By Climate Guest Blogger on May 5, 2010 at 5:22 pm
Last week, progressive veterans organization VoteVets.org released an ad arguing that “a clean energy climate plan would cut our dependence on foreign oil in half and cut oil profits for hostile nations.” The ad asserts that “every day, Iran gets $100 million richer selling oil around the world and peddling hate.” TP has the story.
While CNN and MSNBC have aired the ad, Fox News is refusing to do so. Politico reports Fox apparently found the ad “too confusing.” Watch the “confusing” ad:
By Climate Guest Blogger on May 5, 2010 at 5:20 pm
Like a problem gambler, Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) is doubling down her support for the oil industry as her state is threatened by what could become the worst oil disaster in history. Wonk Room’s Brad Johnson has the story.
By Climate Guest Blogger on May 5, 2010 at 3:05 pm
The Deepwater Hazard oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico threatens incredibly rich and complicated ecological communities. It also threatens human communities that are dependent upon the Gulf ecosystem for their ways of life. In the past two years, we have studied how oil spills have impacted every aspect of human society””from individuals’ psychological and physical health to the practices and beliefs of cultures and everything in between. And, while it is true that the number of spills and the volume of oil spilled have decreased over the past decades, the potential for harm””catastrophic or incidental””has not.
Guest bloggers Dr. Thomas Webler, Dr. Seth Tuler, and Dr. Kirstin Dow shed some light on the human social, health, psychological, cultural, and economic impacts of oil spills.
By Climate Guest Blogger on May 5, 2010 at 2:56 pm
Pressed by the Wonk Room, Gov. Bob Riley (R-AL) admitted he is reconsidering his support for offshore drilling off his state’s coast in the face of the growing BP oil disaster. Brad Johnson has the story live from the Gulf Coast in this repost.
The Wonk Room is blogging and tweeting live from the Gulf Coast.
Like a problem gambler, Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) is doubling down her support for the oil industry as her state is threatened by what could become the worst oil disaster in history. Landrieu is placing a career-threatening bet that the damage from the undersea oil gusher to Louisiana will be limited, accusing people concerned by the threat of this ever-growing spill of “hysteria.” Questioned this morning about her campaign contributions from BP and other oil companies, Landrieu said, “I am not a handmaiden to the oil industry,” but then said the United States has to increase its dependence on drilling for oil:
I am not a handmaiden to the oil industry but I will tell you this: This country uses 20 million barrels of oil a day. We produce here in the United States less than half. So our choice is either to increase, you know, our reliance on “friends,” you know, and I say that in quotes, like Venezuela, Cuba and other places to get our oil or learn how to drill it safely here. Again, you’ve got to the put this accident in perspective. The last thing we need to do is shut this oil and gas industry down.
Watch it:
Landrieu is offering Americans a false choice. Instead of getting oil from Venezuela (the United States does not, in fact, import oil from Cuba) or increasing offshore drilling, we can consume less petroleum. Sweden plans to cut its oil use by 40 to 50 percent by 2020, using more fuel-efficient cars and electric vehicles, smart growth, electrified rail systems, biofuels, and other clean-energy policies. Cutting American dependence on oil won’t just reduce the risks of catastrophes in the Gulf Coast and weaken our enemies, but also help the economy grow faster with green jobs.
Update
In a fundraising email sent on May 4, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee director J.B. Poersch described how the “deadly oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico has unleashed an oil spill that threatens livelihoods, pristine beaches, and wildlife along America’s coast.” Poersch concluded that Americans need to choose between Democrats “who are moving our country forward” and Republicans who “cater to the needs of big corporations and special interests.”
Update
,From Crooks and Liars, Landrieu told CNN’s John King that people concerned by the growing disaster are wrong, because all that happened was “you do 999 right and then one wrong”:
I’m not trying to be a watchdog for BP. I’m trying to be a good senator for this country and for Louisiana and to bring a balance to our energy policy, which is protecting our coast, fighting for energy security and a clean environment. I want to say again, John, this is important. We’ve drilled 1,000 deep-water wells in the gulf successfully. 1,000 except for this one. So the fact that you do 999 right and then one wrong doesn’t mean you throw up your hands and run in hysteria.
The latest crazy theory comes from the most unreliable source on disaster response in the world — disgraced FEMA director Michael Brown, who oversaw the Bush administration’s bungled response to Hurricane Katrina. “Brownie,” as he was affectionately known to President Bush, became famous for padding his resume to hide his almost nonexistent disaster management experience. But that didn’t stop Fox News from giving him a platform to push his new snowjob. TP has the story in this repost.
By Climate Guest Blogger on May 5, 2010 at 7:18 am
Monday, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which is funded by dues-paying corporations like BP and Halliburton, hosted a “Free Enterprise” conference to push deregulation and anti-tax policies. TP’s Lee Fang has the story of the Texas governors inane remarks in this repost.
By Climate Guest Blogger on May 5, 2010 at 7:12 am
Gulf Coast marine scientists agree that the unfolding oil disaster could mean devastation beyond human comprehension. Wonk Room’s Brad Johnson has the story in this repost.
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