Independence // Current TV

So-Called 'Grassroots' Opposition to Clean Energy Reform Bankrolled By Foreign Oil, Petro-Government

Clean energy legislation passed by the House, now pending in the Senate, faces fierce opposition from the proprietors of fossil fuel companies, and much has been reported on how domestic oil and coal companies have flooded the debate with money, lobbying, and misinformation. These opponents of clean energy reform claim to be “standing up” for American jobs and security. However, according to an investigation by ThinkProgress, many of the lobbyists and right-wing operatives engineering the attacks on clean energy reform either work directly for petro-governments, or work for companies in the business of importing foreign oil:

– Nigeria’s Bayelsa State, the region of the country producing much of its crude oil, is registered with the Carmen Group as its representative in DC. The Carmen Group is run largely by lobbyist David Keene, who also manages the American Conservative Union. Keene has lobbied against clean energy reform and used his conservative organization to generate “grassroots” opposition to legislative efforts to move away from a fossil fuel based economy. Although the extent to which the Carmen Group “provide[s] general representation before the United States Congress” is unclear — as Justice Department disclosures indicate — the Nigerian state has lavished Carmen group lobbyists with $903,450 in payments since 2006. According to a report produced Monday by the State Department, Nigeria is at risk of becoming a haven for terror and extremism. In the past, Keene, the coordinator of the CPAC convention, has been caught auctioning off conservative grassroots support to his corporate lobbying clients for as much as $2 million dollars.

– The lobbyist-run front group Americans for Prosperity is perhaps the most active anti-clean energy group in the country. In addition to working furiously to orchestrate anti-clean energy themed tea parties, Americans for Prosperity is running anti-clean energy legislation ads, anti-climate change science ads, and is even barnstorming around the country with anti-clean energy “hot air” rallies. The organization was founded and is bankrolled by David Koch of Koch Industries, a major refiner of oil. Through Koch Industry subsidiaries — Koch Supply & Trading and Flint Hills Resources — Koch imports crude oil from a variety of foreign sources, including from Saudi Arabia and Nigeria.

– Currently, FreedomWorks is focusing their energy activism on supporting the status quo reliance on fossil fuels. Throughout 2009, as FreedomWorks leader Dick Armey organized tea party opposition to clean energy reform, he simultaneously worked for the lobbying firm DLA Piper on the account of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates. According to disclosure forms filed with the Justice Department, the UAE paid Armey’s lobbying firm at the time to help maintain the “development of UAE energy resources, which represent about 10 percent of global oil reserves.”

– Oil companies have attempted to demonstrate popular support for fossil-fuel dependence by hosting “Energy Citizen” rallies around the country, where employees of oil companies are bused in for large events. The “Energy Citizen” website claims that converting a clean energy economy would mean “less energy independence.” Ironically, the main sponsor of the Energy Citizen effort is the American Petroleum Institute, which is a trade association for companies like Chevron, Exxon Mobil, and Sunoco. These companies, in turn, are highly dependent on foreign oil imports — from countries including Algeria, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Libya, and Venezuela. For perspective, Exxon Mobil imports 27%, Valero 29%, and Chevron 36% of its oil from Persian Gulf countries alone

More at the link above:Clean energy legislation passed by the House, now pending in the Senate, faces fierce... more

WeAreChangeKy
added this
3 years ago
|
0 comments

"Life inc" a movie, a book, a revelation!

"Radical Abundance: How We Get Past 'Free' and Learn to Exchange Value... more

lookatmypix
added this
3 years ago
|
6 comments

San Miguel De Allende celebrates Independence day, September 16th with lots of style and tradition

Mexico is filled with history, tradition, and celebrations. In the state of Guanajuato... more

Caliman28
added this
3 years ago
|
0 comments

In tribute to the birth of Mahatma Gandhi

On the 140th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi, let us remember his legacy of... more

JanforGore
added this
3 years ago
|
2 comments

Live Freedom Concert

Spin, War, Rinse, Repeat.

RENGACORP
added this
3 years ago
|
0 comments

The Future Status of Puerto Rico

Discussion on status of Puerto Rico

peoplesmovement
added this
3 years ago
|
1 comment

Where Have They Gone?

Once upon time we were taught that our white knight would save us from all of from the... more

CHANLEEPENG
added this
3 years ago
|
0 comments

A Scottish Oil Fund?

A Scottish oil fund is a simple concept - tax revenues from the North Sea are invested... more

capolia
added this
3 years ago
|
1 comment

Founding Father Farmers: John Adams

John Adams was a man of conviction, principles and a staunch advocate of freedom. Though he did not get the accolades the other founders did regarding writing the Declaration of Independence and using his passion to inspire others to declare independence from the floor of the Continental Congress he nevertheless deserves just as much credit for being one of the main founders of our country. He was also the son of a farmer and one himself. He and his wife, Abigail were the first residents of the first White House and planted the first garden on the White House lawn. His farm in Massachusetts, Peacefield was where he retired to upon leaving political life and where he died on July 4th, 1826 not long after Thomas Jefferson died the same day.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adams_National_Historical_Park
____
Addendum:

Contrary to what many believe John Adams was not a "rich white aristocrat" who had slaves and hated blacks. He and his wife Abigail abhored the practice and out of that principle refused to have slaves and thus did all of their own farming and the upkeep of their property. Abigail was actually intrumental in the farming of their property, especially while John was across the sea in France negotiating help from the French for the Revolution ( which didn't go too well for him.)

I mention this because two other threads I have posted here regarding Thomas Jefferson (who BTW, inherited his slaves from his father and worked his whole life to end the practice even writing it as the first line in his draft of the Declaration only to be advised against it by Benjamin Franklin and John Adams for fear of the declaration in its entirety not passing in the South) and George Washington (who also found the practice abominable and like Jefferson believed the slaves with them were actually safer under their care rather than being released (which may be a convoluted way of thinking to some but in reality in that period of time and under the circumstances was the unfortunate reality) have been hijacked by attempts to divert from the topic of these threads which was the freedom agriculture brings to the human soul and how that freedom is one that must be established in all facets of life for ALL people in order for us to be truly free.

The early history of this nation is by no means perfect nor were they, but the men who wrote and ratified the Declaration of Independence by putting their very lives and all they had on the line to bring it about for the most part were men who did believe that in time what they had started would hopefully be built upon. This was no small task, and they deserve at the very least our thoughts and our gratitude.

And those who did much of the hard labor in growing the seeds that fed this nation also deserve our respect and gratitude on the commemoration of the birthday of America and beyond as well. To acknowledge the brilliant men who did not know what storm would come by their actions is in no way to dismiss those of all races and creeds who also worked to shape America.

Thank you.John Adams was a man of conviction, principles and a staunch advocate of freedom.... more

JanforGore
added this
3 years ago
|
5 comments

Founding Father Farmers:Thomas Jefferson

As July 4th is this weekend, and as we know our Founding Fathers not only cultivated... more

JanforGore
added this
3 years ago
|
25 comments

Celebration in Iraq over Troop withdrawal on national holiday

Four U.S. soldiers were killed in combat on the eve of the withdrawal of American troops from Baghdad and other Iraq cities, the U.S. military said, as Iraqi forces on Tuesday assumed control for security in urban areas.

The U.S. military said the four soldiers served with the Multi-National Division-Baghdad but did not provide further details pending notification of their families. It said they died as a "result of combat related injuries."

The withdrawal that was completed on Monday is part of a U.S.-Iraqi security pact and marks the first major step toward withdrawing all American forces from the country by Dec. 31, 2011. President Barack Obama has said all combat troops will be gone by the end of August 2010.

The Iraqi government has named June 30 "National Sovereignty Day" and declared a public holiday.

President Jalal Talabani said the day could not have happened without the help of the United States, which invaded Iraq in 2003 and ousted Saddam Hussein — who was later convicted by an Iraqi court and executed in Dec. 2006.

'Reconciliation'
"While we celebrate this day, we express our thanks and gratitude to our friends in the coalition forces who faced risks and responsibilities and sustained casualties and damage while helping Iraq to get rid from the ugliest dictatorship and during the joint effort to impose security and stability," Talabani said.

Describing June 30 as a "glorious page" in Iraq's history he warned that "security will not be achieved completely without proper political environment and without a real national unity and reconciliation."

Iraq marked the day with an overnight display of fireworks, while thousands attended a party in a park where singers performed patriotic songs.

The midnight handover to Iraqi forces filled many citizens with pride but also trepidation that government forces are not ready and that violence will rise. Shiites fear more bombings by Sunni militants; Sunnis fear that the Shiite-dominated Iraqi security forces will give them little protection.

If the Iraqis can hold down violence in the coming months, it will show the country is finally on the road to stability. If they fail, it will pose a challenge to Obama's pledge to end an unpopular war that has claimed the lives of more than 4,300 U.S. troops and tens of thousands of Iraqis.Four U.S. soldiers were killed in combat on the eve of the withdrawal of American... more

ClipsFC
added this
3 years ago
|
2 comments

US rescinds July 4th Independence invitation to Iranians

The Obama administration has decided to rescind invitations to Iranian diplomats for... more

barnabasnagy
added this
3 years ago
|
1 comment

What’s going on in…Greenland?

Who knew Greenland was effectively a colony? In fact, who knows much of anything about... more

pjacobs51
added this
3 years ago
|
0 comments

UN decries Sri Lanka "bloodbath"; 106 children die

How many will have to die before this is seen as the humanitarian crisis it is?... more

JanforGore
added this
4 years ago
|
12 comments

Human Rights Watch: Sri Lanka shelling hospitals

Human Rights Watch on Saturday accused Sri Lankan forces of repeatedly striking... more

JanforGore
added this
4 years ago
|
7 comments

My review on Trouble The Water film by a women and her family filming the incident

I wasn't in New Orleans when hurricane katrina happened but I did saw some footage, and was affected by the high gas prices so yes I was attacked by Hurricane Katrina as well just in a financial way and it let to quality of laptops breaking within months, and lead to anything you buy anymore is made cheap and sucks and so Hurricane Katrina has not only destroyed new orleans and killed innocent and good people, it lead to more greed and destruction of consumer confidence and makes me hate the oil companies.

I do know for a fact the government doesn't care about us because the people that are in our government all work for super rich secret societies known as the Bilderbergs and they don't care if millions of people die in fact they follow the testaments of the Georgia Guidestones which is to kill a large amount of the worlds population because it cannot exceed 5,000,000 people so anything over that they will kill in cold blood.

Our government doesn't care because of the secret societies and Obama is no different because he has to follow the secret societies like every other American president. I have no doubt we need new leadership, in fact maybe a abolishment of the system we pay taxes to and build a new country where all taxes go to help people in America and stop wasting it on foreign countries until everyone in American is happy and healthy.

and until these secret societies are abolished we will see more people being killed by police and military troops, we will see more hidden torture with Obama and future presidents not less. The only way our country can be rid of racism, torture, and have governments care about victims of natural disasters is to abolish the secret societies running this country then start over with a new currency, new government, and even a new party. That is my belief and if somebody makes me out to be some sort of criminal then take a look at the Constitution and Deceleration of Independence where if our government does not help the people and reduces us with taxes and despotism then it's our right and duty to overthrow our government at all costs.

If you believe me that secret societies that don't care about the poor, middle class, and even some of the rich exist then thats the real enemy we need to fight, not the government because they are just a puppet system while the real criminal rape us and consolidate us, try to make us slaves and claim it's a peoples paradise.

I believe FEMA may become a hurricane of government bureaucrats that don't give a **** about a free country and doesn't care about the poor, so I call FEMA a hurricane, Hurricane Fema.I wasn't in New Orleans when hurricane katrina happened but I did saw some... more

USWGO
added this
4 years ago
|
0 comments

Greenland votes for more autonomy

The people of Greenland have voted decisively in favour of a plan to give it greater... more

bedeboop
added this
4 years ago
|
0 comments

150,000 Tibetans gather to debate independence

The Tibetan exiles are gathering, around 150,000 of them. The exiled Buddhists are... more

current89
added this
4 years ago
|
13 comments

Elderly woman lives with three corpses

Maybe the most troubling thing for those who knew Margaret Bernstorff is that they... more

breakthepower
added this
4 years ago
|
0 comments

UK Poles celebrate independence

Britain's Polish community gathered in London to honour the 90th anniversary of... more

bedeboop
added this
4 years ago
|
0 comments

select your country

Community Spotlight

TAGS

tagged w/ Independence

top videos

find current on tv

find current online

recent comments

© 2013 Current TV, LLC All Rights Reserved

the basics

follow us online

tools

stay in touch

© 2013 Current TV, LLC
All Rights Reserved