Bachmann Blasts 'Redistribution Of Wealth' Escrow Fund, Says BP Shouldn't Be 'Chumps'

[babylonsister]

How does she get away with this shit? :grr:


http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/06/bachmann-blasts-redistribution-of-wealth-escrow-fund-says-bp-shouldnt-be-chumps.php?ref=fpb

Bachmann Blasts 'Redistribution Of Wealth' Escrow Fund, Says BP Shouldn't Be 'Chumps'
Eric Kleefeld | June 16, 2010, 10:07AM


Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) is emerging as a fierce critic of the Obama administration's proposed escrow fund to handle damage claims against BP.

The Minnesota Independent reports that Bachmann spoke Tuesday to the Heritage Foundation, and badmouthed the idea. "The president just called for creating a fund that would be administered by outsiders, which would be more of a redistribution-of-wealth fund," said Bachmann. "And now it appears like we'll be looking at one more gateway for more government control, more money to government."

Also, David Weigel reports that Bachmann also said: "They have to lift the liability cap. But if I was the head of BP, I would let the signal get out there -- 'We're not going to be chumps, and we're not going to be fleeced.' And they shouldn't be. They shouldn't have to be fleeced and make chumps to have to pay for perpetual unemployment and all the rest -- they've got to be legitimate claims."

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

1. What a ridiculous, horrible, stupid person she is. nt

[emulatorloo]

2. Keep talking, Michele Bachmann.

You are presenting your party cleanly and clearly to the American people.

[CTyankee]

41. And as Americans get poorer and poorer, they prolly think redistribution

of wealth wouldn't be such a BAD thing after all!

[Angry Dragon]

3. bachmann is a evil woman

just so long as she gets farm subsidies for her family farm and she and her husband still get money from the state for letting his clients talk to god.

[geardaddy]

9. Bingo.

Farm subsidies.

[ironrooster]

4. BP needs more than "fleecing" they need to be stripped to the bone.\nt

[sinkingfeeling]

5. So Ms. Bachmann thinks 'perpetual unemployment' isn't a legitimate claim after a corporation

destroys one's livelihood.

[marylanddem]

6. there are no words for her except dingbat.

[Laelth]

7. The lengths to which good soldiers will go to protect their corporate masters is truly astounding.

:dem:

-Laelth

[Scuba]

8. Bachman advocates for socialism, and yes, it's redistribution of wealth.

...from the wealthy criminals who caused the disaster to the innocent citizens who are being harmed.


She's actually advocating socialism (of losses).

[XemaSab]

10. The check is in the mail, Michelle

x(

[Bitwit1234]

11. What I don't understand is how all the ignorant and stupid

individuals from Minnesota are constantly being picked up by the media. Pawlenty and Bachmann can't take a breath if the media doesn't repeat their spews.

I suppose they are like that will all the stupid republicans, Palin, and Fiornia, Whitman, Angle gee whiz they all are so stupid that people in other countries must think we don't have an education system in this country.

[glinda]

15. MSM shouldn't give these idiots the time of day except to point

out they need a psychological evaluation. And not by Bachman's associates..

[rbixby]

31. What I don't get is that MN is a pretty blue state

Yet all you hear about is from these stupid teabaggers....I can't wait til november when we can drum them both out of office (T-Paw for sure, Bachmann might be more of a fight)

[Cresent City Kid]

12. But it's okay to "redistribute" our tax dollars to BP via military spending?

The perpetual unemployment is a legitmate claim, and just a drop in the bucket. Does she really think that the fund is going to government? She doesn't even bother to shape the talking point into an approximation of a valid criticism.

[LaurenG]

13. How did someone so ignorant and stupid make it through puberty

without being run over crossing the street. This lady needs therapy and maybe a stay at an ashram.

[doc03]

14. Teabaggers are a gift that just keeps on giving n/t

[malaise]

16. In loony Bachmann's world the only risks for

corporate capitalists are borne by taxpayers.

[Titanothere]

17. She's right on one point though

It's pretty crazy to think that the Administration can just say, "You know what, how about you give, oh I don't know, 20 Billion dollars into this account here and someone, not sure who yet, will have unfettered control to distribute it as they see fit. Yeah, can I get that check today? Because I've got a lot of friends that need to get paid."

Where's the rule of law in that?

We're not talking about paying actual costs and compensations, it's just a ballpark number completely made up that, as far as I can tell, there's no negotiating on and once paid it's just gone. Who's going to be the puppetmaster of this slush fund because I'm sending them a Christmas card ASAP, grooming their dog or whatever.

BP would be fools to go along with this. Seriously. They may end up paying more than $20B after it's all said and done but it's got to be legitimate. We are still a country of law and order and I'd like to see it stay that way.

[Scuba]

18. Your contention that "we're still a country of law and order" is inaccurate....

...our government has been highjacked by special (read: wealthy) interests who laugh at any laws that don't serve their purposes.

And the President could declare a national emergency and seize BP legally.

[doc03]

19. Alright you want law and order put the SOBs from BP

GWB and Dick F----g Cheney in prison.

[gratuitous]

20. Wait . . . what?

Who said anything about "unfettered control"? Do you have a basis for that? And as for who pays into the fund, who else besides BP do you think should fund it? Considering the track record so far of BP (remember their first estimate of the amount leaking out of the well head was 1,000 barrels a day; best estimates now are many times that), do you think that BP has earned the right to administer anything, let alone the compensation fund for its victims?

And what do you consider "actual costs and compensations"? If someone loses their Gulf-based livelihood forever, are they entitled to income for life, or just until BP gets tired of paying them? Why do you think the fund is a slush fund administered by a puppetmaster who would be swayed by your Christmas card or offer to groom their dog? Do you have a basis for that assertion?

Your post seems to be long on conjecture and very short on facts. Please feel free to supplement it with any facts you might be able to bring forward. Citations and links would be appreciated, Titanothere.

[Titanothere]

25. It wouldn't limit their liability, but how do you know for sure it'll be that much?

We all assume it will be but until the bills are calculated you don't know. My understanding, which may be inaccurate, is that the money once paid into the escrow account could only be used for the purposes of expenses related to the oil spill. No, I'm not an escrow expert so maybe if costs don't meet that limit they could get their money back.

Here's one citation and a quote from the Dem caucus.

This account wouldn't limit their liability; it seems more like their just trying to get a big chunk of cash before BP potentially goes under and pays other creditors first.

Would you pay double your income taxes early in the year on the chance you made more than expected at the end? I doubt it. I'm just talking business sense here; if someone asks for 20 billion up front, you're gonna push back guilty or not.

And it is an independent trustee, whatever that means. I don't know what rules would be in place for distribution. Which we can't because nobody's said yet.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/06/senate_dems_to_bp_20_million_e.html
---
In order to ensure BP fully and quickly covers the costs of this disaster, we are calling on BP to immediately establish a special account of $20 billion, administered by an independent trustee, to be used for payment of economic damages and clean-up costs. Establishment of this account would serve as an act of good faith and as a first step towards ensuring that there will be no delay in payments or attempt to evade responsibility for damages. Although creating this account at this level in no way limits BP's liability, we believe it will do more to improve BP's public image than the costly public relations campaign your company has launched.

We appreciate your interest in fully and quickly reimbursing those who have been injured by your actions. We believe the establishment of the $20 billion account to compensate victims and provide for clean-up is a useful first step for demonstrating that BP intends to meet its commitments. In light of the urgency of this matter we ask the courtesy of your response no later than June 18, 2010.

[gratuitous]

26. So . . .

Rather than the nonsensical assertions of your first post, you're willing to concede that you (1) don't know what an independent trustee does; (2) no rules for distribution have been promulgated; and (3) you don't know what you're talking about.

Thanks for playing.

[Titanothere]

27. I concede no such thing

My assertation was that BP's not going to want to cough up $20B which neither they nor the government have control over.

And I haven't seen an explanation for items 1, 2 or 3 from you either so I guess we're both on the sidelines in this game.

[doc03]

34. I am not concerned about BP in the least, along with the $20 B

the management should be locked up along with GWB and Cheney for gutting the regulations on the oil companies.

[pinto]

44. BP's agreed to the compensation escrow account. Agreement

was hashed out in a meeting of their lawyers with Admin lawyers, iirc.

[jberryhill]

21. "Where's the rule of law in that?"

The "rule of law" in the first instance, is anything to which two parties may agree.

The offer to BP to fund a settlement account may be made in exchange for avoiding other litigation, and is a perfectly fine offer for them to accept.

How about "do this or you'll never be approved to drill another well in the United States again", or "do this or we'll think about criminal prosecution of a laundry list of folks".

When you possess nuclear weapons, you can drive a pretty hard bargain.

[Earth Bound Misfit]

37. Ding! WINNER! n/t

[Hosnon]

39. Bingo. BP agreed to do it. I thought freedom of contract was a big GOP thing? nt.

[EC]

22. You do know what escrow means

don't you?

[Ikonoklast]

29. You're funny.

Not 'Ha-ha' funny.

In the head funny.

Slush fund my ass.

[amborin]

23. are folks afraid of her criticism? Obama should put her on ignore, & BP in temp receivership today

are we catering to her insanity? are we afraid of upsetting her?


why even mention this dangerous nitwit?

[Arkana]

24. Bachmann has the PR instincts of Idi Amin.

Way to defend a huge corporation that 95% of America hates, Crazy Eyes.

[Urban Prairie]

28. " 'We're not going to be chumps, and we're not going to be fleeced"

The corporation that is responsible for the greatest ONGOING ecological catastrophe in recorded history, with UNKNOWN, possibly worldwide pollution implications to the environment, and INCALCULABLE short/long-term physical/reproductive harm or ultimately death to some, many, most if not all living things shouldn't be fleeced?

Right, CRAZY-EYES, their business should be liquidated and every single one of its employees who have ANY degree of culpability in causing the disaster arrested, tried, convicted, all of their personal assets should be seized, and then they each should be sentenced to varying lengths of imprisonment, or even capital punishment, based on their degree of responsibility.

[rbixby]

32. I think they already made chumps of themselves

And they deserve all the fleecing they get.

[Jefferson23]

30. Who the fuck votes for this nut?

"fleeced and make chumps to have to pay for perpetual unemployment.."

She HATES Americans, and has no soul, her supporters are that dumb??

[avaistheone1]

38. I can't imagine many people voting for her after this stupidity.

I think most Americans see having dollars set aside by BP in an escrow account is in the American people's interest.

Bachmann loses big time on this issue.

[geardaddy]

43. Yes they are.

They gerrymandered a bunch of reich-wing scared little taliborniagains into one district.

[Hubert Flottz]

33. Bachmann needs to pray 24/7 for a redistribution-of-brains...

Because she was soooooo left out at birth.

[Earth Bound Misfit]

35. Barbour/ Bachmann 2012

Because Batshit Crazy always needs a voice!

[boston bean]

36. That women is a fruitcake!

Yeah, let's let BP take the wealth of the Gulf, just flat out fucking steal it.

She is a creep!

[Hosnon]

40. Un-fucking-believable. Why is financial restitution for harm done considered

redistribution of wealth by people like Rep. Bachmann? I have NO doubt that were her property to be destroyed by someone, she would not view restitution therefor as redistribution of wealth.

It's absurd.

[Ganja Ninja]

42. Yeah BP shouldn't be chumps.

That's what the Tea Party is for.

[jazzelle]

45. Bachmann is the worst pond scum on earth.

someone should do a Sharron Angle "2nd amendment remedy" on her.

[AsahinaKimi]

46. Ya know...

If you ever put that woman in a room full of mirrors..she would likely never find her way out ...
just sayin'

[and-justice-for-all]

47. When will this ignorant wench be voted out of office?

If she hates the government so fucking much, why does she have a job in it??!!