BP now wants to limit oil spill claims

How about they stop spilling oil and screwing up the environment and then there's no problem? For an industry that has as much profit as Big Oil, you can't possibly argue that they don't have enough money available to invest in better protections. If they want to argue that no, it's not possible, let's see their books and examine how they are paid. It's bad enough when the GOP trips over itself to apologize for this industry but it would be nice to see a Democrat such as the president also stand up for the rest of the country

.BP Plc wants to limit future claims related to its Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster as the region's economy recovers, the oil company said in a document made public on Friday.

The Gulf economy is strong and "there is no basis to assume that claimants, with very limited exceptions, will incur a future loss related to the oil spill," BP said in a paper filed with the Gulf Coast Claims Facility (GCCF).

Oystermen, whose beds have been destroyed by crude, should be considered for future payments, the British oil company said.

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Bill Maher’s New Rule: "If you’re a working-class American who still votes Republican ... you’re stupid"

Not pretty, this editorial; but pretty damn good. This is from the New Rules segment at the end of the most recent show.

The nervous laugher in the background is Ann Coulter, who as you can see played an uncharacteristic double role — flirty ex-or-current–girlfriend (of Maher) cum right-wing verbal assassin (of Chris Hayes' publicly-employed mother, earlier in the show).

In case you've lived the last few weeks in a box, Casey Anthony is the latest female media obsession. The verdict in her trial for [allegedly, and I mean that] killing her child was announced earlier that day. (God made google so I don't have to link you.)

With that behind us, here's Maher, asking "Just how stupid are Republican voters?" Enjoy:



"The moneyed elite in this country are dragging a bag filled with your future down the steps, and [the Republican base's] reaction is, 'Hold on there, that looks heavy. Let me give you a hand getting it into your trunk.'"

In 2008, with the economic world crashing around us, 46% of everyone who voted, voted for John McCain. Your Republican fellow-citizens, ladies and gentlemen; here until we're all dead.

GP Read the rest of this post...

Huff Post: Progressives in Congress "won’t criticize Obama for proposed Social Security cuts"

There are mixed messages in this report by Elise Foley in the Huffington Post, so I'll try to treat both points.

The piece starts (my emphasis throughout):

Progressives in Congress are largely holding their fire at the White House over reports that President Obama is considering deep Social Security and Medicare cuts as part of a debt ceiling deal. Cuts to entitlement programs have been floating for several weeks around the edges of the conversation, but moved to the center of the debate Thursday morning, when a report that Obama would offer to "tackle the rising cost of Social Security" appeared on the front page of the Washington Post. Liberals outside of Congress, however, are wasting no time trying to pop that trial balloon.

So that's the executive summary. The writer then notes that "a dozen [actually two dozen] members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus" wrote Obama a letter "asking him to refuse cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid." Raul Grijalva, chair of the House Progressive Caucus, is quoted as opposing "a final deal if it involves entitlement cuts and does not include revenue-raisers" (Foley's language, indirectly quoting Grijalva).

But then the kicker, and the reason for Foley's headline (and mine):

But Grijalva and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), a vice chair of the caucus, defended the president for signaling he would be willing to take a look at changes to the programs, arguing there are ways to restructure entitlement spending to save money without hurting beneficiaries.

Other Democrats have made a similar shift over the past two weeks, as lawmakers strain to find a deal that raises revenues while at the same time making spending cuts. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), a top message-maker for Senate Democrats, said on June 24 that Democrats would be open to delivery-side reforms to Medicare, which they have previously said should be kept off the table.

I don't trust Schumer, but Grijalva? Sounds like either wiggle room or party loyalty. "Holding their fire" doesn't mean progressives won't shoot later, but it sure would be nice for us small people if these supposed progressives would take a firm stand. Everyone opposed to them sure has.

Read the article yourself, in full, and decide.

This Social Security thing is turning into a Rorschach test, isn't it? Everyone who comments on it, from politicians to news anchors, can't help but expose their position.

My suggestion — aside from writing to every congressperson you can claim and say, "No no no" — is to keep watch on who looks firm and who looks wobbly in their commenting. The wobbly ones (that's you, Jonathan Alter) are working against the safety net, and this time it's hard to disguise it.

GP Read the rest of this post...

Paul Ryan’s $350 bottle of wine while he plots to eliminate Medicare

Budget cuts and belt tightening are for the little people. Once a few years ago I bought a bottle of Echezeaux from a wine shop (about one third of the price he paid) for our wedding anniversary dinner at home. Why is it that his type always can make excuses for their own oversights but it's somehow different for others? There's no question that DC can be an expensive place to live but for a casual dinner with "friends" it's hard to see how anyone could mistakenly order two $350 bottles of wine.

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), a leading advocate of shrinking entitlement spending and the architect of the plan to privatize Medicare, spent Wednesday evening sipping $350 wine with two like-minded conservative economists at the swanky Capitol Hill eatery Bistro Bis.

It was the same night reports started trickling out about President Obama pressing Congressional leaders to consider changes to Social Security and Medicare in exchange for GOP support for targeted tax increases.

NOTE FROM JOHN: As Chris mentions, DC can be expensive but not for restaurants. We have tons of restaurants with entrees in the teens, and I've never ever heard of anyone buying a $350 bottle of wine in this town in my life. Read the rest of this post...

Shell to "explore" for oil new World Heritage site in Australia

Considering the record of the oil industry, this is not going to go well.

"It beggars belief that the government is not requiring a full environmental estimate of this drilling proposal," said Paul Gamblin of the World Wildlife Fund.

Instead, the enrgy giant must abide by certain conditions, including visual observations for whales. The Australian government said Shell's proposal did not require further assessment.

Ningaloo reef, about 750 miles north of Perth, is best known for its whale sharks, the world's largest fish. The 160m long reef is also home to rare and endangered wildlife including whales, sea turtles and birds. Ningaloo marine park, which includes the reef, was designated a world heritage site last month.

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Murdoch’s UK paper allegedly deleted millions of emails

Not good. Why is Rebekah Brooks still working for Rupert Murdoch?

Police are investigating evidence that a News International executive may have deleted millions of emails from an internal archive in an apparent attempt to obstruct Scotland Yard's inquiry into the phone-hacking scandal.

The archive is believed to have reached back to January 2005, revealing daily contact between News of the World editors, reporters and outsiders, including private investigators. The messages are potentially highly valuable both for the police and for the numerous public figures who are suing News International (NI).

According to legal sources close to the police inquiry, a senior executive is believed to have deleted "massive quantities" of the archive on two separate occasions, leaving only a fraction to be disclosed. One of the alleged deletions is said to have been made at the end of January, just as Scotland Yard was launching Operation Weeting, its new inquiry into the affair. The allegation directly contradicts NI claims that it is co-operating fully with police in order to expose its history of illegal newsgathering.

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Dave Clark Five

It's officially summer now that the local grocery store has shifted out the section that usually displays weekly specials with tourist target items like Eiffel Tower wine bottles and other similar trinkets. There are definitely a lot of American college students on the streets these days around town.

This weekend is relatively calm with cycling on the agenda and a visit to the Jardin du Luxembroug later today with friends and their little ones. Last weekend I took my goddaughter there and she went nuts. The pony rides were not happening but the 100 year old carousel was going plus the special playground. It's such a fantastic park for kids. Read the rest of this post...

Tony Blair blames Labour failure on Gordon Brown

Umm, no. The egomaniac Blair, much like Bill Clinton, killed the left by becoming corporate suckup and putting a smiley face on the party so it was mildly better than the right. Both assholes like to see how good the good old days were but neither likes to accept their own very large responsibility for the economic crisis that we're in today. Blair, ever the hypocrite, now works as a banker making millions. If that's the "third way" then screw the entire system. Gordon Brown was no prize but he should give a public FU to Tony Blair. The Labour Party and the Democratic Party are both hollow shells of what they used to be because of people like this.

In the US, this is why we're seeing a discussion about cutting Medicare and Social Security. It started with bank "reform" that led to a global recession and it just keeps moving to the right. No thanks.

The former prime minister said the 13-year Labour government should be remembered in two phases – his and Brown's – and there was "no continuity" between the two.

In a speech in London to the New Labour thinktank Progress, Blair also advocated a "pick and mix" of policy that did not adhere to old narratives of left and right. He urged the party to let go of some of its old ideologies in order to arrive at the "right" policy decisions.

He said: "I remain unremittingly an advocate of third-way, centre-ground, progressive politics that came to be called New Labour. From 1997 to 2007 we were New Labour. In June 2007 we stopped.

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