Okay, I’m not piling on, but I have to say this because no one else is–

Rand Paul is putting un-American words in the President’s mouth, or claiming that some shadowy entity in the Obama administration is using this kind of language…

“What I don’t like from the president’s administration is this sort of, ‘I’ll put my boot heel on the throat of BP,'” Paul said in an interview with ABC’s “Good Morning America.” “I think that sounds really un-American in his criticism of business.”

Of course this sounds un-American. It sounds like something out of a bad WWII movie. From the guy with the dueling scar and the eye patch. “Ve haf vays of making you talk, ya ha ha.” I seen that film before.

Can you imagine ‘no drama Obama’ bragging that he’ll crush windpipes beneath his jackboots? Can you imagine him authorizing a spokesperson to say that? I didn’t think so.

But the press rushed right by that weird statement and zoomed in on Paul’s suggestion that the President shouldn’t whip poor little British Petroleum when it’s down. Accidents happen.

That’s okay, but I really think the ‘boot on the neck’ phrase is revealing. Also that it ‘sounds un-American’ –those words the President never said. I think that Paul built a straw man and it beat him up. I also think that the phrase was a dog-whistle. Paul’s best bet is to just come clean, say what he means and give up the code words and waffling. Voters can buy it or not, but if he believes in something he should stand by it.

WHAT THE MAN SAID: President Obama’s actual words are way less colorful than the Jackboot version…

“We know that our dependence on foreign oil endangers our security and our economy,” Mr. Obama said in a Rose Garden announcement. “And the disaster in the gulf only underscores that even as we pursue domestic production to reduce our reliance on imported oil, our long-term security depends on the development of alternative sources of fuel and new transportation technologies.”

Obama’s administration is talking about denying government contracts to corporations that trash our coast. Harsh, isn’t it?

And did it ‘sound un-American’ when we were hearing from the Bush administration that “British Petroleum is my friend and I’ll shred anyone who gets in the way like a day-old bucket of coleslaw!” The fact that these words were never actually said should not stop us from deploring how un-American George Bush would sound if he said them.

Actions speak louder than words. British Petroleum didn’t have to worry about being slowed down by regulators in the eight glorious Bush years.

BP needs to pay all the damages without delay, and we all need to look at conservation– proven, possible and practical, if we have the sense of urgency to really do it.