Speaking in Bakersfield, CA on July 28, Senator McCain stated with regard to new offshore drilling that "within a matter of months they could be getting additional oil. In some cases, it would be a matter of a year."
Well, this is what a recent government report has to say. Quoting from the Energy Information Administration report on the impact of increased access to offshore oil and natural gas reserves:
" . . . access to the Pacific, Atlantic, and eastern Gulf regions would not have a significant impact on domestic crude oil and natural gas production or prices before 2030. Leasing would begin no sooner than 2012, and production would not be expected to start before 2017."
Yikes! That's a lot longer than a year! Wonder how much our continental shelf oil would help us out at the gas pump? Oh, wait, here it is in the report: "Because oil prices are determined on the international market, however, any impact on average wellhead prices is expected to be insignificant."
Jeez, it's all right there, if you know how to use the Google. Took me five minutes to find. Thanks to Mantilla for the idea for this blog post.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
No Wonder McCain Supports Offshore Drilling
The Washington Post reports that the oil and gas industry donated $1.1 million to the McCain campaign in June -- most of which came after McCain's June 16 call for an end to the ban on offshore oil and gas exploration. The Post reports that the McCain campaign received only $116,000 in March, $283,000 in April, and $208,000 in May from the oil and gas industry.
Quoting from the Washington Post article, "McCain delivered the speech before heading to Texas for a series of fundraisers with energy industry executives, and the day after the speech he raised $1.3 million at a private luncheon and reception at the San Antonio Country Club, according to local news accounts."
So McCain flip-flopped his position on drilling and the environment, then the very next day flew off to Texas to collect big donations [read: payoffs] from the big oil money down there in Texas who had thus far been reluctant to give. Unbelievable.
Just for the record, I personally am not so opposed to the idea of offshore drilling IF we knew that there was enough oil out there to make the United States energy independent while we work on the technology to rid ourselves of fossil fuels, AND IF it did not turn out to be a great big handout to the oil industry at taxpayers expense. But since THAT's never going to happen, well . . . that's another story.
Quoting from the Washington Post article, "McCain delivered the speech before heading to Texas for a series of fundraisers with energy industry executives, and the day after the speech he raised $1.3 million at a private luncheon and reception at the San Antonio Country Club, according to local news accounts."
So McCain flip-flopped his position on drilling and the environment, then the very next day flew off to Texas to collect big donations [read: payoffs] from the big oil money down there in Texas who had thus far been reluctant to give. Unbelievable.
Just for the record, I personally am not so opposed to the idea of offshore drilling IF we knew that there was enough oil out there to make the United States energy independent while we work on the technology to rid ourselves of fossil fuels, AND IF it did not turn out to be a great big handout to the oil industry at taxpayers expense. But since THAT's never going to happen, well . . . that's another story.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Where Do Candidates Get Their Money?
Today the New York Times reported that the "maverick anti-lobbyist" McCain campaign has raised $181,000 from lobbyists. The Obama campaign has received $6,000 from lobbyists and reportedly intends to return the money.
Why is it such a big deal, where candidates get their campaign contributions? Well, there's a couple of things. For starters, there's the idea of whom a candidate, and later, president, might feel indebted to. There's also the fact that, once president, a person might want to be re-elected, and might want to turn to the same donors again in four years. So chances are, if you the president were sitting in the pocket of some big-ticket donors, you're going to want to try to keep them happy so you can fundraise again and get elected to a second term.
The other issue is one of getting things done in Washington. Most presidents who are elected, are elected because money and power were raised from the top -- they have powerful, wealthy friends who are senators and congressmen and lobbyists and CEOs. These rich, powerful friends raise money and lend their support networks to their favored candidate. Let's consider our two candidates running for president. When the president is elected, he now wants to, say, raise automobile fuel efficiency standards (you know, global warming, energy independence, all that nice stuff he talked about during the campaign).
The Washington Insider has to go to the same people who were his financial supporters and ask for their political support passing this thing. Well, maybe his lobbyist and CEO friends will now say, "Sure, John, just water down your bill a little for us, you know, keep our clients and corporate interests happy." His buddies on the Hill will ask him to water down the bill to keep their interests happy. And the President will have no choice. These are the people who got him elected and they hold all his political power. Plus he has to keep his money happy so he can get re-elected. So his bill is meaningless and we continue to pour CO2 into the atmosphere and remain dependent on foreign oil.
Instead, let's say we have a candidate who took no money from lobbyists. Let's say our candidate raised his money from over 2 million [update: 3 million!] citizens who donated $20 or $100 at a time. He wants to raise fuel efficiency standards and is meeting some resistance in congress. He now can send out a letter or e-mail to his grass-roots network of contributors asking for their political support: Please call or write your senator and pressure them to vote for my bill. So our grass-roots fundraising candidate, now President, will actually have more political capital than the Washington Insider and will be able to pass more meaningful legislation.
Why is it such a big deal, where candidates get their campaign contributions? Well, there's a couple of things. For starters, there's the idea of whom a candidate, and later, president, might feel indebted to. There's also the fact that, once president, a person might want to be re-elected, and might want to turn to the same donors again in four years. So chances are, if you the president were sitting in the pocket of some big-ticket donors, you're going to want to try to keep them happy so you can fundraise again and get elected to a second term.
The other issue is one of getting things done in Washington. Most presidents who are elected, are elected because money and power were raised from the top -- they have powerful, wealthy friends who are senators and congressmen and lobbyists and CEOs. These rich, powerful friends raise money and lend their support networks to their favored candidate. Let's consider our two candidates running for president. When the president is elected, he now wants to, say, raise automobile fuel efficiency standards (you know, global warming, energy independence, all that nice stuff he talked about during the campaign).
The Washington Insider has to go to the same people who were his financial supporters and ask for their political support passing this thing. Well, maybe his lobbyist and CEO friends will now say, "Sure, John, just water down your bill a little for us, you know, keep our clients and corporate interests happy." His buddies on the Hill will ask him to water down the bill to keep their interests happy. And the President will have no choice. These are the people who got him elected and they hold all his political power. Plus he has to keep his money happy so he can get re-elected. So his bill is meaningless and we continue to pour CO2 into the atmosphere and remain dependent on foreign oil.
Instead, let's say we have a candidate who took no money from lobbyists. Let's say our candidate raised his money from over 2 million [update: 3 million!] citizens who donated $20 or $100 at a time. He wants to raise fuel efficiency standards and is meeting some resistance in congress. He now can send out a letter or e-mail to his grass-roots network of contributors asking for their political support: Please call or write your senator and pressure them to vote for my bill. So our grass-roots fundraising candidate, now President, will actually have more political capital than the Washington Insider and will be able to pass more meaningful legislation.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Breaking News: Phil Gramm Resigns
Phil Gramm resigned as co-chair and chief economic advisor of the McCain campaign today. Thank Goodness. For more on the fascinating scandal of Phil Gramm and the housing credit crisis, please see David Corn's excellent article, Foreclosure Phil on motherjones.com. Truly, the yellow sidebar on the right explains it far better than I ever could.
I have to wonder . . . after Gramm wrecked our economy by writing laws allowing unchecked speculation on energy trading, and the collapse of the American mortgage banking industry, could it really be the idiotic "Nation of Whiners" comment that was ultimately Gramm's downfall within the McCain campaign? Or could it have been the porn?
I have to wonder . . . after Gramm wrecked our economy by writing laws allowing unchecked speculation on energy trading, and the collapse of the American mortgage banking industry, could it really be the idiotic "Nation of Whiners" comment that was ultimately Gramm's downfall within the McCain campaign? Or could it have been the porn?
Phil Gramm: It's The Economy, You Moron!
First of all, who is this guy? His name keeps cropping up in news stories about the economy, and more recently with his "nation of whiners" comment, but they've kind of stopped explaining how he's connected to it all.
Gramm is McCain's national campaign general co-chair and chief economic policy advisor. He is a former professor of economics at Texas A&M University. He then served seven years as a congressman, followed by three terms as senator (R-TX). After he left the senate, Gramm went on to a lobbying job with Swiss Bank UBS, one of the worlds largest managers of private wealth, where he is also a vice president.
THE ENRON LOOPHOLE
As chairman of the senate banking committee, Gramm wrote and passed deregulatory legislation in several industries. One of these laws deregulated energy commodity trading, essentially allowing energy trading to escape federal oversight. This resulted in the sharp rise in energy costs California saw soon thereafter. Energy-trading company Enron collapsed as a consequence of its own deregulated energy trading. The impact of the "Enron loophole" is felt every day at the gas pump: it contributes to inflated energy prices for American consumers by encouraging speculation in the energy markets.
Incidentally, wife Wendy Gramm persuaded her fellow comissioners on the Commodity Futures Trading Comission to agree to a rule exempting electronic trading of energy futures from oversight. As soon as she resigned from the commission, she joined the audit committee of the Enron board of directors. She, along with other Enron board members, participated in a $13 million settlement for insider trading, having sold stock early in the company's decline. Seriously, you just can't make this stuff up.
Coming up next: Phil Gramm and the mortgage crisis.
Gramm is McCain's national campaign general co-chair and chief economic policy advisor. He is a former professor of economics at Texas A&M University. He then served seven years as a congressman, followed by three terms as senator (R-TX). After he left the senate, Gramm went on to a lobbying job with Swiss Bank UBS, one of the worlds largest managers of private wealth, where he is also a vice president.
THE ENRON LOOPHOLE
As chairman of the senate banking committee, Gramm wrote and passed deregulatory legislation in several industries. One of these laws deregulated energy commodity trading, essentially allowing energy trading to escape federal oversight. This resulted in the sharp rise in energy costs California saw soon thereafter. Energy-trading company Enron collapsed as a consequence of its own deregulated energy trading. The impact of the "Enron loophole" is felt every day at the gas pump: it contributes to inflated energy prices for American consumers by encouraging speculation in the energy markets.
Incidentally, wife Wendy Gramm persuaded her fellow comissioners on the Commodity Futures Trading Comission to agree to a rule exempting electronic trading of energy futures from oversight. As soon as she resigned from the commission, she joined the audit committee of the Enron board of directors. She, along with other Enron board members, participated in a $13 million settlement for insider trading, having sold stock early in the company's decline. Seriously, you just can't make this stuff up.
Coming up next: Phil Gramm and the mortgage crisis.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Lobbyist Week, Day 4: I Lobby While I Work For You
Richard Davis: Campaign Manager.
In 2006 Davis’s firm represented Viktor Yanukovich, a Ukranian politician opposed by the U.S. Government because of his ties to Vladimir Putin.
Also in 2006, Davis represented Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska, whose U.S. visa was revoked because of his organized crime and anti-democratic ties. Davis used his ties with McCain to set up a meeting between Deripaska and McCain at an economic conference in Switzerland.
Davis was still actively working as a lobbyist while also working as a paid consultant to McCain’s Reform Institute, and later used his contacts with McCain to facilitate a merger between DHL and Airborne. McCain "thwarted [R-Alaska Senator Ted] Stevens's effort to insert language into legislation that would prohibit foreign-controlled companies such as DHL from holding certain military contracts."
Randy Scheunemann: Chief foreign policy advisor.
Scheunemann lobbied McCain’s staff on behalf of the Republic of Georgia while he was working for McCain. He has also represented the governments of Macedonia and Taiwan.
Scheunemann acts as McCain’s spokesman on international issues, including those issues involving his clients.
Peter Madigan: Fundraiser
Lobbies for the government of Columbia to promote free trade and "seek appropriations for the Government of Columbia." Has also defended Columbian President Alvaro Uribe against allegations of ties to paramilitary groups. Uribe has also reportedly been linked to drug trafficking and bribery.
Lobbies on behalf of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), because the UAE faces a class-action lawsuit alleging they enslaved thousands of children and forced them to be jockeys in camel races for the entertainment of the Arabian elite.
I've said it before. You just can't make this stuff up.
In 2006 Davis’s firm represented Viktor Yanukovich, a Ukranian politician opposed by the U.S. Government because of his ties to Vladimir Putin.
Also in 2006, Davis represented Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska, whose U.S. visa was revoked because of his organized crime and anti-democratic ties. Davis used his ties with McCain to set up a meeting between Deripaska and McCain at an economic conference in Switzerland.
Davis was still actively working as a lobbyist while also working as a paid consultant to McCain’s Reform Institute, and later used his contacts with McCain to facilitate a merger between DHL and Airborne. McCain "thwarted [R-Alaska Senator Ted] Stevens's effort to insert language into legislation that would prohibit foreign-controlled companies such as DHL from holding certain military contracts."
Randy Scheunemann: Chief foreign policy advisor.
Scheunemann lobbied McCain’s staff on behalf of the Republic of Georgia while he was working for McCain. He has also represented the governments of Macedonia and Taiwan.
Scheunemann acts as McCain’s spokesman on international issues, including those issues involving his clients.
Peter Madigan: Fundraiser
Lobbies for the government of Columbia to promote free trade and "seek appropriations for the Government of Columbia." Has also defended Columbian President Alvaro Uribe against allegations of ties to paramilitary groups. Uribe has also reportedly been linked to drug trafficking and bribery.
Lobbies on behalf of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), because the UAE faces a class-action lawsuit alleging they enslaved thousands of children and forced them to be jockeys in camel races for the entertainment of the Arabian elite.
I've said it before. You just can't make this stuff up.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Breaking News: FARC Rescue and McCain
First, the good news: as you may have seen on the evening news, after six years as hostages in the jungle, Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, along with eleven Colombian police officers and three Americans, have been rescued from Colombian terrorist group FARC. As it happens, John McCain is visiting Colombia right now, and was briefed before the rescue took place.
You may recall about a year ago, Chiquita Brands pleaded guilty to paying off FARC and another group to not harm their workers. Sort of the same thing as paying off the Taliban to not bother you while you harvest your poppies, but in Colombia, and with bananas.
Carl H. Lindner, Jr., the chairman of Chiquita at the time, just held a major fundraiser for McCain. McCain is accepting money, a lot of money, from Lindner, who funded this terrorist group in Colombia to the tune of more than a million dollars, allowing them to hold Americans hostage for years. Silly old bear.
You may recall about a year ago, Chiquita Brands pleaded guilty to paying off FARC and another group to not harm their workers. Sort of the same thing as paying off the Taliban to not bother you while you harvest your poppies, but in Colombia, and with bananas.
Carl H. Lindner, Jr., the chairman of Chiquita at the time, just held a major fundraiser for McCain. McCain is accepting money, a lot of money, from Lindner, who funded this terrorist group in Colombia to the tune of more than a million dollars, allowing them to hold Americans hostage for years. Silly old bear.
Lobbyist Week, Day 3: resigned to corruption
A number of McCain's lobbyist buddies have resigned from the campaign. Tom Loeffler, discussed yesterday, is one. Another, Craig Shirley, left to work on an anti-Hillary 527 -- 527s can't coordinate with campaigns. No scandal there. Here are the other three who have had to go. Would you want these guys on the Straight Talk Express if you were John McCain? I wouldn't. But then, I'm not John McCain.
Doug Goodyear: GOP convention Chair chosen by McCain. Resigned.
Goodyear’s firm , DCI Group, represented Burma’s (Myanmar’s) military junta. This is the same junta still in power today that withheld aid to its citizens after a cyclone destroyed much of Myanmar’s coastline in May of this year. Goodyear’s firm also launched a PR campaign on behalf of the Burmese junta with the goal of denouncing "falsehoods" by the US government about them.
According to the same source, DCI ran illegal 527 groups during the 2004 Bush campaign, and was later fined. Other clients of Goodyear's firm include ExxonMobil and General Motors.
DOUG DAVENPORT: campaign regional manager. Resigned.
Works for Goodyear's DCI group. Founded their lobbying practice and oversaw the contract with the Myanmar military junta. Yes, the same junta that forces children into military service.
Eric Burgeson: Energy Advisor. Resigned.
Eric Burgeson had to resign as McCain's advisor on energy policy, because he was the head lobbyist on behalf of the energy industry for Barbour Griffith and Rogers (BGR), a lobby firm in Washington, DC.
Yes, you're reading right. John McCain let an active energy lobbyist "advise" him on energy policy. Or wait, is that "lobby" him on energy policy? Or just write the policy for him?? You can't tell from reading this blog, but I'm really not such a liberal. So when I'm amazed that the so-called "liberal media" wasn't all over this story, that's something. I mean, juntas are one thing, but liquid coal is quite another.
Doug Goodyear: GOP convention Chair chosen by McCain. Resigned.
Goodyear’s firm , DCI Group, represented Burma’s (Myanmar’s) military junta. This is the same junta still in power today that withheld aid to its citizens after a cyclone destroyed much of Myanmar’s coastline in May of this year. Goodyear’s firm also launched a PR campaign on behalf of the Burmese junta with the goal of denouncing "falsehoods" by the US government about them.
According to the same source, DCI ran illegal 527 groups during the 2004 Bush campaign, and was later fined. Other clients of Goodyear's firm include ExxonMobil and General Motors.
DOUG DAVENPORT: campaign regional manager. Resigned.
Works for Goodyear's DCI group. Founded their lobbying practice and oversaw the contract with the Myanmar military junta. Yes, the same junta that forces children into military service.
Eric Burgeson: Energy Advisor. Resigned.
Eric Burgeson had to resign as McCain's advisor on energy policy, because he was the head lobbyist on behalf of the energy industry for Barbour Griffith and Rogers (BGR), a lobby firm in Washington, DC.
Yes, you're reading right. John McCain let an active energy lobbyist "advise" him on energy policy. Or wait, is that "lobby" him on energy policy? Or just write the policy for him?? You can't tell from reading this blog, but I'm really not such a liberal. So when I'm amazed that the so-called "liberal media" wasn't all over this story, that's something. I mean, juntas are one thing, but liquid coal is quite another.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Lobbyist Week, Day 2: Loeffler and Friends and EADS
Thomas Loeffler: Campaign co-chair, top fundraising official. Resigned.
According to the New York Times, Loeffler, along with other members of the McCain campaign, lobbied on behalf of the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company (EADS), which recently won the $35 billion contract to build refueling tankers for the Air Force, beating out American company Boeing for this key military contract. McCain himself wrote letters to the Defense Department pressuring them to disregard a prior United States fair trade dispute with Airbus -- Airbus (part of the EADS) receives illegal government subsidies in Europe, allowing them to offer a lower bid for the contract.
Loeffler has also represented the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, arranging meetings between Saudi officials and Karl Rove three months after 9/11. Loeffler also set up and attended a meeting between a Saudi official and John McCain in May 2006.
According to the L.A. Times, Loeffler also represented Hong Kong, pharmaceutical companies, the nuclear power industry, and Metabolife (an ephedra-containing weight-loss stimulant that killed people and was eventually pulled off the market).
Susan Nelson: Finance Director
Worked for Loeffler’s firm, lobbying for EADS. When she left the firm to work on the McCain campaign full-time, Loeffler suddenly started paying her $15,000 a month for a number of months (severance pay??). Several months later, Nelson was rehired as a consultant to Loeffler’s firm while she was still on the McCain payroll, in violation of federal election law.
William Ball: Campaign Fundraiser
Worked for the Loeffler group as a lobbyist for EADS (see above).
Wayne Berman: Campaign Vice-Chairman
Lobbied on behalf of EADS (see above) with Ogilvy Government Relations.
Kirk Blalock: National chair for Young Professionals for John McCain
Lobbied on behalf of EADS (see above) with Fierce, Isakowitz & Blalock.
According to the New York Times, Loeffler, along with other members of the McCain campaign, lobbied on behalf of the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company (EADS), which recently won the $35 billion contract to build refueling tankers for the Air Force, beating out American company Boeing for this key military contract. McCain himself wrote letters to the Defense Department pressuring them to disregard a prior United States fair trade dispute with Airbus -- Airbus (part of the EADS) receives illegal government subsidies in Europe, allowing them to offer a lower bid for the contract.
Loeffler has also represented the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, arranging meetings between Saudi officials and Karl Rove three months after 9/11. Loeffler also set up and attended a meeting between a Saudi official and John McCain in May 2006.
According to the L.A. Times, Loeffler also represented Hong Kong, pharmaceutical companies, the nuclear power industry, and Metabolife (an ephedra-containing weight-loss stimulant that killed people and was eventually pulled off the market).
Susan Nelson: Finance Director
Worked for Loeffler’s firm, lobbying for EADS. When she left the firm to work on the McCain campaign full-time, Loeffler suddenly started paying her $15,000 a month for a number of months (severance pay??). Several months later, Nelson was rehired as a consultant to Loeffler’s firm while she was still on the McCain payroll, in violation of federal election law.
William Ball: Campaign Fundraiser
Worked for the Loeffler group as a lobbyist for EADS (see above).
Wayne Berman: Campaign Vice-Chairman
Lobbied on behalf of EADS (see above) with Ogilvy Government Relations.
Kirk Blalock: National chair for Young Professionals for John McCain
Lobbied on behalf of EADS (see above) with Fierce, Isakowitz & Blalock.
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