How dare Obama not assist BP in fixing this mess. That is the proper mature role to take!

We would have been much better off if he did. This is the most immature President ever.

Few can argue that most contemporary televison "reporters" are unbiased when posing questions. They track down people who have just lost a loved one, and jam a mike in their face and ask, "How does this feel?" Similarly, they are always taking things out of context in order to magnify potential Political Correctness concerns or indignation. Paul simply views contemporary issues through the prism created by our Founding Fathers: the Constitution. I personally find this quite refreshing, and believe this could point our nation back in the right direction, abandoning some of the radical departures promoted by the 20th Century Supreme Court. Common sense SHOULD trump Political Correctness.

The sooner Rand is elected the sooner the country will start to improve.

So our President wants a British own company to pay through the nose for messing up our environment. How is this "un-American"? I think those who oppose this measure are un-American. He should hold them to the fire and then some.

For those of you who don't know BP stands for British Petroleum.

John Adams: It is 2010, not 1787. Would you go to a doctor who sees medicine through the eyes of doctor who practiced in 1787? The "founding fathers" were the Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Mitch McConnell and John Boehner of their day. They were not infallible. We have learned a thing or two about freedom, democracy and how to govern ourselves in the 223 years since the Constitution was ratified. Rand Paul is not a racist. He is simply incredibly naive. If discrimination in privately owned public accomodations (.e. hotels, busses, restaraunts, swimming pools, etc) had not been outlawed, it would still go on today. It is as morally wrong as stealing. You are right about one thing, though. You and Bob and Rand do want to take the country backwards. Where people had the freedom to discriminate; where corporations had the freedom to pollute without having to pay for the harm they caused; where women needed the permission of their husbands to do much of anything. I like where we are and where we are going. You do know that Mayberrry, RFD was not a reality show, right?

No Zaphod, there is a proper role for the government which is currently being ignored! Sorry, we budgeted enough money for this not to happen, it was not a problem of not enough government, but poorly run government.

Our budget to prevent this accident was $347,000,000,000. I am sorry, with that much money allocated, I think the government should have protected us better.

Accidents happen? Accidents CAN BE avoided provided people do what they are supposed to be doing. There was blatant disregard on this rig for safety precautions. That is NOT an accident.

Every time this man opens his mouth he becomes an example of more of the same. He's nothing new. Another big interest pacifier. Keep going Rand Paul. Let everyone know just who you really are. You're becoming more toxic by the day.

I'm confused. Government is too big but Rand Paul is saying they are not doing enough. So he wants bigger government? What an idiot. If this is the BEST the Tea Baggers can come up with - a racist moron - they have a long way to go.

Paul said that leads to the thinking that tragic incidents are "always someone's fault". Yeah, that FAA should just let the planes crash and not investigate - it's just a tragic accident and nobodies fault. The oil volcano is just a tragic incident and not the fault of whoever put a modified blowout preventer with a dead deadman battery a mile down on the ocean floor.

The only tragic incident is when Rand Paul OPENS HIS MOUTH!!!

Rand Paul may not be a racist, but yes - he IS incredibly naive. In the real world, regulation is necessary because plenty of people - and businesses - really won't do "the right thing" unless they have to.

In Paul's unregulated world, would robbery be illegal? After all, most people don't commit robbery, so making that act illegal is an unfair infringement on the freedom of those who don't. Rape? Murder? Laissez-faire, baby. We can't step on anyone's freedom to do as they please. I guess we're supposed to put justice in the hands of individuals to even things up on their own. Sounds to me like a recipe for constant gunfire in the streets.

The financial meltdown is a great example. Given the freedom of deregulated markets, did Wall Street and the banks play fair? No, they exploited the opportunity provided by removal of regulation to fatten their own fortunes at the expense of the rest of us. What are we supposed to do, take the law into our own hands? Then again, if there ARE no laws, then I guess we're supposed to even the score with Goldman Sachs by gunning down their executives?

Give me a break. Laws exist in civilized societies for a reason.

Like it or not, Mr. Paul, this IS an imperfect world, and unless we're going to turn the entire system of justice over to vigilantes who settle the score on their own, we need some rules.

Obama is unAmerican period. He has communist views and bows to every world leader. He shames us daily! Get these communist out of office. It won't be soon enough before they ruin this country anymore with their thinking that is sinking this country to a third world country fast!

What Rand is stating is that the government should have been on top of this making sure it prevents things like this from happening. BP should have been investing their billions of profit to upkeep aging equipment and invest in new technologies. They just live high off the hog and don't reinvest.

Livingbare, if you follow Paul's philosophy, the government won't have any money to "help" BP fix the leak. Your prejudice against the President (not necessarily racist; perhaps just political) has you defending any piece of garbage that comes out of the mouths of wingnuts. Since when does your side argue for government intervention in a business mess-up? What chutzpah! What cheese!

When $347 billion dollars of taxpayers money is used to prevent this and they chose to skip inspections, I think I have a valid complaint.

I thought everyone noticed he was immature, I thought it was very evident. He does not lead, he politicizes!

LOL - keep talking Rand - keep talking. You are digging your own hole. Obama is doing the right thing to hold BP accountable for their own danged mess. Exactly what else do you expect him to do?

Who's side are you on anyway? Sure looks to me like you support the corporation 100% - never mind what consequences their actions do to the PEOPLE.

Louee - well said.

I hate to bring up the previous administration, but.........if they had insisted on the safe guards to prevent oil spills, this would not have happened. Sorry Rand Paul, but in this country we do assign blame for actions that are harmful and it is time to hold those that make these kind of mistakes responsible. The Bush administration worked really hard so that the wealthy would stay that way, and now the common man is paying.

Boy, the right wingers posting here are sure talking out of both sides of their mouths. The more they talk the more foolish they sound. They'll twist themselves in philosophical knots to try (and fail) to defend Paul the nutjob. Now they're all for the federal government spending billions to save BP. Hah! It's this type of irrational flexing that clearly lets us know one thing: You Obama haters ARE a bunch of racists. Your abject hatred drives you to say any outrageous and unreasonable thing in opposition to him

I agree, Procrustes. I hope that Grouper wasnt on Paul's menu for his next dinner outing. Since he likes BP so much, he should know there wont be much of it caught, as this spill worsens.

Millerz: The cost of the gulf oil spill will far exceed even the imagined cost of undocumented aliens in this country. You do realize that the crime rate is higher for American citizens than it is for aliens in this country, right? You do realize that the largest percentage of the aliens being held in our prisons are there solely on immigration law violations, right? You do realize that most undocumented aliens pay taxes, right? Though some work under the table, as do many citizens, most have jobs where ss, fica and federal income taxes are withheld. They do it with fake SS cards. Becaue they are here undocumented, however, they do not recieve the benefits that come with these taxes. They pay all of the other taxes that all Americans pay, like slaes taxes, property taxes, etc. Mexican and other latin American immigrants are the group that it is apparently OK to falsely vilify; to falsely claim are criminals; to falsely claim that they take more than they give. The sudden focus on undocumented aliens is the new version of Gods, Guns and Gays for the Republican party. They distracted blue collar democrats from the destruciton that the Reagan policies on the 80s brought upon them with false claims that affirmative action was costing white people jobs; they distracted the moderate dems in the 90s with false and divisive claims that the dems were going to take away their guns, not allow them to worship their god, and make their children gay. They distracted those in the middle from the failed war on terror fought where there were no terrorists with fear and now they will attempt to distract the voters from the necesarry changes this President and COngress are bringing to America with dishonest claims that the country is under attack from a bunch of poor latin americans sneaking across the border seeking better lives for themselves and their families. No, they should nto be permitted to do that and our immigration laws should be enforced. But the focus of law enforcement should be on real criminals; those who harm others. The vast majority of undocumented aliens are no more a threat to you than your fellow citizen. Frankly, you are much more likely to be victimized by a fellow citizen than by an undocumented alien.

Utterly astounding.

In the face of what may be the worst environmental disaster in this country, Rand Paul is not only giving a pass, but cheerleading for a company that violated many safefy regulations, is not effectively containing the spill, and is being secretive about the amounts being spilled as well as their cleanup efforts?

He is probably also only willing to hold this "human" Corporation liable for the $17 million in cleanup costs, which is 1% of the profits BP earned in 2007 alone.

I question the "Patriotism" of a politician who values Corporate money over the general welfare of the public and of the American environment.

Livingbarefoot, So you beleive in corporate socialism, allowing companies to socialize losses and privatize profits?? I love you TEA PARTIERS!! I guess the only question is what is in it for us (taxpayers)?? We get NO benefits when a foriegn company rapes our oil supplies and then sells our oil to China. We LOSE our precious comodity, the company gains profits!! How is that best for America?? Explain please!

You folks spent the last year and half exclaiming that Obama was a socialist, now your complaining he isn't socialist enough!! I have a question for you? if you decide to turn your back yard into a toxic dump should you government pay to clean it up for you, or should you pay to fix the mess you make?? TEA PARTIERS you wanted corporate "free market" no hold the company to those standards! An old saying goes, "You break it, You pay for it"! It doesn't say you break it, make the government pay for it!!

It was BP who went to the government and said we are so big we don't have to have inspections!! Just like Walmart skips inspections of products being shipped from China!! Your right, we should NOT give coporations special dispensations, we should hold everyone's feet to the fire and crack down on businesses doing business illegally, just like in Az.

Yes Aris, accidents do happen. You think BP is enjoying losing all this revenue? Paying $ to everyone who happens to own a boat? Getting a black eye?

For Mr. Paul, get used to it. MSM is going to make you the boogie man to all the sheeple who still listen to their rantings as gospel. Ask S. Palin.

Please remember that the Obama administration last year gave this rig a safety award so the problem is we trust our Government to do the things they are supposed to and when they don't problems like this happen.

The establishment and the media will throw mud like never before to try and squash the two party ststem. Rand Paul as well as his father talk about change you can believe in. They give a heads up assessment of the state of our country. I support Rand Paul and the Libertarian party.

All you people on here who agree with Rand in his view of supporting corporations -- and saying this is not BP's fault -- you then deserve whatever ills befall you at the hand of those corporations.

When you are indiscriminately terminated, when you are made ill by one of their products, when your livelihood is destroyed because the corporation destroyed that upon which your living depends -- don't cry to me!

IF this SOB is somehow elected, and if corporations are allowed to run free as he would have it, this is all on YOU.

Gotta laugh at the left...Rand, being supported by the Tea Party Movement is now their worst enemy. They'll be going for his juggler even after he's elected. They just can't stand conservatism. When I hear the likes of MSNBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, going after politicians like Paul, it makes me feel all warm and cozy inside. Hell, I might even send them a few contributions!

Now, if we can just get Ron Paul elected President...

Rand=Nutjob. Plain and simple.

You people could have done better.

Maybe Rand Paul can get the Tea party motto changed from 'I want my country back' to 'I want my corporate sponsor back'!

Blue, we budgeted $347 billion this year to protect ourselves. I do not want to give BP a free pass and I do not think anyone believes they are getting one at this time.

The only free pass the got was when our government failed to do the job they were hired to do, protect us. They allowed BP to skip those inspections.

BP is not getting a free pass and they shouldn't, but I think the government is and the shouldn't be!

I am spending all weekend in the Keys, I dive and fish all the time. I am as pissed as anyone, but I believe it was our governments job to protect us and they failed!

At first I thought why would an intelligent man go against the grain and choose to side with the tea party? Then I realized he might be intelligent but simply out of touch with the people in this country. The tea party wants to keep America in the hands of the people who believe they OWN this country.

GOP run run run away from these guys. Your better off working towards a realationship with the Dems. I don't dispute the need for a good healthy argument. We need the GOP as much as we need the Dems. With problem solving it is always important to have a second set of objective eyes on the problem.

Don't spread Hate try spreading Love as we as American's Love our Country and its People.

Yes Aris, accidents do happen. You think BP is enjoying losing all this revenue? Paying $ to everyone who happens to own a boat? Getting a black eye?

Not sure you mean me but this was an avoidable "accident". Disregard for regulation makes this pure negligence.

No I don't think they like losing all this money but it was their push to make as much money as they could as fast as they could that led up to what happened. If they had been more concerned about costs as they are now that it is too late, this might not have happened.

I can hardly feel bad about their loss when they could have prevented this. They deserve every loss they will incur over this and more.

Stupidity never pays.

Socialism to the rescue again! So first socialism had to bail out private industry, and now it is needed again to bail out big oil and the enviroment because the private sector is failing, AGAIN?

You sure do love your socialism....

No kidding. I thought these people were against socialism. I suppose when it's big business or themselves (medicare/social security) socialism is a good thing.

Catydid.........true, but why stop at just the last administration, the oil companies have been making their own rules since they started drilling in the Gulf in the 60's. All administrations ( both parties) have been in bed with them and sold out America to the oil companies since they discovered the stuff in Pennsylvania !

karenann...

BWAHAHAHA...somehow? Somehow?

He'll clean house, don't you worry! Kinda shows you the feelings around the country...eh? Folks have had it with liberals...you'll see come November. And November cannot come fast enough. 2 1/2 more years and BO will be ousted as well!

Rand; didn't your father teach you when to stop talking; the media is going after your head; stop helping them, shut up, kiss baby's, visit nursing homes, take pictures with soldiers, smile; then when you get to Washington be a maverick, not before.

First rule of politics, GET ELECTED.

It is so much easier for him to criticize BP instead of finding a real solution.

The oil spill will help him shove Cap and Tax down our throats, without an arguement. Like the BO admin has said before "don't wanto to let a good crisis go to waste..."

Name ONE THING that Obama has done that is good for America or Americans? I can't seem to recall any.

Zaphod...

He was pushed aside by the republicans...hummmm, who did the repubs back against Rand? Hmmmm, ya think people are disgusted with both parties? I think so and if Ron Paul ran as an independent, you'd have another Ross Perot. And Ross would have won if he hadn't of backed out in mid-summer after his family was threatened by both parties...

And looking back at what Perot said would happen, he was 100% spot on!

Rand hasn't even been elected yet and I'm already tired of his idiotic rhetoric. Tells quite a tale about the dorks that nominated him also. He could be the next 2.0 W. He certainly has proven that by his under-achieving intellectual comments. IDIOT!

eris...of course it does pay....without it bo wouldn't be pres right now.

Case in point, zaphod 1.42 It's GWB's fault? Really? wow.

Its funny to watch people say government should be smaller and keep their noses out of private industry and then turn around and blame the government for the oil. You can't have it both ways.

Wishy Washy.

Who made the mistakes that caused this incident? Was it the US governments drilling platform? No it was BP's. Did you blame the US government for Toyota's failures? No Toyota fixed their problems and stood tall and took their lashings along the way. Not that they didn't stoop as well.

Lynn, I agree. Right now they everyone needs to be doing the most they can from every side, until the leak is contained.

Maybe Obama and BP just need to have an Oil Summit.

So Mr Paul it is un-American to criticise BP who is becoming if not already the biggest oil polluter in America's history. What is un-American Mr Paul is to criticise America's President, elected freely by the American people, when he speaks out against a foreign corporation polluting our waters, not British waters, but American waters!!

This was not a "tragic incident" (unless you live in the gulf waters, or depend on these waters for your livelihood), no this "tragic incident" was a result of arrogance and greed on the behalf of BP. Keep in mind Mr Paul that next time a child dies because of a faulty product it will because of a tragic accident and to think any otherwise is un-American. Thats Mr Pauls world view!

"They'll be going for his juggler"

Zaphod...

Who did the repub party back? C'mon dude...you know the truth...and the truth will set you free!

Fruit Does Not Fall Far From The Tree –

One closet racist begets another as it says in the good book. Oh lets see now grab center stage and make a mockery of thyself. I suppose the only winner in this is his opponent and those that want the president to fail.

The losers the American people, the residents and victims of BP along with the taxpayers that will have to pay for the clean up. Wait, we already are paying. Which is just the way that this fool wants it, the way he see's justice, make em' pay (the American people) other than that would be "un-American". I suppose I am "un-American I think BP should pay big time.

The best friend BP, maybe the only, has in America this sunny and oil slicked country is Rand Paul. What a monumental piece of work I would love to see this little wimp as he goes down to bubba country and talk to the good folks that are dealing with this man made catastrophe.

Not to mention with a corporation that made over $15 Billion in profit (read money) last year and in is on track to beat that this year.

Poor BP can't design and install a fail-safe capping device nor have the resources to deal with a massive spill, even though to do so would be but a drop in the bucket, the profit bucket. An eye doctor that can't see, a blind bat to life.

This wimp has never worked a hard ass job in life I would be willing to bet. Any takers? Just look at him and his feminine posture how would you like to have a beer with this guy?

Don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with femininity I just prefer such attributes to be associated with women not with real (Marlboro) men. A cowboy and field (plant) worker he is not. He s only a pansy dandy which real men flick everyday off their shoulders as they go through life.

The laughing stock of the nation, it is nice to start my day with a hardy laugh, what a joke.

http://www.independentpoliticalreport.com/2010/05/lp-says-liability-limits-encourage-oil-spills/

Perservere...

Now let's not start with the "he never had a real job" mantra. What about our Community Organizer In-Chief? LOL

And talk about WHIMPS...how about kissing every other countries leader's arses during each visit. Disgusting, totally disgusting!

Zaphod...

that's right, who did they vote for...Rand, right? Seems he has the support. He's not the last candidate who's backed by Tea Partiers to win nomination, either. Not only win nomination but win the election as well. Just you wait and see!

The repeated use of the phrase "boot on the throat" immediately conjured up unflattering images of nasty past regimes throughout the world and was inappropriate.

Gotta say I'm disappointed in Rand Paul's approach to the BP Oil Spill. From a Tea Party standpoint he should have taken the approach that the government was culpable in not properly inspecting the Horizon rig.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/04/transocean-deepwater-hori_n_563042.html

The Mineral Management Service, which is composed of three other advisory committees and is part of Federal Advisory Committee, which manages over 1000 advisory committees and reports to congress annually, just gave this rig an award for safety last year.

Is there any wonder that this one thing slipped through? Why do we need thousands of committees to do reports when most aren't even read? Too often with a huge federal government you run into situations like that that may fall under multiple jurisdictions, but when the bad things happen, they all run and point the finger elsewhere.

Take Katrina for example. Was it FEMA or Homeland Security's problem? Was it the State of Louisiana's responsibility to respond? National Guard? And what did we see happen? Multiple agencies that all should have been stepping up, just standing around waiting to see if it was their job or one of the other agencies.

Just wait until you see the healthcare nightmare which established hundreds of committees that overlap.

Wake up, cantakenomore, wake up. You fell asleep and are dreaming again.

NO...the current dipstick did those disgusting things as well. How many arabs has he bowed to, kissed hands, went to church with?

Let's face it...BO is a one termer. He has less than a 50% approval rating. He's doing remarkably well IMO...(sar)

For the poster inflicted with myopia - Your Wave Has A Leak In It !!!!!

Some lost soul posted above that tea baggers and their eh views will prevail in November and the liberals will all lose. Now just wait a minute please, did we not just a few days ago have two direct elections in which the Democrat won?.........say yes.....your right.

As Tom Davis recently was quoted, he is the former head of the RNC, "so much for the wave".

Paul's comments on the Civil Rights Act were distorted and taken out of context. His comments on BP, however, are just plain stupid.

going for his juggler

Rand Paul owns a circus? How dare the liberal mainstream media try to hire his juggler out from under him!

I was going to contribute to the Jack Conway campaign, but now it looks like I'm not going to need to.

Ha ha I suspect that as the republicans wake up from booting out moderates they may find themselves surrounded by elected candidates that can't get past first base in the playoffs.

I'm sorry but Paul is sounding more and more pathetic and they voted for him to represent them. Too bad he didn't give his "thoughts" before the primaries but now they are stuck with him.

Why should the taxpayers have to pay for BIG OILS, lack of safety, not following procedures, not doing the rules set down for all oil drilling platforms to perform, which resulted in loss of life, and this terrible mess, and environmental cluster problem we are left with for the next ten years. They made, I think it was 17Billion profit last quarter, as you sow, you shall reap. If big oil realizes, they have to pay for what they mess up, maybe they will be safer and take better care in performing their drilling operations in the first place.

eris...of course it does pay....without it bo wouldn't be pres right now.

Wow.. an extremely unimpressive argument.

The MMS department has been dysfunctional for years.

Wow this guy is a racist and doesn't think that business should be accountable for anything. And he is supported by the tea party, at least we see them for who they are now.

Interesting that paul would comment on obama playing politics when all Obama is trying to do is get the oil debacle taken care of by bp. How can that be unamerican? Appears to me that Paul is playing the dirty political game by bad mouthing the democrats. When aren't the republicans all for big business and themselves?

In a written statement, Paul said, "I believe we should work to end all racism in American society and staunchly defend the inherent rights of every person."

Another point on which the teabaggers speak out both sides of their mouth. First they insist there is no racism and simultaneously "work to end all racism.." . Why do you need to end something you claim doesn't exist ???????

Lynn W,

Name ONE THING that Obama has done that is good for America or Americans? I can't seem to recall any.

1. Health Care Reform - a step in the right direction, protecting Americans from a handful of the countless abusive practices of the health insurance industry.
2. Education Reform - making student loans more affordable and less of a profit bonanza for banks (good for American education, and so for America).
3. Financial Industry Reform - the first major step since the 1930s toward re-regulating a banking industry gone wild (in the absence of regulations that were dismantled over the last decade).
4. Economic Stabilization - in little more than a year, an economy that suffered the worst devastation in eighty years has been set on the path to recovery. This was done not by ignoring the problem, but by making it a priority (a refreshing change in this country).
5. Foreign Wars - changed direction in Iraq and Afghanistan, toward reasoned planning and a definite timeline for withdrawal from one war that never should have happened, and another that should have ended long ago.

There are more, but I believe you only asked for one.

The GOP needs more people like Rand Paul...

To help it further implode...

"Paul said that leads to the thinking that tragic incidents are "always someone's fault" and added, sometimes accidents just happen."

...Bull Frogs!!!!! These are called "accidents" because they are preventable, they are not supposed to happen, versus acts of God, get it! Did the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion "just happen"? Hell no! The effects of cold weather on the O-rings that were supposed to provide the seals between the stages of the booster rockets was previously known to NASA engineers, and they chose not to address the problem, hence, some brave astronauts paid with their lives, unnecessarily. It did not just happen. We need to elect intelligent people to Congress to serve Main Street and the Middle Class, not more people ready and willing to kiss the butts of Corporate America and Wall Street.

As a transplanted Ohioan who lives in Kentucky, I can't tell you how happy Rand Paul has made me, and my fellow Kentuckians.

First, the Republicans made a bigger ass out of Mitch McConnell than he has already made of himself by voting for Rand Paul in the primary.

Next, we Democrats voted for a VERY viable candidate, Mr. Conway, to run against Paul.

Next, (and the most beautiful part of all) Rand Paul falls flat on his face three times in three days...before he even gets out of the gate!

It looks like Kentuckians are finally going to get a Democratic U.S. senator, to offset the idiocy of Mitch McConnell!

Keep it up, Rand! I know it's difficult to talk with both feet in your mouth, but somehow he manages to do it!

Who in the hell does this arrogant little creep think he is? Just a nobody riding on his daddy's coat tails. Obama is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. This guy doesn't know what he is saying half the time and contradicts himself constantly. He talks in circles and never directly answers a question. Just what we need. Another creep.

He did, with letters to the local new papers... They nominated the candidate that reflected their views....

They do not condone racism, but they support 'other' people's right to be and ACT racist....

Zaphod49 if that is the case this is even sadder than I thought - They get what they wanted and perhaps deserve.

cantakenomore,

The fact Rand makes you libs crazy makes me so very happy!!
You people haven't seen anything yet. Tea Partiers will make a difference and it's killing you!
LOL LOL LOL

Sorry, but this just comes across as deranged.

Jack,

Why...? I love to see liberals sweat it out. Conservatism is on the rise and will win in the fall.

You got that right Z. Look what is happening in the California Governor race where the polls show the democrat beating either of the republicans now. lol

http://norcal55.newsvine.com/_news/2010/05/21/4322006-big-winner-in-gop-duel-democrat-jerry-brown

Obama is unAmerican period. He has communist views and bows to every world leader. He shames us daily! Get these communist out of office. It won't be soon enough before they ruin this country anymore with their thinking that is sinking this country to a third world country fast!

What Rand is stating is that the government should have been on top of this making sure it prevents things like this from happening. BP should have been investing their billions of profit to upkeep aging equipment and invest in new technologies. They just live high off the hog and don't reinvest.

you're average Rand Paul voter everyone....

Man, I cannot wait for the Democratic Senator from KY

Liz,

when you have no substance to talk about...b*tch about typo's.

That's a good one!

How about jugular...happy now? sheeeesh!

Since when was/is McCain a conservative?

The flagship of the NOAA was not summoned until weeks after the accident. These guys are in charge of the "ocean's" health.

I also find it odd that there was no coordination with other oil companies. Couldn't they have sent a few people to assist? Why didn't Obama call for Citgo to help? Don't they have any equipment or expertise that may have been of value in averting the "worst ever OMG the world is going to die" oil spill?

If oil companies are evil, then don't buy gasoline and have Obama provide the energy your car needs to get to the store and feed your family. Otherwise, you're just as evil as they are.

Folks - BP was a huge administration supporter. They were a favorite pet of this adminstration. They were to receive a safety award - from this administration. The word IS that this administration was permitting them to streamline safety procedures. Pay attention to the articles. THIS administration was telling them to use any dispersants including the one that may be toxic. NOW this administration is pressuring them not to use that one. THIS administration was the one promoting the 5000 barrels per day number (BP says they can prove it). BP sized the siphon to that number and guess what! The government number is wrong.

Don't expect a complete investigation. The fox is guarding the henhouse apparently.

YUP, and McCain will win in 2008!

wait.... what? That didn't happen? But all the conservatives I know told me it would happen!

Sounds to me like you were dissing conservatism by making such a comment...I'm sure you know a lot of conservatives, also. You know, birds of a feather...or are you a closet conservative?

Makes no difference, though. Many independents believed the BS out of BO but now see the light. The pendulum will swing towards the right this fall...don't you worry. We'll finally be getting this country back on track. Totally on track after the 2012 elections when Heussein is dismissed!

Well, that did not take long at all. Here we go....another corporate boot licking wall-street whore. (Rand Paul)

Ho about he and his fascist tea party bums go lick up the oil.

No gary...we'll be licking the icing off our victory cakes come Nov. BWAHAHAHA

I'm not exactly the President of the Barack Obama Fan Club (Night Owlett and Clotho are), but Mr. Paul is dead wrong here. This catastrophic event occurred due to negligence, selfishness, and recklessness on the part of BOTH BP AND the Obama administration. This accident "just didn't happen". Under the circumstances, Mr. Paul's statement is both ridiculous and outrageous, and it demonstrates that he is not qualified to serve in the US Senate.

Doesn't seem to me the libs are losing any sweat over Rand Paul. He is actually creating his own demise which is no cause for sweat. Seems to me everyone is pretty happy about the fact that he is kicking himself where it hurts.

However, I am not sure I agree with those that think he will lose the election. There is not a big black majority in Kansas. There will have to be major democratic turnout to put him out.

This has ruined his chance for any bid for Presidency though. That is good enough.

Okay, if we're going to hold the government responsible for BP's catastrophic oil spill, then we agree that government has the responsibility - and hence, the authority - to regulate business, and must therefore be as big and as effective as it needs to be to do so. One simply cannot hold the government accountable for the excesses and failures of business while simultaneously saying that government has no place interfering with the functioning and practices of business.

Conservatives must recognize the inherent hypocrisy in their simultaneous claims that government has no place in business, but Obama's administration is responsible for both the causes and the solutions for BP's failure.

Seems as if the MSNBC Political Machine is in full swing....starting the character assassinations of anyone supported by REAL Americans. At some point MSNBC and the liberals will realize that the more you vilify them, the more you propel them.

Try as you may to stop it, the conservative shift is coming; makes no difference if you believe it or not.

Yes, the oil spill is a terrible thing...but guess what...accidents will ALWAYS happen from time to time if humans are part of the equation. Seems to me that BP is doing what it can to stop this as quickly as possible.

The only thing I see Rand Paul advocating is for OBAMA and the LIBS to avoid a Knee-Jerk Reaction and the typical hypocritical response they are famous for.

Rodney,

What's a "real" American? Care to define that?

Waterdog

For the most part I agree with your statement. They both need to take the blame.

As far as Rand, I think he needs to learn to spell out what he really means sometimes when he speaks. I saw the interview this morning. I think his point is that the government needs to let businesses operate rather than have the government's boot to their throat. Rand also needs to stay away from people like Rachel and George. It was obvious from the question George S was asking that he was trying to screw with him. He would never have treated a Democrat like that.

Maybe Rand just 'misspoke'

Conservatives must recognize the inherent hypocrisy in their simultaneous claims that government has no place in business, but Obama's administration is responsible for both the causes and the solutions for BP's failure.

...

Conservatives must recognize the inherent hypocrisy in their simultaneous claims that government has no place in business

...

Conservatives must recognize the inherent hypocrisy

you put too much faith in your typical conservative these days...

Yes, the oil spill is a terrible thing...but guess what...accidents will ALWAYS happen from time to time if humans are part of the equation.

my god, this wasn't an accident!! This was a human caused disaster. How can anyone seriously claim this was an "accident" knowing what we know now (e.g., the rig had hydraulic fluid leaks, dead batteries, failed 3 tests before the fatal 4th one blew, etc., etc.)

You're either being willfully ignorant or dishonest. Which is it rodney?

DrowningGrover

You are saying it was a human caused disaster - so is it what the previous adminstration called terrorism and the new adminstration is calling human caused disater?

Not so sure he misspoke Kevin Thinking. On the Maddow show he said had he been around when the CRA was passed he would have tried to change it. Now today he says he would have voted for it. Which is it?

And why is it un-American for the President to criticize a British company or ANY company for that matter that is ruining our land? Are we for this land or not? What in the heck is he for?

His ideas are unrealistic.

Yes, Rodney, I too would like to know what your definition of "real American" is.

DrowningGrover

You are saying it was a human caused disaster - so is it what the previous adminstration called terrorism and the new adminstration is calling human caased disater?

i'm not quite sure I understand what you're getting at? Why would the previous administration have called this "terrorism," i'm confused. To what are you referring?

The facts are that BP/Transocean knew there were problems with the acoustic blowout preventer and the rig in general and failed 3 consecutive tests before the 4th drilling attempt finally blew up the rig.

Yeah, i'd pretty much call that human error...

Zaphod49

So, just answer my question.

Why do we have all these agencies if they are not there to help in disasters? Obviously their lack of regulation is non-existant or this would never have happened.

We all know you Liberals will rally this disaster to its end to blame those greedy rich oil companies but you obviously miss the point that this is no longer a BP issue, it's an ecologic issue.

Does the government first wait and see how the campers who accidently started a widfire in California and see how they do after a few days? Or do they step in immediately and try to stop it?

He's not a racist. He's a corporatist. He has Corporatist views.

mr. paul isn't a libertarian he's an anarchist -- no govt. regs and no corporate responsibility and everyonbe has the right to do what they want however racist -- that's not a society or a civilization -- it's every person/corporation for themselves -- let bullies run the world -- i've repeated asked in these forums how the libertarians/tay partiers will address human greed - i went on Paul's website and asked the same question -- i have yet to get a single response -- i'm guessing it's one of the hidden family values these folks who hide behind christianity--espouse -- where are all of you? the silence is deafening

While Obama what’s to put one boot heel on the throat of BP, maybe he needs to put the other boot up Rand Paul’s ass to wake him up.

Eris

Hey, the Democrats say one thing and then back track by saying 'they misspoke' a lot latley. So why can't the Repulicans do the same? Just trying to make a point.

It just kills me to think about Tea Partiers who think any view different than theirs in un-American. Any form of political discourse is freedom of speech and we lefties can't help it if our views just make common sense. At least we give the right their quarter and allow them to show their ignorance.

Is he a follower of Aliester Crowley??? AC is often called the "most evil man in the world", and his motto was "Do What Thou Wilt Shall Be The Whole of The Law".

ed-1312771

Your dream of eliminating greed will be as difficult as it is for you to avoid dragging racism into every one of your comments.

The obvious Liberal Progressivism and collectivism you so desire is easily accessible in Greece. I recommend you move there to enjoy your utopic vision.

Leave the restoration of American values and freedoms to the conservatives and independents that are the majority.

I am usually on the side of the tea party...but not on this issue. As a resident of Texas City, and my father caught in the middle of BP's negligence of safety during the explosion 5 years ago, I believe BP needs to held accountable. Accidents do happen, but in BP's case, they happen all the time. They still have not corrected all of their safety violations in T.C., and this "accident" was five years ago!

Drowning Grover

No the previous adminstration woudl not have called it terrorism. My point is that you called it a human caused disaster, something this administration (Janet Napalitano) was trying to use as a label for terrorism.

Eris

Hey, the Democrats say one thing and then back track by saying 'they misspoke' a lot latley. So why can't the Repulicans do the same? Just trying to make a point.

All politicians do it. Which is the point I have been making about Rand Paul. He is nothing new. The tea partiers think they have elected some new anti-establishment pure-bred and as it turns out he is the same old establishment.

His problem is he thinks he should get a pass and is blaming his mistake on the media. (Also not new)

It happens to all of them and it just so happens it is his day in the spotlight.

So I am not sure what your point is. Are you saying because one does it, it is okay for the other?

We shouldn't be talking about this because....

Everyone else does it?

Sorry. He gets the same treatment everyone else does. There is nothing special about him.

Hobie

Ah yes, spoken as a true Liberal Progressive suckling on the government teat.

He's not a racist. He's a corporatist. He has Corporatist views.

---------------------------------

Since he is 1/2 white and 1/2 black I can't see anyone pinning racism on Obama. But yes he is a huge corporatist.

Rand Paul, BP and the TEA party.. I WISH THEY'D ALL GO AWAY!!!!!!!

Eris

No, the media does not treat him the same since he is a Republican. They do not fawn all over him like they do the Democrats.

Gotta go to work now. Have fun doing nothing but sitting at your computer all day.

Eris you NEVER make good points.. mommy and Daddy need to take away the keyboard...this is grown up time son.

This is what you add and you're accusing anyone of immaturity not not having a decent argument? I don't even know what to say to that without violating the code of conduct here. I'll leave you to try to figure it out.

Eris

No, the media does not treat him the same since he is a Republican. They do not fawn all over him like they do the Democrats.

Gotta go to work now. Have fun doing nothing but sitting at your computer all day.

LOL at you as well. Considering that at the moment I can't get up to do anything I think I will. Try not to let this whole thing keep you in a funk. You do have FOX news after all. Maybe if you spent more time on their site you'd feel better.

"Making something out of nothing is just not fair," he said. Waaa....waaa....waaaa!! Is this man 5 yrs old playing in a sandbox? When you say stupid things...like Sarah Palin did...the media and the public are going to make you accountable for what you said. Period. Making stupid comments about civil rights is going to get you into trouble. Period. Making stupid comments that defend a British company who caused the biggest environmental disaster in the history of the U.S. because their safety plan was lax and poorly regulated/managed by them is going to get you into more trouble. If this man represents the tea party than we can clearly see how useless the tea party will be in "taking back their country." Besides, the only people that truly have the right to demand to get their country back is the American Indians.

Drowning Grover

No the previous adminstration woudl not have called it terrorism. My point is that you called it a human caused disaster, something this administration (Janet Napalitano) was trying to use as a label for terrorism.

oh ok, wasn't necessarily aware of that. Two separate discussions however with neither having much to do with the other, but I get your point.

Either way, this oil spill is a manmade, human error, type disaster. All the facts show it.

I'm a BP products user almost exclusively; however, my family and I are boycotting all BP produucts until it stops the leak. If BP bleeds revenue at the same level it's bleeding oil into the gulf: (1) it will know, to the penny, how much it's bleeding; and (2) it'll work night and day at a Manhattan Project level to stop it. I wish more Americans who love America would do the same.

Eris,

So you are not denying you are sitting at home playing on mommy and daddy's computer? Time to get a job.

You seem to rip on Fox for leaning to the right. Yet you do not deny or rip on all the other media outlets for leaning left. Hmmm. At least by watching Fox we do get some balance in the news out there.

I have a ruptured achilles tendon. I am on my own computer in my own home. Grow up.

At least by watching Fox we do get some balance in the news out there.

Then what are you doing here? lol

I agree 100%. I guess the GOP can't get their message straight. Obama loses if he doesn't jump on BP and he loses if he does. They can't have it both ways, even though they'd really like to.

So I guess we should give BP an award and additional tax breaks.....Rand Paul may not be a racist, but he certainly is a MORON!

Drowning

I agree that it is a tradgedy. Human error etc. I guess I just was using your label of it to show that that's a bad label for terrorism. A totaly crazy idea of this administration.

it seems to me the simple question regarding the gulf oil spill, still spilling, is going to be who pays for the damage: including the changing of peoples lives, ruination of their sources of income and devistation to the environment for years to come. if it isn't BP then it is us the US tax payers. So pretty simple. do we the tax payers want to pay for the problem caused by BP's mistakes or do we want BP to pay. if 2 million people lose 50,000 in income for 5 years this is $500billion dollars in damage to be paid by someone according to my spreadsheet. this is enough money to reduce unemployment in this country by the same amount , times some multiplier effect.

When Palin referred to having incumbents in our sites, meaning to vote them out, she was called, along with the Republicans and Tea Party members a dangerous person, inciting violence. Now Obama says he's going to put his boot on the throat of BP, and suddenly rhetorical threats are okay?

I don't think anyone wants our government to give money to protect BP. More like to protect our environment. The US shares responsibility with everyone and every company that operated this well. The EPA first tells BP to use a certain dispersant, BP gets permission from everyone here, then they use it. And now they are taking heat from, you guessed it, the EPA! I'm not sticking up for any ONE group, but BP is damned if they do, and damned if they don't. Obama would rather use our money to take over corporations and banks. Why waste it on cooperating to remedy a disastrous situation when it doesn't expand his power?

Mr. Paul should have just stayed away from any comments concerning civil rights, because as a Tea Party member, it WILL be twisted and painted by the media and lefties in the most racially discriminatory manner possible. He wasn't speaking ONLY of blacks. His point that I heard him say was that a private business owner should not HAVE to hire people just because of their race, creed, gender, or risk being arrested, or whatever....nor should a landlord have to rent to someone who may have lots of kids who could do potential damage to the property and disturb the peace of the building or neighborhood...black OR white. Mr. Paul was not referring to publicly owned companies or public housing, or businesses. JUST private.

No doubt Paul could have handled it better and clarified his comments....of course, from the interviews I saw, the media wouldn't let him finish a sentence without jumping down his throat. They weren't there to listen, they were there to crucify him.

Jack313,

Loved your list of Obama accomplishments...

Health Care Reform - Costs more than they said it would. Is going to raise your premiums and mine. Is going to force you not only to buy insurance but to buy the insurance that the governement says you must buy. Even Congress is tinkling in their pants wondering if they get to keep their gold key insurance.

Education Reform - The government being more efficient at making loans than a bank; I wonder how well that will work? Not really. Take a look at Fannie and Freddie and you'll get an idea on how well it will work.

Financial Industry Reform - Only problem is they left out Perpetual Bail Out Inc. Fannie and Freddie. How much more money did those folks request last week in tax payer sponsored dollars.... what was it? 8.4 Billion? Of course you can put that right along with Credit Card reform. Flat rate credit cards disappeared from the market place. Interest rates got jacked up because the card companies were given 6 months to do as they please. The rate on my one card doubled thanks to this reform.

Economic Stabalization - 1.5 Trillion more in debt. No, the government can't spend its way to good times.

Change in War Direction - Withdrawl time tables in Iraq were set, agreed to, and signed by Bush before he left office. Fortunately he left some wiggle room in case the Iraqi's need a little more help for a little longer. It was great politics to say we would send more troops to Afghanistan and tell the world when they would leave. But, from a tactical stand point it shows Obama's lack of ability as a leader of the military.

Now, would you like to make a list of accomplishments that actually helped the American People?

Maybe being the great apologizer? He bows well.

Maybe being the great race baiter? After all, it was a race issue that drove the police to arrest his buddy when he didn't comply with their orders. And the AZ law is obviously racist since it is more strict on when officers can ask for immigration ID than the federal law upon which it is based.

Oh yeah, he's going to stick it to BP for the big rig disaster. Who is really going to pay the costs for this? You and me bub. I don't care if BP throws money at it like it's water or the government does. One way or another it's going to end up coming out of the every day Joe's and Jane's pocket.

Just one other thought... what if we follow Rand's point and get government out of the race equality game in private business? Hmmm... My bet would be that shops that catered to White, Black, hispanic, etc. only would either stutter along due to lack of business or they would go out of business. ANd, since I live in an area where there is a shopping mall that caters largely to Blacks in a city that has a large Black population (somewhere around 30%) and that mall has already failed once only to be revived and remain on life support I can say with a fair amount of certainty that I'm correct. Yes, there are other malls in the area that are doing far better because they draw a diverse population. No, this mall did not always cater largely to Blacks. When it started doing that; that is when it started its decline to what it is today.

Broken Saint until you can actually debate the topic one has to assume you're the troll. I am putting you on ignore because so far you have not had one single point to make. The constant insults without any valid argument on your side shows you to be the intellectual midget you truly are.

Another republican politician siding with business over the interests of the good of the nation, the people and the environment.

Very interesting how all the democrates wish the tea party would go away or just keep quite and stop rocking the boat.

We'll wake up dummies, the Tea Party is growing in number's day by Day... after all for the most part it's we tea party members who hold all the power these day's and were controlling who we want elected into office.

Your avarge tea party member belong's in the 50% club, by club I'm talking about the 50% of us who pay taxes, In other words we pay all the bill's.

Obama & his over spending ways have awoken a sleeping giant, the tax payer.

We hold all the power and we will vote in the people we see to be fit for office. So the rest of you can sit down and shut up.

have a nice day...

Eris

How about a data entry job, or is collecting workmans comp easier?

Like I said - balance. Try it sometime. Watch something other than Rachel and Keith(the tax cheat)

Kevin you're joining Broken Saint on the waste of time list/ignore list.

I do have a job but am having to take time off to recover not that it is any of your business.

Balance - go to FOX news and read your happy stories. These ones are obviously upsetting you. That's the good thing about having the right to choose.

Eris

I appologize for making remarks about your injury. I hope you recover well and are able to get back to work soon.

Fox news makes me sad, they show the ugly side of what is going now with our administration, senate and congress and all other parts of government that are wasting too much money.

Criticizing a foreign company for willfully, recklessly, irresponsibly, and remorselessly fouling our entire Gulf Coast line (and, fearfully, the lower Eastern Seaboard) is "un-American?"

If that is un-American, I don't want to be "American."

Can someone explain what is wrong with the Right-wing in this country?

I am a long time democrat who up until now has been proud of the way Obama has handled himself and the problems this country has faced. If you are still proud of the way he has handled the oil spill you have your head as far up your butt as he seemed to have his. This is a disgrace. Do something more today Mr. president or you will lose everyones confidence and the country will revert back to the moronic republicans. With each gallon of oil that spills into our waters I am more disgusted than I can say. I do have one more thing to say....God Damn each and everyone of you money hungry oil executives...may you burn in a long slow hell.

Ash

Thank you very much. I couldn't agree more!

Aggie,

When Palin referred to having incumbents in our sites, meaning to vote them out, she was called, along with the Republicans and Tea Party members a dangerous person, inciting violence. Now Obama says he's going to put his boot on the throat of BP, and suddenly rhetorical threats are okay?

There is a world of difference between publicizing a map with gunsight crosshairs over the names and locations of your political opponents and using verbal hyperbole to describe getting tough with a corporation.

On the one hand, it's entirely feasable that some nutjob could get a gun and go shoot someone that they happen to disagree with, but how exactly would one put one's boot on the throat of a corporation? Do corporations even have throats? No. It's metaphorical. Guns, however, and gun nuts, are not. They're quite real. Get the difference?

Sarah's running mate in 2012.

Two peas in a pod. They both make absurd statements they know will keep them in the news.

AND the right is foolish enough to blindly defend every asinine statement either of them makes.

Gunny, Semper Fi

boldfresh

i didn't say RP wes racist -- i just said form his world view it seems he'd accept racist business owners - as to letting conservativesremake the world in their image of family values i think we've had that for 8 years and have seen the American Taliban at work -- yes family values -- but this time we need to look at the fine print -- it's the Manson family values!

you also didn't address how you would handle human greed in a small govt. world -- probably b/c you think it's a good thing as Mr. Paul so clearly does.

Mikey Mike

In which catagory would you put reading off of candidates names and proclaiming 'Dead' as you stab a piece of meat with a knife?

Another Dumb-Founded USer who is trivialising the murder of the Gulf of Mexico? Drink oil Rand. And on that subject Mr. Paul, the question is what mindset names a son Rand? For all your alleged 'populism' it smacks either of an affinity to the Rand Corporation or the South African currency and favouritism towards Apartheid. I would wager that given your son's dismissal of the murder of the Gulf as 'accidents happen' that you are either an operative or infatuated with the Rand Corporation.

BLAME THE MEDIA!!!! Who do they think they are, asking elected officials about stuff they said, like it's their job or something....

Tax paying American's love this guy !

And for those of you who drank the Obama Koolaid, wake up the parties over. Were going to be voting in more and more people like this until we control the goverment and get spending under control and their is nothing you can do about it.

We the 50% who are paying the bill's are taking control.

Tea Party

BP should be praised for its negligence, deception and incompetence?

Mikeymike....Amazing how you and others circle the wagons when Obama makes a comment like that, but Palin's brought out screaming, accusations of a terror plot nearly. Her comment was ALSO verbal hyperbole. You all just prefer to make it into something else. Both comments were metaphorical. Just goes to show, it all depends on who said it.

'Ayn' Rand Paul is toast in the general. He is going to be such an iconic target:

Now that Rand Paul is becoming the poster boy for the Tea Party, now they will be forced to show their hand on their ideas, and the voters arent goinmg to like them.

Cant wait for te debates when they have to explain their whacked ideas.

Rand Paul = Tea Party = Whacky Ideas = Extreme views = Loss in November

How dare Obama not assist BP in fixing this mess. That is the proper mature role to take!

Really? What could he have done. Please explain....

Paul is mearly stating the obvious when he claims Obama is being UnAmerican. It doesn't take any brain trust to see that. Everything Obama stands for and does is UnAmerican. DUH!!

Capt Tripps-

I agree it's their job. It's also their responsibility. Unfortunately, when it comes to Obama and the libs they abrogate that responsibility and refuse to do their job. The MSM is in the tank for the progressive agenda. That's Ok though. We know what they are. Hypocrits and tools of the far left.

cantakenomore

laugh at the left you say? when he gets elected you say? Dems are scared you say? Maybe you need to take another or a good look at the numbers of the KY primaries. Rand Paul recieved less votes than both Democrates that ran. And overall both Republicans recieved less votes than both Democrates. Now it's been said that the right is more energized than the left, what do you think those dems that voted in the primary will do in November. Stay home? I think not.. Secondly for Rand Paul to say the President's blasting BP is unamerican is absurb. Apparantly he and maybe you are not aware that BP is a foreign company. BP actually stands for British Petroleum not Beyound Petroleum... So a foreign company has contaminated the waters off our shores and our shores and you say the President is coming down to hard on them? The President is doing his job..... It appears to me you are the dipstick. Mr Paul is energizing dems and independents that stand for true freedom not freedom of a selected few.... Let's revist this in November....

Aggie,

Palin, and her team, went way further than hyperbole, they actually created and publicized a map. I believe I already said that, but perhaps you missed it.

And Kevin,

I'm not sure what meat stabbing incident you're referring to. On first blush, I'd say it would belong in the category with the target map. So... who did it?

MikeyMike

Rahm Emanuel

Well, if anyone would know what its like to be "Un-American", it would be Rand Paul.

Tim, Seattle

Way to speak without understanding, and good job standing next to your party right or wrong. Keep reading the liberal papers and think every spin on every story is the way it is. Nice socialist/communist mentality you have there.

Me? I prefer to have my freedom and actually make my own decisions. I still think the Constitution of the United States should apply here, which, if you knew how to think for yourself, is the basis of the tea party.

I'm sorry you feel the constitution is full of "whacked out ideas". Maybe you should look for a nice, socialist country to move to. It will be a nice change for you. That system seems to make a lot of people that prefer to have the government make all their decisions for them happy.

jerry l-1335133 says: "Please remember that the Obama administration last year gave this rig a safety award so the problem is we trust our Government to do the things they are supposed to and when they don't problems like this happen."

Just because they got a safety citation an entire year ago does not mean they were operating safely 11 months later. In fact, I think we will find that the accident occured due to the shoddy workmanship of Haliburton when they installed a new drilling collar around the riser pipe coming up from the ocean floor.

Yes, it was "an accident", as Dr. Paul stated, but certainly not a blameless accicent. There were corners cut, procedures overlooked & dangerous shortcuts used--all resulting in a "perfect storm" of conditions, which led, inevitably, to what will turn out to be the worst environmental catastrophe in history.

For him to chastise the President reeks of political expediency--anything to divert the heat away from him for his pro-segregation statements of a day earlier. It's a cheap shot, so vile, so low, sooo self-serving as to be nauseating. Rand Paul is obviously a scumbag. A mewling, mealy-mouthed, spineless little whiney punk unworthy of holding ANY public office, and he makes me wanna puke.

Okay. Let me get this right.

It is un-American to make a foreign held company clean up it's mess it made in our waterways? And we should take our tax dollars to fix this mess, because asking a huge cooperation to correct their screw up is socialist. Call me crazy, but it is hard to defend this stance. BP truly was won ton in their action to assure that a disaster like this didn't happen. We are face with multiple states having oil on their shores and many industries closed because of this. It just isn't the fishing companies, but who is going to the beach this year. The hotels and tourism industry better get their money now because it will not be pretty this year. This slick is predicted to reach the Carolina shores.

I don't know what industry he is behind, but he will soon see there are other industries that are going to take a hit for this debacle.

Poor Paul--the news cycle is reporting what he is saying...Hmmmm--that is the career politicians dream--if on point. He needs a handler...but it is good for the Country and the Dems that he does not have one!

Another case of informing the voters inadvertedly by the media..They did not mean to reveal the truth but they did! All pressure on BP is a good thing--speaking of which--Where are the Supertankers??? The Gulf should be full of them --BP must be in the cost cutting mode--Dispersments that are not tested are cheaper for them Shameless!

He's not sticking up for BP that's the liberal spin that MSNBC put on his comments. Paul is a libertarian and they believe that government should stay out of business and people's lives. I agree with that position as well and so should you. Agree or disagree that's the libertarian position. Apparently many agree because he won in a "land slide" victory.

Facts:

The president is using the spill for political gain with his base

Accidents happen and it's easy to point fingers after the fact

BP could have done more to prevent the spill but hindsight is always 20 - 20

The Obama administration and many of the democrats are getting huge campaign contributions from BP. That is why they haven't used explosives to seal off the leak.

We should strive to do better in the future.

Until the day that we all fly around on magic unicorns gas powered cars are all we have. How many of you out here are ready to give up the car, the RV, the summer vacation to keep this from ever happening again? Yeah, that's what I thought not a one of you. So, stop being a bunch of hypocrites. Now go gas up that care and take the family out for some fun.

BP could have done more to prevent the spill but hindsight is always 20 - 20

Deliberately ignoring the fact that you have no idea how to deal with a leak this far under water is not poor hindsight.

They went ahead anyway - willful negligence.

Not taking care of a dead battery is not poor hindsight - willful negligence.

Ignoring a damaged BOP - willful negligence.

The list goes on and on...

Hindsight my hiney.

Nazi

The fact that this spill is still spewing oil is horrendous. Rather than look for blame they should have been looking for ways to stop the leak. There are times when the government should step in and help (and only in special situations!) and this is one of them. The fact that everyone from government to business let precious time be wasted in putting together panels and finger-pointing is ridiculous. The environment is being destroyed and all people can think about is blame and "who will pay" instead of solutions. Sad.

That said - I understand what Paul was trying to say - this administration has tried to demonize business in every form since Obama took office. Banks are bad, Wall Street is bad, car manufacturers are bad, and on and on. We get the point that Obama and his group do not like free enterprise, we get (now) the point that they want some kind of "New World Oder" in which a government (them) takes care of the pathetic ignorant peons (us) by using our money and we are supposed to love them for it. Got it. Don't buy it. As Paul said, as horrible as they are sometimes accidents happen - should there be every possible precaution taken so that they do not - you betcha! Should we learn from them - you betcha! (do not drill so deep! don't ignore faulty equipment, etc!) But to say that all business is bad is just , well, bad. If we "put the boot" on every major business, regulate all business till its out of business and stop the advancement of free enterprise then where on earth does the government think the money is going to come from to pay for all of its social programs? No one will have a job at all, we will be a third world country defending ourselves with sticks from our enemies and then, only then will Obama and the present Congress be happy I guess.

Plenty of time for blame after the oil is gone, just get it gone for right now. Anybody hear if that device Kevin Costner invented has worked or not? It sure looked promising.

Rand Paul doesn't speak for Republican values; he speaks for the people who pay him well to do so. To heck with this guy; he's no Republican; he's a corporation unto himself.

I trust this guy a lot more then the liberals any day! And I'm a democrat.

Mikeymike.....Your Democratic cabinet also "created and displayed" the same symbols and presented it at a cabinet meeting. I confess I don't recall what the topic was, but I do recall it was not combat or military "targets". More along the lines of a political or economic discussion. This was before Palin's speech. So we have another pot calling the kettle black situation.

Why didn't the administration come out sooner? Why waste a good catastrophe as they say? MSN hates Rand Paul and they are going to attack him at every turn. He wants smaller government and lower taxes.

Could you just Imagine if G W Bush was still President, WOW the LIBERALS would be tearing him a new A HOLE.

By the time the next election comes around the COMMUNIST LIBERAL NEWS MEDIA will tear apart anyone who is backed by the TEA PARTY..

Get ready fokes ,the fun is about to begin.

THE PARTY OF HATE AND DEATH will never give up their POWER.

You asked for it, ... you got it, ... a Rand Libertarian!

BP isn't even a US company, and they have already categorically stated in testimony before

Congress that they will ONLY 'clean up the oil', they will ONLY entertain 'justifiable business

losses' (e.g. so sue me), and they will NOT repay Federal or State cleanup or admin costs.

This was also most definitely NOT an 'Act of G-d', but criminal malfeasance by BP itself!

P.S. Ayn Rand was a psycho Nazi who worshipped serial-killers like Hickman and Greenspan.

http://exiledonline.com/atlas-shrieked-why-ayn-rands-right-wing-followers-are-scarier-than-the-manson-family-and-the-gruesome-story-of-the-serial-killer-who-stole-ayn-rands-heart/

And now you've gone and elected one! SUCKERS!!!!!!!!!!!

Rand Paul will successfully do away with my political party...the GOP. If McConnell doesn't grow a SET asap, the Republican party will cease to exist, as we know it. We will have Palin, who is an illiterate and people like Paul as choices for national office. I know that a lot of changes need to be made. We all do, but this bunch of "tea-partiers" will just help defeat our party of Lincoln. God help us all, if they succeed.

What is amazing as I read down through this thread is the fact that the argument being made by both sides (left and right) is completely juxtaposed. Dems are asking why there is no personal/corporate accountability and not rely on the government while repubs are screaming for government control and assistance.

Bottom line is that Paul wouldnt be receiving any attention if Ron wasnt his dad. Without the Paul name - he is just another libertarian face in the crowd backed by the tea party.

I seriously doubt that BP is not doing anything and everything they can to stop the oil leak with or without pressure from Washington. Not only is the oil leak a environmental disaster that will cost BP billions of dollars and do God knows what damage for God knows how long to the areas effected. But from a business stand point BP is losing big money from the oil loss that they could be selling on the open market.

I don't see the Obama administration as doing anything helpful to the problem, but simply trying to make himself look better from a political stand point. Perhaps I missed it, but I have not seen the Obama Administration Brain trust coming up with any ideas on how to stop the oil loss or clean up the mess. I think this is the message that Rand Paul is trying to convey to the American people about Obama's actions on this issue. Making it tougher for companies like BP to do business in this country does nothing to help the economy or create jobs nor fix the problem at hand. Just more smoke and mirrors from the Obama Administration.

Now I freely admit that I know NOTHING about the oil exploration business, but it APPEARS that BP is doing everything they can to stop the leak and taking responsibility for the damage done as I understand they have already paid out millions in damage claims to people whose livelihood has been effected by the oil spill. Given the fact that the BP deep water well was in international waters not U.S. territorial waters (12 mile limit and the BP well was 40 miles off shore) there is little this country can do except cry. We should be happy that BP is being as responsible as they are since the matter is beyond U.S. jurisdiction and we would have to go to world court. Again this is the message that I believe Rand Paul is trying to convey to Obama.

Call me stupid, naive or whatever on matters such as these but it appears that BP is bending over backwards on this matter and the pressure from the Obama Adminstration and Congress is all a political show for the November elections.

This Rand Paul is a freaking idiot!

Doesn't he realize that BP stands for "British" Petroleum?! This is not an American company, yet they are polluting our shorelines!

Besides, BP has already accepted responsibility and is, in fact, blaming their subcontractors!

Why should we, the taxpayers foot the bill for this! BP should pay for the clean-up and damages, and I hope Obama keeps his "boot on their throats" until they do!

those darn brits! I say we invade!

We may have to. We didn't put a receiver in charge and BP may just scoot.

I have no problem with regards to Paul stating that a "private" business has the right to refuse service based on race because they are "private" businesses. It is no different than the golf country club that does not allow women or blacks into their facility. Anyone ever heard of the Master's?????? Yes, they finally let TIGER PLAY BUT WOMEN ARE STILL NOT ALLOWED. It also is no different than the college scholarships that are racially or gender biased. Until society as a whole stops asking about race and gender Racism will NOT go away. Stop asking for that info on the census form, job applications, etc....

A private business is COMPLETELY different from a private club. The fact that you don't know this means you really shouldn't be participating in discussions this far over your head.

Misanthrope -

Thank you for the keen observation saves the rest of us the time.

"Don't run with the big dogs if you can't keep up".

Well now we know the "Tea Partiers" are only interested in "getting their country back" so they can sell it to the highest bidder.

I'm waiting for the Tea Partiers to claim that this was British Petroleum's payback for the original Boston tea party.

Since when has criticism become un-American. It's our best export, just compare our major news outlets to international news outlets. Our news media is full of infotainers that spin a half truth and follow up with criticism.

Only in the Confederate States of America would they elect a person like this. I wish they would form their own country and take AZ. with them. Then we could build a fence to keep them out. All of them would look the same white, no blacks, browns, gays. Only bible thumping, gun loving folks with all those family values and no rights for women.

sorry to burst your bubble, it's already been sold out to the Chinese.

I'm glad that being American has officially been defined by the right. It has gone from holding big corporations accountable, to dropping trou, bending over, and and grabbing your ankles for big money and corporate control. Everyone knew that was their position (pun intended) but now there can be no denying it.

wwaugh

Actually, Kentucky was "neutral" during the Civil War...but I get where you're coming from. I always chuckle at the pick-up trucks with the confederate flag on their tags and back windows.

Dumbasses.

I am glad to not be a "big dog" since I am a human and have complete thoughts. Having said that how in the hell can you say that private business is different than a private club. The last time I checked a business of any type can refuse service. And these clubs are a business because they do make a profit. Now go back to wearing your sheets since you obviously like the segregation.

I'll have to say the republicans and teabaggers have surprised me by blaming the government and wanting them to rescue poor BP from this massive disaster. See, they WANT corporate socialism, they just don't care about the individual Americans. Hypocrites. Spend all our tax dollars helping out foreign corporations as they destroy our environment. Wow.

It's "unamerican" to criticize a FOREIGN company that just ruined AMERICA'S water and environment?

Whatever. He should go live in England.

Maybe this is the Brits paying us back for winning the war of Independence

People, if everyone spent as much time working on ideas to fix the problem as they do fighting about it, they would be a heck of alot closer to finding a solution. Hey, how about that? Work together to fix the problem and then you can go fight about it!

Rand Paul is the perfect foil - a figurehead who articulates the looneyness of the Tea Party, in terms as clear as a bell. "Kevin Thinking" he does not need help in clarifying what he "really means." He says exactly what he means.

And MeToo, as much as I would love to see people stop fighting and get to the solution, it ain't gonna happen as long as the media circus run by News Corp keeps disseminating false information and propaganda in the hopes of undermining sanity in favor of the political party that will stop with all these labor laws and regulations, i.e., neo-conservative Republicans.

Bono-rama: So, it's okay then for our President to apologize all over the world for America. For you President to stand and applaud the Mexican President as he trashes and blames America for all the problems in his corrupt country? That's NOT un-American??? And, BTW, doesn't it say in the Oath of Office of POTUS to "defend the Constitution"?

No one is saying that BP is COMPLETELY without blame.

Me too: What a novel idea. And so spot on...

Moxie... the failure at the well was not an "accident" in the sense that it was not preventable. the event occurred because of a failure to do some part of the job correctly. we don't know exactly what system failed or whether it was due to improper installation, faulty maintenance, failure to communicate, etc. but it was human error, and it's BP's responsibility. Had BP done their job better, the incident would not have occured.

Joe Scarborough has it right... Rand Paul should stay in Kentucky and get off the national stage... he's an amateur with crazy ideas. the more talks the more people realize how far out of the mainstream his ideas actually are. the Tea party believes in a world where businesses can do whatever they want. If I want to put in a pig farm next to your home, there should be no government agency to tell me I can't. If I want to own an RPG launcher or collect hand grenades it should be my right. If I want to work in my garden naked while smoking dope, it's my freedom. No government to tell me what to do. Even if it's next to an elementary school. The more people learn about how tea party philosophy would affect their lives, the more people will reject it as just too bizarre, too out of touch, too radical.

The correct response to a lurch to the left is not to lurch to the right or toward libertarianism....

President Obama needed to stop talking and start working the problem through the appropriate federal agencies within the first few days of the accident. This is the modus operandi or process of BIG government after all. Funny how the Bush Administration was a few days lax-ed in responding to Katrina because Louisiana officials failed to ask for federal aid as is protocol but the Obama Administration has been for weeks failing in the discover process to identify the entire scope and breadth of the problem. So we may bring to the table a viable operable solution or solutions to this problem which I believe will in the end make the Katrina clean-up look like a walk in the park in comparison. Just yesterday congress demanded a live feed be made available so we, the American people, can see what kind of problem we are talking about. Obama should have done this already. Fact remains that the media has given Obama a free pass on this issue and instead has let our attention be drawn away over an immigration law passed by the people of Arizona which has an 80% approval rating much to the president's chagrin. Bush was ineffective on Katrina but Obama is just plain inept. (This man leads the most powerful army in the world and he can't even say the word "corps" as in Marine Corps, instead referring to a deceased individual.) What a buffoon!

kp...BP did not even know the well was leaking until 2 days after the incident. they didn't discover the 3rd leak until 6 days after the incident. it's unreasonable to think that federal agencies should have taken action when nobody knew what was going on....Katrina was completely different. there were thousands upon thousands of people suffering in plain sight. we knew the storm was coming 5 days in advance.

BP did not even know the well was leaking until 2 days

You make my case for me. At day two government officials should have been on site assessing the situation. Several family members have worked in the oil business since the 1920s and there is an established protocol for the government to follow and assist private entities in the event of an accident. You don't believe that "no one has ever anticipated an accident do you?" Come the #$%& on! I got some beach front property to sell you in Utah, buddy! Call me! I give you a deal!

we don't know exactly what system failed or whether it was due to improper installation, faulty maintenance, failure to communicate, etc. but it was human error,

So you're claiming that no one knows how or what failed but it was certainly human error? Huh? Where is the logic in that?

Once again, people are looking to point fingers instead of taking care of the situation and finding the fault once all the facts are in. I just love it.

I think Mr. Paul knows very well that if he stays avid to the corporate world, they will back and finance him to take over....after all....this is a government by the Corporations NOT the people. It's all about the money and business as usual.

Personally, I think the boot should go to the groin not the neck. It's corporate balls that should be hanging from the town square.

east coast... the well is an engineered system. when such a system fails the reason is inadequate engineering, or maintenance, or operator error. Not an accident. Just like when someone crashes a car when driving 40 mph over the speed limit it's not an accident, but stupidity.

kp, which party was it exactly that drew the national attention away from wall street reform and energy policy and thrust the spotlight on illegal immigration? Your comment about policy diversion cracked me up, you are on board the brainwashed train. That Arizona law is so blatantly a GOP political tactic to further divide the country and anyone who doesn't see it, well is just not awake. The Republican party and their tactics are disastrous for the future of our country.

the well is an engineered system. when such a system fails the reason is inadequate engineering, or maintenance, or operator error. Not an accident

It's an engineered system that is tapping into potentially unknown natural circumstances too. That is not to be taken lightly.

Again, AGAIN, this is the time to take that situation in hand and asign blame when the facts are in. We can not bicker and argue over this while mid-crisis. That kind of thinking is counter productive.

KP, you have relatives that have worked in the oil bis since the 1920's? That would make them over 100 years old, must be good genes. Oh ya, where's that property located I might be interested.

Lola, the AZ law is identical to the federal law word for word. Many time throughout our history we have allowed and then stopped immigration from specific countries and regions from around the world including European immigrants. Here I'll list them all:

There have been a number of Immigration Acts in the United States.

• The Naturalization Act of 1790 established the rules for naturalized citizenship, as per Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution.
• The Naturalization Act of 1795
• The Naturalization Act of 1798
• The Naturalization Act of 1870
• The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was an explicitly race-based immigration act.
• The Act of 1891 established a Commissioner of Immigration in the Treasury Department.
• The 1882 Immigration Act made several categories of immigrants ineligible for citizenship, including "lunatics" and those likely to become public charges
• The Alien Contract Labor Law of 1885 prohibited "the importation and migration of foreigners and aliens under contract or agreement to perform labor in the United States, its territories, and the District of Columbia." ^[1].
• The Geary Act of 1892 extended and strengthened the Chinese Exclusion Act
• The Naturalization Act of 1906 standardized naturalization procedures, made some knowledge of English a requirement for citizenship, and established the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization
• The Immigration Act of 1917 (Barred Zone Act) restricted immigration from Asia by creating an "Asiatic Barred Zone."
• The Emergency Quota Act of 1921 restricted immigration from a given country to 3% of the number of people from that country living in the U.S. in 1910

• The Immigration Act of 1924 aimed at freezing the current ethnic distribution in response to rising immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe, as well as Asia.
• The National Origins Formula was established with the Immigration act of 1924. Total annual immigration was capped at 150,000. Immigrants fit into two categories: those from quota-nations and those from non-quota nations. Immigrant visas from quota-nations were restricted to the same ratio of residents from the country of origin out of 150,000 as the ratio of foreign-born nationals in the United States. The percentage out of 150,000 was the relative number of visas a particular nation received. Non-quota nations, notably those contiguous to the United States only had to prove an immigrant's residence in that country of origin for at least two years prior to emigration to the U.S. Laborers from Asiatic nations were excluded but exceptions existed for professionals, clergy and students to obtain visas.
• The Chinese Exclusion Repeal Act of 1943 repealed the Chinese Exclusion Act and permitted Chinese nationals already in the country to become naturalized citizens.
• The Nationality Act of 1940 pertains chiefly to "Nationality at Birth," Nationality through Naturalization," and "Loss of Nationality". Certain miscellaneous matters are also dealt with.
• The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (or McCarran-Walter Act) somewhat liberalized immigration from Asia, but increased the power of the government to deport illegal immigrants suspected of Communist sympathies.
• Operation Wetback was a 1954 project of the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) to remove about 1.2 million illegal immigrants from the southwestern United States, with a focus on Mexican nationals.
• The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 discontinued quotas based on national origin, while preference given to those who have U.S. relatives. For the first time Mexican immigration was restricted.
• The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 granted amnesty to illegal immigrants who had been in the United States before 1982 but made it a crime to hire an illegal immigrant.
• The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRaIRA) made drastic changes to asylum law, immigration detention, criminal-based immigration, and many forms of immigration relief.
• The REAL ID Act (2005) created more restrictions on political asylum, severely curtailed habeas corpus relief for immigrants, increased immigration enforcement mechanisms, altered judicial review, and imposed federal restrictions on the issuance of state driver's licenses to immigrants and others.

Now, do you think all of these acts were legislated by the Republican Party? Actually most or practically all of the legislation in here was done through democratically controlled congresses. You rant about future but you need to better understand the past and it affects on the present. Besides, if you want all the emtitlements and free social programs you better hope this country does something to curb the problem or we will fall into a state like we are seeing in Greece where protesters are killing people and destroying businesses because the socialist government is broke and can't afford to continue many of their entitlements to the people including healthcare. Great Britain's, Germany's, Portugal's, and Spain's (all social republics) debt ratios are rising relative to the ability of the governments to create income which means they could be next to fall into chaos. If that happens they default on there bonds we are holding and then ultimately our government will default. By the way I'm not a Republican but thanks for asking!

Mnmillie,

My grand father worked for Shell Oil as the company's Comptroller. His son, my Uncle, worked for them as an engineer. His son, my cousin, currently works for Sunoco. So yes, good genes and generations of proud oil workers. Make me an offer!

He basically said he hated racism, but supported the right of business owners to do business with whoever they want to.

Then came the knee jerk reactions that he was a racist.

I was pointing out the fact that the 1st amendment supported hate speech. Does that mean if you support the 1st amendment, you are a fan of hate speech? Of course not.

Maddow used this tactic against him and tried to paint him as a racist.

If you support the fair trial of terror suspects, are you a fan of terrorism? No, you support the law.

So many misguided people on this forum it's laughable

No, it IS time to assign blame. An engineered system requires ENGINEERING. Careful design, fabrication and testing must be done in a rational fashion to ensure proper operation. I'm no engineer - oh wait, yes I am - but this system is what an engineer would call a KLUGE of the WORST KIND.

No competent engineer would put this blowout preventer in service. No engineering manager would allow it. No supervisory manager would allow it. No competent CEO would support the team that would do this or hire a firm that would do it.

BP is at fault. PERIOD. Put them under receivership NOW. They are going to have to subsidize seafood prices and keep THOUSANDS of fishermen, tour guides, hotel staff paid until the aftereffects of this engineering FAILURE (the word ACCIDENT does not apply) are gone. THAT WILL BE DECADES!!! We will need to keep the corporation alive as a ZOMBIE to maintain the payments. Too bad investors - you lose. You should have been more aware of what kind of CRAPPY COMPANY you were investing in.

kp, my statement was about who diverted attention to illegal immigration while wall street reform and energy policy were being debated, not a diatribe on who shot John. What instigated and turned the debate toward illegal immigration in the midst of efforts to work on these other reforms first? Your comment was that the media turned it in that direction, and it was the Arizona law passed by Republicans, and you need to do some research into who really wrote the law and the motivation was pure politics. Neither party has worked toward solving this problem, everyone knows they are America's cheap labor force. The Republicans will do anything to avoid working on comprehensive energy policy, which is the most important single issue facing our country and the planet right now.

BP gets to share the fault with the agencies that should have been performing inspections and performing the analysis to verify the safety systems actually work.

I wish they would have started the witch hunt after the spill was contained. At that point, they should go after the private companies involved and the government officials and their high priced consultants that signed off on the safety approach as well as contingency plans.

I have over 20 years of experience working with engineers that represent our government The government does employ some talented engineers, but for the most part, I have been repeatedly alarmed at their level of technical competence. They may catch typos like using "if" instead of "of", but then they miss glaring omissions and incompatibilities.

Lola, what a bunch of crap. AZ Governor is faced with her citizens being killed and kidnapped including a state government going broke and you think she because she is a republican that she should wait until we have an energy policy and wall street regulations. I bet if it was one of your family members being hauled off or killed your attitude would be a little different, but it ain't you so..So what, right? Typical! We have been working on an energy policy since the Vietnam Era. Lots of democratic and republican presidents have come and gone. So don't tell me that we need to stop the press here, so to speak. Wall street regulation...How about just re-instituting Glass-Steagall. It worked for 60 years with no problems but the democrats liked the deal that they have since 1998 with the banks. Barney Frank and Chris Dodd specifically in their relationship with Freddie and Fannie! Try again! Not buying your rant!

No, Arizona has 2 US Senators that should have worked on this years ago and got immigration reform because of the effect on their state. Enforce the law about hiring illegal or undocumented workers, that may take care of part of it. By the way, we're still in 2 wars.

No we are in 3. There is a war going on along our southern border. Lola, there already are laws regarding immigration (see above one more time). It is up to the president through the office of home land security to enforce those laws. Two senators can do nothing. Bush failed to enforce those laws because we were in good times which is a crock. Everybody was making money. Well now the chickens are roosting and it is time for the illegals to return if they are truely migrant as the mexican president says they are, lol! Problems is the Republicans want them here for money (corporate profits) and the democrats want them here for votes (entitlement programs) but the American people at least 60 - 80% don't want them here at all! When is the last time you saw 60 - 80 % od American agree on anything? The answer is never! I think Obama owes the American people their will to be done!

So you said:

That Arizona law is so blatantly a GOP political tactic to further divide the country and anyone who doesn't see it, well is just not awake. The Republican party and their tactics are disastrous for the future of our country.

The law is a copy of Democratically written federal law! States have the right and obligation to defend their people and assets under a Republic style government which is nothing new and has been that way for 230 plus years. The people of this country by far don't want the illegals here 65% in the lowest poll I've seen and as high as 80% in other polls. Have not seen one poll that wants illegals here. The only division I see is the division amongst the politicians as to why they want them here. The politicians must be made to act on the will of the people. This is what is destroying our country. Democrat or Republican it is all about power grabbing. So your allegence to the Democrats is a slippery slope argument.

Kpokeefe - I couldn't agree with you more. SB 1070 was intended to maintain law, protect our citizens and their properties and to prevent a genuinely bad situation from getting worse. Most recently, some folks believe this law should only apply to those who have committed a serious crime and ignore those who cross our border illegally.

Lola from OH, said our law was passed by the Republicans. Our governor is a republican, however it was the citizens of AZ that asked for the law to be passed and upheld. Janet Napalitano never did a thing, neither has President Obama upheld the law. Meanwhile, the Mexican president Calderon is trying to divert his countrys' problems by spreading lies. He promised them jobs and has failed to create enough jobs at home and ends up exporting his labor problems to the U.S. We have destruction, danger and disaster that is happening because we have not stopped an illegal invasion. Lola from OH, does not make me angry with her opinions. There will always be misguided souls who are confused to the true facts. I do wish she could come here and witness firsthand how bad the border is.

There are so many different opinions with this awful oil situation. Someone recommended boycotting BP, if everyone did that how would BP have the money to pay for fixing this problem or have reserves for all impending lawsuits. I don't believe they have gone to court yet. There is no question they will be liable, however for someone to say they are going to apply their boot to the throat is classless.

BREAKING: Rumors circulating that former Homeland Defense minister Michael Cherthoff has

accepted a request by BP to be their defense lawyer. Cherthoff now runs the White Collar

Criminal Defense Unit for Covington and Burling LLC http://www.cov.com/mchertoff/

Independent experts say Cherthoff would be a fearsome adversary against US government

prosecutors, since Cherthoff was instrumental in crafting many of the US Patriot Act laws

which can restrict States' ability to sue for compensation after catastrophic occurrences.

If a "private" facility can not chose it's customers then it is no longer private, it is "government controlled".

bob5ford, the government tells my neighbor that he cannot run a pig farm. is that "government control"? is my neighbor the victim of tyranny?

If they take over the pig farm? Yes!

hey Bob5ford - You need to get your KKK sheet cleaned!

Some might consider your neighbor to be a victim, but if your neighbor does run a pig farm, you might become a victim of extreme stink, polluted ground water, falling property values. Of course, in Rand Paul's "America" you could have the recourse of shooting your neighbor and resolving the pig problem on your own. There would be no "government control" of either his or your behavior.

barefoot... the question was not about the government taking over the pig farm. the question is whether the government's authority to limit property rights via zoning laws is legitimate. this gets to the essence of Paul's philosophy. he thinks private property rights are supreme. that when the state limits those rights, for example by telling a landowner in a residential area that he cannot operate a pig farm, that it's tyranny.

that's the tea party message. if a nudist colony wants to open up next to a middle school, the damn government has no right to interfere because they hate the government.

All this concern for the rights of "private" business owners. Funny, I didn't see this concern when everyone was belly aching about banning smoking in eateries, bars and such other PRIVATE places. I also distinctly remember all the "family values" wingnuts out in force marching against the topless bars and adult book/video stores when trying to pressure the regulation of, or just plain old trying to get them shut down. And how about the privately owned abortion clinics that you wingnuts regularly protest , and on occasion bomb or shoot and kill someone who works there? So I guess all of you that are in such support of "private business" being able to call their own shots would be ok if 7-11, Barnes and Noble and other such places started selling Hustler with no brown wrapper and displayed in full public view? You'd be ok if Larry Flynt decided too open a Hustler club across the street from your house and on every corner of every city right?

Think of it as being "morally controlled".

Shellie, don't expect an answer from tea partiers... all they know is that they're mad and that Rand Paul's rhetoric makes them feel madder, which gives them a squirt of dopamine. Like Paul, they will not answer questions about their philosophy except via rambling diatribes.

kpokeefe.......imagine how long it would have taken Bush and Brownie to help New Orleans if that had to work at 5000 feet below sea level and 2300 PSI pressure !

The government has no personnell or equipment to work on an oil well at 5000 feet. That is and was the responsibility of the well owner and drilling contractor. Now I would agree that stronger regulations should have been in force and enforced, that is the job of government and they failed as did administrations for decaded before them. Fixing blown wells at 5000 feet is not the job or government, it is the responsibility of the oil industry that drills there.

It is their job to make sure there is a plan of action for disasters and to inspect the rigs. We pay $347 billion dollars a year for that.

The government has no personnell or equipment to work on an oil well at 5000 feet. That is and was the responsibility of the well owner and drilling contractor. Now I would agree that stronger regulations should have been in force and enforced, that is the job of government and they failed as did administrations for decaded before them. Fixing blown wells at 5000 feet is not the job or government, it is the responsibility of the oil industry that drills there.

That is exactly why so many were against deep water offshore drilling and why for decade it has not been allowed. The government controls those waters. They gave the OK for BP to start drilling. Minerals Management Service, oil environmental and safety agency, should have required a plan of action and subseqent contengency plans, prior to signing off that it was OK to drill in deep water. BP told them that they had a plan, but no plan was ever demonstrated to prove its effectiveness. Effectively BP lied and the government signed off on it. This is the problem with our government agencies (SEC, CFTC, FDA, etc). They are slow to react and very often can't work the problem they said could be done. So tell me why YOU want more government? I'm listening!

crickets chirping. I thought so.

It is their job to make sure there is a plan of action for disasters and to inspect the rigs. We pay $347 billion dollars a year for that.

lving, what the hell are you talking about?!? What $347 Billion are you referring too (you keep repeating this number as if it means something)??

Just an FYI before you answer however, if you're referring to the budget of MMS, it's NOT $347 Billion (with a B), it's $347.4 Million (with an M). You were only off by 3 orders of magnitude...

Also, that's their 2010 budget, they're 2009 budget (the one that would have mattered for this spill) was only $310 million.

From their Congressional budget request:

http://www.mms.gov/adm/PFD/2010BudgetJustification.pdf

this info is easy to find for someone who doesn't have an axe to grind (as you clearly do)....

BJ's:

When?--re your quote. "He will fix the problem".

Obama hasn't fixed any problem in almost the 2 years he's been in office.

Amen Tracey. It is absolutely stupid and has no purpose other than to control the weak minded.

It is absolutely stupid and has no purpose other than to control the weak minded

That is why our Imperial Presdient uses the term just about everytime he gets in front of a TV camera.

Prove it kp. Prove it.

It better be LEGITIMATE and it better back up your statement.

kp - your comment shows me a lack of knowledge, and an overload of party line propaganda in your conversation.

The President was elected by a large majority of the citizens of this country. He has mandated nothing, and Congress has voted and passed legislation with legal majorities. There is NOTHING imperial about Obama. What a ridiculous expression.

Obama has done relatively little name-calling,and considering the nasty people out there who vent without engaging their brains, I am surprised that he hasn't done more of it.

Rand Paul has made his position known - he favors the corporations - with no oversight or regulations to rein them in - and would look the other way if he were in charge right now. He would not intervene with BP, he would shake hands with the BP Chairman and ask for a campaign contribution. He would ignore the fact that other countries would not have allowed BP to bypass safety measures that might have averted this disaster.

It is not un-American to call out anyone - corporation or not - when they have done wrong. BP has allowed someting to happen here that will literally kill most marine life in the gulf if not remediated soon. No fish, no birds, no coral, no plankton, no clean beaches, no fishing industry, no boating excursions, no tourism, and possibly even fouling the Atlantic ocean and all the beaches along the Gulf Stream. This is not just our problem - we are damaging the ecosystems and livlihoods of many island nations, and perhaps Europe if it continues.

It is a sin what has happened in the Gulf. It is evil and irresponsible, and greedy people are trying to look the other way so they can make more money. Rand Paul can't have it both ways. Either he is in favor of corporate responsibility and us - or he is in favor of unrestricted abuse of this planet by companies who worship money. No matter what he says about Obama - he has shown his true priority - corporations, not American citizens.

I am so glad that Rachel Maddow made sure this was revealed. It is the truth about Rand Paul. Either you like it or you don't. I don't.

one other thing here, i'd like to bring up. i don't know the names, but the democratic candidates that had their primary on the same day got more votes individually than paul. if the election were done today he would lose! and if he keeps foaming at the mouth and inserting his foot every time he speaks, i don't think we will have to worry about him coming to power.

i believe people should be allowed to live their lives as they choose, in peace without persecution or prosecution by the government or others...UNLESS, this is a big unless, they are hurting other people! that's the part of the equation that the libertarians and tea partiers want to ignore. we have to see not only what is best for each of us but also what will be best for the whole. if the man wants a pig farm, that might be his choice, but if his decision is going to hurt his neighbors, then he shouldn't be able to do it. and i'm not talking about peoples' sensibilities, because there is always somebody out there that will be offended by what someone else is doing. i'm talking about physical, monetary or civil wrong. we are a nation that has lived(or is trying to reach the goal of)by the decree that all men are created equal and that we are endowed by our creator(in whatever way you may[or maynot] choose to believe)with certain inalienable rights. (I know this isn't in the constitution-but the declaration of independence as become as much of a statement for us as the constitution) life-we have, all of us, the equal right to live-not just the rich who can pay the mafia(sorry, i insulted the mafia)insurance industry. liberty-every person in this country should be treated equally with respect and dignity. it's interesting that whenever there is an economic downturn, the majority(we white folk are still the majority...for awhile...watch out in 50 years! ha! mixed races will inherit the earth! yea! one race...the human race...what a concept. then who will people have to hate?) and the pursuit of happiness-that's where personal responsibility comes in. there will always be people who are worse off. there will always be people who want something for nothing and will take advantage of the government, the state and other people. unfortunately, sloth and greed are still an inherent part of our natures.

we need to expand our horizons, people. we have two choices-to work together, really, put aside petty differences and find answers to the problems we have today so that our children's children and their children and so on will have a beautiful, peaceful world to live in. or we will devolve into another dark ages, but this one will be worse because we now have the ability to destroy ourselves. there are so many things that we need to be talking about that so important. just one and this is really a serious problem that no one is talking about. we are running out of drinkable water. the wars of the future will not be over oil. they will be over water. in the middle east right now, today, they are running out of water and isreal controls a large part of it. if you think i don't know what i'm talking about, do some research. i would like to ask everyone and dare the right wingers out there to go pick up the lastest issue of DISCOVER magazine. it's all bout fixing the energy problems we face. it's not political...it's telling us what it is.

another problem we need to address that is so much more important than whether a private business should be allowed to be racist. by 2050 there may be as many as 9 billion people on this earth. we are running out of room to grow food to feed them. if you think i'm stupid, do some research. there are solutions to this problem(besides the obvious-birth control!) but, the world will have to come together and work as a cohesive group to solve it. it's hard when you have radical groups doing everything they can to disrupt things. we have yet, as a world chosen to work to stop them. the countries in the middle east need to stand up and help and as yet, they are not. i wish i had an answer to that. maybe if we stopped buying their oil they might be willing to sit and listen...but i doubt if that's going to happen.

rand paul, you are beautiful fodder for the left and a pain in the...for the right. if you truly believed in freedom, true freedom of the individual you wouldn't say the things you do about advocating racism...and you are a racist, not naive. naivite connotes ignorance. i don't think this guy is stupid, just plain racist.

Amen!

Racist? Anyone who can openly take that position is secure enough in their own skin that they do not need to hide. That is an honest assesment and a valid position to take.

The left thinking that blacks need their "help" is very racist to me!

livingbare, yes RACIST!! I don't care whether he considers himself a racist personally. Any buffoon whose philosophy allows him to espouse the idea that businesses in interstate commerce can discriminate against people of color is a freaking racist in effect. And if you defend it you are too. Your comment about "help" makes me scream with laughter. Do you actually think prohibiting someone from turning away a person from a hotel, a restaurant or a home is "help"? How about just being fair? If it were you who could be turned away you'd be screaming like a stuck pig. The more drivel that comes out of the tea party, the more people will know they want no part of their half-baked wingut ideas.

Are you advocating social Darwinism - survival of the fittest, let the strong survive and anyone else - well, tough luck to you?

Good thing for you that your parents didn't leave you to fend for yourself as an infant.

louee, those businesses will be run out of business by people like me. His point is that you can be a racist idiot all you want because we are a free society. Let society weed out the haters.

Dragon: I hope you're right. However, Kentucky is only about 7% black, and fiercely conservative. In almost any state his campaign would be over before it began, but in Kentucky, there may be enough people who agree with his 1950s view of limits on the Interstate Commerce Clause.

He basically said he hated racism, but supported the right of business owners to do business with whoever they want to.

Then came the knee jerk reactions that he was a racist.

The fact is that the 1st amendment supports hate speech. Does that mean if you support the 1st amendment, you are a fan of hate speech? Of course not.

Maddow used this tactic against him and tried to paint him as a racist.

If you support the fair trial of terror suspects, are you a fan of terrorism? No, you support the law.

Again, way too many people on this forum who don't think

Well, it seems that so many just want to rush to the racism side. I agree livingbarefoot; Most consumers would not go to a racist business. It is amazing to me the spin on everything these days!

Read what Paul (the moron) said,

"Paul said that leads to the thinking that tragic incidents are "always someone's fault" and added, sometimes accidents just happen."

The Deepwater Horizon disaster was no accident. The fail safe systems were not checked and were not working. This type of disregard for millions of people and their environment deserves the harshest penalties, including nationalizing BP's assets and incarcerating those guilty of neglegence.

We can and should do without BP from this day forward.

louee, those businesses will be run out of business by people like me. His point is that you can be a racist idiot all you want because we are a free society. Let society weed out the haters.

ahh yes, because society was doing such a good job of "weed(ing) out the haters" in the 50's and 60's. Here are some great images of southern cities "weed(ing) them out"....

http://tlonuqbar.typepad.com/phfn/images/200807/birmingham63-firehose.jpg

http://www.myhistoryclass.net/images/Birmingham_dogs.jpg

http://media.photobucket.com/image/civil%20rights%20riots/LDuyer3/DHN_Dorchester%20Co%20MD/Cambridge02.jpg

http://www.gospelandculture.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/1414954843_6823a733ed_o.jpg

Without the Civil Rights Act of '64 the South would still be segregated, you can be almost sure of that. Rand Paul's views on this matter are supremely naive and destructive.

This crack pot is just what the Tea Party deserves. He hates anyone who isn't white; sides with big oil - heaven forbid they pay for the mess they created; doesn't want women in high positions; let's see - I'm sure he'll be spouting the rest of his stupidity as the week rolls along. What a loser! And, what an ignorant a..h.... He and Sarah Palin definitely belong in the same group!

Crickets chirping Shelly, because how does one reply. No one was ranting about the new no smoking laws in private establishments you say? Where have YOU been?

People picketing establishments that they don't want in their back yard, (strip joints, etc.)are not making laws, they're voicing opinions. Same goes for abortion clinics. The fringe lunatics who have killed doctors, are not representative of all anti-abortion people, anymore than that UVA student's shooting spree is representative of all college students.

Rand Paul is an idiot, and he just announced it publicly.

H announced it publicly last night on The Rachel Maddow Show and she tried to give him many chances to back out of his comments but he just kept digging himself a bigger hole. It was like watching a train wreck last night.

I have read many articles on Rand Paul and listened to his speeches. I can not find anything to fault him on. He seems to be right on target.

It is 2010 and liberalism is the ruination domestically and internationally. It destroys the middle class and creates a larger poverty class while taking the upper classes scoundrels voted in, into a realm of despotic tyranny.

Yeah like I want Barney Frank and Joe Biden to tell me how to raise my children.

But is it OK for the government to just sit in Washington and fiddle while oil pours into the gulf......I certainly don't know the answer, but I do know that just blaming BP is certainly not the answer.........even Chris Matthews seems to be losing a little patience with his hero, Obama over this for not being more involved than he seems to be.

And what would you have the government do? We don't have the technology (deep diving subs) or the personnel (why should Navy personnel risk their lives for something BP did) to deal with this disaster. BP should be made to clean it up with a large boot heel at their throat.

Blaming BP and the people in government who allowed this to happen is the answer. By punishing them it will serve as a warning for others to consider their actions before they screw up an entire hemisphere.

I don't really know what the government could do........do you??? What could the government do for Katrina??? Just about what they did, but caught hell for it. Who has the deep diving subs and the personnel??? At this point it doesn't matter who fault it is, just fix it. To sit in Washington and wait for BP to fix it does not seem to be getting anything done, and in the meantime the oil continues to pour into the gulf. And how is blaming BP and the people in government who allowed this to happen the answer??? And who are the people in government??? Meanwhile blame is thrown around and the oil continues to floowww. And this is the answer, how???

Wouldn't it have been better if a mature President worked with BP and solved this problem early?

I put most the blame on the government, past and present. If a contractor pays off an inspector and someones house burns down due to the contractors fault, I blame the inspector. He was the person whose job it was to protect the consumer.

Our government let these guys drill with no plan of action and currently skipped the inspection process. It was there job to protect us and they failed!

I did not say that our Government is squeeky clean in this situation. Their "inspections" were a rubber stamp joke but please remember which "mature president" it was that protected and lessened government rules and over-sight of the Oil industry just before going out of office.

No there is plenty of blame to go around BUT the axe fall across BP neck for this. they are the one's who happily took the profits from the well when everything was going their way and they are the ones who should have to pay when it all goes to Hell!!!

The present administration ignored the rules that were in place that could have prevented this. That is where the blame lies.

We have a consummate politician as President, not a leader. I pray that he will change his ways, but after seeing that display with the Mexican President, I gave up hope.

livingbare, you're certifiable. Hater.

who gives a $hit whos fault it was. lets just get it fixed. i bet you if every person that was sitting around trying to figure out whos fault it is was working on a way to slove the problem it would would have been fixed weeks ago.

Yes, I hate hypocrites bad mouthing my country!

lvingbarefoot

Yet you "badmouth" your president every chance you get. I have yet to read ONE of your posts where you do not slam your president and your government. Perhaps you would be more comfortable in Somolia?

You seem to be a hypocrite AND a troll.

Nice comment ... I agree.

The fact is we have the problem, and nationalizing BP's assets is the best way to straighten-out the thinking of the other big oil companies. Safety will go to the top of the list rather than the bottom. Prosecute the offenders.

Ruin BP ... they ruined the Gulf and the shore.

The present administration ignored the rules that were in place that could have prevented this. That is where the blame lies.

Yet ANOTHER republican who wants government to fix the mistakes of big oil, in the same breath they bitch about government spending. Who wants to protect big oil corporations? Republicans/teabaggers. Who wants LESS government regulation? Republicans/teabaggers. Who wants government to pay for the clean up? Republicans/teabaggers. Who carps about taxes but wants corporate "socialism"? I think you get the point.

thanks to Rand we will get new blood in congress....

It'll sound something like:

"Ladies and Gentlemen, you're Democratic Senator from the great state of Kentucky..."

Out of context? Every report I've seen has been careful to not just play a short soundbite, but to play entire sections of what Rand Paul said. And print stories have linked to entire transcripts.

Don't know if Ron Paul watched the Rachel Maddow show, but she gave Rand Paul many uninterrupted minutes to explain the "context." She even cancelled scheduled breaks (including for commercials) so that Rand Paul would have full opportunity to explain his position. Not many TV hosts would have been so generous with time and so willing to just let the guy speak. Yes, she was quite firm in her interviewing. But after asking her questions, she gave him full opportunity to answer and explain.

One of the best interviews I've ever seen.

now i wish chickhen sarah would come on her show but we all know she doesn't have the guts or brains.racheal is the most inteligent host i've seen in awhile.sarah's brain would pop!

If Rand Paul is the best the Tea Party can come up with then they are in big trouble.

Now admittedly Sarah was a mismatch with McCain but Palin seems to be the perfect fit for this loon on a presidential ticket. Its amazing that in such a very short time the depth of one's intelligence can be measured by the mere opening of the mouth. If this is where Republicans are going then they can piss on the fire and call in the dogs because the hunt is already over for them. That's a shame, really ~ but the voting populous is not this intellectually deficient nor are they about to elect those who are. Ron Paul made sense ~ Sonny Boy Rand makes idle gibberish and is largely wrong in his assessments. Of course he has a following. Even the most mentally unhinged examples in history had one.

His point is that BP is going to pay, and that the government department, who costs you tax dollars, failed to regulate them. In fact, one could say this is another glaring example of why there is more corruption when private industry and government get together. This is the way everyone wants it, government regulation. So prepare for these things. Now if BP said "wah wah wah" and cried all day about paying for the damages then your points would prove more valid. They made a mistake, but they are going to pay and if something happens differently I know Rand would oppose them. He's not his father, he's his own man with his own beliefs. But the fundamentals are there such as supporting term limits.

jim in texas,

don't call rand "sonny boy", it's an insult to mr. williamson

Don't count the Republicans out because of one, not so great candidate. The very fact that you all are jumping all over Rand like ants on a popsicle, only goes to show that you ARE afraid of losing the majority. Otherwise, you would just dismiss his comments rather than make the mountain out of this molehill.

Also, the lengths to which the lefties go to discredit, slam, demonize the Tea Party is pathetic. Mainly all I hear is everyone just repeating what they heard someone else say, and so on and so on...same stuff. And most of it has little to nothing to do with the agenda of the Tea Party. The focus of the Tea Party is NOT on race, NOT on social issues, (abortion, etc.) but on the economic and financial situation that Obama has gotten us into. The growth of Government, in taking over corporations and banks, in shoving his Health Care down our throats, and the price we will all pay in more taxes, and cattle herd care. And cap and trade in the wings. BUT...the left just wants to play the race card, over and over and over, when races isn't even the mix. THEY focus so much on race that, well, isn't that racist?

And the current administration was screaming, skip inspections, skip inspections.

We need to drill and we need to do it responsibly. Maybe we should wait until we get some mature responsible leaders in the White House

And the current administration was screaming, skip inspections, skip inspections.

Source?

It has been reported for over a week.

Reported by the fair and balanced Faux news!

Then it should be quite easy to provide a source that shows

"the current administration was screaming, skip inspections, skip inspections."

akin to the many, many times we saw "Drill, Baby Drill" in the media.

Any?

Dragonwagon5

And the current administration was screaming, skip inspections, skip inspections.

Source?

Source??

So you think BP should be free to do it?

. . . and I love all the doom-sayers such as you who see boogymen everywhere they look. The world is NOT coming to an end my friend. The pendalum has swung in a different direction for a time and that is all. there is no need for you to fear change. Change is healthy even if it temporarily moves in the wrong direction.

I'd be happier if corporations were actually held accountable for messing up the environment & for other acts of wrongdoing.

Did I miss something? Is BP getting a fee pass?

The only ones getting a free pass are the people we pay $347,000,000,000 a year to protect us from this!

Did I miss something? Is BP getting a fee pass?

The only ones getting a free pass are the people we pay $347,000,000,000 a year to protect us from this!

ugh, you're only off by 3 orders of magnitude....

do you post anything factual?

Yea me too bobo5... its kinda like watching the iijuts on fox try to build up guys like R. Paul as if they were the next "right thinking " saviour of the declining interests of the re-pubikan views in America....and then we discover that his mouth has as many feet stuck in it as Bushies did. Both able to produce mass ignorance in a single statement. yea sure it makes me want to read blogs on fox' links and provide snide remarks,but such a waste of time and consequence would be unworthy of conversing ,critical or otherwise. Rand will suffer the same fate of other ill informed tea-buggers whose interests lie only in trite euphamisms and not policy, nor are they more moral or "right" about representing the "views" of "real Uhmerikuns"... than any existing batch of political parties.

I agree.

Rand Paul is UnAmerican for his support of Big Oil profits over the beauty and health of our mother land and the heart-break of the American people.

Throw his a$$ out!

Yes the government failed to regulate BP. Let's not complain about the fact your tax dollars went to a wasteful, and apparently, unethical department of our government.

Underwhelmed...throw his ass out of what?

Wait a sec. The Libertarian position is that the Federal Government should have no role in regulating drilling practices. Remember Paul is anti-evironmental protection. How do you then turn around and cast blame at the Feds for failing to do safety checks? The Federal Government is to blame for failing to do the thing I vociferously oppose?

Rand Paul is correct, to blame just one is being nothing more than politcal.

And of course he isn't being political. Paul's statements and intents are as pure as the wind-driven snow. He, like so many neophytes in politics, is an opportunist ~ ~ he sees a public issue and tries to milk it for personal aggrandizement. Siding with the principal actor in this catastrophe is not wise, blaming the US government for aiding abetting is stupid (even if he were correct), and having the temerity to indict American interests in this mess is nothing less than idiotic. Yet I have to admire Rand Paul for his core honesty. He will side against Obama and do so publicly but his Republican cohorts ~ who would ally with the Taliban if it would hurt Obama - remain mute and distance themselves from Paul because of his candor. This means he may be the only non-chickensh*t among the group.

Let me see here . ..

Transocean and Halliburton both are SUBCONTRACTORS to BP on the running and maintenance of the oil well in question. All though they may be contractually obligated to BP, it is BP who hold responsibility for damage caused by the well itself.

If you run your car off the road and into a house who pays for the damage? You do.

The government may not have done what it should have to inspect the rig that is true but it STILL does not lessen BP's reponsibility to run a safe Oil rig!!

Two cars speeding down the road, a policeman pulls one car over and gives him a ticket. the other car continues speeding along and kills a pedestrian on the road. Is it the policemans fault or should the car not have been speeding in the first place?

This is ultimately BP's responsibility. It may not be completely their fault but it certainly is their responsibility!

The Libertarian position is that the Federal Government should have no role in regulating drilling practices.

Care to cite?

A citation isn't needed, I thought it was common knowledge that libertarians believe that if something isn't mentioned in the constitution, the government has no business getting involved.

That and I thought libertarians were generally opposed to all forms of government regulation as a constraint on individual liberty. So, ideologically speaking, wouldn't libertarians be opposed to any form of government oversight over BP's activities?

east coast-

Well, they don't want government interference in civil rights, for godssake, why would they want regulations to keep the environment safe?

EXCELLENT point!!!!!!

Rand Paul got the "talking to" of a lifetime last night (see the comments by DeMint and McConnell?). They extolled the wonders of the GOP being funded by large corporations, and reminded Paul that he won't get elected without corporate sponsorship.

Probably looked like the talking to to Howard Beal in the movie "Network". Paul needed to be reminded of how things REALLY work. Today - he immediately backed away from his comments made in 2002 and up through yesterday. He must have whiplash from the reversal.

Paul made a fool of himself on Maddow's show, as he showed that at his age or in his priviledged private club environment, he somehow missed the fact that this country was racist for hundreds of years, and this died down ONLY because of legislation that he says he wants to change?

He is a theoretical Libertarian who doesn't have much of a grip on the ugly side of human nature, and government's role in encouraging those Christian values the Right raves about all the time.

Oh, and did you all notice the number of Democrats who voted in Kentucky? Many more than the Repubs.....Which party is energized? Who has the better candidate in Kentucky? The GOP had better stop measuring the curtains in the Majority leaders' office in D.C.

Problem with libertarians? I believe that society is naturally good, and as good indivudles we can make good conscious decisions without the government. It's no secret that most libertarians hold this view. And for god sakes everyone knows that it was the government who at the time enforced Jim crow laws. About 90% of the Civil Rights Act was about protecting us from the government, and we can so callously say that government has not proven itself to be more evil than the people they represent? I'm not racist. I just believe in people, apparently, more so than the Republicans AND NOW the Liberals. The very segregation that you are lampooning about is causing a stir with those that share his views - like me. Everyone is mocking our beliefs without understanding the meaning behind it. We as humans are mostly good, we need to believe we can make the right decisions without big brother. If a racist restaurant opened right next to me I know I'd never eat there. In fact, I'd protest and boycott it like many of you would. So understand us before you call us racists. Thank you.

So Jay, you "believe in people." How comforting. I don't. I believe in people sometimes being forced to do right. I understand libertarianism and it is a crock. It's a bunch of pseudo-intellectual narcissists huddling in a corner thinking they can make things happen by getting folks to accept the "righteousness" of their ideas. What world do you live in? We live in common because of our government. The idea of killing it is as stupid an idea that could possibly come along. I understand anger, but I do not understand clinging to an artificial notion whose end result would be disaster. And frankly, I don't care if you'd eat at a racist restaurant. History proves that racism must be prohibited by law.

Don 't judge all Kentuckians by this moron. He got through the primary by fluke and he won't get further. In fact, the more he talks, the further behind he gets.

Louee- how can you claim that when you don't even know what would happen? For all you know if society back then was allowed to deal with the issue itself rather than the government strong-arming property owners, there may be less racism today. I dunno I can't prove it, but neither can you because America hasn't been allowed to grow outside of the pot we planted ourselves in. It's a philosophical belief that s peaceful and logical. And to discredit it as you have makes you look hateful and ignorant. I'm happy YOU can decide what constitutes free speech and private property...very progressive. This will always be the big divide between liberals and libertarians. Libertarians = rights based on individualism vs. liberals and republicans = rights based on social populism. We may be able to overlap on most issues, but the way you people treat our views based on individual liberty proves that we will forever be outsiders and nothing will ever change. Once again very progressive of you.

My bad........I apologize to all Kentuckians who are intelligent, independent thinkers who cringe every time this racist moron opens his mouth. It was wrong of me to lump you all together. Mia culpa!

vanwood

It's ok...for the most part, you were right. After all, we (they) re-elected Mitch McConnell in '08...how bright was that?

Oddly though, I have yet to meet one person who can stand the old fool.

@Jay Brown-We most certainly do know what happens when people were left alone. First we get slavery, then we get a civil war to keep those slaves (under the guise of States rights) when the government steps in to end it, then we get the KKK and lynchings, denial of rights that the government restored to the slaves,institutionalize discrimination and segregation. Not to mention those discriminatory practices against women. That's what we get by allowing those basically good human beings do what they will.

Corporations/private business - brings real jobs to real people. It is where almost all our dreams and economic growth comes from. Most business have a huge positive impact on all Americans. Yes there is greed (Which at times has good results and bad). The desire for power which powers most government is the worst we do not want a strong conservative government (Nazi/Dictatorship) or a strong liberal ( USSR). Rand Paul may not always say things that please the media but is driven by cause not power or money. He is hope for America.

Michael, you are absolutely right... Paul believes private property rights are supreme and that when government limits those rights, it's tyranny. In Paul's world, if I want to open a nudist colony next to a school, the government has no right to tell me I can't.

Hope for America? more like hope for the Democratic party!! Can you please convince the Republican party to put on the '12 ballot against President Obama? If i was the DNC Chair i would be telling everyone that we need to put a Rand Paul in every contested house and senate seat for the next ten years. I think that the DNC should be sending campaign funds to every Rand Paul out there to ensure victory for the Dem's in the next election. I love this guy. Early x-mas for the Dems with him. Wonder what he will say next week. America would be better off if the south had won the war??

John Galt, gag. By your name I can see you're an Any Rand fan. You know she was a nutcase, right? She was for ... HERSELF! She thought she was the smartest little girl on the planet so screw everyone else, they're meaningless. Is this the philosophy you choose? If the government were gone tomorrow, do you really think you'd be better off? Dirty air, dirty water, lead in toys, substandard wages, no social security, just to name a few. Oh but I guess all those businesses who are suddenly free to do whatever they want will choose to forgo their profits and adopt reasonable policies that will enhance the planet and its people. Right. Sad, very sad that you are unwilling to extrapolate the true meaning of what you espouse.

Yeah, they're oilin' up their squirrel guns as we speak !

Louee so you want the government running things? Can you say Chernobyl, Have you seen the sky's over China and rivers in China (Government has ownership in almost all business in China). The disasters brought by government make BP look like a saint.

I was actually looking at Rand Paul, thinking that since the Dems were not "perfect enough" for me, maybe Paul would be a good choice. The last 2 days have already given me my answer.

Why is it that Tea-whatevers, "Libertarians", Republicans, and NeoCons have to live in extremes all the time? Every subject is taken to its most literal edge. No points can be made on their own merit...they have to demonize any thought that may be even slightly different from theirs.
It's just too much drama and not enough healthy, common sense balance! To maintain the fear and anger it takes to live within such a state day after day after day has to be exhausting. I guess that's why it is just easier to listen to Fox and Rush and all those talking heads that tell them what to think and say. I realize that our quickly changing 21st Century world cannot wait for them to catch up, but it is a pity. They may be good people who have just gotten caught up in the addictive furor that Fox spins for their entertainment - sorta like how gang members get caught up in their narrow worlds at first because they feel wanted, but later cannot see a way out because they are manipulated into feeling committed. It is hard to weed thru all of the lies, distortions, and drama to learn what they may have to offer that may actually be helpful!

Yep, my Ron Paul days lasted less than 36 hours. It makes me keep wondering: do any of these people ever check themselves to see if they have gone off the deep end? Do they ever ask themselves - with an truly opened mind,personal integrity, and emotional honesty: what if I am wrong to follow those people who tell me what to think and say? Is the sky really falling?

Oh! BTW: Deregulation and trickle-down economics did not work. We have and are suffering the effects of that. We need to move on to other ideas now folks!

Dorrit- it was Paul who was attacked on his beliefs. He gave a poor interview with maddow, but to paint him a racist is pure hatred against something libertarians hold dear - individual liberty. If you can, and the government can define what constitutes a person's liberty, then why have a constitution or civil liberties? It's not very civil when liberty can be taken away by the populace. Why complain about the war on drugs or don't ask don't tell? I thought liberals, who may not agree with us on the CRA, would at least be more understanding than this media circus. I thought you all new the libertarian's stance on civil liberties; I was wrong. Is Rand Paul, Ron Paul.. no, but like his father he's opinionated and will speak his mind and stand for his values. But the message is clear that the Dems will experience a fall out like the Republicans did in 2006 and 2008. Let's face it independents who ran to Obama in order to escape McCain realized very fast that they may be a different team, but they play the same game. If liberals are thinking otherwise, maybe they need to pay attention to the anti-war side of their party, and maybe they'll find out why people like Ron and Rand are popular.…

Joh Galt - Nice try, but sorry to say your comment doesn't work re: your effort to conflate all government with Stalinism or Maoism. There is a middle ground - where government encourages us to be our best without denying us our right to "pursue life, liberty and happiness." It's tough to achieve, but a goal worth having.

Libertarianism is like communism - nice on paper, and ideal if everyone was honest and well-intentioned. But we all have seen that systems that rely on idealized visions of human behavior allow evil to rise and oppression to result.

Galt - Libertarianism is not a solution. It is a concept. When reality creeps in, the rationale for Libertarianism solutions falls apart.

DeeToo I'm in total agreement with you with respect to the similarity between libertarianism and communism.

They are well intentioned philosophies that are fatally flawed because they're making fundamental over simplifications regarding human nature and reality. I mean how could communists actually believe that the dictatorship of the proletariat would voluntarily dissolve itself after a time? People willingly giving up power for the greater good? give me a break. On the other hand, you have libertarians who believe that there is no need for government oversigh/regulation because if a corporation engages in malfescence/wrong doing, it will be punished in the market place (what if they conceal their wrong doings? - a free market only functions if there is accurate information, or what if they have a monopoly over their respective field, where else are people going to go?) Then they believe that a government would say, voluntarily adhere to various safety protocols for its employees and customers if they didn't have to? Businesses are concerned about making money so why on Earth would a corporation willingly spend money on something if they didn't have to do? How could this not lead to massive exploitation and abuses?

Both of these philosophies gloss over the complexities of life. In the end, both are incredibly, incredibly naive.

Craig - if regulation was so perfect we wouldn't be in a recession now would we. So the answer is to regulate more...? What do you mean libertarianism works well on paper..the founding fathers, a majority of them, were by definition libertarians. America was the great experiment on true freedom for the individual. What do we have now - a two party system that has failed and will continue to fail the American people. You make libertarianism sound like anarchism, and that isn't correct. Government has the responsibility to prosecute those who commit fraud in the market place. That's no different than what we "sorta" have today, but instead of giving the power of legislative writing to the numerous departments the congress delegates their powers to, we would have a more open and transparent congress that has no choice but to take responsibility for their mistakes. Everyone neglects the fact that the government, throughout its history, has been more evil and vile than the few "racists" they want to protect us from. And yes there are a "few"" racists in our country of around 350 million people, but the outstanding majority are good folks. Hence even if the CRA were repealed today for example, do you really think we'd go Jim Crow all over again? Please, people have more faith in yourselves and in your fellow Americans - that's a libertarian principle :)

We are in a recession because of deregulation. Come to think of it, that's why we have this stinking oil spill too. The more we let giant corporations buy off our politicians, the more stuff like this we will see.

Private companies can function perfectly well within designated regulations. They simply don't want to, thus the well-funded campaign to convince the average American sucker that all regulation is bad. Once we've had a few of these libertarian folks in office for a while, they won't look nearly as attractive. All those teabaggers screaming about keeping the govermnet's hands off their Medicare are going to be sorely dissappointed.

Brad - Define regulation please. Ask yourself why private business and government get in bed together. Is it perhaps that because government regulates the private sector, an environment of corporatism has been created? Is it perhaps that the banks already lobbied congress to de-regulate them in the 90's, and promise them taxpayer money if they fail? It's amazing how you run your mouth off about libertarians when liberals and republicans have been running the country to the ground for the last hundred years. Yes us libertarians could only make it worse...

"How dare Obama not assist BP in fixing this mess. That is the proper mature role to take!

We would have been much better off if he did. This is the most immature President ever."

Lvingbarefoot, did you not read the article. Obama is doing something about the oil spill, Rand doesn't want him to. Maybe you should go back and read the article before posting.