No Apologies

US Representative Joe Barton, who apologized to BP for the big bill they're getting, is the kind of person we need to be leave behind as the US moves to a renewable energy economy.
Surprise, surprise, according to the New York Time: Individuals and political action committees in the oil and gas industry have been Mr. Barton’s biggest source of campaign money, it reported, contributing $1.4 million since the 1990 election cycle.

Of course he publicly apologized for his apology because the Republican powers told him to do so immediately.

We can't expect the Joe Bartons of the world to show the kind of leadership or political courage necessary to move the US to a renewable energy economy. He's steeped in the old ways, stuck in the status quo.

He's as outdated as those clunky first mobile phones. Remember those things? Imagine if the technology industry was as entrenched in its ways as much as the petroleum industry and automobile industry. Imagine if we still had computers the size of rooms.

The combustion engine essentially hasn't changed in over 100 years. Still fueled by petroleum and still running around on four wheels, rubber against road. No need for major changes as long as the petroleum and automotive folks are making trillions.

Joe Barton should get into his Model T and go home. He is obviously part of the problem, not part of the solution.

No apologies.


Here's the full NYT story on his apology:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/18/us/politics/18barton.html?ref=todayspaper