Oil execs met Cheney task force: WP

[ericsp23]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051116/...gy_cheney_dc_1

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A White House document shows oil executives met with Vice President Dick Cheney's 2001 energy task force which critics say secretly formed energy policy favorable to the industry, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday. The document, obtained this week by the newspaper, shows that officials from four major oil companies met in the White House complex with Cheney aides who were formulating the Bush administration's energy policy, the report said. The newspaper said the document shows that officials from Exxon MobilCorp., Conoco (before its merger with Phillips), Shell Oil Co. and BP America Inc. met with the Cheney aides. The White House refused to divulge information about the task force.

It looks like the next big White House scandal is brewing. I've been waiting for this story to break for a while now.

[Apeman81]

WOW! Imagine meeting with energy providers when formulating and energy plan! How devious!

[brien]

Quote by: ericsp23 http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051116/...gy_cheney_dc_1 It looks like the next big White House scandal is brewing. I've been waiting for this story to break for a while now.

Don't hold you breath, you may turn blue. So what? What are you , or anybody else, going to do about it? Perhaps you should save your "energy", no pun intended, for the grass roots change. Remember what Tip O' Neil said? " All politics is local."

I say: Pick your battles carefully, you just may win.

[ericsp23]

Quote by: Apeman81 WOW! Imagine meeting with energy providers when formulating and energy plan! How devious!

I have no objection to the White House consulting oil industry executives to help formulate an energy policy. I do object to having those deliberations kept secret from me by elected officials who are supposed to be serving my interests. We are not even allowed to know who participated. This is policy that directly effects the pocket book every single American, as we all so painfully discovered.

[Apeman81]

Quote by: ericsp23 I have no objection to the White House consulting oil industry executives to help formulate an energy policy. I do object to having those deliberations kept secret from me by elected officials who are supposed to be serving my interests. We are not even allowed to know who participated. This is policy that directly effects the pocket book every single American, as we all so painfully discovered.

It comes down the argument of a) secrecy helps the policymaker and advisors to speak freely, thereby engendering an open and honest search for the best policy for the people, or b) secrecy allows the policymaker and advisors to speak freely, thereby engendering a self-serving and callous search for the best policy for them.

No matter which side you come out on, it does suggest that one should take the time to work to elect the best representation