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Oil’s Washington juggernaut
Steve Hargreaves, CNNMoney
As angry voters spark a barrage of energy bills in Congress, the oil industry is spending record amounts of money protecting its interests.
In what may be surprising to some, the most recent figures from the Center for Responsive Politics show that the oil industry gives a relatively small sum to individual political campaigns – it’s 16th on a list of top 50 industries.
But when it comes to lobbying – and spending money that goes toward researching, writing and convincing lawmakers to vote its way – the industry ranks fifth. If the spending continues at the current pace, the industry is set to break last year’s $83 million record.
The amount spent on lobbying by the industry, along with lobbying money in general, has been setting records since 2005.
(19 August 2008)
Pump primed for fall fight on energy
Patrick O’Connor and Daniel W. Reilly, Politico
There’s a little something for everyone to hate in the energy proposals House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) articulated over the weekend.
Republicans dislike her plan to repeal a series of tax breaks for the oil industry. Key Southern senators have opposed previous measures that would require utilities to produce more renewable wind and solar power. And Pelosi herself can’t be thrilled with the prospect of opening more federally protected waters for offshore oil and gas exploration.
The question for September: Will leaders from both parties overcome their distaste for various parts of the proposal and swallow some kind of compromise?
With just three weeks remaining in the session, that seems highly unlikely.
But public pressure has become intense enough that lawmakers may be compelled to act when Congress returns from its summer break.
(19 August 2008)
Is T. Boone Pickens right?
V. John White and Jerry Taylor, Los Angeles Times
V. John White says the oil giant has done us a service by sparking a conversation on renewable energy. Jerry Taylor says Pickens is only trying to rig the energy market in his favor.
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Today’s question: Oil giant T. Boone Pickens wants to turn much of the Great Plains into a wind-power farm. How practical is his plan? Should we do it? Previously, White and Taylor discussed offshore drilling.
Half right is a good place to start
Point: V. John White
Legendary oil man T. Boone Pickens is an unlikely green-energy hero. But his plan to radically expand wind energy production and shift natural gas from electricity production to fueling cars and trucks has caught the public’s imagination.
Pickens is planning to build the world’s largest wind farm in Texas, and he has taken options on wind turbines without waiting for Congress to extend federal tax credits. He has launched a multimillion-dollar media blitz and has appeared on television news shows touting the domestic energy potential of large-scale wind farms and natural-gas vehicles. Pickens has created a buzz because he has a plan at a time when our nation’s leaders are paralyzed with indecision and inaction.
The wind power part of Pickens’ plan makes a lot of sense.
(19 August 2008)
There will be Boone
Skip Hollandsworth, Texas Monthly
The most famous wildcatter in Texas history is spending $58 million of his own money to promote the Pickens Plan, which proposes massive wind farms (which he’s already building), more reliance on natural gas (which he has a huge stake in), and ways to combat global warming (which loyal Republicans aren’t supposed to believe is real) to break America’s addiction to foreign oil. But does the 80-year-old have the energy to save the world?
… “Now, listen to me, we’re in a ditch,” Boone told the reporters in his slow, gravelly drawl. “We’ve got all these politicians talking about better health care and what all, but believe me, we’re not going to have the money to take care of sick people-or anyone else as far as I’m concerned-if we don’t fix our energy problem right now. I’ve got an idea what to do. It might not be a perfect idea, but hell, none of my best ideas have been perfect.”
The reporters started grinning. Sitting in the back of the room, I couldn’t help but grin too. I found myself thinking about another occasion more than a decade ago when I had watched Boone. He was eating dinner with some business associates at the popular Dallas restaurant Bob’s Steak and Chop House, and his trademark boyish smile was wiped from his face.
(September 2008 issue)
Recommended by Rod Dreher: T. Boone Pickens, Bush & peak oil:
… You really should read the whole Texas Monthly story. Skip Hollandsworth, the piece’s author, is one of the best writers in the business, and you get a real sense of who T. Boone Pickens is from that story. The guy is a classic Texas character. You can’t make guys like him up.
