Chronicles in US Socialism - Threats of New Repression of Climate Consensus Dissenters

[maxparrish]

Not a month goes by and some new set of comrades demand the DOJ to use a little inspiration shown by the likes of Torquemada or Vyshinsky and "get" those folks whose opinion on climate change is unacceptable.

A letter by the dynamic Congressional duo of Lieu and DeSaulnier demanded Exxon be investigated as "Racketeers".

The two members of Congress wrote to Loretta Lynch, the attorney general, on Wednesday, saying they were concerned by the results of two separate investigations by Inside Climate News and the Los Angeles Times, which found that ExxonMobil scientists confirmed fossil fuels were causing climate change decades ago, but publicly embarked on a campaign of denial.

“ExxonMobil’s apparent behavior is similar to cigarette companies that repeatedly denied harm from tobacco and spread uncertainty and misinformation to the public,” Ted Lieu and Mark DeSaulnier, both Democratic members of Congress from California, wrote. “We ask that the DoJ similarly investigate Exxon for organizing a sustained deception campaign disputing climate science and failing to disclose truthful information to investors and the public.”

http://www.theguardian.com/business...congress-climate-change-federal-investigation

Curiously, while Lieu represents the rich ("green" anti-oil) liberals of Malibu, DeSaulnier represents an SF East Bay district with several major oil company refineries - refineries that subsidize up to one-third (or more) of their local "blue" city governments budgets. Principled or payoff? Oh wait...the coffers of his constituency is paid by Chevron, Tesoro, Shell, Phillips 66 and Valero.

Ya go after ExxonMobil.

 

[laughing dog]

While I think an investigation by the DOJ is unwarranted, the OP is misleading. The issue is about alleged deliberate deception, not an unacceptable opinion.

 

[lpetrich]

Curiously, while Lieu represents the rich ("green" anti-oil) liberals of Malibu,

maxparrish, are you saying that they are traitors to their class? Or do you hate them because they are rich?

DeSaulnier represents an SF East Bay district with several major oil company refineries - refineries that subsidize up to one-third (or more) of their local "blue" city governments budgets. Principled or payoff? Oh wait...the coffers of his constituency is paid by Chevron, Tesoro, Shell, Phillips 66 and Valero.

Ya go after ExxonMobil.

Commendable courage on his part. Also, finding oil-company executives guilty of tobacco-style disinformation campaigns would not affect the operation of the refineries.

 

[maxparrish]

maxparrish, are you saying that they are traitors to their class? Or do you hate them because they are rich?

I am noting who he represents, rich Malibu liberals - the coastal enclave of fashionable causes and big carbon footprint hypocrites that don't have to suffer the consequences of their daffy anti-oil prejudices.

DeSaulnier represents an SF East Bay district with several major oil company refineries - refineries that subsidize up to one-third (or more) of their local "blue" city governments budgets. Principled or payoff? Oh wait...the coffers of his constituency is paid by Chevron, Tesoro, Shell, Phillips 66 and Valero.

Ya go after ExxonMobil.

Commendable courage on his part. Also, finding oil-company executives guilty of tobacco-style disinformation campaigns would not affect the operation of the refineries.

Excuse us? Your right, finding ExxonMobil executives guilty of tobacco-style disinformation campaigns would not affect the bottom line of other oil companies, who "happen" to have major operations in his district.

So we are to believe it is courage to oppose ExxonMobil, the competitor to his self-interested district oil companies?

Definitely an entry into this month's knee slapper contest.

 

[lpetrich]

I am noting who he represents, rich Malibu liberals - the coastal enclave of fashionable causes and big carbon footprint hypocrites that don't have to suffer the consequences of their daffy anti-oil prejudices.

"Anti-oil prejudices"???

So it's a moral duty to use oil-based products?

maxparrish, read this and weep: Audi has successfully made diesel fuel from carbon dioxide and water - ScienceAlert It's not quite economically competitive with petroleum-derived diesel fuel, but if the process is improved enough, then you may have to go into mourning for your precious fuel source.

Excuse us? Your right, finding ExxonMobil executives guilty of tobacco-style disinformation campaigns would not affect the bottom line of other oil companies, who "happen" to have major operations in his district.

I call it commendable courage, because those other companies' executives may also be be guilty of similar things, and because those companies may want to stand beside their fellow oil company.

 

[fromderinside]

yeah, maxparrish. How does one cut out one of the herd without bringing risk that the herd might try to cut him out. Bad premise, worse OP.

 

[Nice Squirrel]

How much are the oil companies paying you max?

 

[maxparrish]

yeah, maxparrish. How does one cut out one of the herd without bringing risk that the herd might try to cut him out. Bad premise, worse OP.

Competitors are not herds, and if they were the "brave' herd drivers (Congressmen) are not members of the herd. They are the ones that chooses who in the herd to eat...like that fat one called Exxon.

Brave of him, isn't it?

 

[SimpleDon]

It is difficult to see how anyone could still be a climate change denier today. This is just confirmation of what we all knew, that the oil and coal companies, especially the Koch companies and Exxon, realize that man made climate change is a problem that is just going to get worse and that they are lying about it and paying people to spread the lies that the problem doesn't exist just to gain a few more years of profits before the piper has to be paid.

This points out more clearly than any other single issue how corrupt the Republican party has become. The Republican party is virtually alone among major parties in the civilized world in denying the science behind the problem. And incredibly, except for the rabidly unhinged Tea Partiers, it is almost exclusively a problem with the leadership of the Republican party, not with the Republican party members themselves who at least polls show have some awareness of man as the cause of the problem, with a majority of self-described conservatives admitting that mankind plays some role in the change. (slides 20 & 21)

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Not a month goes by and some new set of comrades demand the DOJ to use a little inspiration shown by the likes of Torquemada or Vyshinsky and "get" those folks whose opinion on climate change is unacceptable.

A letter by the dynamic Congressional duo of Lieu and DeSaulnier demanded Exxon be investigated as "Racketeers".

The two members of Congress wrote to Loretta Lynch, the attorney general, on Wednesday, saying they were concerned by the results of two separate investigations by Inside Climate News and the Los Angeles Times, which found that ExxonMobil scientists confirmed fossil fuels were causing climate change decades ago, but publicly embarked on a campaign of denial.

“ExxonMobil’s apparent behavior is similar to cigarette companies that repeatedly denied harm from tobacco and spread uncertainty and misinformation to the public,” Ted Lieu and Mark DeSaulnier, both Democratic members of Congress from California, wrote. “We ask that the DoJ similarly investigate Exxon for organizing a sustained deception campaign disputing climate science and failing to disclose truthful information to investors and the public.”

http://www.theguardian.com/business...congress-climate-change-federal-investigation

Curiously, while Lieu represents the rich ("green" anti-oil) liberals of Malibu, DeSaulnier represents an SF East Bay district with several major oil company refineries - refineries that subsidize up to one-third (or more) of their local "blue" city governments budgets. Principled or payoff? Oh wait...the coffers of his constituency is paid by Chevron, Tesoro, Shell, Phillips 66 and Valero.

Ya go after ExxonMobil.

The problem is they are arguing a position they know to be false.

 

[SimpleDon]

Not a month goes by and some new set of comrades demand the DOJ to use a little inspiration shown by the likes of Torquemada or Vyshinsky and "get" those folks whose opinion on climate change is unacceptable.

A letter by the dynamic Congressional duo of Lieu and DeSaulnier demanded Exxon be investigated as "Racketeers".



http://www.theguardian.com/business...congress-climate-change-federal-investigation

Curiously, while Lieu represents the rich ("green" anti-oil) liberals of Malibu, DeSaulnier represents an SF East Bay district with several major oil company refineries - refineries that subsidize up to one-third (or more) of their local "blue" city governments budgets. Principled or payoff? Oh wait...the coffers of his constituency is paid by Chevron, Tesoro, Shell, Phillips 66 and Valero.

Ya go after ExxonMobil.

The problem is they are arguing a position they know to be false.

Nicely summed up. An OP sunk in a dozen words.

 

[maxparrish]

The problem is they are arguing a position they know to be false.

Nicely summed up. An OP sunk in a dozen words.

The problem is that you can't know that they know that. People say and act on conditional knowledge to mitigate risk, which is quite different than believing that the actual risk will be a reality.

Moreover, it does not matter what they believe. Press agents don't have to believe their message is true (even if it is true).

Sorry that it does not float your boat, but its doing fine otherwise.

 

[maxparrish]

...
maxparrish, read this and weep: Audi has successfully made diesel fuel from carbon dioxide and water - ScienceAlert It's not quite economically competitive with petroleum-derived diesel fuel, but if the process is improved enough, then you may have to go into mourning for your precious fuel source.

Our precious fuel source will remain so for sometime - but I welcome Malibu's anti-oil uber rich folks opportunity to adopt a "not quite competitive" source as compensation for their opposition to off-shore drilling. We shall see how soon they stampede to this latest alternative air castle.

Excuse us? Your right, finding ExxonMobil executives guilty of tobacco-style disinformation campaigns would not affect the bottom line of other oil companies, who "happen" to have major operations in his district.

I call it commendable courage, because those other companies' executives may also be be guilty of similar things, and because those companies may want to stand beside their fellow oil company.

You mean the way Target and Costco did not stand with Wallmart, or the way In-And-Out did not stand with McDonalds, or the way Wall Street banks did not stand with Lehman Brothers?

The chance of Contra Costa oil companies coming to the aid of Exxon against this Congressman is about the same for Pizza takeout owners coming to the aid "Ginos Pizza" against the Mafia. They have already paid their protection money, and GINO didn't. Why should they make an enemy to help Gino?