Republicans Decry BP $20 Billion as "Chicago-Style Shakedown"

After eight years of Bush, Cheney and crew arguing that the President has almost unlimited power, Republicans are actually complaining that Obama was able to bully (or cajole, depending on your perspective) BP to set up the $20 billion fund to pay for some of the damages associated with the Gulf Oil Spill: http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/06/house-conservatives-call-escrow-account-chicago-style-shakedown.php. Is there any sanity left in the party of big business cheerleading, ecumencial haters, empty rhetoric and pure opposition?  Their main argument revolves around a troubling truth -- the U.S. government has no right to hold corporations accountable for their behavior. Though that is not completely true, as was shown with the tobacco companies, it is largely true. And this is a serious problem. The courts can certainly handle incidents of individual, or through class action, group damages at the hands of corporate malfeasance. But governments have little, and arguably waning, power over corporations, who are largely free to do whatever they can get away with. American corporations were originally given their charters by states with the caveat that they must "serve the public good." If they didn't, their charter could be taken away. Can anyone imagine that happening today? Can any sane person listen to the Republicans with a straight face?

One interesting point on their endless opposition to healthcare reform -- more Americans apparently support the reform than at any time since the debates began and legislation passed (45% in favor, 42% opposed): http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100617/ap_on_bi_ge/us_ap_poll_health_overhaul.