The amount of money being spent by Gas and Oil Industry to lobby for their industry is way up from recent years.
Instead of spending some of their profits to drill for Gas the right way, they would rather waste millions on lobbying to keep the right to jeopardize the health of American Citizens and our environment.
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/07/23/23greenwire-energy-companies-opened-wallets-wide-to-sway-h-97518.html
"The oil and gas industry's top spending in the second quarter comes after first-quarter numbers showed the sector on pace to shatter previous spending totals. The industry in the first three months of the year spent $44.5 million on lobbying, compared with $30.1 million in the same period a year earlier. If the pace set by this year's first quarter continued, it would result in a $178 million lobbying total for the year.
Oil and gas in 2008 spent $130 million, a record at that time."
The Oil and Gas Industry is also contributing in a big way to politicians.
Below is an article that lists some of the campaign donations from Exxon Mobile to Kay Bailey Hucthinson to the tune of $82,070 from 1989 to 2006.
http://www.exxposeexxon.com/ExxonMobil_politics.html
Our Mission: To work in a legal, ethical, and civil manner to stop urban gas drilling in the highly residential areas of North Texas. We are not against all gas drilling, but rather that which will adversely affect the public safety, the enjoyment of our homes, and our overall quality of life. We support the need for better regulation and accountability of the Oil & Gas Industry in rural and urban areas of Texas.
Yes, I believe that it is safe to say that there are many issues, such as keeping the industry viable, that far outweigh "your" environmental issues.
ReplyDeleteI'd say that the discrepancy of attention is much like your previously used analogies regarding neighbors that own mineral rights and how you believe that they are wrong to sign a lease because they are "hurting other neighbors".
Well, unless the industry does something about Obama's abominable energy policies, it is going to go under.
The water we drink and the air we breath is not important enough to protect? None of these posts would be necessary if the Oil and Gas Industry had better regulation. They have exemption from the clean water act. What good will any industry be if no one is around because they can't breath the air or drink the water. Hey O & G Industry... put people before profits and maybe we will welcome you.
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