Big Oil

‘War on the Poor’ astroturf campaign pushes for increased fossil-fuel production

Van Jones often warns clean energy proponents that anyone they don’t organize into their coalition will be organized against them. Increasing energy prices disproportionately impact the poor, which leaves low-income people and minorities open to demagogic appeals from groups focused on increasing fossil-fuel production. We saw some evidence of that dynamic today at a press […]

Alaskan greens say McCain’s VP pick has anti-environmental record

John McCain’s surprise pick of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate has a lot of environmentalists in the state worried about the influence she might have on the presidential candidate’s environmental policy. McCain has worked hard to portray himself as a green Republican, but Palin has developed an anti-environmental reputation during her 20 […]

Exxon sponsors political coverage

ExxonMobil is sponsoring political coverage from CNN, CBS, and National Journal. Here’s a question: Would they accept sponsorship by Philip Morris?

Exxon John

The Democratic National Committee is being mean to John McCain again:

GOP rep in Tenn. loses primary after being linked to Big Oil

In Tennessee, freshman Republican Rep. David Davis lost his primary last night, apparently in large part because his opponent linked him to Big Oil. Davis is the first sitting Tennessee congressman in 40 years to lose in a primary. He was beaten by Johnson City Mayor Phil Roe, who accused Davis of accepting money from […]

The breakdown of Big Oil’s record-breaking profits

Record Big Oil profits from record oil prices and taxpayer subsidies -- where does all your money go?

With ExxonMobil's report of a $11.68 billion haul in the second quarter of 2008, the world's top five oil companies are now on track for more than $160 billion in profits this year ...

I know what you are thinking: Surely, Big Oil will take those staggeringly immense and almost immoral profits from the suspiciously fast rise in oil prices -- along with the $33 billion in taxpayer-funded subsidies you're going to give those politically powerful and remarkably greedy companies over the next five years (see here) -- and invest in both new drilling and new energy technology. No it won't, no it won't, and stop calling me Shirley.

In fact, the AP reports:

The jig is up

Mainstream news is catching on to Big Oil greenwashing:

McCain says he trusts Big Oil over energy and economic experts

John McCain said today that he believes what Big Oil says about the amount of oil still available in the United States’ outer continental shelf, rather than estimates offered by energy experts, economists, and the government’s Energy Information Administration. A questioner in the crowd at the National Urban League conference in Orlando, Fla., asked the […]

Campaign Money Watch looks at McCain’s donations from Big Oil

John McCain’s call for more offshore drilling has resulted in an influx of oil money to his campaign coffers, as we reported earlier this week. Yesterday, Campaign Money Watch put out a comprehensive report [PDF] on just how much much money Big Oil has been sending to the GOP candidate, and how it compares to […]