The Role of Government – BP Edition

As I listen to the right trying to blame anything that happens in the world on the Obama administration, I can’t help but wonder how these people justify their statements in light of their claim from the other side of their mouths that Obama is trying to take over the business sector. Oh, yeah, that’s right, they are BIG FUCKING HYPOCRITES. I’ve been wondering during this whole BP mess what exactly the US government CAN do. I admit that I am ignorant on exactly what powers our government has over a British company who is offshore. I’ve been so sickened by the whole mess that I have been in conscious denial about the whole damn thing. Bob Cesca says much of what I’ve been thinking about in this post about the government taking over the mess from BP…

But why wait? Get in there now. Again, I don’t know the legalities of actually nationalizing BP, but I wouldn’t just take over the capping and cleanup effort, I would take over the whole damn company. They’ve forfeited their corporate status. This is one of the biggest corporate disasters in the history corporate disasters.

Meanwhile, today we’re hearing from Sarah Palin and Pat Buchanan and others that the government ought to get in there and do something. But when the administration actually takes this advice, these same people will be screeching about a “government takeover.” The tea party people will scream about the government “bailing out” BP. Suddenly Palin and the Republicans will rally around Rand Paul and endorse his “un-American” line. The cable news people will hector congressmembers and administration officials about how they plan to pay for the cleanup — what about the CBO?

The stupid will reach all news levels of ear-bleeding hackery.

Of course when the US government does take over the problem, the games will begin in the congress. The Republi-fucks will try some stupid shit like tacking on an amendment to increase off-shore drilling or some abortion funding bullshit. I no longer underestimate the gall or stupidity of the Republicans, they keep sinking to new lows just when I think they’ve reached bottom.