Power versus truth

This video illustrates the conflict between truth and power. The parody troupe called the "Yes Men" staged a "press conference" presenting themselves to be representatives of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. As part of this conference, they took the position that "clean coal" was a myth and that the Obama Administration should be instead focusing upon proven effective technologies such as solar energy and conservation. In the middle of these proceedings, in walks the the Executive Director of Communications of the Chamber of Commerce making clear that he, Eric Wohlschlegel, was the true representative of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, further announcing that the event was a "fraud" and a "stunt." Wohlschlegel then twice announced, "If you have any questions, you are welcome to direct them to me." After a rather testy yet amusing moment where the two purported representatives questioned each others' identities, a reporter took up the offer of Wohlschlegel, raising her hand and asking Wohlschlegel to comment on whether the Chamber of Commerce "acknowledges climate change." Wohlschlegel refused to answer this simple question and, instead, scurried away. His actions aren't surprising in light of the Chamber's failure to even admit that the climate is changing. The Chamber and its cheerleaders simply can't find the courage to admit that the climate is changing. This stunt illustrates the interplay between truth and power. Scientists are virtually unanimous that climate change is happening as a result of increased greenhouse gases, and that this situation presents huge dangers to our civilization (and thus to our economy). Scientists don't have enough money to flood Congress with lobbyists, however. "Clean coal" is a joke, technologically and as a public policy (and see here); no such technology exists, and there is nothing feasible on the horizon. It is beyond debate that coal is a terribly dangerous basis for an energy policy, yet the Chamber is married to Coal. In the meantime, conservation, ignored by the Chamber, is a guaranteed way to address energy needs and to minimize risk of further climate change, yet the Chamber would rather promote profits than truth. Here is the kind of company the Chamber coal-trainkeeps and the kinds of tactics it uses to prevent honest dialogue regarding the causes of climate change and meaningful steps that should be taken to address it. Here's a lot more information from the website of the "Yes Men." And here's Rachel Maddow's report. If we've learned anything in the past 10 years, we've learned that you can "swiftboat" any person and any Truth, if you have a lot of money. In modern society, truth, all by itself, doesn't have legs. A 2009 poll by Pew Research Center found that "[w]hile 84% of scientists say the earth is getting warmer because of human activity such as burning fossil fuels, just 49% of the public agrees." According to the March/April edition of Public Citizen News (I have the print edition only), the Chamber's reactionary position has driven away numerous corporate giants such as Nike, General Electric and Apple. Public Citizen has presented a brochure of various legitimate ways of dealing with climate change. Ironically and sadly, the Chamber is wearing narrow blinders that needlessly drive it into the arms of the fossil fuel industries. Those with open minds know that "protecting the climate is not costly but profitable." Wohlschlegel barged into the fake conference to announce that the fake speaker was not "legitimate." In reality, Wohlschlegel's (and the Chamber's) failure to deal with the issue of climate change honestly shows that they are not legitimate. Nonetheless, the Chamber has lots of money, and thus lots of power to load up the halls of Congress and media airwaves with falsehoods. And if you fill up enough airwaves with false statements, it will confuse the public, meaning that nothing gets done on these two critically important issues of energy supply and climate change. But that is exactly the plan of the Chamber.

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The CPSC’s searchable data base regarding dangerous products

Here's an idea that is so obvious and so important that we can expect to see great political pressure to dismantle it. In accordance with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA), the Consumer Product Safety Comission (CPSC) is assembling its public database which will be a central location:

[W]here consumers can go to report product safety incidents, and to search for prior incidents and recalls on products they own, or may be thinking about buying. In conjunction with the web site launch, CPSC will also conduct a public awareness campaign to raise awareness of SaferProducts.gov.

The reason for the database is to "Protect and Inform the Public," according to the CPSC's recent report, which further provides that the database information:

• provides more timely dissemination of alerts and other information to the public and industry, • increases public access to product incident and recall data by making consumer product safety information available more rapidly, and • provides a publicly available, searchable, and easy-to-use database for use by consumers, industry, and CPSC staff. This CPSC database is not yet operational, but by March 11, 2011 (according to the current CPSC report), any consumer will be able to post complaints regarding dangerous products on this national database. The CPSC will review these complaints for accuracy. According to the CPSC,

All incident data submitted via SaferProducts.gov will be subject to CPSC review to verify its authenticity – that the submitters are who they say they are. Any data or incident reports found to be materially inaccurate will either be corrected or will not be published. Furthermore, CPSC will have the ability to remove or correct incident data that has already been published should it determine that the data is materially inaccurate.

This all sounds like a good idea, right? I think so. I would make this prediction, though. There is going to be a massive outcry from the Chamber of Commerce regarding this database and huge push in Congress to make the database less useful. Admittedly, such a database will embarrass and damage manufacturers of dangerous products. If misused, it could damage compliant manufacturers, and that would be a bad thing too. The focus should be on protecting consumers from dangerous products, though. If I'm sounding overly-concerned that the Chamber will try to bring down the database, it's because I just read an article called "The CPSC's Searchable Consumer Product Incident Database," in October 2009 issue of For the Defense, a publication of the Defense Lawyer Institute. The article repeatedly takes the position that consumers will be irresponsibly reporting incidents of dangerous products. Here's an excerpt:

Under the plan as currently proposed, the consumer submitting an incident report is not required to provide any proof or evidence to support the alleged incident. Instead, the consumer is only required to "click" on an electronic button next to an existing webpage statement that indicates that the consumer verifies "that the information is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge."

Horrors! Consumers will merely report what they think happened without any "'proof or evidence"! I suppose that the manufacturers will insist that nothing should go on the database unless either A) there is already a trial where the widow of the guy who was electrocuted by the toaster prevails or B) where the manufacturer and the consumer agree to the facts. Here's another excerpt from the lawyers representing the manufacturers (from the same DRI article):

Without procedures to prevent the disclosure of inaccurate reports pertaining to a company's products, the Internet publication of inaccurate, accessible, anonymous consumer product incident reports will be inevitable.

Anonymous? See the above portion of the CPSC report requiring the CPSC to verify "that the submitters are who they say they are." Inaccurate? See the above portion of the CPSC report: "Any data or incident reports found to be materially inaccurate will either be corrected or will not be published." So what would the manufacturers propose to protect consumers from products that explode, cut or burn consumers? Here's what I suspect: that there would be no publicly accessible CPSC database, and that most consumers would remain as they are today--in the dark.

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Republicans idea-less on energy issues

Think Progress has summarized current thinking by the GOP on energy issues:

Throughout the discussion on America's energy future, Republicans have been notably absent. In March, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) announced the creation of the House GOP American Energy Solutions Group, an effort to "work on crafting Republican solutions to lower energy prices for American families and small businesses." The man chosen to head the committee -- which includes notorious climate change deniers Reps. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) and John Shimkus (R-IL) -- is none other than House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN), who, just last night, refused to even admit that climate change is real. "Well, let me tell you," he told MSNBC's Chris Matthews, "I think the science is very mixed on the subject of global warming." "Then why should your party believe you're going to get serious about it, if you say the science is mixed?" Matthews asked. Pence replied, "Yeah, it's a fair question."
And what about the Chamber of Commerce? It MUST be walking in lockstep with the GOP, right? Wrong:
An analysis by the Natural Resources Defense Council(NRDC) found that just four of the 122 board members at the Chamber share the group's questioning of science and stark opposition to federal regulations to reduce global warming pollution.

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Obama is Being Republican Lite

Lofty rhetoric aside, after the election dust has settled, President Barack Obama seems to be giving us “Republican Lite” in his proposed economic stimulus package which may go over $850 billion. The package includes some $300 billion in tax cuts and $100 billion in givebacks to big business and other large business tax breaks long sought after by the US Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers. The plan seems to be a shill to allow for more Republican support in the US Senate where President Obama apparently fears a filibuster from a weakened GOP. GOP minority leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-TN.) has said the bill will likely be passed by mid-February. Former Senator Obama’s legislative centrist instincts have taken over.

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