Posted on 06/24/2010 6:18:38 AM PDT by Libloather
John Stossel: ‘Thuggish Chicago Shakedown’ Of BP Is ‘Not Democracy’
by Frances Martel
7:50 am, June 23rd, 2010
It seems that every time someone in the GOP expresses some radical libertarian idea, the rest of the party scatters as far from the person as possible. And like a brave firefighter to a burning building, John Stossel rushes in to save the embers of his beloved philosophy. He arrived on the O’Reilly Factor tonight with fistfuls of red-hot free market capitalism, calling the $20 billion BP escrow account a “thuggish Chicago shakedown,” by “Vladimir Obama.”
While Stossel didn’t defend BP CEO Tony Hayward, calling him and his corporation “despicable,” he was equally appalled by the fact that the Obama administration made BP agree to save $20 billion in an escrow account specifically for claims. “I disagree with you,” he told Bill O’Reilly, “that Obama was right to say we go in there with a machine gun. We have rules in America!”
Stossel affirmed that he believed the deal was a “shakedown”– no, a “thuggish Chicago Shakedown”– and despite disapproval from O’Reilly, who had no problem with BP officials being “roughed up,” Stossel was worried that it was a slippery slope. “What if next time, Fox News is evil, and O’Reilly is evil,” he argued, and Fox News was taken off the air? O’Reilly basically responded that he’d cross that bridge when we get to it, and that he didn’t believe the federal government would ever take him off the air. Stossel didn’t buy the argument and concluded that this type of deal “is like Venezuela, it’s thuggish, it’s not democracy,” and called O’Reilly a member of the “liberal media.”
Video from The Factor below:
Yeah. But did he have an alternate suggestion other than every impacted person having to sue for damages?
Well, I think BP was already paying without people having to sue, subject, presumably, to some evidence of their claims.
“Wake up, BOR. You and anyone else who speaks up against this government are next in line.”
To paraphrase an old line: when they came for the auto companies, I did nothing because I didn’t work in that industry; when they came for the oil companies, I did nothing because I didn’t work in that industry; when they come for the conservative* talkers, no one was there to help them!
*I use this term very loosely at times when describing BOR! Remember, ALL talkers will be removed and only the Baghdad Bob types (Chrissy, Olbernut, etc...) will be allowed to remain on air!!!
“But did he have an alternate suggestion other than every impacted person having to sue for damages?”
Ever heard of a “class-action” lawsuit? This would have moved into that realm very quickly, but now BP has a legal OUT or sorts! Hey, go through those guys - not us!
This was a shakedown, Obamao now has ANOTHER slush fund and BP has been given an out because this third party gets to decide who gets what and when! They can simply tell people who go to sue them that they need to file a claim with the slush fund group. This could give BP YEARS of coverage which means they can keep deflecting their total monetary responsibilities through this slush fund!!!
Not to mention, the President does NOT have the authority to demand this kind of action from a company! PERIOD! End of story! He can request and he can suggest, but to come out and flatly state that he DEMANDED this, means it was an illegal shakedown! Extortion using the US Presidency as the backbone!
Obamao embarrassed the United States more from this one action than all his other bowing and groveling and gift giving combined!!
“Obamao embarrassed the United States more from this one action than all his other bowing and groveling and gift giving combined!!”
We OFFICIALLY became a Banana Republic on June 16th, 2010!
[tip o’ the 10 gallon]
Yep. And what do the people do for the 8 or 10 years BP can drag it out in court?
This was a shakedown...
This was the biggest PR gift to BP that Obama could have given them. BP is off the hook now. It's ponied up the money and Obama has appointed his relief czar so now the government owns it. Any delay in payment, any bureacracy, any red tape, any delays or fraud or overlooked victim is now due to government incompetence and not any evil corporate intent on BPs part. They can sit back and say, correctly, "We provided the money that the government demanded. If it isn't getting to the right people and the right places then it's not our fault." Sooner or later Obama will run out of things he can blame them for.
I have to agree with you on this, he is so ‘high and mighty’ (so HE thinks). I switch over to another channel when he comes on..........
Stephen Colbert , while mocking conservatives , shows he has a far greater understanding of conservatism than BOR . BOR has no real values , and a limited intelligence . One of the best indicators a layman can use to gauge intelligence, is the subject's sense of humor . BOR has virtually none and what there is, resembles that of junior high bully punk .
“O’Reilly basically responded that he’d cross that bridge when we get to it, and that he didn’t believe the federal government would ever take him off the air.”
BOR is a fool and I can no longer stomach watching his BAMBAM celebration fest. I used to be a big fan, but eventually fools turn me off.
I heart John Stossel.
The article says he’s GOP. That’s an error, I believe. That’s why I brought it up.
Obongo Bozo and his thugs are intent on transforming America into a LIEberal/Marxist/Socialist/Fascist nation.
Remember, in their theology, “The ends justifies the means!”
We have not seen anything yet.
Keep your powder dry!
'Cause dammit, we ARE NOT A DEMOCRACY!
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