You really have to hand it to the Jon Stewart wannabees within the Bush cabal -- their version of
The Onion may not be quite as funny as the work of the folks who parody them, but they sure do
try hard.
In an egregious display of the Bush administration's allegiance to ExxonMobil and the oil and gas industry, Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman has named Lee Raymond, former CEO of ExxonMobil, to head an influential study to develop policy solutions to America's energy crisis.
You remember
Lee Raymond, right?
So what is the very wealthy ex-CEO up to now?
In October 2005, Sec. Bodman contacted ExxonMobil CEO Lee Raymond and asked the National Petroleum Council (NPC), which Mr. Raymond Chairs, to do a study called the Global Oil and Gas Study. The study is to provide the administration with recommendations on the long-term direction of energy policy, from now until 2025.
You might think that any long term planning -- of any kind, about any subject -- would be an improvement for this crowd.
You'd be wrong.
As chair of the study, Lee Raymond was granted the power to determine the study's layout and leadership. Mr. Raymond handpicked DOE Under Secretary David Garman and four vice-chairs to run the supply, demand, technology and geopolitics and policy task groups.
According to Sec. Bodman the study is to provide the administration "with a clearer understanding of the challenges presented by increased global demand for crude oil and the strategies we should consider for meeting these challenges head on." With Lee Raymond at the helm and each task force and committee dominated by oil and gas interests, how likely is it that the recommendations will fairly and accurately assess non-carbon based policy solutions? The inherent conflicts of interest are insurmountable.
It is hard even to imagine how other outrages could be as offensive. I mean, to equal this move, they would have to do something as stupid as putting Mark Foley in charge of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children. Or sending Rush Limbaugh out to chastise Michael J. Fox about his use of medication. Or having Gerorge Bush proclaim a "Character Counts Week."
But who would be gullible enought to believe any of those things would happen?
You can register your opinion via Exxpose Exxon here. To see how rich guys who get it think, look here.
(H/t GroovyGreen)