New threats to our movement, but we won’t back down

There have been some alarming rumors this week regarding executive orders from the Trump administration that could have a far-reaching effect on non-profit organizations, and those working to end the climate crisis in particular. Just yesterday Trump issued a ‘presidential memoranda’ targeting ActBlue, a major fundraising platform used by the progressive movement – including us, Oil Change International.

The Trump administration’s targeting of funders and donation platforms is a blatant attempt to isolate civil society and silence dissent. The Trump administration is trying to choke off support for organizations like ours who are standing up to its destructive, unpopular, fossil-fueled agenda. But we won’t be intimidated.

This is a time when we are seeing plainly the takeover of our politics by billionaires and big business interests, at the expense of working people. We’re seeing this administration attempt to gut the government systems and programs that we depend on, like Medicare, Medicaid, and climate action, to pay for huge tax cuts for the wealthy. And now they are threatening their political opponents and undermining organizations working in the public interest.

This administration is taking increasingly authoritarian steps to consolidate power in its hands and those of its fossil fuel industry donors. Fossil fuel executives now occupy key decision-making positions, like former fracking CEO and current Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

The government has already stripped protections for our lands and our environment and pushed through approvals for massive, highly polluting new fossil fuel projects. On the same day as the ActBlue memorandum, the Department of Interior announced it would dramatically reduce opportunities for public input on fossil fuel projects.

The administration has also declared an “energy emergency,” even though the U.S. is already the biggest oil and gas producer and expander in the world and we have an oversupply of oil and gas. Instead of addressing the very real climate emergency, Trump and his billionaire cronies want the United States to produce even more oil and gas to line the pockets of corporate executives.

At OCI, we’re working to meet this moment. We’re calling out the administration’s hypocrisy and lies. We’re building power to fight back against the billionaires who are rigging the government for their own profit, and working in coalition with groups in the U.S. to build a united front against fossil fuel interests.

For 20 years, Oil Change has been data-driven and people powered. In the past few years we’ve significantly expanded our work – we are now nearly 50 staff globally, and we continue to produce hard-hitting research and communications to expose the impacts of the fossil fuel industry.

The situation in the U.S. is scary — but globally there is hope. For instance, in the United Kingdom, there is an opportunity right now to pressure the current government to follow through on its campaign promise to enact a ban on fossil fuels, and we’re working hard with civil society allies and partners in the U.K. to make this happen.

The only way we win is if we keep fighting.