21 votes

Leaked: US power companies secretly spending millions to protect profits and fight clean energy

9 comments

  1. [4]
    post_below
    Link
    This article is an interesting case study in a handful of the countless ways in which capitol is able to control government in the west. It would be simpler if it was just a matter of corrupt...

    One industry consulting firm has influenced politics across Florida, Alabama and at least six other states

    This article is an interesting case study in a handful of the countless ways in which capitol is able to control government in the west.

    It would be simpler if it was just a matter of corrupt politicians taking indirect bribes, but our systems can be subverted in all sorts of other ways.

    In this case there was a perfect storm of leaks and bad strategy that resulted in consequences and details becoming public. The majority of the time that doesn't happen, details come out years after the fact, if ever.

    It's also a great example of why, if we want to fix dire problems like climate change, we first have to fix the problem of money in politics. It will take too long otherwise.

    It already has taken too long, we've spent decades fighting completely fabricated arguments against the science of climate change resulting from sophisticated misinformation campaigns, political meddling and science funding by the world's biggest petrocarbon companies.

    11 votes
    1. [2]
      GnomeChompski
      Link Parent
      I couldn't have said it better, our problem is money in politics. But it's not a new problem, it's just a little different now.

      I couldn't have said it better, our problem is money in politics. But it's not a new problem, it's just a little different now.

      4 votes
      1. post_below
        Link Parent
        Agreed, it's been a problem for as long as money has existed. Two things are different now: Companies, the wealthy and an ecosystem of organizations that have evolved to carry out their agendas,...

        Agreed, it's been a problem for as long as money has existed. Two things are different now: Companies, the wealthy and an ecosystem of organizations that have evolved to carry out their agendas, have had more time to alter the systems to benefit themselves. And the size of corporations, along with the amount of wealth controlled by a tiny subset of the population, are much larger than in the past.

        1 vote
    2. post_below
      Link Parent
      I've Been Targeted With Probably the Most Vicious Corporate Counterattack in American History An unrelated example of the power wielded by western corporations. In this case, in an attempt to make...

      I've Been Targeted With Probably the Most Vicious Corporate Counterattack in American History

      An unrelated example of the power wielded by western corporations. In this case, in an attempt to make sure that indigenous people in the Amazon don't continue to get help from western lawyers.

      4 votes
  2. [5]
    Eric_the_Cerise
    Link
    ... (sigh) ... I'm trying to figure out what it is about this article that truly upsets me. I'm decades beyond being shocked by the things political and corporate entities do, to the point that...

    ... (sigh) ...

    I'm trying to figure out what it is about this article that truly upsets me.

    I'm decades beyond being shocked by the things political and corporate entities do, to the point that headlines like this somewhat offend me. "Scandal! Power Companies Secretly Still Burning Fossil Fuels to Produce Electricity!" ... well of course they are; it's what they do. How is this even news?

    So ... how is this news? And that's the next piece of what bothers me here. For many (most?) people, this is news. Many people, apparently, are still surprised to learn that this is how it works in the US, (and for the most part, the world). People with no interest in anything remotely like "the greater good" donate money to other people, to use to manipulate and destroy anyone who tries to change the systems that they've built.

    IDK, it's early and I'm already depressed. The older you get, the more you see the exact same scandals, over and over and over again, only the names and locations changed slightly, to spruce them up a bit. And each time I reread the same story, it becomes harder to see—not only how we're going to survive this mess—but really, why we even deserve to.

    1 vote
    1. [4]
      post_below
      Link Parent
      I think there is space for hope, but what exactly that looks like is another thread. Except: If we can collectively manage to change this, it maybe won't have the rapid impact we might hope for,...

      I think there is space for hope, but what exactly that looks like is another thread.

      Except:

      Many people, apparently, are still surprised to learn that this is how it works in the US

      If we can collectively manage to change this, it maybe won't have the rapid impact we might hope for, but it will have an impact.

      And perhaps the increasing urgency of things like climate change will serve to speed up the process.

      2 votes
      1. [2]
        cmccabe
        Link Parent
        The question of how to collectively support change is one that I think leads a lot of people into frustration and inaction. People are increasingly conditioned to feel powerless. But one way to do...

        The question of how to collectively support change is one that I think leads a lot of people into frustration and inaction. People are increasingly conditioned to feel powerless. But one way to do it is by supporting organizations that focus on the problem. https://www.opensecrets.org/, for example, is one organization worthy of support (in the U.S.). Ultimately we need to help raise awareness of the problem, and both prepare and motivate people to vote their opinions into action.

        Also, supporting investigative journalism outlets is really important too. In the current corporate owned/funded climate, it's not surprising that investigative journalism is dying out, and with it go investigations into abuses like this article describes. I am impressed by this article from The Guardian. How many other media outlets still cover stories like this?

        3 votes
        1. post_below
          Link Parent
          ProPublica is another great nonprofit organization that does investigative journalism on all sorts of topics.

          ProPublica is another great nonprofit organization that does investigative journalism on all sorts of topics.

          1 vote
      2. Eric_the_Cerise
        Link Parent
        I've been fighting against climate change, and trying to get others on board, since the Reagan Administration, 35-ish years. Over that entire time period, the political landscape in the US has...

        I've been fighting against climate change, and trying to get others on board, since the Reagan Administration, 35-ish years.

        Over that entire time period, the political landscape in the US has gotten steadily worse. It is now to the point that there is no possible way to effect meaningful change in anything in that country, without guns and bombs. Honestly, I'm pretty sure it has been doomed since the Patriot Act and the aftermath of 9/11.

        Globally, IDK, humans might still have a chance. Since the invasion over here, Europe has started to wake up in a way that I didn't believe was possible. But even that is a drop in the bucket. The US, Russia, China, all throw very large shadows over the rest of the world.

        Personally these days, I'm just looking for a quiet out-of-the-way place in a quiet out-of-the-way country where I can watch the End Times roll in, with popcorn.

        1 vote