I love NPR like any good liberal, but I prefer to listen to WTOP news radio as I get ready for work in the morning. I'm one of those people who needs to hear the weather forecast four times before it sinks in, plus the time checks help keep me on schedule.But the last few weeks I've considered switching over to the dulcet tones of Carl Kasell if only to avoid the constant bombardment of commercials running on WTOP opposing the energy bill moving through Congress right now. The sources of the commercials range from General Motors to shadowy front groups like the Edison Electric Institute.
After the jump, we will, in the words of the immortal MC Hammer ... break it down.
THE AD: The Edison Electric Institute, a coalition of power companies that as recently as 2002 was funding global warming misinformation is running ads saying, "Gee, aren't state renewable energy standards swell? We sure don't need those government bureaucrats in Washington dictating a federal renewable energy standard to us."
THE REALITY: The United States is far behind Europe in our production of renewable energy, leaving us far more dependent on foreign sources of fossil fuels. While state standards are great, a national renewable energy standard of 20% is a reasonable, affordable way to push our entire nation forward.
THE AD: A commercial innocuously labeling itself as "paid for by the people of America's oil and natural gas industry" claims the energy bill will result in 1970s-style energy shortages and lines at the gas pump. You can see a print version of the ad here.
THE REALITY: All that could potentially be true if it was in fact US energy policy that triggered the oil crisis. But I seem to remember a little cartel called OPEC having a bit more involvement than Congressional Democrats. And "the people of America's oil and natural gas industry" = the American Petroleum Institute.
THE AD: A General Motors engineer who built the company's first driveable hydrogen fuel cell vehicle tells his story as an announcer intones the GM is driving us towards our energy future.
THE REALITY: Until the technology improves and we can easily refill hydrogen fuel cells with renewable energy, hydrogen cars are pie in the sky at best and more likely yet another example of GM's greenwashing. We're much better off pursuing tougher fuel economy standards and encouraging the production of plug-in hybrids.
Here are some good places to keep up with the latest developments on the energy bill:
- The Chesapeake Climate Action Network's blog
- Gristmill
- Treehugger
- The National Wildlife Federation's Wildlife Promise blog
These industry groups will always try and game the system however. I don't know how you get around it, nor do I know how effective it is on any given issue.