BIG OIL LOBBY Announces It Will Start DONATING DIRECTLY To Candidates

[Segami]

" The American Petroleum Institute, the Big Oil industry’s chief lobbying organization, will start directly backing political candidates in the second quarter of this year. API, whose membership includes oil giants like Exxon-Mobil and Chevron, already spends tens of millions of dollars every year on lobbying, advertisements and Astroturf campaigns to support the the oil industry agenda. As CAP’s Dan Weiss wrote, API “wants to drill in fragile, sensitive places, keep government tax breaks, expand offshore drilling without reforms, and block global warming pollution reduction requirements.”


“This is adding one more tool to our toolkit,” Martin Durbin, API’s executive vice president for government affairs, told Bloomberg News. “At the end of the day, our mission is trying to influence the policy debate.” As Bloomberg pointed out, oil-supported political action committees like the Independent Petroleum Association of America overwhelmingly donate to Republican candidates.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, API spent $6.7 million on lobbying alone last year, after clearing $7 million in 2009. In 2010, API was the seventh most prolific spender in the oil and gas industry, following ConocoPhillips, Chevron, Exxon-Mobil, Shell, Koch Industries and BP.


cont'

http://thinkprogress.org/2011/02/24/api-direct/



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[lame54]

1. Was it too difficult for them before?

[midnight]

2. The elite might out spend us, but can they out vote us?

[gateley]

3. They did during the mid-terms. nt

[dkf]

4. These guys want us dependent on the crazies like Quadaffi.

We need to get off oil ASAP. Yesterday Joe S says there is huge demand for electric cars but we don't have the production. I don't get that at all. Exactly who is selling us out here? Who is keeping car companies from innovating? You would think they would be interested in their own survival but apparently they too are bought off?

[Segami]

6. Its always about control & power.

worth a look:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1405611374523233913#

[Angry Dragon]

5. Pretty soon "You too can buy your own Congressperson On Ebay"

[KansDem]

11. Maybe it'll be called "Cbay"

"C" for Congress...

[Bandit]

7. Last year Exxon had a NET PROFIT of over One Hundred Million Dollars a DAY

Over One Hundred Million Dollars a Day. Net Profit..after every single expense was paid..in the pocket money...OVER One Hundred Million Dollars a DAY.. A friggin' Day.. Day in and day out seven days a week fifty two weeks a year.. NET PROFIT...I would think they could afford a few hundred million for their favorite candidates...

[sinkingfeeling]

8. Let's all give a round of applause to the SCOTUS and all the new 'citizens' we have here!

[leveymg]

9. USA: The Other Kindom of Oil. The global majors aren't really US companies anymore. They're

largely owned and controlled by Middle East and Far East moneymen. In recent decades, they have basically purchased the U.S. Government, and are now making good on their investment by setting group pricing and demanding their own terms for operations inside the United States. That's why the GOP gladly serves them, and the Democrats are afraid to oppose most of their agenda. For the most recent outrage of our oil-drenched Congress, please, see, http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/02/24/948473/-Alleged-deficit-hawks-surrender-billions-in-revenue-to-oil-companies?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dailykos%2Findex+%28Daily+Kos%29&utm_content=Twitter

These are the same nice people who bought controlling interests in the banks at fire sale prices and now own a large chunk of what remains of the rest of this country's valuable assets, including the state and federal governments.

[xchrom]

10. because part of the business plan is actually control the government.

seriously when a business get's that big -- it's about political power as much as it is about it's business.

[bullwinkle428]

12. Once again, THANK YOU SUPREME COURT for "Citizens United"!

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[eShirl]

13. good, it'll be easier to see who are their kept men and women politicians

[Earth_First]

14. Congress should be required to wear the appropriate corporate label pin in this instance...

Some of these clowns will look like a waiter at Chotchkie's with their "30 pieces of flair."

(See: Office Space reference...)

[L0oniX]

15. ...just as they are given more miliions in tax breaks. Gee I wonder where they get the money ?

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/02/24/948473/-Alleged-deficit-hawks-surrender-billions-in-revenue-to-oil-companies?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dailykos%2Findex+%28Daily+Kos%29&utm_content=Twitter