Bought by Big Oil

I received two emails yesterday with identical subject lines: "Bought by Big Oil."

The first was from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and the other from my dear friend, Ted, in Philadelphia. Both discussed the obvious: Republican Senators take a lot of money from oil companies and work to pass laws that ensure huge profits for those oil companies, at the expense of the average citizen.

The site boughtbybigoil.com works to expose the relationships that elected officials maintain with oil companies.

Here are some tidbits from the site:

So-called conservative, Norm Coleman has accepted over $244,000 from the oil and gas industry. During his tenure in the Senate, gas prices have risen from $1.48 to $3.90 per gallon while oil companies have earned over half a trillion dollars in profits.

Since coming to Congress, Reaganite John Sununu has received $232,030 from the oil and gas industry. In May 2006, he voted $5 billion in tax breaks to oil companies over five years. Yet, as a reward for electing Sununu, middle-class Americans who need some relief from taxes have instead been rewarded with sky-rocketing gas prices.

The list goes on: Elizabeth Dole received a small fortune from the oil industry and voted for that $5 billion tax break. So did, Lamar Alexander, Jim Inhofe, Mitch McConnell, Saxby Chambliss, and many other notable Republicans.

I think it's important for Americans to discuss the tax breaks given to the oil industry at a time of record profits and soaring prices. Our government, under the "leadership" of George W Bush, has been bought and paid-for by the oil industry; and Bush has given us the best government money can buy.

The Bought By Big Oil site wants to promote the discussion of the influence of oil companies on our government. Click the link below to check them out:



If a Senator from your state is on that list, please consider supporting the Democrat running against them. The cost of gas is a huge issue and the current trend jeopardizes our national security, public safety, and entire way of life.

The oil companies need to be stopped.

Olympic thank you:

Thanks to readers who wrote to me and posted comments about my article "In Case You Needed Another Reason To Boycott the 2008 Olympics."

Many people are boycotting the opening ceremonies but watching their favorite competitions, one correspondent told me he has sent emails to all the corporate sponsors expressing his disdain for their support of the Games (an idea I always promote: let the advertisers know your feelings about their spending), only three people have told me they are boycotting out-right. I applaud the decision of those who take this position, especially the sports fans.

I have decided to watch some of the soccer matches. I am excited about the USA's Men's Olympic Team. I will not, however, watch any of the other events I have enjoyed in the past, not because I want to punish swimmers or divers, but because I want to actively choose what to watch, instead of just turing on the Olympics and letting them flow freely through my home and brain.