Congressional Hearings
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I'm listening to this live: at present each member of the committee is allotted time to make an opening statement (several minutes). So far one has yielded her time so as to give more time to the hearings, several others have stuck to the facts. The rest have all made political speeches. What a pack of blow-hards: what is the point: don't make speeches; get on with it. Yes, we know BP fucked up. We know they'll pay 'reparations'. We know they'll fix it. So instead of assigning blame (in a way that makes the politicians look like they could actually find their arse with both hands) how about getting on with fixing it?
me, me, me "The dinosaurs became extinct because they didn't have a space program. And if we become extinct because we don't have a space program, it'll serve us right!" Larry Niven nils illegitimus carborundum
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I'm listening to this live: at present each member of the committee is allotted time to make an opening statement (several minutes). So far one has yielded her time so as to give more time to the hearings, several others have stuck to the facts. The rest have all made political speeches. What a pack of blow-hards: what is the point: don't make speeches; get on with it. Yes, we know BP fucked up. We know they'll pay 'reparations'. We know they'll fix it. So instead of assigning blame (in a way that makes the politicians look like they could actually find their arse with both hands) how about getting on with fixing it?
me, me, me "The dinosaurs became extinct because they didn't have a space program. And if we become extinct because we don't have a space program, it'll serve us right!" Larry Niven nils illegitimus carborundum
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digital man wrote:
don't make speeches; get on with it.
Why do you think they became politicians?
It's time for a new signature.
Richard MacCutchan wrote:
Why do you think they became politicians?
Sigh: yes, I know.
me, me, me "The dinosaurs became extinct because they didn't have a space program. And if we become extinct because we don't have a space program, it'll serve us right!" Larry Niven nils illegitimus carborundum
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digital man wrote:
don't make speeches; get on with it.
Why do you think they became politicians?
It's time for a new signature.
US politicians are about as useful as nipples on a man.
If I have accidentally said something witty, smart, or correct, it is purely by mistake and I apologize for it.
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I'm listening to this live: at present each member of the committee is allotted time to make an opening statement (several minutes). So far one has yielded her time so as to give more time to the hearings, several others have stuck to the facts. The rest have all made political speeches. What a pack of blow-hards: what is the point: don't make speeches; get on with it. Yes, we know BP fucked up. We know they'll pay 'reparations'. We know they'll fix it. So instead of assigning blame (in a way that makes the politicians look like they could actually find their arse with both hands) how about getting on with fixing it?
me, me, me "The dinosaurs became extinct because they didn't have a space program. And if we become extinct because we don't have a space program, it'll serve us right!" Larry Niven nils illegitimus carborundum
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I'm listening to this live: at present each member of the committee is allotted time to make an opening statement (several minutes). So far one has yielded her time so as to give more time to the hearings, several others have stuck to the facts. The rest have all made political speeches. What a pack of blow-hards: what is the point: don't make speeches; get on with it. Yes, we know BP fucked up. We know they'll pay 'reparations'. We know they'll fix it. So instead of assigning blame (in a way that makes the politicians look like they could actually find their arse with both hands) how about getting on with fixing it?
me, me, me "The dinosaurs became extinct because they didn't have a space program. And if we become extinct because we don't have a space program, it'll serve us right!" Larry Niven nils illegitimus carborundum
It's not like this is some recent phenomenon. There's a killer passage in Herodotus' History where a group of Persian noblemen debate the perfect form of government. Greek-style democracy is briefly considered and quickly eliminated from consideration; the conclusion was that democracy's fatal weakness was that a mob is too easily misled by a capable orator. It was seen as a weak form of government, less capable of dealing with crisis than, say, a dictatorship or oligarchy.
L u n a t i c F r i n g e
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It's not like this is some recent phenomenon. There's a killer passage in Herodotus' History where a group of Persian noblemen debate the perfect form of government. Greek-style democracy is briefly considered and quickly eliminated from consideration; the conclusion was that democracy's fatal weakness was that a mob is too easily misled by a capable orator. It was seen as a weak form of government, less capable of dealing with crisis than, say, a dictatorship or oligarchy.
L u n a t i c F r i n g e
LunaticFringe wrote:
It was seen as a weak form of government, less capable of dealing with crisis than, say, a dictatorship or oligarchy.
The main problem with dictatorships is that people don't realize I should be in charge. ;)
If I have accidentally said something witty, smart, or correct, it is purely by mistake and I apologize for it.
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LunaticFringe wrote:
It was seen as a weak form of government, less capable of dealing with crisis than, say, a dictatorship or oligarchy.
The main problem with dictatorships is that people don't realize I should be in charge. ;)
If I have accidentally said something witty, smart, or correct, it is purely by mistake and I apologize for it.
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How about we share. I want South America, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Spain, and France. You can have the rest. (Mostly I want France so I can have kids with slingshots threaten Paris and have it surrender once a week.)
If I have accidentally said something witty, smart, or correct, it is purely by mistake and I apologize for it.
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I'm listening to this live: at present each member of the committee is allotted time to make an opening statement (several minutes). So far one has yielded her time so as to give more time to the hearings, several others have stuck to the facts. The rest have all made political speeches. What a pack of blow-hards: what is the point: don't make speeches; get on with it. Yes, we know BP fucked up. We know they'll pay 'reparations'. We know they'll fix it. So instead of assigning blame (in a way that makes the politicians look like they could actually find their arse with both hands) how about getting on with fixing it?
me, me, me "The dinosaurs became extinct because they didn't have a space program. And if we become extinct because we don't have a space program, it'll serve us right!" Larry Niven nils illegitimus carborundum
The Associated Press has published this list of how much money members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee have received in political contributions from oil and gas interests since the beginning of 2009, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Contributions are from political action committees run by oil and gas companies and from individuals employed by those companies. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., none John Barrow, D-Ga., $31,500 Joe Barton, R-Texas, $100,470 Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., $33,500 Roy Blunt, R-Mo., $133,100 Mary Bono Mack, R-Calif., $5,750 Rick Boucher, D-Va., $36,000 Bruce Braley, D-Iowa, none Michael Burgess, R-Texas, $39,350 G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., $19,500 Steve Buyer, R-Ind., $5,000 Lois Capps, D-Calif., none Kathy Castor, D-Fla., none Donna Christian-Christensen, D-Virgin Islands, $1,500 Nathan Deal, R-Ga., none Diana DeGette, D-Colo., $2,250 John D Dingell, D-Mich., $7,000 Mike Doyle, D-Pa., $8,000 Eliot L Engel, D-N.Y., none Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., none Phil Gingrey, R-Ga., $20,500 Charlie A Gonzalez, D-Texas, $30,000 Bart Gordon, D-Tenn., $13,500 Gene Green, D-Texas, $43,500 Ralph M Hall, R-Texas, $31,250 Jane Harman, D-Calif., $3,000 Baron Hill, D-Ind., $2,000 Jay Inslee, D-Wash., none Edward J Markey, D-Mass., $16,000 Jim Matheson, D-Utah, $47,750 Doris O Matsui, D-Calif., $7,500 Jerry McNerney, D-Calif., $3,000 Charles Melancon, D-La., $65,500 Chris Murphy, D-Conn., $6,800 Tim Murphy, R-Pa., $62,950 Sue Myrick, R-N.C., $11,500 Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., none Joe Pitts, R-Pa., $18,000 George Radanovich, R-Calif., $14,000 Mike Rogers, R-Mich., $20,400 Mike Ross, D-Ark., $76,950 Bobby L Rush, D-Ill., $1,000 John Sarbanes, D-Md., $3,300 Steve Scalise, R-La., $44,335 Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., none John Shadegg, R-Ariz., $13,400 John M Shimkus, R-Ill., $34,000 Zachary T Space, D-Ohio, $9,600 Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., $1,000 Bart Stupak, D-Mich., $12,000 John Sullivan, R-Okla., $65,250 Betty Sue Sutton, D-Ohio, $6,000 Lee Terry, R-Neb., $30,350 Fred Upton, R-Mich., $22,000 Greg Walden, R-Ore., $31,200 Henry A Waxman, D-Calif., $6,000 Anthony D Weiner, D-N.Y., none Peter Welch, D-Vt., $10,000 Ed Whitfield, R-Ky., $20,500
L u n a t i c F r i n g e
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How about we share. I want South America, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Spain, and France. You can have the rest. (Mostly I want France so I can have kids with slingshots threaten Paris and have it surrender once a week.)
If I have accidentally said something witty, smart, or correct, it is purely by mistake and I apologize for it.
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The Associated Press has published this list of how much money members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee have received in political contributions from oil and gas interests since the beginning of 2009, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Contributions are from political action committees run by oil and gas companies and from individuals employed by those companies. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., none John Barrow, D-Ga., $31,500 Joe Barton, R-Texas, $100,470 Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., $33,500 Roy Blunt, R-Mo., $133,100 Mary Bono Mack, R-Calif., $5,750 Rick Boucher, D-Va., $36,000 Bruce Braley, D-Iowa, none Michael Burgess, R-Texas, $39,350 G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., $19,500 Steve Buyer, R-Ind., $5,000 Lois Capps, D-Calif., none Kathy Castor, D-Fla., none Donna Christian-Christensen, D-Virgin Islands, $1,500 Nathan Deal, R-Ga., none Diana DeGette, D-Colo., $2,250 John D Dingell, D-Mich., $7,000 Mike Doyle, D-Pa., $8,000 Eliot L Engel, D-N.Y., none Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., none Phil Gingrey, R-Ga., $20,500 Charlie A Gonzalez, D-Texas, $30,000 Bart Gordon, D-Tenn., $13,500 Gene Green, D-Texas, $43,500 Ralph M Hall, R-Texas, $31,250 Jane Harman, D-Calif., $3,000 Baron Hill, D-Ind., $2,000 Jay Inslee, D-Wash., none Edward J Markey, D-Mass., $16,000 Jim Matheson, D-Utah, $47,750 Doris O Matsui, D-Calif., $7,500 Jerry McNerney, D-Calif., $3,000 Charles Melancon, D-La., $65,500 Chris Murphy, D-Conn., $6,800 Tim Murphy, R-Pa., $62,950 Sue Myrick, R-N.C., $11,500 Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., none Joe Pitts, R-Pa., $18,000 George Radanovich, R-Calif., $14,000 Mike Rogers, R-Mich., $20,400 Mike Ross, D-Ark., $76,950 Bobby L Rush, D-Ill., $1,000 John Sarbanes, D-Md., $3,300 Steve Scalise, R-La., $44,335 Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., none John Shadegg, R-Ariz., $13,400 John M Shimkus, R-Ill., $34,000 Zachary T Space, D-Ohio, $9,600 Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., $1,000 Bart Stupak, D-Mich., $12,000 John Sullivan, R-Okla., $65,250 Betty Sue Sutton, D-Ohio, $6,000 Lee Terry, R-Neb., $30,350 Fred Upton, R-Mich., $22,000 Greg Walden, R-Ore., $31,200 Henry A Waxman, D-Calif., $6,000 Anthony D Weiner, D-N.Y., none Peter Welch, D-Vt., $10,000 Ed Whitfield, R-Ky., $20,500
L u n a t i c F r i n g e
Joe Barton, R-Texas, $100,470 Roy Blunt, R-Mo., $133,100 I need to talk to whoever ran these guys' campaigns and run for office.
If I have accidentally said something witty, smart, or correct, it is purely by mistake and I apologize for it.
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Joe Barton, R-Texas, $100,470 Roy Blunt, R-Mo., $133,100 I need to talk to whoever ran these guys' campaigns and run for office.
If I have accidentally said something witty, smart, or correct, it is purely by mistake and I apologize for it.
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Trying to grab all the beaches? OK, I'll take the South Pacific and everything in it.
L u n a t i c F r i n g e
No, just the pretty latina ladies, and Champaign. I have a plan. I may be on a restricted diet (ie married) but it doesn't mean I can't have the menu paraded out to be admired. The beaches and beautiful scenery is just icing on the cake.
If I have accidentally said something witty, smart, or correct, it is purely by mistake and I apologize for it.
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Joe Barton, R-Texas, $100,470 Roy Blunt, R-Mo., $133,100 I need to talk to whoever ran these guys' campaigns and run for office.
If I have accidentally said something witty, smart, or correct, it is purely by mistake and I apologize for it.
Check it out, rags - I'll answer my own question. So Joe Barton was the single biggest benificiary, right? Here's a quote from the BBC story on the hearing: Congressman Joe Barton, the senior Republican on Mr Waxman's committee, said that while he agreed BP should explain its actions, he was "ashamed" to see the firm being made to set up the compensation fund. BP, he suggested, had been subjected to a "$20bn shakedown" by the Obama administration. Hey, BP gets the representation they pay for! How 'bout that, huh? X|
L u n a t i c F r i n g e
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Check it out, rags - I'll answer my own question. So Joe Barton was the single biggest benificiary, right? Here's a quote from the BBC story on the hearing: Congressman Joe Barton, the senior Republican on Mr Waxman's committee, said that while he agreed BP should explain its actions, he was "ashamed" to see the firm being made to set up the compensation fund. BP, he suggested, had been subjected to a "$20bn shakedown" by the Obama administration. Hey, BP gets the representation they pay for! How 'bout that, huh? X|
L u n a t i c F r i n g e
So all it takes for me to get a guy that will try to keep me from paying a few billion for a screw up I am ultimately responsible for is 130K? CHEAP! I need that good a return on my investment in my savings account.
If I have accidentally said something witty, smart, or correct, it is purely by mistake and I apologize for it.
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US politicians are about as useful as nipples on a man.
If I have accidentally said something witty, smart, or correct, it is purely by mistake and I apologize for it.
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So all it takes for me to get a guy that will try to keep me from paying a few billion for a screw up I am ultimately responsible for is 130K? CHEAP! I need that good a return on my investment in my savings account.
If I have accidentally said something witty, smart, or correct, it is purely by mistake and I apologize for it.
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I agree with him. They should not be forced to do it without due process. Unreasonable search and seizure, if not from the company, from the stock holders.
Opacity, the new Transparency.
Unreasonable Search and seizure? "Who is using the oil rig?" "Us" "Who is supposed to make sure regulations are followed so spills don't happen?" "Us" "Who screwed up?" "Us" "Well, investigation's done, pay up." The majority of the stock in the company is owned by the company, they like a lot of companies, bought back a huge amount of their stock when GW and the Reps owned Congress and gas prices were at all time highs. As for the other stock holders, tough. Sometimes you lose money when the company you invested in screws up.
If I have accidentally said something witty, smart, or correct, it is purely by mistake and I apologize for it.
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:-O if you don't think they are useful, search the internet a little. ;P
Opacity, the new Transparency.
So politicians are useful for screwing around with, mocking, attaching clamps to, and twisting violently to get a bit of gratification? I stand by my original comment. :cool:
If I have accidentally said something witty, smart, or correct, it is purely by mistake and I apologize for it.