By Michael Stark Santa Monica
Californians have heard the lies before. In 2001 we had an “energy crisis” that was manufactured by the energy companies in order to get everything they wanted. Just like now, they had the highest levels of our government colluding with them. And they had plenty of right wingers like [Paul] Weyrich (“A time to drill,” page 5, July 17) spreading their lies as if they were truth, what Steven Colbert likes to refer as “truthyness.”
Weyrich wants us to believe that the energy companies he talked to are looking out for the country’s best interests when it is obvious to anyone with a brain that they are looking to make tens of billions more in profits. And he wants to do what was done during the last “crisis,” only this time it’s all Americans who are suffering as opposed to one blue state. Every Californian remembers the energy traders laughing about what they were doing to “granny.” The oil companies are doing the laughing now.
There is no difference between 2000 and now. Speculators and oil companies are driving up the costs and reaping the profits. Meanwhile the president and the Republicans in and out of Congress are more than willing to help them while letting the people suffer. The only real question is why anybody believes the people who have lied to them for the past eight years.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 19, 2008. Read the original PDF.