Oil and Gas' Throne in Government

Our country has a long history of success through capitalism and self-interest. Many individuals have seen worked to attain riches and lifestyles beyond the imaginations of most. Now, I am a proponent of the capitalist/democratic system the US has established. In theory, people will receive the fruits of their work, given they work and try enough. However, that system has failed us. As industries and individuals have grown in wealth and power, the negative externalities and collateral have grown and grown. It's beyond question that corporate influence has changed public attitudes and legislation, favoring those with the funds to 'support' our public officials and legislators. That has led to disenfranchisement, tax and financial law changes, industrial regulation leniency, etc. 

Above all, one outcome supersedes them all: The environmental destruction and pollution these companies have engineered for their own benefit, in pursuit of profit and disregard for the rest of humanity. 

Decades of huge spending and corporate lobbying have affected the generations of Congress and how they approach environmental legislation. Decades of unsustainable industry practices (especially oil and gas) have produced the current climate change crisis the entire world now faces. Decades have gone by since they've known they were destroying Earth, our home (1). In 1946, the Smokes and Fumes committee was formed to research the effects of fossil fuels on pollution and environmental quality. This comes almost 30 years after the founding of the America Petroleum Institute (API) in 1919; API was formed to address the public relations of pollution and policy issues. The oil and gas industry knew the dangers of oil, gas, pollution, and climate change, but they still worked to conceal these revelations from the public. In fact, they even did extensive research on cutting emissions and electric cars (2). Beyond that, they have fueled dispositions towards climate denial within our culture and Congress. ExxonMobil ceased funding climate denial groups just in 2008-- groups that "question the science of climate change [that] may have hindered action to tackle global warming." (3) Even after 'pleading guilty', our legislators are still in bed with these companies and their past actions; five senators, including Ted Cruz, now want to stop inquiries into these companies' climate denial schemes and lies (4). The oil and gas companies have unbearably heavy and apparently enticing checkbooks that have corrupted governments worldwide. 

This abuse needs to stop. It is abuse. Powerful oil and gas has made its own rules, produced horrible environmental disasters (5), polluted our atmosphere, and caused catastrophic climate change. This all needs to stop... but it can't when our government is not transparent, but instead a deep, oily black. Corporations, nor anyone, do not deserve this level of influence and coercion in a government entrusted with protecting and serving its people. The world doesn't work based on who's deserving and who's needing; it's based on the ones with power and money. 

I do not want to in a world where such atrocities happen, but I do. That is why our people and our governments need to cleanse themselves of these corporate parasites. 

1) The Guardian, 20 May 2016. "Oil company records from 1960s reveal patents to reduce CO2 emissions in cars". https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/may/20/oil-company-records-exxon-co2-emission-reduction-patents 

2) Smokes and Fumes: https://www.smokeandfumes.org. 

3) The Guardian, 28 May 2008. "Exxon to cut funding to climate change denial groups". https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2008/may/28/climatechange.fossilfuels 

4) The Guardian, 26 May 2016. "Senators demand US halt inquiries into climate denial by oil companies". https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/may/26/senators-climate-change-denial-oil-companies 

5) Popular Mechanics May 7, 2010. "10 Biggest Oil Spills in History". http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/g1765/biggest-oil-spills-in-history/?slide=8