Joe Barton Apology-Fest Continues: First BP, Now AT&T, Comcast ... (Your Company Here)

[marmar]

from HuffPost:




Craig Aaron
Managing Director, Free Press

Posted: June 17, 2010 05:13 PM


Joe Barton Apology-Fest Continues: First BP, Now AT&T, Comcast ... (Your Company Here)


Joe Barton is really, really sorry.

The Texas congressman made headlines today for publicly apologizing to oil giant BP for what he called a government "shakedown" against the company; the government is asking BP to pay into a fund for those harmed by the disastrous Gulf oil spill. "I'm not speaking for anyone else, but I apologize," he said.

But Barton's campaign of contrition for corporate wrongdoing didn't stop there. Barton went for a "two-fer" today, firing off a letter with fellow apologist Cliff Stearns of Florida demanding a hearing about the inquiry launched today at the Federal Communications Commission into how the agency should regulate broadband networks.

While not as blatant as his mea culpa to BP, if you read between the lines, the message is the same. Sorry, AT&T, that the FCC is bothering you. Sorry, Comcast, you can't block legal content. Sorry, Verizon, I really tried to kill off Net Neutrality when I was in charge.

Translation: Screw you Internet users, up yours rural America, and please keep those campaign contributions coming.

Oil spill victims ... the free and open Internet ... what's next on Barton's hit list, kittens?

It would almost be funny if it weren't so depressing. ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/craig-aaron/joe-barton-apology-fest-c_b_616445.html

[SpiralHawk]

1. "Sorry about our wide-stance Republicon Family Pharisee Values." - Joe the Barton (R - Brown Noser)

[rocktivity]

2. Which reminds me--I owe my auto mechanic an apology

He could made a LOT more money repairing my car if I hadn't been such a bitch about changing the oil regularly!

I also owe Apple computer an apology--I practically stole $270 from them by buying a refurbished Mac Mini instead of a new one!

:cry:
rocktivity

[Scuba]

3. It's not just Barton...

...the entire Republican Party is characterizing the $20B fund as a "shakedown". They're either arrogant beyond belief, corrupt beyond redemption, or both.

[marmar]

4. Both.

nt

[madokie]

5. Both

Yes I seen reply #4

[Indianademocrat91]

6. What do you expect from a guy that said WIND is a finite resource?

Barton has used the threat of global warming to combat something he hates even more: wind energy. In a 2009 hearing, Barton implied that wind is a "finite resource" and that harnessing it would "slow the winds down" which would "cause the temperature to go up.