Steve Horn's News Articles

News

Fracking Insiders Score Big in New Gas Bill, But Americans Not Told the True Costs of Massive Drilling Plan

by Steve Horn — April 7, 2011 - 11:00pm
  • Topics: Energy, Environment

    • Corporate insiders peddling the claim that drilling for methane gas will solve America's energy needs just scored big in Washington -- and for these insiders fracking for gas is very lucrative business. House Resolution 1380, given the feel-good moniker of the "New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans Solutions Act " or "NAT GAS Act," was announced on Wednesday, April 6, in the U. S. House of Representatives. The bill is 24-pages long and rewards the fracking industry with tax credits and products to help "drive" consumption. The bigger the vehicle, the more tax credits given.

    This initiative to expand the controversial fracking process -- which has already resulted in contaminated wells and rivers and even ignitable tap water for some -- is being spearheaded in Congress by Reps. John Sullivan (R-Oklahoma), Dan Boren (D-Oklahoma), John Larson (D-Connecticut), and Kevin Brady (R-Texas). The bill has 77 co-sponsors, with 40 Democrats in support, and 37 Republicans, from 33 different states.

    But, perhaps its most powerful supporter or potential supporter is President Barack Obama. Just two weeks ago, he alluded to being a strong supporter of a bill of this nature in a speech on March 30 on "America's Energy Security" at Georgetown University. In that address, he specifically mentioned T. Boone Pickens's name when discussing legislation to support expanded fracking for methane.

    News

    Attacking the Messenger: Smearing "Gasland" Producer Josh Fox

    by Steve Horn — March 30, 2011 - 12:23pm
  • Topics: Energy, Environment, Propaganda, Public Relations

    • Gasland, a documentary film that exposes the dangers accompanying methane gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale region, has been mercilessly attacked by Big Oil since the film was released during the summer of 2010. The attacks have only escalated both in intensity and volume as the film has grown in popularity and acclaim, reaching their peak when it was announced that the film was a candidate for Best Documentary at the 2011 Academy Awards.

    While most of the spin has centered around factual misinformation about fracking, utilizing the prototypical Big Oil, Big Lies playbook tactic, Big Oil has now raised the stakes. In lieu of lying about how "environmentally friendly" the fracking process is, they have shifted to the propagandist's last resort: shooting the messenger.

    Op-Ed

    The "Badger Advocates": Corporate Advocates, Not UW-Madison Advocates

    by Steve Horn — March 6, 2011 - 4:05pm
  • Topics: Banking, Corporations, Education, Lobbying, Wisconsin Protests

    • Madison, Wisconsin -- A new lobbying firm, the Badger Advocates, has opened on Capitol Square.

    According to its newly-minted website, the Advocates "are dedicated to supporting the University of Wisconsin-Madison ... [and] will promote greater accountability through enhanced autonomy for this unique institution." This lobbying effort is similar to efforts afoot in other states to use state budget issues to privatize public higher education institutions and put more assets and power at the disposal of powerful corporate interests.

    The lobby shop's PR description closely mirrors the title of the Wisconsin Public Research Institute's December 2010 report titled, "Making the University of Wisconsin More Accountable Through Greater Autonomy." WPRI is heavily funded by the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, a right-wing neo-conservative think tank.

    Op-Ed

    The Looming Assault on UW-Madison

    by Steve Horn — February 20, 2011 - 12:46am
  • Topics: Corporations, Democracy, Education, Labor, Public Relations, Wisconsin Protests

    • Op-Ed by Steve Horn, Madison, Wisconsin -- This is a story about Scott Walker and Biddy Martin's efforts to dismantle the University of Wisconsin-Madison. To complete the corporatization of the public's university is an important piece of what is happening both in Madison and nationwide. This story must be told before it is too late to save the university that belongs to the people of Wisconsin, and while democratic momentum is still on our side at the University, in Madison, and in the state of Wisconsin. Although seemingly specific to the UW, this is a case study about the future of public college education nationwide.

    Op-Ed

    Egyptian Protests Expose Fraudulent U.S. "Spreading Democracy" Meme

    by Steve Horn — January 31, 2011 - 7:09pm
  • Topics: Activism, Democracy, Human Rights, International

    • The Egyptian people have exposed the great myth that prevails in the sphere of United States' foreign policy, namely that U.S. foreign policy elites are concerned with "spreading democracy."

    That is because, as Hampshire College's Michael Klare has written, since 1945, the United States has maintained a foreign policy that is centered around "blood and oil." The foreign policy establishment often uses "democracy spreading" as a public relations platitude because it sounds much better than saying, "We went to war for oil." But caring about democracy goes out the window when one truly scrutinizes U.S. foreign policy through a critical lens. Sourcewatch calls this phenomenon Big Oil, Big Lies.

    Fox News Gives GOP Free Advertising

    by Steve Horn — January 25, 2011 - 9:47pm
  • Topics: Right Wing, Election 2008, Corporations, Media

    • It is a known fact that money taints every aspect of American politics, and most prominently, elections.  The Raw Story reports that sometimes you actually don't have to pay to play, or at least that if you pay enough, sometimes the favor is returned.

    David Edwards reports that in the run-up to the 2008 presidential elections Fox News gave some $55 million in free campaign advertising to GOP candidates.

    Edwards writes,

    Being on the Fox News payroll has its advantages. Not only did five potential Republican candidates get regular paychecks from the network last year, but they also got something even more valuable: airtime. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee appeared for almost 48 hours. Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin had nearly 14 hours of appearances. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was given close to 12 hours. Former senator from Pennsylvania Rick Santorum and former UN Ambassador under George W. Bush John Bolton both received about six hours.

    "Gasland" Up for Best Feature Documentary At Oscars

    by Steve Horn — January 25, 2011 - 3:40pm
  • Topics: Front Groups, Environment, Propaganda, Public Relations

    • Gasland, the documentary produced and directed by Josh Fox, is up for an Oscar for Best Documentary in the Feature Category.

    The film put the harms associated with natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale in the national limelight and begat a propaganda campaign by Energy in Depth (EID). EID, for those who have not heard of it, is a pro-oil-and-gas drilling industry front group formed by the American Petroleum Institute.

    Like their "Debunking Gasland" campaign, thoroughly debunked by Kevin Grandia of DeSmogBlog as an absurd misinformation campaign, EID is at it again, this time in the form of an idiotic smear campaign.

    Build Settlements, Be Intransigent, Get Weaponry

    by Steve Horn — December 9, 2010 - 3:11pm
  • Topics: Social Justice, War / Peace

    • Op-ed by Steve Horn--On Dec. 9, 2010, Haaretz, one of Israel's top newspapers and news sources, reported that the United States would allocate some $205 million for something called an "Iron Dome anti-rocket system." As a reward, then, for the non-stop building of settlements, Israel was showered with weapons by the U.S., thanks mostly to the Pro-Israel lobby, which has remained a huge obstacle in solving the Israel-Palestine conflict from time immemorial.

    Natural Gas and Money, a "Bacteria that Ills the American System"

    by Steve Horn — November 10, 2010 - 4:18pm

    Money, plain and simple, is what Salon.com blogger Glenn Greenwald called "the bacteria that ills the American political system" in a talk given at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on November 3, 2010. Indeed, when looking at issues individually, one can see that this is obviously the case, whether it be health care, Wall Street, war, or on national security issues. It's all the same and he who pays the piper calls the tune.

    Should anyone be surprised, then, that every statewide race in Pennsylvania, a state in which there are no limits on campaign contributions, was ruthlessly barraged by campaign money from oil companies? If you're surprised, you clearly haven't had your eyes open during other election cycles.

    "Welcome Home, War!": Pennsylvania and the Marcellus Shale

    by Steve Horn — September 22, 2010 - 10:50am
  • Topics: Activism, Corporations, Democracy, Secrecy

    • Activists, concerned citizens, and democrats (written purposely with a lower "d"), watch out. As George Orwell stated in his ominous book 1984, "Big Brother is watching you." One need to look no further than the creepy and covert Orwellian events that were recently unearthed in Pennsylvania as Exhibit A for a reflection of the current horrifying environment that exists for those who choose to speak out against governmental and corporate injustices and in this instance, against fracking in the Marcellus Shale.

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