Koch Brothers: A Routine Update
Every couple of weeks we like to provide a little update on what the Koch Brothers are attempting to pull off, often with a nauseating level of success, with respect to blunting the progress of renewable energy in favor of expanding their fossil fuel empire. In particular, they’re currently using their huge wealth and political clout to apply enormous pressure on state legislators to pass laws that create disincentive for homeowners to power their houses with solar electricity. I hope readers will check out the petition linked above.
Craig,
I think the danger in aligning yourself with organizations who hold very fixed agenda’s, such as Friends of the Earth or League of Conservation Voters etc, is losing objectivity and perspective in favour of partisan political dogma.
Creating stereo-types and obsessive demonizing of individuals like the Koch Brothers, is counter-productive.
Solar Energy, like wind, is a huge industry. The corporations involved in the manufacture and installation of solar are huge multi-nationals just like in the fossil fuel industry (sometimes the same corporations) and also employ their fair share of lobbyists and contribute to ” citizen ” support groups to promote their own commercial interests.
All energy generation, even the cleanest, produces some negative environmental impact. The Koch Brothers are not alone in questioning the desirability of continuing subsidizing industries for largely political purpose.
That’s the danger in politicizing any technology. Objectively assessing the value of the technology, becomes very difficult amid the passionate and confused political/ideological activity by supporters and detractors.
Just advocating “solar power” is morally “good”, therefore the taxpayer-energy consumer should continue to subside the industry forever, will sooner or later produce a backlash with voters and consumers. It doesn’t need the Koch Brothers to point out that the taxpayer-energy consumer is paying for somebody’s ideological beliefs, and the commercial self-interest of those involved in the solar industry.
The League of Conservation Voters endorsed Hillary Clinton even before the the primaries, and has spent tens of millions supporting her politically. This is hardly surprising since a board member and driving force behind the LCV is Carol Browner who has benefited enormously from Clinton political patronage.
Bill Clinton appointed her to be his EPA administrator and with Hillary’s support Browner became director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy in the Obama administration from 2009 to 2011.
After leaving pubic service she became a paid lobbyist with her husbands firm, the Downey McGrath Group. Her income as a lobbyist is estimated to be more than $5 million per year. ( hardly surprising with client’s such as the UAE owned Dubai Ports World and Herbal Life ).
(US politics is certainly a labyrinthine and byzantine world of lobbyists of all types)
[ The Downey McGrath Group is undergoing a transformation with the retirement of several long serving members. Another reason for the transformation is the expected win by Hillary Clinton necessitates the need for members such as Browner to become available for appointments in her administration ].
I don’t believe anyone mentioned any kind of unending taxpayer support but I think it would be fair to support clean energy for the same amount of time and at the same rate as the fossil fuel industry and pass laws with the same amount of legal support as were passed for the fossil fuel industry.
Lobbyists should all be limited no question there as long as all are limited in the same way by the same amount.