Jeff Burton's Take: On the U.S. Congress

  
   Jeff Burton: future U.S. Congressman? He sure speaks his mind (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)
  

   By Mike Mulhern
   mikemulhern.net

   BRISTOL, Tenn.
   Jeff Burton, frequently mentioned as a possible political candidate, maybe even Washington-bound, once his racing career is history, is renowned for being able to talk at length about just any topic.
   So Friday, during a break in practice for Sunday's Bristol 500, Burton was asked about his feelings about the billion-dollar Congressional bailouts, particularly about the multi-million-dollar bonuses being paid out to AIG executives.
    "I think that Congress screwed up," Burton said bluntly. "And it sure would be nice to have somebody stand up and say 'You know what -- I screwed up. I supported sending tax dollars to a company to bail them out and didn't put any stipulations in there.'
   "It sure would be nice if somebody would stand up and say that.
    "And the people at AIG ought to have enough sense not to take the bonus. 
    "But the people that gave the money to them should have enough sense not to do that.
    "Congress is ripping all the lenders for screwing the country up. Guess what they are? They're a lender that screwed that up. So how are they any different?
    "It sure would be nice to have one of them stand up and say 'We should have done something differently,' rather than just point the finger at each another."
   With that, Burton paused.
   "There. I feel better now," he concluded with a laugh.