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Looking forward to another big ticket issue that moneyed interests are working to derail…
As if $82 million in lobbying so far this year isn’t enough, the oil industry decided to fake public concern and challenge the upcoming climate bill further than they already are through really dishonest means recently. Greenpeace received a leaked memo from the American Petroleum Institute (API) last week urging members to have their employees pretend to be typical citizens concerned about energy and the upcoming climate bill.
Greenpeace helped by leaking the memo and laying Astroturf outside the API headquarters in D.C. (the fake grassroots activism the API was engaging in is known as “astroturfing”). The Astroturf had the logos of ExxonMobil, Shell, BP and Chevron on it, some of the biggest oil players who are involved in the scandalous institute.
The memo from the API President that Greenpeace leaked told the CEOs of major companies (i.e. ExxonMobil, Shell, BP and Chevron) to “indicate to your company leadership – your strong support for employee participation in the rallies” and to treat the memo as “secretive” because “we don’t want our critics to know our game plan.”
Will the exposure of this tired old "game plan" dampen its effectiveness? Will the media just roll over and give half the spotlight to these "concerned citizens" as the debate develops? Will I be chastised for asking questions I know the answers to?
4 Comments
i worked in ..near .. for and around the oil boyz for years .. they’re not stupid .. they’ll fight this hard … it’s just the facts of life ..
Oil is actually even more entrenched than health insurance, since oil has been fighting pretty much since Earth Day. I figure they’ll eventually go like the tobacco industry- a slow, vicious retreat- but truth is, I’m so heartened by the recent stand Progressives took in this nation that I feel…. hopeful. Maybe we can win this.
If we can get real health care reform through, the sheer momentum from it might carry us to more Progressive victories, which would be wonderful.
Though it’s a sad comment on modern journalism that the “tired old game plan”, as you so correctly called it, works as well as it does. It’s almost like the anti-evolution; there’s no outside pressure to change, so they don’t, and the game plan remains the same.
Yeah, I agree, success may breed success.
Having worked with some one close to oil co. executives during several years when there was constant bombardment with anti-Hillary lit., I have to love seeing the contempt of the public that pervades, and counteracts, oil co. campaigns against public interests. And sorry, but that makes them stupid.