You may have seen one or more of a series of http://www.vote-4-energy.org/ television ads by the American Petroleum Institute (API) that have been running on a more regular basis than lawyer commercials recently.
Intended to give us a warm fuzzy feeling about Big Oil, it’s no coincidence they’re airing in an election year.
The primary trade association of the oil and gas industry, API boasts nearly 400 members. http://www.polluterwatch.com/american-petroleum-institute
Though it spent only about $200,000 on the 2012 election, it literally pours money into other programs—$33 million on lobbying between 2008 and 2012—and was instrumental in funding a $27 million anti-science “scientific” study to refute research linking benzene to cancer.
API was also not above embellishing job creation claims, touting 20,000 new jobs as opposed to the 6,000 estimated by the U.S. State Department and Cornell University.
API also donated money to the National Science Teachers Association for distributing a short film promoting the petroleum industry. http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/American_Petroleum_Institute#Concerns_about_API-funded_research
If there remains any doubt to the underlying intent of the recent glut of ads, a leaked memo written by API CEO Jack Gerard in August 2009 revealed that a number of trade groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers, coordinated “Energy Citizens’ rallies in key Congressional districts in an effort to ramp up political opposition to climate and energy legislation.
Directly funded and organized by API and member companies, the “rallies” were coordinated by oil lobbyists and API member Chevron even bused it employees to events.
API also contributed $25,000 to Americans for Prosperity, the Tea Party organization founded and chaired by billionaire oilman David Koch. http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2012/03/energy-industry-trade-groups/
Which brings up Koch Industries, headed by David and brother Charles, both major players in the American political arena.
In just one state for example, Texas, the Kochs are proving our repeated position that money has supplanted the importance of voters in influencing election outcomes by dumping money into the campaigns of 66 candidates—15 for the U.S. House of Representatives, three for the Texas Supreme Court, 31 for the Texas House of Representatives, 16 for the State Senate and one for the State Railroad Commission (the Texas equivalent to the Louisiana Public Service Commission).
Here is a complete state-by-state listing of Koch-supported candidates (Note: only legally-required reported contributions are listed but Koch, in addition to monetary contributions has been known to exert pressure on its employees as to which candidates they should support.
And it’s not as if the Kochs are alone, nor is this an effort to say that only Republicans are beneficiaries of the avalanche of campaign funds that has occurred since the 2010 Citizens United decision by the U.S. Supreme Court opened the spigot of campaign cash.
Politics has become a game played by any billionaire with an agenda—to the overall detriment of the average citizen, whose numbers comprise 99.9 percent of the nation’s population. https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/superpac-donors-2016/
So just how much Super PAC money, so-called outside spending (which does not include individual contributions to thousands of candidates in federal, state and local elections), was lavished on behalf of or in opposition to candidates in the 2012 elections?
The 1,310 super PACs raised $828.2 million for the 2012 election cycle, which was just two years after Citizens United, and spent $609.4 million. https://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/summ.php?cycle=2012&chrt=V&type=S
This year, in the Presidential, and Congressional elections alone, spending has already surpassed $1.8 billion. Of that amount, more than $248 million has come from PACs. http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2016/03/daily-chart-1
Before all is said and done, it is expected that more than $5 billion will be spent on the Presidential election. That figure includes money to be spent by candidates, political parties and outside groups (PACs), and includes money spent on presidential primaries—more than double the cost of the 2012 campaign.
All of which raises a moral question: if political donors are so civic-minded (as most insist they are) as opposed to an eagerness to promote a personal agenda (as most will go to great lengths to deny), why don’t they put their money to use for an even greater good?
Has it ever crossed the minds of the Kochs or any of the other members of the mega-rich influence-purchasers what even a small portion of that kind of money would mean to St. Jude or other children’s hospitals?
Have they ever considered underwriting cancer research on such a scale? What about feeding the hungry or even helping restore the country’s crumbling infrastructure? After all, they use the same highways, rely on the same water and sewer services, depend on the same police and fire protection.
So much good could be accomplished with the billions of dollars that are wasted on the campaigns whose promises are as empty and meaningless as the hopes and dreams of the poorest of our poor?
Yes, the Kochs give millions to charities but then spearhead coalitions of businesses and industries that pour hundreds of millions into efforts to pass anti-environmental legislation or they endow chairs at schools like Florida State University on condition that they get the final say in the hiring of faculty members who will teach their political and economic philosophy.
http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/10/spreading-the-free-market-gospel/413239/
But we as a nation have somehow seen a trend away from using our wealth to accomplish the greater good for all our citizens. Instead, we’re seeing the wealthiest using their monetary buying power to purchase influence so they can accumulate even more wealth.
And we wonder why there is an ever-widening disconnect from the American political process.
Louisiana Voice 
This article just makes me sick. It reaffirms everything that I already know. There are several points that really depress me. One is that we are not getting reliable candidates to vote for in either party. Two is that we are slowly realizing that our votes do not really count. We elect a candidate and they immediately belly up to the money plate. Third we more and more live in a society where even our churches do not uphold the Bible teachings of self-sacrifice, sharing and caring about those less fortunate. One of the most often heard toxic comments that I hear locally is” those D—n N—rs are sucking up all of our tax dollars on welfare.” They need to get out and go to work. When I ask what jobs will they work at…I just get sullen glares. I do believe that the super wealthy that we are discussing are a part of the job loss in America, too. So, the only real solution is to get Citizens United overturned. But, there is only talk and no real nationwide organized effort to do this. I even wonder as divided as we are if this would be enough to unite us in this cause. I hope your post will bring some solutions and good ideas. So far, I have not heard any. This waste of money is truly obscene and not something that will make God bless America. Just my rant. Thanks for the post.
Ms Herring, what you have said here makes a good start in addressing the issue. Thank you for writing.
I have to question the value of their “I am an energy voter” ads on CNN. Every time I see one I ask myself whether they actually believe anybody makes a connection between that catch phrase, the ad itself, and any candidate for any office or even necessarily for hydrocarbon energy companies. H. L. Mencken famously and correctly said, “No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.” I think these guys have clearly overestimated it, but they are not likely to go broke. I do hope these ads are a waste of their money, though.
P. S. Edith, you are a treasure. Keep your comments coming!
I’m not sure how you have such a disdain for the Koch brothers and not for George Soros. He is the big money behind the scenes and he doesn’t appear to have pure motives.
You are correct in pointing out that I didn’t mention Soros by name. I did, however, acknowledge the problem is not limited to the Kochs:
“…And it’s not as if the Kochs are alone, nor is this an effort to say that only Republicans are beneficiaries of the avalanche of campaign funds that has occurred since the 2010 Citizens United decision by the U.S. Supreme Court opened the spigot of campaign cash.”
The Kochs, with their alliance of other donors through their Americans For Prosperity, match Soros dollar for dollar if they don’t, in fact, exceed his contributions.
As for pure motives, I believe the Kochs and Soros are in a dead heat.
Soros is funding civil disobedience through groups like BLM and is not only betting on, but is encouraging the collapse of America. He is the central figure in promoting open borders and has given so much money that he is able to dictate policy to the White House. The recent hacked emails that were released are scary.
Americans for Prosperity is doing things like fighting state boards and calling for their end. There may be a slight difference in agendas.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-09-22/who-behind-riots-charlotte-police-says-70-arrested-protesters-had-out-state-ids
Out of curiosity, how do you feel about this:
https://www.publicintegrity.org/2016/09/18/20200/politics-pain-drugmakers-fought-state-opioid-limits-amid-crisis
Having lost a nephew to a drug overdose directly related to it, I have a pretty strong personal view, but find it disgusting even had that not happened.
If you haven’t done so, read “Who Stole The American Dream” written by Hedrick Smith. He tells the complete story of how the wealthy few in conjunction with politicians control of everything now.
Has anyone read “Dark Money”, the hidden history of the billionaires behind the rise of the radical right, by Jane Mayer? I have heard that it is a well researched book. But, do not know anyone personally that has read it.
Edith, I finished “Dark Money” a couple of weeks ago. I was afraid I’d lost it in the flood before I could finish it but fortunately, it was one of the things I saved. Fairness 2014 completely missed the point of my post, either deliberately or unwittingly. He is correct that I singled out the Kochs but he’s dead wrong if he thinks for one moment their intentions are noble in any form. They are every bit as bad as George Soros; it’s just that they happen to be at opposite ends of the political spectrum.
My point in the post was that there is entirely too much money influencing our political process. I don’t care where it comes from–Soros or the Kochs–it corrupts politics and politicians to the core.
If Fairness can’t see that, he needs to read “Dark Money” AND “Who Stole the American Dream.” I’ve read both.
Nope. I didn’t miss your point at all. I totally understand there is too much money in politics. And no..I don’t think the Koch’s are nefarious in all that they do. They just have a different view of the world than you do. But trust me when I acknowledge we are all getting screwed by both sides of the aisle that would rather side with big banks than us. Just like the kissing congressman from Monroe asked about his check after voting for a bill. It’s all about the money.
At this point I don’t think it serves any good purpose to do the Koch vs Soros thing. When the money gates were opened, even those politicians that deplored what was going to happen found themselves in the flood. How can an honest candidate compete against the flood of millions of dollars being spent against them in a campaign. They have no choice but to look for funding…enter PACs. All political candidates are affected in a negative way and many deplore this. On another note, I have always wondered how pouring millions of dollars into negative ads could actually sway an election. I am amazed that we, as voters, are taken in by obvious propaganda. But, even more astounding is the answer to the question:Who gets all of this money? Has anyone ever stopped to figure out how much money local, state and national media make from Citizens United? Goodness gracious, what a windfall. Makes one wonder how much they lobbied for this and would really, really hate to see it end? Just random thoughts.