The White House and BP are telling the media there is a tentative agreement to have BP contribute “about $20 billion” over time to an escrow account to pay economic damages claims for BP’s oil disaster. I still think that’s a good concept but as always, the details matter.

But the leading lights (aka dim bulbs) of the Republican Party can’t seem to give up entirely on John Boehner’s initial view that taxpayers should bail out BP, one of the world’s largest TBTF corporations. Since the Obama Administration proposed the escrow mechanism, it’s important for Republicans to uncover the evil purposes and consequences of the scheme to maintain their view that civilization as we know it is under siege from White House socialists, or fascists, or government takeover zealots.

“It’s a lasting scar mainly for its combination of stupidity, insensitivity and ignorance about the civil war,” said one senior [GOP] party strategist granted anonymity to speak candidly. The source did add, however, that McDonnell “has a lot of time to make amends and put it behind him.” Unless Sheriff Haley Barbour talks about it some more, and makes unwanted headlines for you, Bob McDonnell.

    Corporate serf masters: same tactics, no matter what the century.         The governors of Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama are pushing the U.S. Defense Department to award in 2010 a $35 billion to $40 billion tanker contract to European-owned EADS/Airbus rather than U.S.-based Boeing Corp. In doing so, Republican Govs. Haley [...]