BP an the Republicans

From David Plouffe:

"When BP CEO Tony Hayward testified before Congress this morning, many expected to hear him apologize for the disaster his company has caused. Instead, GOP Congressman Joe Barton was the one saying he was sorry -- to BP.

"In his opening statement, Barton, the top Republican on the committee overseeing the oil spill and its aftermath, delivered a personal apology to the oil giant. He said the $20 billion fund that President Obama directed BP to establish to provide relief to the victims of the oil disaster was a "tragedy in the first proportion."

"Other Republicans are echoing his call. Sen. John Cornyn said he "shares" Barton's concern. Rep. Michele Bachmann said that BP shouldn't agree to be "fleeced." Rush Limbaugh called it a "bailout." The Republican Study Committee, with its 114 members in the House, called it a "shakedown.""

Because of President Obama, BP has pledged 20 billion dollars--which is still to little for the biggest ecological disaster in the world's history.

Once again the Republicans show where they stand--with the rich and richer.

Regulating the Regulators--Whose Fault is it?

Is President Obama to be blamed for the oil spill?

Not in my opinion.

Deregulating started under Clinton and continued under Bush. In fact, if you remember President Bush pushed for oil drilling in the arctic as well as off shore in the Gulf.

I know it's easy to blame the current president for this mishap, but he did not allow the massive growth of oil drilling in the gulf. Bush and Cheney did. In fact, Cheney has an economic interest in the very corporations that built this broken pipe that now is leaking everywhere.

Of course, as former President Truman said, "The buck stops here," and President Obama has to respond and deal effectively with this crisis. But to blame him for it is not even remotely understandable. Deregulation of the oil industry began after Carter's administration and it flourished under George Bush.

We went from 29 to over a 125 oil drilling rigs in the Gulf during the George Bush administration.

I say boycott BP and continue to boycott.

But don't blame this disaster on Obama. He's not the one who deregulated the oil industry and allowed all of this to happen. And he especially did not allow BP to drill for oil by cutting corners thus creating one of--if not the worse--ecological disasters in our history.

From C. J. Laity:

"It has become clear that BP has been lying to us
for forty days while they caused the worst
ecological disaster in American history, and there
is no end in sight. I cannot in good conscience be
silent about this, so I am supporting the growing
call to boycott BP and all its products and
related businesses. There will be a protest at the
BP Refinery in Indiana on the morning of Memorial
Day. I don't know if I can actually make this one
because I don't have transportation, but I'm sure
this will only be the first protest at BP
factories as well as at local gas stations."

I could not say it better myself.