Donnie Fowler

By now the financial, political, and emotional fallout from the recent Solyndra Solar bankruptcy filing is running at full tilt. Print, online, and social media channels are filled with the appropriate questions about what happened -- who's responsible, who's accountable, and who's going to pay for...

Are they playing to the right wing, or are they true believers? Are they owned by the oil companies, or are they willing to break from some of the Republican Party's largest campaign donors? Do they agree with 98 percent of scientists, or are facts mere inconveniences to be pushed...

It's deja vu all over again.

Big Oil charges us record prices at the pump, gleefully takes welfare payments (our tax dollar subsidies) and then tells us it's someone else's fault. Their CEOs did it again on May 12th in front of Congress ... with no shame.

"We...

Impressive. The GOP has set themselves up beautifully with this tax deal between the White House and the Republicans in Congress. You know, the deal where budget busting tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans get to continue on for two more years in return for short term middle class and...

Nancy Pelosi is a fighter.

Is there a way to say that more simply?

She led the House Democrats out of 12 years in the minority in 2006.

She set the stage for Barack Obama's 2008 election by standing up to George Bush...

On Election Day 2010, Californians overwhelmingly endorsed a clean-energy future and its growing clean-tech economy by rejecting Proposition 23. But this was not a foregone conclusion. Just after Labor Day, the race was tied, and with only ten days to go, the lead was barely in double digits. The ultimate...

Conventional wisdom is great, huh? It's right about half the time. Problem is, you never know which half.

One piece of conventional wisdom making the rounds right now is that "House Speakers who lose the majority must inevitably resign." The spreaders of this nugget of wisdom...

OPPONENTS OF PROP23 IN CALIFORNIA FACE A DAUNTING NEW OPPONENT
San Francisco, September 2

Late Thursday night, those who support progress on climate & energy policy received bad news that we expected, but did not want to believe would actually happen.

The billionaire Koch...

OPPONENTS OF PROP23 IN CALIFORNIA FACE A DAUNTING NEW OPPONENT
San Francisco, September 2

Late Thursday night, those who support progress on climate & energy policy received bad news that we expected, but did not want to believe would actually happen.

The billionaire Koch...

To: J. Christian Adams, J.D., Univ. of South Carolina Law School '93 / Virginia
Fr: Donnie Fowler, J.D., Univ. of South Carolina Law School '93 / California
Re: Congrats on Achieving Whistle Blower Status

Dear Chris -

As a law school classmate and friend from way back,...

In Animal House, John Belushi famously demanded, "Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?!?"

Thanks for the lesson, Bluto. It's more relevant than you think to what's happening right now on climate & energy policy. Big Oil and dirty coal companies have opened a second...

In Animal House, John Belushi famously demanded, "Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?!?"

Thanks for the lesson, Bluto. It's more relevant than you think to what's happening right now on climate & energy policy. Big Oil and dirty coal companies have opened a second...

The Senate Democratic leadership said this week that there aren't 60 votes to pass a climate and energy bill this year. "I don't see 60 votes for it," said California's Dianne Feinstein.

Last time I checked the Constitution, they only need 51 to pass something.

So, you...

Question: What do rocket science, sand castles, and video projectors embedded in cell phones have in common? Answer: A clean tech future led by superlative venture capitalist Vinod Khosla and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Blair was announced May 24th as senior advisor with Khosla...

Question: What do rocket science, sand castles, and video projectors embedded in cell phones have in common? Answer: A clean tech future led by superlative venture capitalist Vinod Khosla and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Blair was

On climate and energy policy this Spring, California and Washington, DC are both running hot.

The last two weeks in Congress have seen optimism, retreat, and now some limited movement forward as Sen. John Kerry has said he will introduce his long-awaited climate bill on May 12. Meanwhile, in...

On climate & energy policy this Spring, California and Washington, DC, are both running hot.

The last two weeks in Congress have seen optimism, retreat, and now some limited movement forward as Sen. John Kerry has said he will introduce his long-awaited climate bill on May 12. Meanwhile, in...

Truly, the absurd is showing. This exchange from House Republican Whip Eric Cantor's Facebook fan page needs no explanation ...

"Cap-and-trade as we know it is dead, but the issue of cleaning up the air and energy independence should not die -- and you will never have energy independence without pricing carbon." Sen. Lindsey Graham (Republican-S.Carolina) reflected the reality that Congress now faces as it negotiates a comprehensive...

"Cap-and-trade as we know it is dead, but the issue of cleaning up the air and energy independence should not die -- and you will never have energy independence without pricing carbon." Sen. Lindsey Graham (Republican-S.Carolina) reflected the reality that Congress now faces as it negotiates a comprehensive...