Cocky

As always, the consensus middle-Left in American politics is pretty damn cocky when it comes to stuff like this.

Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), ranking member of the House Energy committee, where BP's CEO is testifying today, just said: "It is a tragedy of the first proportion that a private corporation can be subjected to what I would characterize as a shakedown, in this case a $20 billion shakedown."

Barton's in an incredibly safe district. And it's not like more than a handful of House Republicans have anything to worry about this Fall. But I'm certain we're going to hear these quotes again and again on the campaign trail this fall in other more middle of the road districts. In addition to the above, Barton also apologized to BP CEO Tony Hayward for what he had been put through yesterday by the president.

Barton and people like him are just saying what a lot of hateful nihilistic Americans are thinking right now. Maybe BP did make a mess, but the "real offense" in the American mind is that we might presume to do something about it.