Here is Kentucky’s First Congressional District we call our Congressman Exxon Ed Whitfield. This is because he holds stock in Exxon and Chevron, but not the people of our district. Now, holding stock in itself is not wrong. Making profit and being successful is not wrong. However, when you are a Congressman that doesn’t even own a house in the district you represent, and you continually vote in the interests of your stock holdings over the people you represent, that is a problem.
The investment in the fuels of the future could be essential to building good jobs, and re-opening plants shut down by free trade to do something new, refine the fuels of the future here in Kentucky’s First District. With our endless acres of farmland, a little investment in research could end up being very beneficial to Kentucky. We could grow the products to make bio-fuels here, and create endless high-paying jobs refining them. After all, Kentucky’s First District had a whopping poverty rate of 17.62% in 2006.
However, Exxon Eddie is far removed from those of us who live in, or just above poverty. Look at his net worth as of 2005:
From $1,402,041 to $3,658,000
http://www.opensecrets.org/pfd…
With his cushy job and personal fortune, why should he worry about the citizens of Kentucky’s First falling further behind? He doesn’t live here, and definately has plenty to fall back on. Including his stock in Exxon and Chevron:
Chevron Corp $100,001 to $250,000
Exxon Mobil $100,001 to $250,000
http://www.opensecrets.org/pfd…
Now, as stated before, success is not a bad thing in America. However, lets look at how Exxon Eddie voted for Exxon instead of the citizens he represents who need investment in the fuels of the future that could give Kentucky and economic boom.
Here are some votes where Exxon Eddie supported Big Oil over the citizens of Kentucky. These started in 2003:
On April 10, 2003, the House of Representatives defeated, by a vote of 162 – 268, a proposal to require a 5 percent reduction in automotive fuel use by 2010, (which would equate roughly to an average standard of 30 miles per gallon). A YES vote (to require a reduction on fuel use) was the pro-environment vote. All of Kentucky’s representatives (Lewis, Lucas, Whitfield, Rogers, Northup, and Fletcher) voted NO.
http://www.biology.eku.edu/kos…
Of course, less fuel use means less money for Whitfield’s stock in Big Oil.
But it doesn’t end there:
On April 11, 2003, Ron Kind (D-WI) offered an amendment to the energy bill (HR 6) that would have removed harmful oil and gas drilling provisions and subsidies from the Energy Bill. The Kind amendment attempted to strike Title II from H.R. 6, which threatens special wildlands and sensitive coastal areas, exempts drilling sites from water pollution standards, and provides unnecessary Federal hand-outs to industry at the cost of the American taxpayer. Despite a recent study by the Interior Department confirming most oil (85%) and gas (88%) resources on our public lands are already available for development, this title seeks to further expedite the permitting and leasing of these resources at the expense of meaningful public involvement and environmental review. Title II of the House energy bill provides unnecessary corporate subsidies for the oil and gas industry during a time of record profits. This title also promotes the use of government funds for unnecessary studies and research that would solely benefit the oil and gas industry. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that the provisions of Title II alone will cost taxpayers $414 million over the next ten years. The Kind Amendment would have removed these harmful provisions, as well as a variety of handouts to oil and gas industry, from the energy bill but was defeated by a vote of 171 to 251. YES was the pro-environment vote. All of Kentucky’s representatives (Lewis, Lucas, Whitfield, Rogers, Northup, and Fletcher) voted NO.
http://www.biology.eku.edu/kos…
Corporate subsidies for Big Oil at a time of record profits? It is safe to assume who Whitfield voted for there, and it WASN’T the citizens of Kentucky’s First District!!
But not to worry, Exxon Eddie was watching out for the big electric utilities too:
On April 11, 2003, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an outdated, polluting energy bill (HR 6), rejecting a host of common-sense solutions and choosing instead to sacrifice the crown jewel of America’s National Wildlife Refuge system. HR 6 continues our dependence on oil by failing to provide any significant increases in the fuel economy of cars, SUVs and other light trucks. America’s automobiles guzzle more than 8 million barrels of oil per day. HR 6 exposes consumers to more corporate fraud by rewriting the rules on electricity markets to benefit the utility industry and expose consumers to more Enron-like debacles. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has found that utility companies gouged California’s consumers by creating false electricity shortages. HR 6 provides huge subsidies on polluting industries by providing billions of dollars to polluting industries including coal, oil and nuclear. Over the next 10 years, these three industries are already scheduled to receive over $33 billion in handouts. Finally, HR 6 threatens America’s special places. By relying on destructive drilling in Western public lands, possibly including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and threatens sensitive coastal and marine areas. Pillaging the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would yield less than a six-month supply of oil but would cost America our last pristine Arctic wilderness. The Energy Bill passed 247-145. NO was the pro-environmental vote. All of Kentucky’s representatives (Lewis, Lucas, Whitfield, Rogers, Northup, and Fletcher) voted YES.
http://www.biology.eku.edu/kos…
Huge subsidies for polluting industries such as coal, oil and nuclear? Industries that already have $33 billion in subsidies scheduled? Last but not least, allowing the Oil Industries to rape one of the last remaining pristine Arctic Wildernesses for pure greed? Big Oil definately has a friend in Exxon Ed Whitfield.
It is clear as long as Exxon Ed Whitfield haunts the hallowed halls of the U.S. Congress, that he will fight against having the fuels of the future, that hold promise for our workers, and industries here in Kentucky’s First to fight for Big Oil and his stock options. He will defeat any kind of progress to create high-paying jobs in Kentucky because he is invested in the old guard and profiting handsomely from it.
So what can we do? Kentucky’s First needs to send a real Representative to Washington. A representative with union roots, that is a working person and wants to represent working people. A representative that doesn’t benefit financially when Progressive change is defeated in this country.
That representative is Heather Ryan. Mother, Navy Veteran, union supporter, and most of all, working American who knows the challenges facing those of us who scratch and claw daily to make ends meet.
We are already in the general against Exxon Ed Whitfield in the fall. Go to Heather’s site and read up on her here:
http://www.ryanforkentucky.com/
Sign up for email updates and keep up with our campaign to expand our Congressional majorities. The FISA vote shows we need as many Democrats with a backbone in the Congress as we can get. Heather is that, and would fight for us without cowardice, and without rolling over. She supports a Democratic vision for this country and does so proudly.
To win this fight however, we simply must have your help. We are up against the McConnell Republican machine here in Kentucky, which as you all know is well-funded and well-oiled. Exxon Eddie has a million dollars to spend from the Big Oil interests he so gleefully represents. We need grassroots Democrats to stand up and support us desperately. Won’t you make an investment in the future of our party and our Congress, and support a “Fighting Democrat”?
The loss of Andrew Horne in Kentucky’s Senate race has shown us that we cannot depend on the leaders of our party to support real Democrats. It has shown us that Kentucky will once again be ignored and conceded by the leaders of our party. If we want to elect grassroots Democrats who will change things, it is up to us to give them the resources they need.
I can promise you while our national party has no stomach for this fight, this grassroots Kentucky Democrat has just begun to fight. My home and neighbors are important to me, as they are to Heather Ryan. Please, go here and support this fight against Exxon Ed Whitfield and the McConnell machine and send a message to the Democratic leadership as well as Mitch McConnell. We are still itching for a fight!!!:
http://www.actblue.com/page/ry…
Don’t let the powers that be derail change in this country once again. Kossacks, lets fight for Ryan!!!!
For those who may have missed it, here is Heather announcing her run for this seat, and the reasons for it:
Please, help us!! We can win this race with national Democrats behind us!!