The so-called Energy Bill will be coming up soon for a final vote in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. How will 'our' representative vote? Or should I say, how will the 'representative from the giant energy corporations elected by the people of the 7th CD' vote? Take a look at these numbers:
$5,000 From Exxon Mobil: From 2003-2004 to Bob Beauprez Campaign
$3,000 From Chevron Texaco: From 2003-2004 to Bob Beauprez Campaign
$6,000 From El Paso Corp (natural gas): From 2003-2004 to Bob Beauprez Campaign
$1,000 From BP Corp: From 2003-200 to Bob Beauprez Campaign
$10,000 From Valero Energy: From 2003-2004 to Bob Beauprez CampaignBeauprez Has Taken Over $110,000 From The Energy And Natural Resources Industry. From 2003-2004 Congressman Bob Beauprez took $110,800 from the energy and natural resources industry. [Sources: Federal Election Commission, Center for Responsive Politics]
Beauprez Has Taken Over $70,000 From The Oil And Gas Industry. From 2003-2004 Congressman Bob Beauprez took $71,550 from the oil and gas industry. [Sources: Federal Election Commission, Center for Responsive Politics]
League of Conservation Voters
It looks like we can call him 'Bought and Paid For' Beauprez in addition to Bob 'Rubber Stamp' Beauprez. The point being that the Seventh Congressional District does not now have independent, honest representation in the nation's capital. We do not have a Congressperson that puts the interests of the residents of this district first, we have an elected official that is loyal first to his political party and his campaign contributors.
That is why it is so necessary to change the way politics is done in this country. How does an energy bill that hands out literally billions of dollars in tax subsidies to the most profitable corporations on the planet, like ExxonMobil, help a driver in Lakewood or Aurora who has to pay $2.30 a gallon for gasoline? Well, you know that energy consumers in our district come second to the mad rush for campaign contributions. This is not what true representative democracy is supposed to be about -- selling out for contributions to help the mega-oil corporations is not good for average people, nor does it strengthen our nation that is running $300-billion-plus federal deficits every year; nor does it wean us from a peaking supply of global petroleum.
And the 'legalized bribery' system just keeps taking its toll on our elections process. Fifteen months before the 2006 elections, Republican O'Donnell and Democrat Perlmutter have already raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for their campaigns ... You just know in your gut that something is terribly wrong with our current political system!
The Green Party supports genuine political reform that will restore grassroots democracy to our republic. Americans have an opportunity to send a message and take a stand to give the United States once again "a government of the people, by the people, for the people."
Link: Energy Lobby Contributes Big - And It Pays | Bloomberg/The Arizona Daily Star �
Oil and utility companies spent $367 million over the last two years pushing Congress to pass energy legislation. For many, the money was a good investment: Lawmakers are poised to pass a measure providing $11.6 billion in taxpayer subsidies. House and Senate negotiators approved compromise legislation Tuesday, and President Bush, who has been seeking an energy bill since the start of his first term, will have it on his desk by July 29, said Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa.
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