As Congress begins August recess, those of us who care about America’s addiction to oil, climate change, and a clean energy future have been scratching our heads, wondering why, after historic levels of pressure we can’t even pass an oil spill response bill, not to mention a real clean energy or climate bill.
When in doubt, [...]

Since the 1973 Arab oil embargo, successive US administrations have equated national security with access to, and control of, oil – particularly in the Persian Gulf, which holds two-thirds of global oil reserves. In other words, as long as we need oil, we need the Persian Gulf.
Faced with this unpleasant [...]

Talking to people about the Deepwater Horizon, often a response has been “how can something like that happen in the US.”
Exactly that question is being forensically picked over by lawyers and Congressional investigators and the answers are increasingly looking unpalatable.
But one thing for sure it could not happen without the raw power of big oil. [...]

According to a report recently released by the National Institute on Money in State Politics, politicians in the Gulf of Mexico are awash in oil and gas industry contributions.
Oil and gas companies, along with their owners and employees, gave $21.1 million to the campaigns for state elected officials between 2003 and 2008 in Alabama, Florida, [...]

Twice in the last several days we’ve been reminded of the uphill struggle we face in the US to separate oil and state.  First, on Tuesday, the US Senate actually defeated a proposal that would have eliminated some oil industry subsidies.  Then, earlier today, Representative Joe Barton actually apologized to BP’s Tony Hayward for establishing [...]