Chivalry isn’t dead, it’s just horribly misplaced. From the Washington Post:
Senators struck a note of populist outrage when they ordered oil executives to appear before the Energy and Commerce committees to explain high fuel prices and record company profits. Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), announcing the hearing, said it would expose “those who abuse the free-enterprise system to advantage themselves and their businesses at the expense of all Americans.”
But instead of calling oil executives on the carpet yesterday, senators gave them the red-carpet treatment.
What can I say? What do I need to say, after you read the next paragraph?
The companies summoned to testify have given about $400,000 in PAC money this year alone — and much of that has found its way to those who served as the executives’ interrogators. So while protesters came to the hearing wearing “Exxpose Exxon” T-shirts, most lawmakers opted to extol Exxon Mobil — and Chevron, ConocoPhillips, BP and Shell.
Opinion? Yes. Read farther for the facts.
“First, let me begin by thanking each of you and the companies for what you all did to save lives, to save property, to restore the communities along the Gulf Coast,” said Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), who has taken $249,155 in oil and gas money over five years, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
I love how this article does this. Every politician who is quoted, has a number after their name. I’m going to quote a lot of this article, because I want to let the Senators speak for themselves.
“There’s a great deal we know about your industry; there’s a great deal the average citizen does not know,” said Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho, $96,950), explaining popular hostility to the industry. “I must tell you, it’s not terribly fun defending you. But I do.”
Sen. John Sununu (R-N.H., $64,480) praised the executives for being “very reasonable.” He said industry’s profits are big “because they are very big companies,” and he argued against higher taxes on their profits.
From the start, the ferocity of the questioning seemed to come in inverse proportion to the amount of industry funds a questioner had received.
When Energy Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska, $102,190) announced that he would not require the executives to give their testimony under oath, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash., $9,400) asked for a vote on the issue. Stevens shot back: “There will be no vote . . . It’s the decision of the chairman, and I have made that decision.”
“I move that we swear in witnesses,” Cantwell persisted.
“I second the motion,” said Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif., $9,450).
“That’s the last we’re going to hear about that, because it’s out of order,” a piqued Stevens replied. When the two women continued their protest, the chairman informed them that “I intend to be respectful of the position that these gentlemen hold.”
Stevens did not fail in this goal. When Boxer later displayed a large chart showing the executives’ pay, Stevens cut her off.
“We’ll stop the clock right here for you, Senator,” Stevens said, ordering the chart taken down because it was not “information that pertains to our issue.”
More
than one senator begged the executives to help them explain high energy
prices to consumers. “Please,” said Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.,
$164,158), “describe in detail how the price of oil is set.” Nobody
volunteered. So Domenici called on Raymond to “put yourself in my
shoes.”
And get this. While Congress snarls over the budget, with the quarrel being cut social programs that keep struggling heads above water, or balance the budget, this is what the Senate was doing. (bolding is mine.)
Under questioning from Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore., $12,500), all five executives testified that they did not need the tax breaks in the recent energy bill.
“That energy legislation is zero in terms of how it affects Exxon Mobil,” said the company’s chairman, Lee Raymond.
This did not sit well with Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Tex., $306,820). “But,” she asked, don’t the tax breaks “make a difference” in investment decisions?
Raymond would not play along. “They will not significantly alter the programs that we have,” he said.
Words cannot express my outrage and disgust.
Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J., $10,000) asked whether any of the companies had participated in Vice President Cheney’s energy task force, and all five answered in the negative. Fortunately, they were not under oath: A report by the Government Accountability Office found that Chevron was one of several companies that “gave detailed energy policy recommendations” to the task force.
He lied. I don’t have the man’s name, but he lied to Congress. And no one called him on it!
Bet you couldn’t get away with that. I can guarantee I wouldn’t. Now is that how America is supposed to work?