Granny Rant
Wednesday, September 10, 2003
::: Enron et al Wrote Bush Energy Policy :::
::: From The Democratic National Committee :::
Decided to post this one straight out as well ... seems kind of important.
Aug 27, 2003
Enron, Other Big Energy Companies Wrote Bush Energy Policy
A report from the General Accounting Office showed that the White House's 2001 energy policy was written largely by Bush cronies and campaign donors in the energy industry. The policy heavily favors energy companies, largely at the expense of our environment, especially national parks and other protected lands.
According to the Washington Post:
An energy task force, led by Vice President Cheney, relied for outside advice primarily on "petroleum, coal, nuclear, natural gas, electricity industry representatives and lobbyists," while seeking limited input from academic experts, environmentalists and policy groups, the GAO said.
The White House has strongly resisted the GAO investigation, taking the agency to court to avoid releasing documents that show how often the administration met with industry representatives when crafting its plan. The GAO report took the administration to task for continuing its secrecy over who it met with and what was discussed in task force meetings.
Those meetings included a private half-hour session between Cheney and Kenneth Lay, chairman of Enron, the energy company that was President Bush's biggest donor throughout his political career before it declared bankruptcy in December 2001.
The Cheney Energy Task force released its energy policy in 2001 to wide praise from the energy industry, which would receive subsidies and favorable tax breaks under the recommendations. Environmental activists opposed the policies, especially those that called for increased drilling in national parks and other areas protected by the federal government.
The task force's recommendations included drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Democrats have stood up to Republicans on drilling in ANWR, and are continuing the fight as the GOP keeps pushing for the destructive plan. [Washington Post, 8/26/03]
From Democrats.org
