The following chart reflects where the big oil and gas money went during the 2010 elections: (b)
Rnk Organization Amount Dems Repubs Lobby $'s
| 1 | Koch Industries | $1,928,262 | 6% | 94% | $ 8,070,000 |
| 2 | Exxon Mobil | $1,408,162 | 12% | 86% | $12,450,000 |
| 3 | Chief Oil & Gas | $1,192,361 | 0% | 16% | |
| 4 | Chevron Corp | $941,464 | 17% | 82% | $12,890,000 |
| 5 | Marathon Oil | $680,640 | 18% | 80% | |
| 6 | Valero Energy | $636,500 | 15% | 83% | |
| 7 | Occidental Petroleum | $577,100 | 21% | 77% | |
| 8 | Devon Energy | $508,000 | 6% | 92% | |
| 9 | Williams Companies | $491,685 | 27% | 72% | |
| 10 | Chesapeake Energy | $477,056 | 38% | 60% | |
| 11 | ConocoPhillips | $475,504 | 28% | 68% | |
| 12 | Independent Petroleum Assn of America | $459,500 | 10% | 88% | |
| 13 | Anadarko Petroleum | $456,460 | 11% | 85% | |
| 14 | American Gas Assn | $386,400 | 43% | 55% | |
| 15 | Pilot Corp | $345,867 | 3% | 96% | |
| 16 | Halliburton Co | $314,280 | 9% | 89% | |
| 17 | Society of Indep Gasoline Marketers | $281,500 | 60% | 40% | |
| 18 | Tesoro Petroleum | $277,883 | 38% | 60% | |
| 19 | Clean Energy Fuels Corp | $249,150 | 15% | 6% | |
| 20 | Bass Brothers Enterprises | $247,465 | 26% | 74% |
This chart only reflects regulated contributions. Personal contributions were much, much more in many instances. Except in the three notated above, lobby money is not shown and 'soft money' contributions can only be guess-timated because of its virtually unregulated status. Nonetheless, it increases the campaign funds by millions of dollars.
In 1979, Congress passed an amendment to the stiff laws governing campaign contributions, a 'loophole', allowing "...political parties to spend as much as they want as long as the money goes to "party building activities," such as "get-out-the-vote" efforts and generic advertising, such as "issue" ads. Essentially, soft money blew a hole through the reforms of the 1970s." (c) The Supreme Court further opened Pandora's Box in 2010 when they diluted the regulations even more in this area. (d)
Remember all those REALLY ugly ads we had to endure during the last Congressional elections? The ones packed with half truths and vicious lies? Soft-money paid for most of them. They reeked a devastating blow to Democratic incumbents! The Republicans, through deceit and fraudulent ads, took the House back after they had raped America for eight years during Bush's administration! Boy! We have short memories!
But big money political backers and players depend on voter gullibility. They reach out to our emotions and gamble the majority of those watching their orchestrated dog and pony shows won't dig for the truth...and they are usually correct.
Politics is an ugly game that the wealthy are honing down to a fine art form. Their money flow depends on keeping elected officials in place who will continue funneling them the money they do not deserve. We will remain puppets on their golden strings until we decide to cut our tethers, challenge their lies and break the cycle of taking from the poor and giving to the rich. Our choice...But I am digressing. Let's get back to the Oil and Gas industry.
We gave them $41 BILLION in subsidies last year! (j) In 2009, Exxon made $19 billion in profits yet received a $156 million tax refund from the United States! (k) ZOWIE! My husband and I made a little over $32K and had to pay in excess of $700 in taxes. This year, Exxon's net income increased 69% in the first quarter, 49% of that is pure profit! (i)
Nothing short of doubletalk and subterfuge could sell subsidizing these massive money giants! Nonetheless, that is exactly what the Republicans are attempting when they ask lower and middle Americans to tighten our belts instead of canceling billions in subsidies and tax breaks to their wealthy benefactors. Nothing is fair about this system. Call your reps and tell them enough's enough!
President Obama has already sent a letter to the House saying just that. Even so, nothing has been done. I hate to keep beating the same drum...BUT, if we as citizens in this country don't take a stand and force Congress to listen to and enforce our collective opinions, the plight of middle and poor Americans will continue to decline.
Get on the phone today! Call your representatives in the House and Senate. Go to the following webb site for information about who they are if you do not know: http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml Tell them what you think about the issues strangling our society. Then...follow up with letters, emails and faxes. If we keep flooding their offices with our demands, they will have to listen or not be re-elected.
Have a good day! I'll continue my tirade tomorrow. REMEMBER! CONTACT THEM!
a: http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/347/oil-politics.html
b: http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/contrib.php?cycle=2010&ind=E01
c: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/campfin/intro4.htm
d: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122805666
e: http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_local_namesblog/2011/04/trying-to-crack-down-on-unions-well-some-unions-anyway.html
f: http://blog.pfaw.org/content/ohio-governor-signs-union-busting-bill-the-fight-isnt-over
g: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/03/10/divisive-wisconsin-union-busting-bill-set-to-pass/
h: http://www.fox41.com/story/14071132/right-to-work-passes-indiana-house-committee
i: http://dailycaller.com/2011/04/28/exxon-posts-record-profits-in-midst-of-turmoil-over-gas-prices/
j: http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2011/0309/Budget-hawks-Does-US-need-to-give-gas-and-oil-companies-41-billion-a-year
k: http://sanders.senate.gov/graphics/exxon-sec.doc
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