U.S. Government

U.S., Oil Companies Oust Climate Change Scientist

by Sheldon Rampton — April 19, 2002 - 11:00pm

The Bush administration, Exxon-Mobil and other energy companies successfully connived behind the scenes to oust climatologist Robert Watson from leadership of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United Nation's international scientific panel on climate change. Meanwhile, an extensive research survey published in March confirms that global warming is already affecting life on earth.

Main Source: 
The Guardian (UK), April 20, 2002

Burying Your Lede

by Sheldon Rampton — April 17, 2002 - 11:00pm

An increasing number of observers are reaching the conclusion that the Bush administration covertly backed the recent attempted military coup in Venezuela. As Josh Marshall points out, there is "something odd and perplexing about the drifting accounts being provided by administration officials. Every day there's a new detail.

Main Source: 
Talking Points, April 18, 2002

U.S. Denies Role in Venezuelan Coup

by Sheldon Rampton — April 15, 2002 - 11:00pm

In the aftermath of the failed coup against populist Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, Bush administration officials have admitted that they "met several times in recent months" with leaders of the coup "and agreed with them that he should be removed from office." Those meetings, and the haste with which the White House proclaimed its support for the military-installed regime, have prompted suspicions that the U.S. helped instigate the coup.

Main Source: 
New York Times, April 16, 2002

Oil Slick Propaganda

by Sheldon Rampton — April 11, 2002 - 11:00pm

The U.S. Interior Department's web site features a video prepared by the Patton Boggs lobbying group to promote exploration for oil and gas in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Its distribution of the video violates a law forbidding federal agencies to engage in PR activities "designed to support or defeat legislation pending before the Congress." The Interior Department is becoming "a cinema house for lobbyists," says Massachusetts Congressman Edward Markey.

Main Source: 
New York Times, April 12, 2002

48 Hours

by Sheldon Rampton — April 10, 2002 - 11:00pm

While formulating its national energy policy, the Bush administration's Energy Department met with 109 representatives of the energy industry and its trade associations from late January to May 17, 2001, but gave environmental groups less than 48 hours to review and comment on the policies.

Main Source: 
New York Times, April 11, 2002

Historians Criticize Bush Secrecy

by Sheldon Rampton — April 10, 2002 - 11:00pm

Richard Reeves, author of an acclaimed work on President Kennedy, has joined other leading historians in criticizing President Bush's executive order last fall that tightened access to presidential records of previous administrations. Currently working on a book about President Reagan, Reeves held up an index of government documents that he has been prohibited from seeing. "There's great determination to prevent these papers from ever becoming public," he said.

Main Source: 
New York Times, April 11, 2002

Actions Louder than Words

by Sheldon Rampton — April 7, 2002 - 12:00am

Though President Bush says he envisions a world that settles disputes with "reason and good will," he is deepening U.S. ties with countries that commit human-rights abuses. "But Bush's coalition against terrorism is deepening U.S. military ties with countries that ... commit human-rights abuses that are well documented by the State Department," writes Frida Berrigan. "Last month, the department released its annual 'Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.' It lists 52 countries that are receiving U.S. military training or weapons as having 'poor' or 'very poor' human-rights records."

Main Source: 
Knight-Ridder, April 7, 2002

PBS's "Commanding" Conflict of Interest

by Sheldon Rampton — April 3, 2002 - 12:00am

PBS has applied its "conflict of interest" guidelines to refuse programming that receives sponsorship from unions, lesbians or battered women, on grounds that these groups have a "vested interest in the subject matter of the program." When it comes to corporations, however, the network follows a different standard. Currently the network is premiering a six-hour series about the global economy which was sponsored by major corporations that have a clear interest in the show's content.

Main Source: 
FAIR/Extra, April 3, 2002

Bush Administration Tramples on Press Freedom

by Laura Miller — April 2, 2002 - 5:33pm

When Spozhmai Maiwandi, who ran the Pashto service of the U.S. government's Voice of America, aired remarks made by Taliban leader Mullah Omar not long after September 11, the Bush administration got upset. Maiwandi lost her job. Frank Smyth writes for TomPaine.com that "unfortunately the VOA case is only one of many examples in which Bush officials have manipulated the press, particularly since 9/11. The administration has demonstrated a callous disregard for journalism, truth and transparency.

Main Source: 
http://www.tompaine.com/feature.cfm/ID/5294

The Other War Room

by Sheldon Rampton — March 31, 2002 - 11:00pm

George Bush likes to insist that he governs "based upon principle and not polls and focus groups." In reality, writes Joshua Green, "the Bush administration is a frequent consumer of polls, though it takes extraordinary measures to appear that it isn't." In 2001, the administration spent close to $1 million for polling, using political advisors like Jan van Lohuizen and his focus-group guru, Fred Steeper. "Policies are chosen beforehand, polls used to spin them.

Main Source: 
Washington Monthly, April 1, 2002
Syndicate content