Coal Front Group Pulls Website Using Kids To Spout Industry Propaganda
Coal Front Group Pulls Website Using Kids To Spout Industry Propaganda
On Feb. 14, ThinkProgress reported that Americans for Balanced Energy Choices (ABEC) — the coal front group that has sponsored multiple presidential debates and whose members paid for an advertisement comparing the governor of Kansas to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad — was using children to propagandize for coal interests on a wesbite, LearnAboutCoal.org.
Now the website has been shut down. Typing its URL into your browser leads you to an authorization request, and searching for the site on Google redirects you to ABEC’s main website.
ThinkProgress contacted ABEC to ask about why the site had been dismantled. Executive Director Joe Lucas explained that LearnAboutCoal.org was designed for a 2005 campaign and only remained up because “a small rural electric coop” in Iowa was running ads directing viewers to the site. That Iowa campaign, Lucas said, finished in January, and now ABEC is pushing viewers to their current campaign, AmericasPower.org. However, he did not explain why the site was working as late as mid-February.
“We have a significant campaign budget designated to send traffic to the America’s Power site,” Lucas said. Lucas is referring to ABEC’s $35 million dollar 2008 campaign, which by mid-January had “spent $1.3 million on billboard, newspaper, television and radio ads in Iowa, Nevada and South Carolina.”
UPDATE: On Friday, Glenn Beck and conservative commentator Jonah Goldberg disparaged environmentalists for using children in “relentless propagandizing.” Neither of them mentioned Big Coal’s reliance on kid shills:
BECK: And yet I watch these TV commercials where, all of them, for these SUVs, these green SUVs, are all the children saying, “I don’t know if I can ride in that car, mom. I don`t want to be dropped off in that car.” They’re using the children almost to shame the parents into it. [...]
GOLDBERG: You should find some clips from the old cartoon “Captain Planet.” It was just relentless propagandizing of children where the villains were all these cartoonish — literally cartoonish — corporate CEOs who wanted to destroy the environment. And all that — the only thing that could save the world was if all the children from all over the world got together and formed this super hero to save the planet. It was pure environmental propaganda.
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The cartoon version will be out next week. No need for live kids to be harmed in the making of this propaganda.
February 25th, 2008 at 1:33 pmI just watched a Barack Obama video and I think I’m going to faint. It was just like watching Elvis or the Beatles. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3J4b-NWKYA&feature=related
February 25th, 2008 at 1:42 pmToday, Barney get’s black lung disease from mining coal, and Tinky Winky’s beach house gets drowned by rising sea levels.
Its a fun time for all!!
February 25th, 2008 at 1:46 pmWell kids just love breathing polluted air, and that mercury in their water does wonders for their digestive system.
Clean coal my ass…no such thing.
Buck Fush
February 25th, 2008 at 1:46 pmThe cartoon version will be out next week. No need for live kids to be harmed in the making of this propaganda.
Comment by RUCerious — February 25, 2008 @ 1:33 pm
Next Week’s Episode: The Evil Environmentalists and the Mountain Man try to stop Coalie the Coal Miner from getting his magic rocks by burying them deep under scenic West Virginia mountains. Luckily, Captain Dynamite shows up in the nick of time to save the day. Take THAT, nature!!
February 25th, 2008 at 1:48 pmDon’t forget kids, coal is also a great afterschool snack!
February 25th, 2008 at 1:51 pm“Our coal-fired generating plants are 70% cleaner”
– from http://www.americaspower.org
Cleaner than what? Coal-fired generating plants from yesteryear? Forgive me, but this sounds a bit like a tourism brochure from Baghdad: “come vacation in sunny Baghdad — we have 70% less explosions than we did last year!”
February 25th, 2008 at 1:51 pmInteresting. A 2005 ad campaign?? They must have started that campaign very late, cuz the WHOIS info on that domain doesn’t have it registered until DEcember of 2005:
http://tinyurl.com/2bldh7
February 25th, 2008 at 1:53 pmAh, yes… Glenn Dreck and the Doughy Pantload — together at last!
Isn’t it extraordinarily bad to get these two together? Wouldn’t they then prepare the portal through which Gozar the Gozarian enters this realm?
February 25th, 2008 at 1:55 pmStay tuned for next week’s episode! When the environuts singlehandedly destroy the economy, and CoalGuy stops nuclear waste eruptions at the Hanford Reservation!
February 25th, 2008 at 1:57 pm“…the only thing that could save the world was if all the children from all over the world got together and formed this super hero to save the planet.”
HOW AWFUL!
February 25th, 2008 at 1:57 pmBut he did his mining in Western PA and WV in the 1920’s and 1930’s when average dust levels were at 8.0 mg. or more per cubic meter, more than 4x greater than the current standard.
Comment by good_golly — February 25, 2008 @ 1:56 pm
Oh. Then we’re all cool now. Good to know.
February 25th, 2008 at 1:58 pmHey, gigi! Can I joke about it? Since I am, after all, a lung cancer survivor? Huh? I guess I’d like some cleaner air to breathe for the rest of my life, now, wouldn’t I?
February 25th, 2008 at 1:59 pmJonah and Glenn want nothing to stand in the way of their campaign to create more generations of unthinking, materialistic sheep.
February 25th, 2008 at 2:00 pmSo what’s your point gigi? That we should use coal because your grandfather died and if we don’t his death will have been in vain? Cuz that’s the logic for us staying in Iraq.
February 25th, 2008 at 2:00 pmgigi’s point is that since coal mining is SO MUCH FU(KING safer now, it’s no problem dirtying up the air we breathe!
February 25th, 2008 at 2:03 pmAll of you liberal progressives are really obtuse. The environmentalists using children to try to change their parents’ minds is no more than propaganda because the problem of global climate change is a hoax. I know because rush and mary matalin, among others, have provided me with the facts. Therefore, using children to discuss the use of coal is simply getting the facts out to the public in a way that is easy to understand.
February 25th, 2008 at 2:09 pm“… and Pigpen, why did none of the other children play with him? PEANUTS- pure propaganda! FERN GULLY, saw that movie and just about crapped my pants- here’s a twist- “fairies” don’t want us to chop down the rain forest?!? Oh, no symbolism there… Why soon you won’t even be able to give kids coal in their stockings.”
February 25th, 2008 at 2:09 pmMy point is that coal is a lot cleaner than it used to be, and can be made even cleaner yet with continuing advances in technology.
Comment by good_golly — February 25, 2008 @ 2:03 pm
I wonder how much cleaner coal has to be made in order to be as clean as, say solar? Or geothermal? Or wind?
No matter. Gigi, like most wingnuts, has a sliding scale.
February 25th, 2008 at 2:10 pmComment by BearCountry — February 25, 2008 @ 2:09 pm
All right! We have a new Parody Troll!
Good. Daryll needs some competition. He’s getting lazy.
February 25th, 2008 at 2:11 pmI sure hope BearCountry is being sarcastic. If not, then we just may have experienced what could quite possibly be the most gullible person on the face of the Earth!
February 25th, 2008 at 2:14 pmDon’t waste this natural and abundant resource that can help make us less dependent on foreign oil.
Comment by good_golly — February 25, 2008 @ 2:03 pm
You mean we will finally get out from under the thumb of those dastardly Canadians!?!
February 25th, 2008 at 2:14 pmgigi’s point is that since coal mining is SO MUCH FU(KING safer now, it’s no problem dirtying up the air we breathe!
Comment by RUCerious — February 25, 2008 @ 2:03 pm
Well of course it’s safer now – instead of tunneling under the mountains, we jsut blow them up and dump the “fill” in a nearby river valley. And since it’s classified “fill” instead of hazardous waste, the nasty health effects felt by people downstream are merely figments of their imagination.
But hey, the coal miners are much safer!
February 25th, 2008 at 2:20 pmThere are too many Obama trolls on this web site. It’s like wading through a kindergarten classrom full of uninformed children and babies.
:(
February 25th, 2008 at 2:20 pmLet not allow anyone to harvest America’s cheap energy. I am sure the poor will appreciate the Dems much higher priced energy alternatives.
February 25th, 2008 at 2:22 pmMy point is that coal is a lot cleaner than it used to be, and can be made even cleaner yet with continuing advances in technology.
Comment by good_golly — February 25, 2008 @ 2:03 pm
GG: Here, take this.
February 25th, 2008 at 2:22 pmUS: What is it?
GG: Poison.
US: Poison huh? I don’t think so.
GG: No, its cool. That guy took two and died so you should be alright if you just take one.
US: I don’t really know how I can argue with logic like that.
No. My point is that coal is a lot cleaner than it used to be, and can be made even cleaner yet with continuing advances in technology. Don’t waste this natural and abundant resource that can help make us less dependent on foreign oil.
Comment by good_golly — February 25, 2008 @ 2:03 pm
I agree that the less dependence we have on foreign oil, the better. However, I think we must proceed carefully with coal power — just as we do with nuclear power. There must be standards as to how much pollution one can put in the air (especially mercury!), there must be standards as to how much carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are put into the atmosphere, and there must be standards enforced to ensure miners’ safety.
By all means, let’s continue making coal cleaner to use. But it’s still too dirty.
February 25th, 2008 at 2:23 pmLet not allow anyone to harvest America’s cheap energy. I am sure the poor will appreciate the Dems much higher priced energy alternatives.
Comment by Roger_Roger — February 25, 2008 @ 2:22 pm
You mean the poor that usually suffer more from the effects of poisons in the environment?
February 25th, 2008 at 2:24 pmThose poor?
No. My point is that coal is a lot cleaner than it used to be, and can be made even cleaner yet with continuing advances in technology. Don’t waste this natural and abundant resource that can help make us less dependent on foreign oil.
Comment by good_golly — February 25, 2008 @ 2:03 pm
gg wants more grandfathers to die from Black Lung, as does roger2. There’s never enough kiulling to satisfy the rightwing bloodlust; they’ll even offer their own grandparents. and the children? let them fend for themselves; we got ours! The rightard mantra. Some sick shits.
February 25th, 2008 at 2:26 pmBy all means, let’s continue making coal cleaner to use. But it’s still too dirty.
Comment by missmolly — February 25, 2008 @ 2:23 pm
Forget how dirty coal is; look at the environmental effects, including death and destruction from blowing the tops off mountains. Death and Destruction: it’s the Republican way!
February 25th, 2008 at 2:28 pmMr. Golly is lucky his family was able to participate in organized labor. The coal miner’s union fought a lot of important battles against greedy immoral righties back in the day. Mr. Golly himself, though, is proof the apple can fall quite far indeed from the tree.
February 25th, 2008 at 2:28 pmLet not allow anyone to harvest America’s cheap energy. I am sure the poor will appreciate the Dems much higher priced energy alternatives.
Comment by Roger_Roger — February 25, 2008 @ 2:22 pm
http://www.salon.com/tech/htww/2008/02/22/solar_power_economics/index.html
Let’s not allow anyone to record on America’s cheap cassette tape format. I am sure the poor will appreciate the record companies much higher priced CD’s. Wait- with investment the price has come down? Now CD’s are actually cheaper to produce? Digital music is replacing CD’s? Slow down! I love my Walkman- my dirty, polluting Walkman…
February 25th, 2008 at 2:28 pmHey kids,you too can have coals in your stockings!
February 25th, 2008 at 2:28 pmMr. Golly, why would you betray your union-organizing ancestors by being a Righty? I’m sure great-grandpappy would give you the back of his hand for turning against him and his union brothers.
February 25th, 2008 at 2:29 pmLet not allow anyone to harvest America’s cheap energy. I am sure the poor will appreciate the Dems much higher priced energy alternatives.
Comment by Roger_Roger — February 25, 2008 @ 2:22 pm
Our cheap energy wouldn’t be nearly as cheap without all the subsidies and tax breaks to the oil industry.
February 25th, 2008 at 2:33 pm35 – Exactly!! – RR, why do you think big oil, big coal, and big energy in general should be collecting welfare?
Anyone in search of “welfare queens” need only look to the boardrooms of Ameica’s biggest companies – all of them are there.
February 25th, 2008 at 2:40 pmI’m sorry, but I feel that if you have to explain sarcasm it loses it’s punch, even when written. If you actually read my comment, you would see that I didn’t capitalize rush or mary (and there was a report a little earlier in TP about her making stupid remarks about the climate change “hoax”).
February 25th, 2008 at 2:41 pmBC, nice snark. I was taken in for a minute myself! Now if you’d added a geebus told me, that woulda been a dead giveaway!
February 25th, 2008 at 2:42 pmSo set reasonable standards and enforce them. But don’t abandon coal as an energy source.
Comment by good_golly — February 25, 2008 @ 2:44 pm
Why did they abandon animal blubber?
February 25th, 2008 at 2:51 pmWhales are endangered now, but Rush Limburger and Karl Rove could make up for that loss of energy source.
Beck & Goldberg graduated from ‘Flock U’ & are sheeple in the flock.
Glenn, Jonah…Flock U!
February 25th, 2008 at 2:54 pmComment by good_golly — February 25, 2008 @ 2:44 pm
No one is saying shut down all coal plants ASAP, but why throw good money at dead technology? STOP the subsidies and STOP new construction of coal plants and TRANSFER those resources to research and alternative energy sources that will make us truly independant…
February 25th, 2008 at 3:01 pmIt makes ENVIROMENTAL sense, it makes ECONOMICAL sense, it is just COMMON sense…
If, Mr. Golly, your contention is true, you have no business consorting with righties, or espousing righty ideology.
It’s also worth noting that Righties and Republican’ts see government regulation as the world’s greatest sin, so I don’t see how you could have the controlled and regulated coal industry you describe. You’ve put yourself in a catch-22 there, and there’s no honorable way out of it.
February 25th, 2008 at 3:01 pmComment by tombaker — February 25, 2008 @ 3:01 pm
February 25th, 2008 at 3:12 pmMr. Baker-
Of course, the regulations that Gigi is referring to would be the self-imposed kind… as the mining industry has shown self-regulation leads to higher profits, the higher accident rate is coincidental… allowing the coal industry to self-regulate would result in reported pollution levels dropping almost overnight! It’s a win-win (cough, cough) situation!
BTW you are still my favorite Dr. Who regeneration…
Comment by good_golly — February 25, 2008 @ 3:23 pm
Here’s the relevant part of that post:
April 18, 1977.
Gigi- you are totally right, let’s heed the 30 YEAR OLD words of our former president and begin to invest in coal now! I am also interested in investing in this tiny company that makes software for personal computers, Microsoft- maybe you can put me in touch with your time-machine guy?
February 25th, 2008 at 3:33 pmWhy, goony, you whore! Quoting Jimmy Carter – a *gasp!* DEMOCRAT – to make your point!
You’re kinda shameless, aren’t you – ?
February 25th, 2008 at 3:36 pmJimmy Carter was pro-coal, sure—but that was thirty years ago! I’m sure he’s come around lately. And even if he hasn’t, I think we’d do better to listen to, y’know, more modern statesmen.
Didja know? Abraham Lincoln didn’t use gasoline combustion engines!
February 25th, 2008 at 3:57 pmTherefore, using children to discuss the use of coal is simply getting the facts out to the public in a way that is easy to understand.
Comment by BearCountry — February 25, 2008 @ 2:09 pm
Thus this troll admits it has difficulty comprehending issues unless they are presented at 3rd grave level. I wonder if BC is related to Chimpy?
February 25th, 2008 at 4:10 pmALL I CAN SAY:
http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/columnists/story.html?id=332289
“The U.S. National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) reported that many American cities and towns suffered record cold temperatures in January and early February. According to the NCDC, the average temperature in January “was -0.3 F cooler than the 1901-2000 (20th century) average.”
MORE SNOW THEN ANYTIME SINCE 1966 and the coldest weather since before 1901. DAMN COAL!!!!
February 25th, 2008 at 4:11 pmGotta wonder if R2R will be schlupping around here in July when we are recording record hot temperatures as well..
February 25th, 2008 at 4:49 pmThat’s okay; R2 has demonstrated that he has no concept of the difference between contintental US weather figures and global climate patterns.
It’s not like that’s a key concept for understanding the global climate or anything…
February 25th, 2008 at 4:53 pmMORE SNOW THEN ANYTIME SINCE 1966 and the coldest weather since before 1901. DAMN COAL!!!!
Comment by Roger_Roger — February 25, 2008 @ 4:11 pm
yes, r2, the weather is exactly like the climate.
idiot.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:54 pmgg goes back 31 years to quote a president she hates. the hypocrisy is amazing.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:55 pmAccording to the NCDC, the average temperature in January “was -0.3 F cooler than the 1901-2000 (20th century) average.â€
MORE SNOW THEN ANYTIME SINCE 1966 and the coldest weather since before 1901. DAMN COAL!!!!
Comment by Roger_Roger — February 25, 2008 @ 4:11 pm
R2 also has no concept of how averages work. Either that, or he’s dishonestly misrepresenting the statement that “the average temperature in January “was -0.3 F cooler than the 1901-2000 (20th century) average.”.
But that’s okay. It’s not like THAT’S a key concept for understanding the problem, either.
And it’s not like we expect anything more from R2 anyway.
February 25th, 2008 at 4:55 pm#57 If you read the article you would also find that Artic sea ice has recovered and thicker.
“And remember the Arctic Sea ice? The ice we were told so hysterically last fall had melted to its “lowest levels on record? Never mind that those records only date back as far as 1972 and that there is anthropological and geological evidence of much greater melts in the past.
The ice is back.
Gilles Langis, a senior forecaster with the Canadian Ice Service in Ottawa, says the Arctic winter has been so severe the ice has not only recovered, it is actually 10 to 20 cm thicker in many places than at this time last year.”
Reading the whole article for the win!
February 25th, 2008 at 5:05 pmWhen does the roger_roger_roger model come out? the r2 is way behind the times. It’s like watching that old Sinbad claymation movie. It used to be scary, now it’s funny.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:09 pmR2 seems to think that introducing irrelevant information somehow explains his inability to deal with the concept of “averages” properly.
But, as I said, it’s not like R2 has led us to expect any more than this from him anyway…
But that is something to note — the artic sea ice that melted last summer has re-frozen in the winter. Who could have predicted that?
February 25th, 2008 at 5:10 pmWhen does the roger_roger_roger model come out?
Comment by Bobwurst — February 25, 2008 @ 5:09 pm
I think they’ve discontinued that model, which explains the sluggish performance of the current unit. They can’t even get parts for it anymore.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:15 pmComment by Roger_Roger — February 25, 2008 @ 5:05 pm
This just in…
February 25th, 2008 at 5:19 pmPunxsutawney Phil sees his shadow! 6 more weeks of winter assured! Groundhog also declares coal to be his preferred fuel and proclaims Climate Change a crock of sh*t! Refute that coal haters!
From Groundhog.org:
How often is Phil’s prediction correct? 100% of the time, of course!
Can we get Exxon or the ABEC to endow a think tank for him?
100%!!!!
February 25th, 2008 at 5:21 pmComment by belac — February 25, 2008 @ 5:19 pm
I see you hold all the cards, my friend. I submit to your greater wisdom.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:22 pmRoger2-
February 25th, 2008 at 5:31 pmIf Coal is really that competitive surely it can compete with other energy sources without subsidies… the money will be pouring in from investors as soon as we allow Coal to compete in the free market! Wait, banks and insurance companies won’t underwrite new coal plants? Something about future liabilities? We should build them anyway with public funding? RR why do you hate the free market?
I hear that Mr. Butts (from Doonesburry) is looking for a new job. He’s experienced with denial.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:41 pmCome on, St. A. Did you read my original comment very thoroughly and then the follow up comments? Does everything have to be spelled out for you very s l o w l y ?
February 25th, 2008 at 9:45 pmBearCountry, a little tip:
if you’re going to parody the trolls, as you did above, you have to recognize that they don’t make it very easy on you. You can come up with the most outrageous, ironic distortion of conservative talking points possible, and then find out that a REAL troll has already said the exact same thing, and MEANT IT.
It’s a tough gig you’ve chosen. I wish you the best of luck.
February 25th, 2008 at 11:36 pmOh, I forgot.
Global warming actually makes for very cold winters and more ice! It makes it warmers, colder, dryer, wetter, a better place to live, and a worse place to live all in one!!!
February 26th, 2008 at 10:12 amI use coal! I will continue to use coal and reject oil and gas till I can afford somthing cheeper. Everybody uses propaganda today.
February 26th, 2008 at 9:34 pmAll of you liberal progressives are really obtuse. The environmentalists using children to try to change their parents’ minds is no more than propaganda because the problem of global climate change is a hoax. I know because rush and mary matalin, among others, have provided me with the facts. Therefore, using children to discuss the use of asus a32-m9 battery,asus a32-w7 battery coal is simply getting the facts out to the public in a way that is easy to understand.
October 15th, 2008 at 3:52 am