GREAT LEADERSHIP AT WORK (CHOKE) – AT 10:17 A.M. ET:  The president of the United States, the man sent by the Chicago political machine to save us from our sins, is upset.  He is angry.  He is outraged.  He is morally offended.  From The Politico:

An angry President Barack Obama slammed BP Friday for spending $50 million on a TV ad campaign, saying he didn’t want the company “nickel and diming” residents and businesses in the Gulf so that it could burnish its own image.

Obama — who has been criticized for not showing enough emotion — channeled his inner Hulk during his visit to the oil-fouled Louisiana coast, his third foray to the region since an explosion on a BP oil rig killed 11 workers and touched off what has become one of the nation’s most devastating environmental disasters.

"My understanding is, is that BP has contracted for $50 million worth of TV advertising to manage their image during the course of this disaster. In addition, there are reports that BP will be paying $10.5 billion — that's billion with a B — in dividend payments this quarter," said Obama.

COMMENT:  The cynicism of Obama's behavior is magnificent.  He pretends to be angry and distraught, but was able to overcome his agony to attend a Paul McCartney concert a few nights ago.

As for BP, Obama's comments reflect the true demagogue in him.  No matter what one may think of the company, or its actions, the last time I looked we had a Constitution, under which BP has the same freedom of expression as anyone else.  The company has a perfect right to present its point of view.  We then have a perfect right to denounce it, if we wish.  Will someone explain this concept to the "Constitutional law professor" in the White House. 

On BP's paying a dividend:  While explaining the First Amendment to Mr. Obama, please throw in an explanation of dividends.  Companies pay dividends as an economic incentive to investors.  Investors invest their private money in the company.  That money, and the company's earnings in the marketplace, make possible the massive amounts being spent by BP on the Gulf disaster...negating the need for more public funds.

Now, maybe Mr. Obama doesn't understand that much is possible without government funding, but most of us do understand it.  It is absolutely right for BP to pay its dividend, to help retain investors. 

Obama, the leftist that he is, will use the Gulf oil spill to try to enact a radical environmental agenda that, in the end, will do more harm than good.  He is Jimmy Carter on steroids.  At least BP is trying to do something to cap the leak.  I don't see what Obama is actually doing, except posing.

June 5, 2010