Skip to content
Oil Change International | Data Driven, People Powered. Oil Change International | Data Driven, People Powered.
  • About
    • Our Work
    • Values
    • Team
    • Jobs at OCI
    • Ways to Give
  • Program Areas
    • Africa
    • Asia
    • North Sea
    • United States
    • Global Industry
    • Global Public Finance
    • Global Policy
  • Blog
  • Press Releases
  • Publications
Donate
  • Get Updates
    • Share on Bluesky Share on Bluesky Bluesky (opens in a new window)
    • Share on Twitter Share on Twitter Twitter (opens in a new window)
    • Share on Instagram Share on Instagram Instagram (opens in a new window)
    • Share on LinkedIn Share on LinkedIn LinkedIn (opens in a new window)
    • Share on Facebook Share on Facebook Facebook (opens in a new window)
Donate
  • About
    • Our Work
    • Values
    • Team
    • Jobs at OCI
    • Ways to Give
  • Program Areas
    • Africa
    • Asia
    • North Sea
    • United States
    • Global Industry
    • Global Public Finance
    • Global Policy
  • Blog
  • Press Releases
  • Publications
    • Get Updates
    • Share on Bluesky Bluesky
    • Share on Twitter Twitter
    • Share on Instagram Instagram
    • Share on LinkedIn LinkedIn
    • Share on Facebook Facebook
Go to OCI Homepage
Current Affairs
Published: December 14, 2011

“Gas & Oil Party” passes Keystone XL poison pill

  • Latest from OCI
  • Blogs listing
  • “Gas & Oil Party” passes Keystone XL poison pill
    • Blog Post Climate change Current Affairs Oil separate oil and state US politics
Steve Kretzmann

Steve is the founder of Oil Change International and served as its first Executive Director.

[email protected]

Separate Oil and StateYesterday, Republicans and a few Democrats defied a veto threat from President Obama and passed a bill extending a cut in Social Security payroll taxes which also would fast track a decision on the Keystone XL pipeline and give polluters a variety of other gifts.

Representative Edward J. Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts, said the Republicans were giving gifts to “their planet-polluting patrons, Big Oil and Big Coal,” and he asserted: “G.O.P. used to stand for Grand Old Party. Now it stands for Gang of Polluters. Now it stands for Gas and Oil Party.”

We decided to test Markey’s assertion that this vote was bought by looking at our Dirty Energy Money database.  Lo and behold, the total amount of fossil fuel funding going to those who voted yes was more than $41 million, while those who voted against the bill have received only about $8 million from oil, gas and coal interests. You can download a spreadsheet with details here.

In short, Representatives who voted for this bill have taken five times more from fossil fuel companies over their career than those who voted no.

Bill McKibben has more on this today in the LA Times.

Just an FYI.

 

Oil Change International | Data Driven, People Powered.
Donate Get Updates
Back to the top
  • Keep in touch

  • Oil Change International
    714 G St. SE, #202
    Washington, DC 20003
    United States

    +1.202.518.9029

    [email protected]

    • Share on Bluesky Bluesky (opens in a new window)
    • Share on Twitter Twitter (opens in a new window)
    • Share on Instagram Instagram (opens in a new window)
    • Share on LinkedIn LinkedIn (opens in a new window)
    • Share on Facebook Facebook (opens in a new window)
  • Quick links

  • About OCI
  • Our Values
  • Jobs at OCI
  • Ways to Give
  • Media Centre

  • Publications
  • Press
  • Associated websites

  • Big Oil Reality Check
  • Energy Finance Database
  • Permian Climate Bomb
  • Site map
  • Privacy policy

Copyright © 2025 Oil Change International. Web design by Fat Beehive