DEAR BRAD WOODHOUSE – COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR OF THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE

REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR FUNDRAISING REQUEST BELOW CONCERNING REP. JOE BARTON. I WOULDN’T GIVE THE DNC ONE CENT FOR THIS ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA PROJECT. WE THE PEOPLE ARE NOT FURIOUS WITH REP. JOE BARTON BECAUSE HE UNDERSTANDS THE RULE OF LAW AND THAT OUR ECONOMY THRIVES ON HEALTHY BUSINESSES AND THEIR EMPLOYEES. BP SHOULD AND WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE IN A COURT OF LAW AND THAT IS WHY BUSINESSES WANT TO DO BUSINESS IN THE USA – THEY CAN RELY ON THE RULE OF LAW. HOWEVER, WE ARE FURIOUS WITH AN ADMINISTRATION “THAT PASSES THE BUCK” AND ABANDONS THE RULE OF LAW TO “SHAKEDOWN” BUSINESSES LIKE BP.

SINCE IT TOOK OFFICE, AND PRIOR TO THE SPILL, THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION ENGAGED IN THE LARGEST EXPANSION OF OFFSHORE LEASING WE HAVE SEEN TO DATE. AFTER BEING IN OFFICE FOR A YEAR AND A HALF AND A FEW WEEKS BEFORE THE SPILL IT ANNOUNCED AN ENORMOUS EXPANSION OF OFFSHORE DRILLING, THAT IT HAD AN ENVIRONMENTAL PLAN IN PLACE AND “NOT TO WORRY”. THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION GAVE BP A WAIVER FROM HAVING TO DO AN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY ON THE WELL IN QUESTION AND FROM OTHER LEGAL REQUIREMENTS. THE WEEK OF THE EXPLOSION ON THE BP WELL THE ADMINISTRATION WAS POISED TO GIVE BP A SAFETY AWARD. IF YOU THINK THAT DEMOCRATS, INDEPENDENTS AND REPUBLICANS ARE NOT READING AND STUDYING THE DETAILS ON ALL OF THE ABOVE THEN THE DNC IS TRULY OUT OF TOUCH WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

WHAT SHOULD THE ADMINISTRATION HAVE SAID ABOUT THE OIL SPILL? IT SHOULD HAVE SAID THAT THE DECISION TO EXPAND OFFSHORE DRILLING WAS AND STILL IS GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY OF THE USA AND IT SHALL CONTINUE. IT SHOULD HAVE SAID THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION – AFTER A YEAR AND A HALF ON THE JOB – UNDERESTIMATED THE DIFFICULTIES IN DEALING WITH A SPILL OF THIS MAGNITUDE AND WAS NOT PREPARED TO DEAL WITH IT (THIS POINT IS OBVIOUS TO DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS, INDEPENDENTS AND EVERYONE ELSE ON THE PLANET). IF THE US GOVERNMENT IS REGULATING AN INDUSTRY THEN IT SHOULD HAVE A PLAN, EQUIPMENT AND FUNDS IN PLACE FOR WORST CASE SCENARIOS. CLEARLY THE USA DID NOT HAVE A PLAN, EQUIPMENT OR A SPILL/DISASTER FUND. TO SAY THAT THE “BUCK STOPS HERE” AND NOT ADMIT THE FOREGOING IS WHAT WE CALL “PASSING THE BUCK”.

I SUGGEST THAT YOU GO BACK TO YOUR DNC THINK TANK AND START WORKING ON SOME PRODUCTIVE POLICY THAT IS HELPFUL TO THE ECONOMY AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

GEORGE NICHOLAS, INDEPENDENT VOTER