed that Barton seems to have more concern for the big corporations that have caused this disaster than the fisherman, business owners, and communities whose lives have been devastated. And, once again, let's not forget that eleven men died in the Deepwater Horizon explosion.
You want a good honest perspective of the Republican Party apology to BP? Just ask a Louisiana shrimper what he thinks about it"and then stand back.
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