US politics | The Price of Oil

Posts in US politics

Keystone XL benefits from taxpayer subsidies
Lorne Stockman
Feb08
Sen. Mitch McConnell claimed recently that the Keystone XL Pipeline “doesn’t require a penny of our taxpayer money all the president has to do is approve it.” But our research reveals many places that the pipeline project benefits from many taxpayer subsidies. The refineries that are linked to the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline as…
Continue reading ‘Keystone XL benefits from taxpayer subsidies’.
Keystone XL Becoming Key Election Issue
Andy Rowell
Feb01
November may still seem a long way off, but increasingly it is looking like the the controversial Keystone XL pipeline is going to become a key Presidential election issue. David Wilkins, who was George Bush’s ambassador to Canada from 2005 to 2009, is one of the many people who think this is the case. “It’s…
Continue reading ‘Keystone XL Becoming Key Election Issue’.
Clean energy is a wedge issue that favors Democrats
Lorne Stockman
Jan26
Great post from David Roberts at Grist. The reaction from independents to Obama’s clean energy messages in the State of the Union speech is encouraging. Big Oil is the 1%. Clean energy translates into jobs that Americans can support. It’s time for all involved to press the advantage. We cross post here with thanks to…
Continue reading ‘Clean energy is a wedge issue that favors Democrats’.
End “the Century of Subsidy”? Maybe next year…
Andy Rowell
Jan25
Slowly but surely the battle lines are being drawn for the upcoming Presidential election. President Obama built his State of the Union address on one of fairness. In doing so Obama reminded Americans that there is a clear choice when it comes to the next election. There is also a choice with energy. Before we…
Continue reading ‘End “the Century of Subsidy”? Maybe next year…’.
Protest Against “Big Oil Corruption”
Andy Rowell
Jan24
At noon today, a coalition of environmental groups, including Oil Change International and 350.org will blow the whistle of “Big Oil’s corruption” on Capitol Hill, hours before Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address. Activists will be gathering at the Capitol dressed in referee uniforms and then heading to our old friends at…
Continue reading ‘Protest Against “Big Oil Corruption”’.
A Road Map to Renewal or Ruin?
Andy Rowell
Jan18
The oil boys from Houston must be wriggling with delight after President Obama’s official jobs council called for an “all-in approach” to energy policy that includes expanded oil-and-gas drilling as well as more pipelines. “We should allow more access to oil, natural gas and coal opportunities on federal lands,” argued the President’s Council on Jobs…
Continue reading ‘A Road Map to Renewal or Ruin?’.
Keystone XL and Dirty Energy Money
Steve Kretzmann
Jan11
This morning the Guardian carried a story from Maplight about the influence of oil money over the July vote in the House of Representatives on the Keystone XL pipeline. It’s a classic story about the influence of campaign money over policy that will surprise few but bears repeating often. We ran a similar story about…
Continue reading ‘Keystone XL and Dirty Energy Money’.
Big Oil Threatens President Obama
Steve Kretzmann
Jan04
By Brendan Demelle, DeSmogBlog American Petroleum Institute President Jack Gerard today announced the oil and gas industry’s latest election-year scare campaign to threaten the demise of the U.S. economy unless Big Oil gets its every wish in Washington. This year the wish list includes approval of the Keystone XL pipeline, expanded offshore drilling on both…
Continue reading ‘Big Oil Threatens President Obama’.
Mitch McConnell Stands Up for Big Oil, Holding Middle Class Tax Cuts Hostage
Steve Kretzmann
Dec16
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) announced today that he will hold the extension of middle class tax cuts hostage unless an unrelated provision about the Keystone XL oil pipeline project is included—a major handout to his Big Oil donors that could leave millions of Americans facing a tax increase in the new year. So,…
Continue reading ‘Mitch McConnell Stands Up for Big Oil, Holding Middle Class Tax Cuts Hostage’.
“Gas & Oil Party” passes Keystone XL poison pill
Steve Kretzmann
Dec14
Yesterday, Republicans and a few Democrats defied a veto threat from President Obama and passed a bill extending a cut in Social Security payroll taxes which also would fast track a decision on the Keystone XL pipeline and give polluters a variety of other gifts. Representative Edward J. Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts, said the Republicans…
Continue reading ‘“Gas & Oil Party” passes Keystone XL poison pill’.