Oil & Gas Extremists Attack Obama, et. al. and Defend BP

GOP House candidate rips Luján for 'assault' on BP
Steve Terrell | The New Mexican Posted: Friday, June 18, 2010

"U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, caused a big stink in Congress this week when he accused President Barack Obama of "shaking down" BP for damages caused by the terrible oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Even Republican Congressional leaders winced, forcing Barton to apologize for using the word "shakedown."

But here in New Mexico, Republican Congressional candidate Tom Mullins said in an interview Friday that Barton's controversial statement had some valid points.

While he didn't use the word "shakedown," Mullins, a Farmington oilman, stood by recent comments he made in his campaign blog in which he accused his opponent, U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján, of "personally reaching into the pockets of corporations" because Luján was one of 40 members of Congress signing a letter demanding BP not pay shareholders dividends this year.

"Luján's words and actions along with this administration have not been helpful to the people on the Gulf Coast nor the many New Mexicans who are shareholders in British Petroleum (BP)," Mullins wrote.

Earlier this week, at a meeting with Obama, BP executives agreed to set aside $20 billion for damage claims from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Tens of thousands of barrels of oil a day have been spilling into the Gulf for nearly two months from a BP well that exploded. " More>>>>

Another of Mullins' fringe ideas:

"But political inexperience can rear its ugly head and did so this week for longshot 3rd Congressional District candidate Tom Mullins. Mullins, in a May radio interview, suggested putting land mines on the border to stop illegal immigration, saying it is something that he heard.

Democracy for New Mexico has the audio, and the transcript is below the fold. Mullins quickly realized that he had went too far and backtracked, but it shows what happens when unvetted and unknown candidates make gaffes.

It also shows the dangers of playing too much to the fringe of your base. There have been suggestions about putting mines on the border, but never from a candidate for Congress (at least not in my knowledge). It's usually something that is reserved for anonymous internet chatroom people and commenters on internet stories." (Tom Mullins' landmines-on-the-border proposal FBIHOP by: Matt Tue Jun 15, 2010 at 18:19:04 PM MDT)

~~~ It is bewildering since post financial deregulation and subsequent Lehman's bankruptcy and financial crisis, and post the Energy Act of 2005 that subsidizes the oil and gas industry while exempting the industry from many regulations and the subsequent BP disaster, extremists are jumping into the political arena to promote deregulation and extol the virtues of corporatism. In such a climate, Adam Smith would be branded a Socialist.

Related post:

Anadarko considers suing BP over ‘reckless’ actions