Yesterday, MoveOn and the Center for American Progress teamed up to call out Senator McCain and Congressional Republicans for pretending that handing out huge sacks of cash to Big Oil constitutes an energy policy. CAP released a report estimating the value of subsidies and tax breaks McCain supports for Big Oil over the next five years at $39 billion. Local MoveOn volunteers around the country released the report, and called for those tax dollars to be spent on clean energy alternatives, including wind and geothermal power, home weatherization, conservation and public transit.
How would you spend $39 billion?
CAP estimates that $39 billion could weatherize 13 million American homes, saving households an average $360 a year in utility bills, reducing energy usage and carbon emissions. $39 billion could build wind power plants for 6 million homes.
Senator Durbin recently introduced S.3360, the "Train CARS Act," which would address the shortage of Amtrak cars. As Senator Durbin notes, there has been a surge in demand for passenger rail, and Amtrak hasn't been able to keep up with the demand, in part because we allowed our domestic manufacturing capacity to wither. Durbin's bill would allow Amtrak to issue $2.8 billion in bonds over four years to finance the acquisition of more rail cars.
So, on the one hand, give $39 billion to Big Oil for nothing. On the other, allow Amtrak to borrow $2.8 billion to add capacity.
"Big Oil" McCain wants to expand offshore drilling, despite the objective fact that according to the U.S. government energy experts whose job it is to evaluate such things, that will do nothing to provide relief for consumers. But McCain's flip-flop on offshore drilling was a big hit with Big Oil, which showered him with campaign contributions.
Meanwhile, McCain promises to further the Cheneyista militarization of our energy policies, challenging Russia, China, Iran and Venezuela over control of energy resources. These policies have cost us massively in blood and treasure, while hurting consumers by driving up gas prices. But these policies are not intended to promote the interests of consumers, but the interests of Big Oil. The story of the militarization of our energy policies is told in a new documentary, "Blood and Oil," based on the book by Michael Klare:
You can get a copy of the movie, and organize a screening in your community, at the website of the Media Education Foundation. As the Presidential campaign goes into overdrive, and McCain campaigns on his Big Oil platform, September would be a great time to educate your neighbors on the perils of energy and foreign military policies based on the interests of Big Oil.