\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

Page 15 of 21 1 14 15 16 21
\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

Page 15 of 21 1 14 15 16 21
\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

Page 15 of 21 1 14 15 16 21
\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

Page 15 of 21 1 14 15 16 21
\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

Page 15 of 21 1 14 15 16 21
\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

The fossil fuel industry has spent approximately more than $54.2 million in money on two super PACs during the 2023-2024 election cycle. A lot of money is spent on ads before Election Day to make efforts to win control of Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Their main objective is to shape\u200c politics that support their interests and secure a favorable atmosphere in Congress. This trend raises concern about the money's impact on democracy. It also creates donuts about the true decisions of the political landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fossil fuel industry has spent approximately more than $54.2 million in money on two super PACs during the 2023-2024 election cycle. A lot of money is spent on ads before Election Day to make efforts to win control of Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

This huge amount of spending highlights the fossil fuel industry\u2019s determination to impact \u200c political decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their main objective is to shape\u200c politics that support their interests and secure a favorable atmosphere in Congress. This trend raises concern about the money's impact on democracy. It also creates donuts about the true decisions of the political landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fossil fuel industry has spent approximately more than $54.2 million in money on two super PACs during the 2023-2024 election cycle. A lot of money is spent on ads before Election Day to make efforts to win control of Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Furthermore, Federal Election Commission reports revealed the truth. According to this report, most \u200coil and gas companies, such as Chevron and ConocoPhillips, are spending more than $20 million of money in \u200ctwo key super PACs. One is the  Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) and the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF). They spent this money during the third quarter of 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This huge amount of spending highlights the fossil fuel industry\u2019s determination to impact \u200c political decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their main objective is to shape\u200c politics that support their interests and secure a favorable atmosphere in Congress. This trend raises concern about the money's impact on democracy. It also creates donuts about the true decisions of the political landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fossil fuel industry has spent approximately more than $54.2 million in money on two super PACs during the 2023-2024 election cycle. A lot of money is spent on ads before Election Day to make efforts to win control of Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

According to the latest report, the fossil fuel industry <\/a>is spending a lot of money on the 2024 UD presidential campaign. Their main objective is on super PACs, aiming at assisting Republicans maintain control of the House and regain the Senate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, Federal Election Commission reports revealed the truth. According to this report, most \u200coil and gas companies, such as Chevron and ConocoPhillips, are spending more than $20 million of money in \u200ctwo key super PACs. One is the  Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) and the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF). They spent this money during the third quarter of 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This huge amount of spending highlights the fossil fuel industry\u2019s determination to impact \u200c political decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their main objective is to shape\u200c politics that support their interests and secure a favorable atmosphere in Congress. This trend raises concern about the money's impact on democracy. It also creates donuts about the true decisions of the political landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fossil fuel industry has spent approximately more than $54.2 million in money on two super PACs during the 2023-2024 election cycle. A lot of money is spent on ads before Election Day to make efforts to win control of Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

A further realization is the significance of seeing safety from a group perspective rather than an individual one. As part of coalitions and communities rather than as isolated entities, organizations, and advocates face risks and grow resilient. Therefore, collective protection approaches aim to strike a balance between immediate responses to pressing threats and longer-term initiatives to strengthen the sustainability and cohesion of networks, communities, and organizations. Some examples of these initiatives include creating cooperative safety protocols, resolving internal conflicts within organizations, and conducting collective threat analyses. Politicians who espouse antidemocratic and illiberal views frequently target their opponents by intensifying the politicized and selective implementation of current laws and regulations. For example, the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n in Hungary has targeted independent civil society groups with tax audits. <\/p>\n","post_title":"International strategies for US civic space defense","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"international-strategies-for-us-civic-space-defense","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7230","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7224,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_content":"\n

According to the latest report, the fossil fuel industry <\/a>is spending a lot of money on the 2024 UD presidential campaign. Their main objective is on super PACs, aiming at assisting Republicans maintain control of the House and regain the Senate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, Federal Election Commission reports revealed the truth. According to this report, most \u200coil and gas companies, such as Chevron and ConocoPhillips, are spending more than $20 million of money in \u200ctwo key super PACs. One is the  Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) and the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF). They spent this money during the third quarter of 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This huge amount of spending highlights the fossil fuel industry\u2019s determination to impact \u200c political decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their main objective is to shape\u200c politics that support their interests and secure a favorable atmosphere in Congress. This trend raises concern about the money's impact on democracy. It also creates donuts about the true decisions of the political landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fossil fuel industry has spent approximately more than $54.2 million in money on two super PACs during the 2023-2024 election cycle. A lot of money is spent on ads before Election Day to make efforts to win control of Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

US civic space through an international lens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A further realization is the significance of seeing safety from a group perspective rather than an individual one. As part of coalitions and communities rather than as isolated entities, organizations, and advocates face risks and grow resilient. Therefore, collective protection approaches aim to strike a balance between immediate responses to pressing threats and longer-term initiatives to strengthen the sustainability and cohesion of networks, communities, and organizations. Some examples of these initiatives include creating cooperative safety protocols, resolving internal conflicts within organizations, and conducting collective threat analyses. Politicians who espouse antidemocratic and illiberal views frequently target their opponents by intensifying the politicized and selective implementation of current laws and regulations. For example, the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n in Hungary has targeted independent civil society groups with tax audits. <\/p>\n","post_title":"International strategies for US civic space defense","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"international-strategies-for-us-civic-space-defense","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7230","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7224,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_content":"\n

According to the latest report, the fossil fuel industry <\/a>is spending a lot of money on the 2024 UD presidential campaign. Their main objective is on super PACs, aiming at assisting Republicans maintain control of the House and regain the Senate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, Federal Election Commission reports revealed the truth. According to this report, most \u200coil and gas companies, such as Chevron and ConocoPhillips, are spending more than $20 million of money in \u200ctwo key super PACs. One is the  Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) and the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF). They spent this money during the third quarter of 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This huge amount of spending highlights the fossil fuel industry\u2019s determination to impact \u200c political decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their main objective is to shape\u200c politics that support their interests and secure a favorable atmosphere in Congress. This trend raises concern about the money's impact on democracy. It also creates donuts about the true decisions of the political landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fossil fuel industry has spent approximately more than $54.2 million in money on two super PACs during the 2023-2024 election cycle. A lot of money is spent on ads before Election Day to make efforts to win control of Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Resources and training are also available through recent US-focused efforts like the NGO Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NGO-ISAC). Organizations should, for instance, take into account how employees use and interact on social networking sites and what precautions they might take to manage dangers and prevent doxxing. The financing of security training and protective measures ought to be included in grants from philanthropic foundations as well, as several donors that collaborate with human rights groups worldwide have done recently. Experiences abroad provide even more lessons that are applicable back home. For starters, civil society activists operating in unstable and divisive political<\/a> contexts emphasize that dealing with online abuse and harassment as well as working on challenging issues may lead to stress, fatigue, and burnout even when there are no direct dangers to their safety. So, in addition to providing physical, digital, and legal safety for employees, holistic security policies should also include steps to safeguard their mental health and general well-being. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

US civic space through an international lens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A further realization is the significance of seeing safety from a group perspective rather than an individual one. As part of coalitions and communities rather than as isolated entities, organizations, and advocates face risks and grow resilient. Therefore, collective protection approaches aim to strike a balance between immediate responses to pressing threats and longer-term initiatives to strengthen the sustainability and cohesion of networks, communities, and organizations. Some examples of these initiatives include creating cooperative safety protocols, resolving internal conflicts within organizations, and conducting collective threat analyses. Politicians who espouse antidemocratic and illiberal views frequently target their opponents by intensifying the politicized and selective implementation of current laws and regulations. For example, the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n in Hungary has targeted independent civil society groups with tax audits. <\/p>\n","post_title":"International strategies for US civic space defense","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"international-strategies-for-us-civic-space-defense","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7230","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7224,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_content":"\n

According to the latest report, the fossil fuel industry <\/a>is spending a lot of money on the 2024 UD presidential campaign. Their main objective is on super PACs, aiming at assisting Republicans maintain control of the House and regain the Senate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, Federal Election Commission reports revealed the truth. According to this report, most \u200coil and gas companies, such as Chevron and ConocoPhillips, are spending more than $20 million of money in \u200ctwo key super PACs. One is the  Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) and the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF). They spent this money during the third quarter of 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This huge amount of spending highlights the fossil fuel industry\u2019s determination to impact \u200c political decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their main objective is to shape\u200c politics that support their interests and secure a favorable atmosphere in Congress. This trend raises concern about the money's impact on democracy. It also creates donuts about the true decisions of the political landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fossil fuel industry has spent approximately more than $54.2 million in money on two super PACs during the 2023-2024 election cycle. A lot of money is spent on ads before Election Day to make efforts to win control of Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Strategic partnerships for US democracy defense<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Resources and training are also available through recent US-focused efforts like the NGO Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NGO-ISAC). Organizations should, for instance, take into account how employees use and interact on social networking sites and what precautions they might take to manage dangers and prevent doxxing. The financing of security training and protective measures ought to be included in grants from philanthropic foundations as well, as several donors that collaborate with human rights groups worldwide have done recently. Experiences abroad provide even more lessons that are applicable back home. For starters, civil society activists operating in unstable and divisive political<\/a> contexts emphasize that dealing with online abuse and harassment as well as working on challenging issues may lead to stress, fatigue, and burnout even when there are no direct dangers to their safety. So, in addition to providing physical, digital, and legal safety for employees, holistic security policies should also include steps to safeguard their mental health and general well-being. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

US civic space through an international lens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A further realization is the significance of seeing safety from a group perspective rather than an individual one. As part of coalitions and communities rather than as isolated entities, organizations, and advocates face risks and grow resilient. Therefore, collective protection approaches aim to strike a balance between immediate responses to pressing threats and longer-term initiatives to strengthen the sustainability and cohesion of networks, communities, and organizations. Some examples of these initiatives include creating cooperative safety protocols, resolving internal conflicts within organizations, and conducting collective threat analyses. Politicians who espouse antidemocratic and illiberal views frequently target their opponents by intensifying the politicized and selective implementation of current laws and regulations. For example, the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n in Hungary has targeted independent civil society groups with tax audits. <\/p>\n","post_title":"International strategies for US civic space defense","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"international-strategies-for-us-civic-space-defense","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7230","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7224,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_content":"\n

According to the latest report, the fossil fuel industry <\/a>is spending a lot of money on the 2024 UD presidential campaign. Their main objective is on super PACs, aiming at assisting Republicans maintain control of the House and regain the Senate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, Federal Election Commission reports revealed the truth. According to this report, most \u200coil and gas companies, such as Chevron and ConocoPhillips, are spending more than $20 million of money in \u200ctwo key super PACs. One is the  Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) and the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF). They spent this money during the third quarter of 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This huge amount of spending highlights the fossil fuel industry\u2019s determination to impact \u200c political decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their main objective is to shape\u200c politics that support their interests and secure a favorable atmosphere in Congress. This trend raises concern about the money's impact on democracy. It also creates donuts about the true decisions of the political landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fossil fuel industry has spent approximately more than $54.2 million in money on two super PACs during the 2023-2024 election cycle. A lot of money is spent on ads before Election Day to make efforts to win control of Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

However, a wide range of threats face US activists and civil society organizations, including state surveillance, politically motivated subpoenas and investigations, vilification by public officials, arrests of journalists and protesters, and online and offline abuse, doxxing, and intimidation by extremist actors. To make sure that businesses are not caught off guard, security assessments and risk management strategies may assist reduce some of these risks and provide procedures for addressing others. Many tools have been developed by foundations and organizations that support activists in difficult political environments to assist advocates in developing strategies that are specific to the situation. Examples of these tools include the Front Line Defenders Workbook on Security, Security in a Box, Totem's digital security training, and the Holistic Security Manual created by Tactical Tech. Numerous of these tools provide US firms with useful insights, particularly in the increasingly important field of cybersecurity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategic partnerships for US democracy defense<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Resources and training are also available through recent US-focused efforts like the NGO Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NGO-ISAC). Organizations should, for instance, take into account how employees use and interact on social networking sites and what precautions they might take to manage dangers and prevent doxxing. The financing of security training and protective measures ought to be included in grants from philanthropic foundations as well, as several donors that collaborate with human rights groups worldwide have done recently. Experiences abroad provide even more lessons that are applicable back home. For starters, civil society activists operating in unstable and divisive political<\/a> contexts emphasize that dealing with online abuse and harassment as well as working on challenging issues may lead to stress, fatigue, and burnout even when there are no direct dangers to their safety. So, in addition to providing physical, digital, and legal safety for employees, holistic security policies should also include steps to safeguard their mental health and general well-being. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

US civic space through an international lens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A further realization is the significance of seeing safety from a group perspective rather than an individual one. As part of coalitions and communities rather than as isolated entities, organizations, and advocates face risks and grow resilient. Therefore, collective protection approaches aim to strike a balance between immediate responses to pressing threats and longer-term initiatives to strengthen the sustainability and cohesion of networks, communities, and organizations. Some examples of these initiatives include creating cooperative safety protocols, resolving internal conflicts within organizations, and conducting collective threat analyses. Politicians who espouse antidemocratic and illiberal views frequently target their opponents by intensifying the politicized and selective implementation of current laws and regulations. For example, the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n in Hungary has targeted independent civil society groups with tax audits. <\/p>\n","post_title":"International strategies for US civic space defense","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"international-strategies-for-us-civic-space-defense","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7230","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7224,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_content":"\n

According to the latest report, the fossil fuel industry <\/a>is spending a lot of money on the 2024 UD presidential campaign. Their main objective is on super PACs, aiming at assisting Republicans maintain control of the House and regain the Senate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, Federal Election Commission reports revealed the truth. According to this report, most \u200coil and gas companies, such as Chevron and ConocoPhillips, are spending more than $20 million of money in \u200ctwo key super PACs. One is the  Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) and the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF). They spent this money during the third quarter of 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This huge amount of spending highlights the fossil fuel industry\u2019s determination to impact \u200c political decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their main objective is to shape\u200c politics that support their interests and secure a favorable atmosphere in Congress. This trend raises concern about the money's impact on democracy. It also creates donuts about the true decisions of the political landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fossil fuel industry has spent approximately more than $54.2 million in money on two super PACs during the 2023-2024 election cycle. A lot of money is spent on ads before Election Day to make efforts to win control of Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Comparative analysis of civic space legislation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

However, a wide range of threats face US activists and civil society organizations, including state surveillance, politically motivated subpoenas and investigations, vilification by public officials, arrests of journalists and protesters, and online and offline abuse, doxxing, and intimidation by extremist actors. To make sure that businesses are not caught off guard, security assessments and risk management strategies may assist reduce some of these risks and provide procedures for addressing others. Many tools have been developed by foundations and organizations that support activists in difficult political environments to assist advocates in developing strategies that are specific to the situation. Examples of these tools include the Front Line Defenders Workbook on Security, Security in a Box, Totem's digital security training, and the Holistic Security Manual created by Tactical Tech. Numerous of these tools provide US firms with useful insights, particularly in the increasingly important field of cybersecurity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategic partnerships for US democracy defense<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Resources and training are also available through recent US-focused efforts like the NGO Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NGO-ISAC). Organizations should, for instance, take into account how employees use and interact on social networking sites and what precautions they might take to manage dangers and prevent doxxing. The financing of security training and protective measures ought to be included in grants from philanthropic foundations as well, as several donors that collaborate with human rights groups worldwide have done recently. Experiences abroad provide even more lessons that are applicable back home. For starters, civil society activists operating in unstable and divisive political<\/a> contexts emphasize that dealing with online abuse and harassment as well as working on challenging issues may lead to stress, fatigue, and burnout even when there are no direct dangers to their safety. So, in addition to providing physical, digital, and legal safety for employees, holistic security policies should also include steps to safeguard their mental health and general well-being. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

US civic space through an international lens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A further realization is the significance of seeing safety from a group perspective rather than an individual one. As part of coalitions and communities rather than as isolated entities, organizations, and advocates face risks and grow resilient. Therefore, collective protection approaches aim to strike a balance between immediate responses to pressing threats and longer-term initiatives to strengthen the sustainability and cohesion of networks, communities, and organizations. Some examples of these initiatives include creating cooperative safety protocols, resolving internal conflicts within organizations, and conducting collective threat analyses. Politicians who espouse antidemocratic and illiberal views frequently target their opponents by intensifying the politicized and selective implementation of current laws and regulations. For example, the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n in Hungary has targeted independent civil society groups with tax audits. <\/p>\n","post_title":"International strategies for US civic space defense","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"international-strategies-for-us-civic-space-defense","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7230","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7224,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_content":"\n

According to the latest report, the fossil fuel industry <\/a>is spending a lot of money on the 2024 UD presidential campaign. Their main objective is on super PACs, aiming at assisting Republicans maintain control of the House and regain the Senate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, Federal Election Commission reports revealed the truth. According to this report, most \u200coil and gas companies, such as Chevron and ConocoPhillips, are spending more than $20 million of money in \u200ctwo key super PACs. One is the  Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) and the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF). They spent this money during the third quarter of 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This huge amount of spending highlights the fossil fuel industry\u2019s determination to impact \u200c political decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their main objective is to shape\u200c politics that support their interests and secure a favorable atmosphere in Congress. This trend raises concern about the money's impact on democracy. It also creates donuts about the true decisions of the political landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fossil fuel industry has spent approximately more than $54.2 million in money on two super PACs during the 2023-2024 election cycle. A lot of money is spent on ads before Election Day to make efforts to win control of Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Regardless of the election's result, there will probably still be difficulties at the state level. They demand that civil society groups and philanthropic players work together to defend civic liberties in general and the nonprofit sector in the United States<\/a> in particular. Limitations on the freedom of association and advocacy, as well as civil society, have been hallmarks of the global democratic recession that has swept over the globe in the last twenty years. Antidemocratic leaders have been more adept at utilizing intimidation, stigmatizing narratives, harassment, and legal and administrative strategies to undermine their opponents than they have at using physical force to silence dissident voices. However, groups and activists have also gained invaluable knowledge on how to adapt, endure, and retaliate, as have their global friends. US civil society organizations and foundations may learn from their experiences in this lobby as they prepare for both current and upcoming threats. Civil society groups should first conduct comprehensive internal risk assessments to strengthen their defenses against future assaults. The suggestion that US groups' circumstances are similar to those of human rights advocates in Egypt, El Salvador, or other nations with harsh official repression may be met with resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comparative analysis of civic space legislation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

However, a wide range of threats face US activists and civil society organizations, including state surveillance, politically motivated subpoenas and investigations, vilification by public officials, arrests of journalists and protesters, and online and offline abuse, doxxing, and intimidation by extremist actors. To make sure that businesses are not caught off guard, security assessments and risk management strategies may assist reduce some of these risks and provide procedures for addressing others. Many tools have been developed by foundations and organizations that support activists in difficult political environments to assist advocates in developing strategies that are specific to the situation. Examples of these tools include the Front Line Defenders Workbook on Security, Security in a Box, Totem's digital security training, and the Holistic Security Manual created by Tactical Tech. Numerous of these tools provide US firms with useful insights, particularly in the increasingly important field of cybersecurity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategic partnerships for US democracy defense<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Resources and training are also available through recent US-focused efforts like the NGO Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NGO-ISAC). Organizations should, for instance, take into account how employees use and interact on social networking sites and what precautions they might take to manage dangers and prevent doxxing. The financing of security training and protective measures ought to be included in grants from philanthropic foundations as well, as several donors that collaborate with human rights groups worldwide have done recently. Experiences abroad provide even more lessons that are applicable back home. For starters, civil society activists operating in unstable and divisive political<\/a> contexts emphasize that dealing with online abuse and harassment as well as working on challenging issues may lead to stress, fatigue, and burnout even when there are no direct dangers to their safety. So, in addition to providing physical, digital, and legal safety for employees, holistic security policies should also include steps to safeguard their mental health and general well-being. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

US civic space through an international lens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A further realization is the significance of seeing safety from a group perspective rather than an individual one. As part of coalitions and communities rather than as isolated entities, organizations, and advocates face risks and grow resilient. Therefore, collective protection approaches aim to strike a balance between immediate responses to pressing threats and longer-term initiatives to strengthen the sustainability and cohesion of networks, communities, and organizations. Some examples of these initiatives include creating cooperative safety protocols, resolving internal conflicts within organizations, and conducting collective threat analyses. Politicians who espouse antidemocratic and illiberal views frequently target their opponents by intensifying the politicized and selective implementation of current laws and regulations. For example, the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n in Hungary has targeted independent civil society groups with tax audits. <\/p>\n","post_title":"International strategies for US civic space defense","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"international-strategies-for-us-civic-space-defense","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7230","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7224,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_content":"\n

According to the latest report, the fossil fuel industry <\/a>is spending a lot of money on the 2024 UD presidential campaign. Their main objective is on super PACs, aiming at assisting Republicans maintain control of the House and regain the Senate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, Federal Election Commission reports revealed the truth. According to this report, most \u200coil and gas companies, such as Chevron and ConocoPhillips, are spending more than $20 million of money in \u200ctwo key super PACs. One is the  Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) and the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF). They spent this money during the third quarter of 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This huge amount of spending highlights the fossil fuel industry\u2019s determination to impact \u200c political decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their main objective is to shape\u200c politics that support their interests and secure a favorable atmosphere in Congress. This trend raises concern about the money's impact on democracy. It also creates donuts about the true decisions of the political landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fossil fuel industry has spent approximately more than $54.2 million in money on two super PACs during the 2023-2024 election cycle. A lot of money is spent on ads before Election Day to make efforts to win control of Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Transnational threats to civic freedom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of the election's result, there will probably still be difficulties at the state level. They demand that civil society groups and philanthropic players work together to defend civic liberties in general and the nonprofit sector in the United States<\/a> in particular. Limitations on the freedom of association and advocacy, as well as civil society, have been hallmarks of the global democratic recession that has swept over the globe in the last twenty years. Antidemocratic leaders have been more adept at utilizing intimidation, stigmatizing narratives, harassment, and legal and administrative strategies to undermine their opponents than they have at using physical force to silence dissident voices. However, groups and activists have also gained invaluable knowledge on how to adapt, endure, and retaliate, as have their global friends. US civil society organizations and foundations may learn from their experiences in this lobby as they prepare for both current and upcoming threats. Civil society groups should first conduct comprehensive internal risk assessments to strengthen their defenses against future assaults. The suggestion that US groups' circumstances are similar to those of human rights advocates in Egypt, El Salvador, or other nations with harsh official repression may be met with resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comparative analysis of civic space legislation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

However, a wide range of threats face US activists and civil society organizations, including state surveillance, politically motivated subpoenas and investigations, vilification by public officials, arrests of journalists and protesters, and online and offline abuse, doxxing, and intimidation by extremist actors. To make sure that businesses are not caught off guard, security assessments and risk management strategies may assist reduce some of these risks and provide procedures for addressing others. Many tools have been developed by foundations and organizations that support activists in difficult political environments to assist advocates in developing strategies that are specific to the situation. Examples of these tools include the Front Line Defenders Workbook on Security, Security in a Box, Totem's digital security training, and the Holistic Security Manual created by Tactical Tech. Numerous of these tools provide US firms with useful insights, particularly in the increasingly important field of cybersecurity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategic partnerships for US democracy defense<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Resources and training are also available through recent US-focused efforts like the NGO Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NGO-ISAC). Organizations should, for instance, take into account how employees use and interact on social networking sites and what precautions they might take to manage dangers and prevent doxxing. The financing of security training and protective measures ought to be included in grants from philanthropic foundations as well, as several donors that collaborate with human rights groups worldwide have done recently. Experiences abroad provide even more lessons that are applicable back home. For starters, civil society activists operating in unstable and divisive political<\/a> contexts emphasize that dealing with online abuse and harassment as well as working on challenging issues may lead to stress, fatigue, and burnout even when there are no direct dangers to their safety. So, in addition to providing physical, digital, and legal safety for employees, holistic security policies should also include steps to safeguard their mental health and general well-being. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

US civic space through an international lens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A further realization is the significance of seeing safety from a group perspective rather than an individual one. As part of coalitions and communities rather than as isolated entities, organizations, and advocates face risks and grow resilient. Therefore, collective protection approaches aim to strike a balance between immediate responses to pressing threats and longer-term initiatives to strengthen the sustainability and cohesion of networks, communities, and organizations. Some examples of these initiatives include creating cooperative safety protocols, resolving internal conflicts within organizations, and conducting collective threat analyses. Politicians who espouse antidemocratic and illiberal views frequently target their opponents by intensifying the politicized and selective implementation of current laws and regulations. For example, the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n in Hungary has targeted independent civil society groups with tax audits. <\/p>\n","post_title":"International strategies for US civic space defense","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"international-strategies-for-us-civic-space-defense","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7230","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7224,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_content":"\n

According to the latest report, the fossil fuel industry <\/a>is spending a lot of money on the 2024 UD presidential campaign. Their main objective is on super PACs, aiming at assisting Republicans maintain control of the House and regain the Senate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, Federal Election Commission reports revealed the truth. According to this report, most \u200coil and gas companies, such as Chevron and ConocoPhillips, are spending more than $20 million of money in \u200ctwo key super PACs. One is the  Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) and the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF). They spent this money during the third quarter of 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This huge amount of spending highlights the fossil fuel industry\u2019s determination to impact \u200c political decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their main objective is to shape\u200c politics that support their interests and secure a favorable atmosphere in Congress. This trend raises concern about the money's impact on democracy. It also creates donuts about the true decisions of the political landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fossil fuel industry has spent approximately more than $54.2 million in money on two super PACs during the 2023-2024 election cycle. A lot of money is spent on ads before Election Day to make efforts to win control of Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

American civil society groups are facing an increasing number of dangers amid attacks on democratic institutions and values. Attacks on the right to free speech and new limitations on protest have increased recently, especially at the state level. Legal and political intimidation measures that have been used to harass and intimidate activists in Hungary<\/a>, India, Turkey, and other regressing democracies are becoming increasingly commonplace for civil society groups and activists. According to former President Trump's campaign remarks on this lobby, government experience, and his supporters' policies, these tendencies could accelerate under a second Trump administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transnational threats to civic freedom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of the election's result, there will probably still be difficulties at the state level. They demand that civil society groups and philanthropic players work together to defend civic liberties in general and the nonprofit sector in the United States<\/a> in particular. Limitations on the freedom of association and advocacy, as well as civil society, have been hallmarks of the global democratic recession that has swept over the globe in the last twenty years. Antidemocratic leaders have been more adept at utilizing intimidation, stigmatizing narratives, harassment, and legal and administrative strategies to undermine their opponents than they have at using physical force to silence dissident voices. However, groups and activists have also gained invaluable knowledge on how to adapt, endure, and retaliate, as have their global friends. US civil society organizations and foundations may learn from their experiences in this lobby as they prepare for both current and upcoming threats. Civil society groups should first conduct comprehensive internal risk assessments to strengthen their defenses against future assaults. The suggestion that US groups' circumstances are similar to those of human rights advocates in Egypt, El Salvador, or other nations with harsh official repression may be met with resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comparative analysis of civic space legislation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

However, a wide range of threats face US activists and civil society organizations, including state surveillance, politically motivated subpoenas and investigations, vilification by public officials, arrests of journalists and protesters, and online and offline abuse, doxxing, and intimidation by extremist actors. To make sure that businesses are not caught off guard, security assessments and risk management strategies may assist reduce some of these risks and provide procedures for addressing others. Many tools have been developed by foundations and organizations that support activists in difficult political environments to assist advocates in developing strategies that are specific to the situation. Examples of these tools include the Front Line Defenders Workbook on Security, Security in a Box, Totem's digital security training, and the Holistic Security Manual created by Tactical Tech. Numerous of these tools provide US firms with useful insights, particularly in the increasingly important field of cybersecurity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategic partnerships for US democracy defense<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Resources and training are also available through recent US-focused efforts like the NGO Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NGO-ISAC). Organizations should, for instance, take into account how employees use and interact on social networking sites and what precautions they might take to manage dangers and prevent doxxing. The financing of security training and protective measures ought to be included in grants from philanthropic foundations as well, as several donors that collaborate with human rights groups worldwide have done recently. Experiences abroad provide even more lessons that are applicable back home. For starters, civil society activists operating in unstable and divisive political<\/a> contexts emphasize that dealing with online abuse and harassment as well as working on challenging issues may lead to stress, fatigue, and burnout even when there are no direct dangers to their safety. So, in addition to providing physical, digital, and legal safety for employees, holistic security policies should also include steps to safeguard their mental health and general well-being. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

US civic space through an international lens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A further realization is the significance of seeing safety from a group perspective rather than an individual one. As part of coalitions and communities rather than as isolated entities, organizations, and advocates face risks and grow resilient. Therefore, collective protection approaches aim to strike a balance between immediate responses to pressing threats and longer-term initiatives to strengthen the sustainability and cohesion of networks, communities, and organizations. Some examples of these initiatives include creating cooperative safety protocols, resolving internal conflicts within organizations, and conducting collective threat analyses. Politicians who espouse antidemocratic and illiberal views frequently target their opponents by intensifying the politicized and selective implementation of current laws and regulations. For example, the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n in Hungary has targeted independent civil society groups with tax audits. <\/p>\n","post_title":"International strategies for US civic space defense","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"international-strategies-for-us-civic-space-defense","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7230","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7224,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_content":"\n

According to the latest report, the fossil fuel industry <\/a>is spending a lot of money on the 2024 UD presidential campaign. Their main objective is on super PACs, aiming at assisting Republicans maintain control of the House and regain the Senate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, Federal Election Commission reports revealed the truth. According to this report, most \u200coil and gas companies, such as Chevron and ConocoPhillips, are spending more than $20 million of money in \u200ctwo key super PACs. One is the  Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) and the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF). They spent this money during the third quarter of 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This huge amount of spending highlights the fossil fuel industry\u2019s determination to impact \u200c political decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their main objective is to shape\u200c politics that support their interests and secure a favorable atmosphere in Congress. This trend raises concern about the money's impact on democracy. It also creates donuts about the true decisions of the political landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fossil fuel industry has spent approximately more than $54.2 million in money on two super PACs during the 2023-2024 election cycle. A lot of money is spent on ads before Election Day to make efforts to win control of Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Major human rights organizations claim that Israel's activities constitute grave human rights violations and are akin to apartheid. Growing support for the Palestinian cause raises the possibility that the pro-Israel lobby's influence may wane in the absence of significant reforms, such as a ceasefire and the establishment of a Palestinian state. <\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying dynamics: The impact of pro-Israel advocacy on US support for Israel","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-dynamics-the-impact-of-pro-israel-advocacy-on-us-support-for-israel","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:24","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:24","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7233","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7230,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-27 19:40:43","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-27 19:40:43","post_content":"\n

American civil society groups are facing an increasing number of dangers amid attacks on democratic institutions and values. Attacks on the right to free speech and new limitations on protest have increased recently, especially at the state level. Legal and political intimidation measures that have been used to harass and intimidate activists in Hungary<\/a>, India, Turkey, and other regressing democracies are becoming increasingly commonplace for civil society groups and activists. According to former President Trump's campaign remarks on this lobby, government experience, and his supporters' policies, these tendencies could accelerate under a second Trump administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transnational threats to civic freedom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of the election's result, there will probably still be difficulties at the state level. They demand that civil society groups and philanthropic players work together to defend civic liberties in general and the nonprofit sector in the United States<\/a> in particular. Limitations on the freedom of association and advocacy, as well as civil society, have been hallmarks of the global democratic recession that has swept over the globe in the last twenty years. Antidemocratic leaders have been more adept at utilizing intimidation, stigmatizing narratives, harassment, and legal and administrative strategies to undermine their opponents than they have at using physical force to silence dissident voices. However, groups and activists have also gained invaluable knowledge on how to adapt, endure, and retaliate, as have their global friends. US civil society organizations and foundations may learn from their experiences in this lobby as they prepare for both current and upcoming threats. Civil society groups should first conduct comprehensive internal risk assessments to strengthen their defenses against future assaults. The suggestion that US groups' circumstances are similar to those of human rights advocates in Egypt, El Salvador, or other nations with harsh official repression may be met with resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comparative analysis of civic space legislation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

However, a wide range of threats face US activists and civil society organizations, including state surveillance, politically motivated subpoenas and investigations, vilification by public officials, arrests of journalists and protesters, and online and offline abuse, doxxing, and intimidation by extremist actors. To make sure that businesses are not caught off guard, security assessments and risk management strategies may assist reduce some of these risks and provide procedures for addressing others. Many tools have been developed by foundations and organizations that support activists in difficult political environments to assist advocates in developing strategies that are specific to the situation. Examples of these tools include the Front Line Defenders Workbook on Security, Security in a Box, Totem's digital security training, and the Holistic Security Manual created by Tactical Tech. Numerous of these tools provide US firms with useful insights, particularly in the increasingly important field of cybersecurity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategic partnerships for US democracy defense<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Resources and training are also available through recent US-focused efforts like the NGO Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NGO-ISAC). Organizations should, for instance, take into account how employees use and interact on social networking sites and what precautions they might take to manage dangers and prevent doxxing. The financing of security training and protective measures ought to be included in grants from philanthropic foundations as well, as several donors that collaborate with human rights groups worldwide have done recently. Experiences abroad provide even more lessons that are applicable back home. For starters, civil society activists operating in unstable and divisive political<\/a> contexts emphasize that dealing with online abuse and harassment as well as working on challenging issues may lead to stress, fatigue, and burnout even when there are no direct dangers to their safety. So, in addition to providing physical, digital, and legal safety for employees, holistic security policies should also include steps to safeguard their mental health and general well-being. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

US civic space through an international lens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A further realization is the significance of seeing safety from a group perspective rather than an individual one. As part of coalitions and communities rather than as isolated entities, organizations, and advocates face risks and grow resilient. Therefore, collective protection approaches aim to strike a balance between immediate responses to pressing threats and longer-term initiatives to strengthen the sustainability and cohesion of networks, communities, and organizations. Some examples of these initiatives include creating cooperative safety protocols, resolving internal conflicts within organizations, and conducting collective threat analyses. Politicians who espouse antidemocratic and illiberal views frequently target their opponents by intensifying the politicized and selective implementation of current laws and regulations. For example, the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n in Hungary has targeted independent civil society groups with tax audits. <\/p>\n","post_title":"International strategies for US civic space defense","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"international-strategies-for-us-civic-space-defense","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7230","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7224,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_content":"\n

According to the latest report, the fossil fuel industry <\/a>is spending a lot of money on the 2024 UD presidential campaign. Their main objective is on super PACs, aiming at assisting Republicans maintain control of the House and regain the Senate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, Federal Election Commission reports revealed the truth. According to this report, most \u200coil and gas companies, such as Chevron and ConocoPhillips, are spending more than $20 million of money in \u200ctwo key super PACs. One is the  Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) and the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF). They spent this money during the third quarter of 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This huge amount of spending highlights the fossil fuel industry\u2019s determination to impact \u200c political decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their main objective is to shape\u200c politics that support their interests and secure a favorable atmosphere in Congress. This trend raises concern about the money's impact on democracy. It also creates donuts about the true decisions of the political landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fossil fuel industry has spent approximately more than $54.2 million in money on two super PACs during the 2023-2024 election cycle. A lot of money is spent on ads before Election Day to make efforts to win control of Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

The United States, which had hoped for such an accord in exchange for nuclear technology, has suffered a blow. Israel will eventually need to acknowledge Palestinian rights despite its benefits as regional tensions continue to increase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Major human rights organizations claim that Israel's activities constitute grave human rights violations and are akin to apartheid. Growing support for the Palestinian cause raises the possibility that the pro-Israel lobby's influence may wane in the absence of significant reforms, such as a ceasefire and the establishment of a Palestinian state. <\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying dynamics: The impact of pro-Israel advocacy on US support for Israel","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-dynamics-the-impact-of-pro-israel-advocacy-on-us-support-for-israel","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:24","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:24","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7233","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7230,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-27 19:40:43","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-27 19:40:43","post_content":"\n

American civil society groups are facing an increasing number of dangers amid attacks on democratic institutions and values. Attacks on the right to free speech and new limitations on protest have increased recently, especially at the state level. Legal and political intimidation measures that have been used to harass and intimidate activists in Hungary<\/a>, India, Turkey, and other regressing democracies are becoming increasingly commonplace for civil society groups and activists. According to former President Trump's campaign remarks on this lobby, government experience, and his supporters' policies, these tendencies could accelerate under a second Trump administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transnational threats to civic freedom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of the election's result, there will probably still be difficulties at the state level. They demand that civil society groups and philanthropic players work together to defend civic liberties in general and the nonprofit sector in the United States<\/a> in particular. Limitations on the freedom of association and advocacy, as well as civil society, have been hallmarks of the global democratic recession that has swept over the globe in the last twenty years. Antidemocratic leaders have been more adept at utilizing intimidation, stigmatizing narratives, harassment, and legal and administrative strategies to undermine their opponents than they have at using physical force to silence dissident voices. However, groups and activists have also gained invaluable knowledge on how to adapt, endure, and retaliate, as have their global friends. US civil society organizations and foundations may learn from their experiences in this lobby as they prepare for both current and upcoming threats. Civil society groups should first conduct comprehensive internal risk assessments to strengthen their defenses against future assaults. The suggestion that US groups' circumstances are similar to those of human rights advocates in Egypt, El Salvador, or other nations with harsh official repression may be met with resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comparative analysis of civic space legislation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

However, a wide range of threats face US activists and civil society organizations, including state surveillance, politically motivated subpoenas and investigations, vilification by public officials, arrests of journalists and protesters, and online and offline abuse, doxxing, and intimidation by extremist actors. To make sure that businesses are not caught off guard, security assessments and risk management strategies may assist reduce some of these risks and provide procedures for addressing others. Many tools have been developed by foundations and organizations that support activists in difficult political environments to assist advocates in developing strategies that are specific to the situation. Examples of these tools include the Front Line Defenders Workbook on Security, Security in a Box, Totem's digital security training, and the Holistic Security Manual created by Tactical Tech. Numerous of these tools provide US firms with useful insights, particularly in the increasingly important field of cybersecurity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategic partnerships for US democracy defense<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Resources and training are also available through recent US-focused efforts like the NGO Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NGO-ISAC). Organizations should, for instance, take into account how employees use and interact on social networking sites and what precautions they might take to manage dangers and prevent doxxing. The financing of security training and protective measures ought to be included in grants from philanthropic foundations as well, as several donors that collaborate with human rights groups worldwide have done recently. Experiences abroad provide even more lessons that are applicable back home. For starters, civil society activists operating in unstable and divisive political<\/a> contexts emphasize that dealing with online abuse and harassment as well as working on challenging issues may lead to stress, fatigue, and burnout even when there are no direct dangers to their safety. So, in addition to providing physical, digital, and legal safety for employees, holistic security policies should also include steps to safeguard their mental health and general well-being. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

US civic space through an international lens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A further realization is the significance of seeing safety from a group perspective rather than an individual one. As part of coalitions and communities rather than as isolated entities, organizations, and advocates face risks and grow resilient. Therefore, collective protection approaches aim to strike a balance between immediate responses to pressing threats and longer-term initiatives to strengthen the sustainability and cohesion of networks, communities, and organizations. Some examples of these initiatives include creating cooperative safety protocols, resolving internal conflicts within organizations, and conducting collective threat analyses. Politicians who espouse antidemocratic and illiberal views frequently target their opponents by intensifying the politicized and selective implementation of current laws and regulations. For example, the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n in Hungary has targeted independent civil society groups with tax audits. <\/p>\n","post_title":"International strategies for US civic space defense","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"international-strategies-for-us-civic-space-defense","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7230","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7224,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_content":"\n

According to the latest report, the fossil fuel industry <\/a>is spending a lot of money on the 2024 UD presidential campaign. Their main objective is on super PACs, aiming at assisting Republicans maintain control of the House and regain the Senate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, Federal Election Commission reports revealed the truth. According to this report, most \u200coil and gas companies, such as Chevron and ConocoPhillips, are spending more than $20 million of money in \u200ctwo key super PACs. One is the  Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) and the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF). They spent this money during the third quarter of 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This huge amount of spending highlights the fossil fuel industry\u2019s determination to impact \u200c political decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their main objective is to shape\u200c politics that support their interests and secure a favorable atmosphere in Congress. This trend raises concern about the money's impact on democracy. It also creates donuts about the true decisions of the political landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fossil fuel industry has spent approximately more than $54.2 million in money on two super PACs during the 2023-2024 election cycle. A lot of money is spent on ads before Election Day to make efforts to win control of Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

An agreement with Saudi Arabia has not resulted from the goodwill generated by the 2020 Abraham Accords, which forged connections between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco. Saudi Arabia will not normalize relations with Israel until a Palestinian state based on the 1967 lines is established, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has stated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States, which had hoped for such an accord in exchange for nuclear technology, has suffered a blow. Israel will eventually need to acknowledge Palestinian rights despite its benefits as regional tensions continue to increase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Major human rights organizations claim that Israel's activities constitute grave human rights violations and are akin to apartheid. Growing support for the Palestinian cause raises the possibility that the pro-Israel lobby's influence may wane in the absence of significant reforms, such as a ceasefire and the establishment of a Palestinian state. <\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying dynamics: The impact of pro-Israel advocacy on US support for Israel","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-dynamics-the-impact-of-pro-israel-advocacy-on-us-support-for-israel","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:24","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:24","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7233","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7230,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-27 19:40:43","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-27 19:40:43","post_content":"\n

American civil society groups are facing an increasing number of dangers amid attacks on democratic institutions and values. Attacks on the right to free speech and new limitations on protest have increased recently, especially at the state level. Legal and political intimidation measures that have been used to harass and intimidate activists in Hungary<\/a>, India, Turkey, and other regressing democracies are becoming increasingly commonplace for civil society groups and activists. According to former President Trump's campaign remarks on this lobby, government experience, and his supporters' policies, these tendencies could accelerate under a second Trump administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transnational threats to civic freedom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of the election's result, there will probably still be difficulties at the state level. They demand that civil society groups and philanthropic players work together to defend civic liberties in general and the nonprofit sector in the United States<\/a> in particular. Limitations on the freedom of association and advocacy, as well as civil society, have been hallmarks of the global democratic recession that has swept over the globe in the last twenty years. Antidemocratic leaders have been more adept at utilizing intimidation, stigmatizing narratives, harassment, and legal and administrative strategies to undermine their opponents than they have at using physical force to silence dissident voices. However, groups and activists have also gained invaluable knowledge on how to adapt, endure, and retaliate, as have their global friends. US civil society organizations and foundations may learn from their experiences in this lobby as they prepare for both current and upcoming threats. Civil society groups should first conduct comprehensive internal risk assessments to strengthen their defenses against future assaults. The suggestion that US groups' circumstances are similar to those of human rights advocates in Egypt, El Salvador, or other nations with harsh official repression may be met with resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comparative analysis of civic space legislation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

However, a wide range of threats face US activists and civil society organizations, including state surveillance, politically motivated subpoenas and investigations, vilification by public officials, arrests of journalists and protesters, and online and offline abuse, doxxing, and intimidation by extremist actors. To make sure that businesses are not caught off guard, security assessments and risk management strategies may assist reduce some of these risks and provide procedures for addressing others. Many tools have been developed by foundations and organizations that support activists in difficult political environments to assist advocates in developing strategies that are specific to the situation. Examples of these tools include the Front Line Defenders Workbook on Security, Security in a Box, Totem's digital security training, and the Holistic Security Manual created by Tactical Tech. Numerous of these tools provide US firms with useful insights, particularly in the increasingly important field of cybersecurity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategic partnerships for US democracy defense<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Resources and training are also available through recent US-focused efforts like the NGO Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NGO-ISAC). Organizations should, for instance, take into account how employees use and interact on social networking sites and what precautions they might take to manage dangers and prevent doxxing. The financing of security training and protective measures ought to be included in grants from philanthropic foundations as well, as several donors that collaborate with human rights groups worldwide have done recently. Experiences abroad provide even more lessons that are applicable back home. For starters, civil society activists operating in unstable and divisive political<\/a> contexts emphasize that dealing with online abuse and harassment as well as working on challenging issues may lead to stress, fatigue, and burnout even when there are no direct dangers to their safety. So, in addition to providing physical, digital, and legal safety for employees, holistic security policies should also include steps to safeguard their mental health and general well-being. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

US civic space through an international lens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A further realization is the significance of seeing safety from a group perspective rather than an individual one. As part of coalitions and communities rather than as isolated entities, organizations, and advocates face risks and grow resilient. Therefore, collective protection approaches aim to strike a balance between immediate responses to pressing threats and longer-term initiatives to strengthen the sustainability and cohesion of networks, communities, and organizations. Some examples of these initiatives include creating cooperative safety protocols, resolving internal conflicts within organizations, and conducting collective threat analyses. Politicians who espouse antidemocratic and illiberal views frequently target their opponents by intensifying the politicized and selective implementation of current laws and regulations. For example, the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n in Hungary has targeted independent civil society groups with tax audits. <\/p>\n","post_title":"International strategies for US civic space defense","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"international-strategies-for-us-civic-space-defense","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7230","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7224,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_content":"\n

According to the latest report, the fossil fuel industry <\/a>is spending a lot of money on the 2024 UD presidential campaign. Their main objective is on super PACs, aiming at assisting Republicans maintain control of the House and regain the Senate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, Federal Election Commission reports revealed the truth. According to this report, most \u200coil and gas companies, such as Chevron and ConocoPhillips, are spending more than $20 million of money in \u200ctwo key super PACs. One is the  Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) and the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF). They spent this money during the third quarter of 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This huge amount of spending highlights the fossil fuel industry\u2019s determination to impact \u200c political decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their main objective is to shape\u200c politics that support their interests and secure a favorable atmosphere in Congress. This trend raises concern about the money's impact on democracy. It also creates donuts about the true decisions of the political landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fossil fuel industry has spent approximately more than $54.2 million in money on two super PACs during the 2023-2024 election cycle. A lot of money is spent on ads before Election Day to make efforts to win control of Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

To coordinate their efforts, China even assisted in negotiating a deal between Fatah and Hamas. Many Western analysts think that China and Russia back Iran to divert American attention from Ukraine <\/a>and the Indo-Pacific area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An agreement with Saudi Arabia has not resulted from the goodwill generated by the 2020 Abraham Accords, which forged connections between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco. Saudi Arabia will not normalize relations with Israel until a Palestinian state based on the 1967 lines is established, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has stated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States, which had hoped for such an accord in exchange for nuclear technology, has suffered a blow. Israel will eventually need to acknowledge Palestinian rights despite its benefits as regional tensions continue to increase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Major human rights organizations claim that Israel's activities constitute grave human rights violations and are akin to apartheid. Growing support for the Palestinian cause raises the possibility that the pro-Israel lobby's influence may wane in the absence of significant reforms, such as a ceasefire and the establishment of a Palestinian state. <\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying dynamics: The impact of pro-Israel advocacy on US support for Israel","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-dynamics-the-impact-of-pro-israel-advocacy-on-us-support-for-israel","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:24","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:24","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7233","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7230,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-27 19:40:43","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-27 19:40:43","post_content":"\n

American civil society groups are facing an increasing number of dangers amid attacks on democratic institutions and values. Attacks on the right to free speech and new limitations on protest have increased recently, especially at the state level. Legal and political intimidation measures that have been used to harass and intimidate activists in Hungary<\/a>, India, Turkey, and other regressing democracies are becoming increasingly commonplace for civil society groups and activists. According to former President Trump's campaign remarks on this lobby, government experience, and his supporters' policies, these tendencies could accelerate under a second Trump administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transnational threats to civic freedom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of the election's result, there will probably still be difficulties at the state level. They demand that civil society groups and philanthropic players work together to defend civic liberties in general and the nonprofit sector in the United States<\/a> in particular. Limitations on the freedom of association and advocacy, as well as civil society, have been hallmarks of the global democratic recession that has swept over the globe in the last twenty years. Antidemocratic leaders have been more adept at utilizing intimidation, stigmatizing narratives, harassment, and legal and administrative strategies to undermine their opponents than they have at using physical force to silence dissident voices. However, groups and activists have also gained invaluable knowledge on how to adapt, endure, and retaliate, as have their global friends. US civil society organizations and foundations may learn from their experiences in this lobby as they prepare for both current and upcoming threats. Civil society groups should first conduct comprehensive internal risk assessments to strengthen their defenses against future assaults. The suggestion that US groups' circumstances are similar to those of human rights advocates in Egypt, El Salvador, or other nations with harsh official repression may be met with resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comparative analysis of civic space legislation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

However, a wide range of threats face US activists and civil society organizations, including state surveillance, politically motivated subpoenas and investigations, vilification by public officials, arrests of journalists and protesters, and online and offline abuse, doxxing, and intimidation by extremist actors. To make sure that businesses are not caught off guard, security assessments and risk management strategies may assist reduce some of these risks and provide procedures for addressing others. Many tools have been developed by foundations and organizations that support activists in difficult political environments to assist advocates in developing strategies that are specific to the situation. Examples of these tools include the Front Line Defenders Workbook on Security, Security in a Box, Totem's digital security training, and the Holistic Security Manual created by Tactical Tech. Numerous of these tools provide US firms with useful insights, particularly in the increasingly important field of cybersecurity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategic partnerships for US democracy defense<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Resources and training are also available through recent US-focused efforts like the NGO Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NGO-ISAC). Organizations should, for instance, take into account how employees use and interact on social networking sites and what precautions they might take to manage dangers and prevent doxxing. The financing of security training and protective measures ought to be included in grants from philanthropic foundations as well, as several donors that collaborate with human rights groups worldwide have done recently. Experiences abroad provide even more lessons that are applicable back home. For starters, civil society activists operating in unstable and divisive political<\/a> contexts emphasize that dealing with online abuse and harassment as well as working on challenging issues may lead to stress, fatigue, and burnout even when there are no direct dangers to their safety. So, in addition to providing physical, digital, and legal safety for employees, holistic security policies should also include steps to safeguard their mental health and general well-being. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

US civic space through an international lens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A further realization is the significance of seeing safety from a group perspective rather than an individual one. As part of coalitions and communities rather than as isolated entities, organizations, and advocates face risks and grow resilient. Therefore, collective protection approaches aim to strike a balance between immediate responses to pressing threats and longer-term initiatives to strengthen the sustainability and cohesion of networks, communities, and organizations. Some examples of these initiatives include creating cooperative safety protocols, resolving internal conflicts within organizations, and conducting collective threat analyses. Politicians who espouse antidemocratic and illiberal views frequently target their opponents by intensifying the politicized and selective implementation of current laws and regulations. For example, the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n in Hungary has targeted independent civil society groups with tax audits. <\/p>\n","post_title":"International strategies for US civic space defense","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"international-strategies-for-us-civic-space-defense","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7230","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7224,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_content":"\n

According to the latest report, the fossil fuel industry <\/a>is spending a lot of money on the 2024 UD presidential campaign. Their main objective is on super PACs, aiming at assisting Republicans maintain control of the House and regain the Senate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, Federal Election Commission reports revealed the truth. According to this report, most \u200coil and gas companies, such as Chevron and ConocoPhillips, are spending more than $20 million of money in \u200ctwo key super PACs. One is the  Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) and the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF). They spent this money during the third quarter of 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This huge amount of spending highlights the fossil fuel industry\u2019s determination to impact \u200c political decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their main objective is to shape\u200c politics that support their interests and secure a favorable atmosphere in Congress. This trend raises concern about the money's impact on democracy. It also creates donuts about the true decisions of the political landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fossil fuel industry has spent approximately more than $54.2 million in money on two super PACs during the 2023-2024 election cycle. A lot of money is spent on ads before Election Day to make efforts to win control of Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

China and Russia have become more powerful in the Middle East<\/a> since the conflict in Gaza started on October 7 of last year. They constantly attacked America for its backing of Israel, which has improved Israel's standing. At the UN Security Council, both nations are spearheading attempts to achieve a ceasefire.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To coordinate their efforts, China even assisted in negotiating a deal between Fatah and Hamas. Many Western analysts think that China and Russia back Iran to divert American attention from Ukraine <\/a>and the Indo-Pacific area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An agreement with Saudi Arabia has not resulted from the goodwill generated by the 2020 Abraham Accords, which forged connections between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco. Saudi Arabia will not normalize relations with Israel until a Palestinian state based on the 1967 lines is established, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has stated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States, which had hoped for such an accord in exchange for nuclear technology, has suffered a blow. Israel will eventually need to acknowledge Palestinian rights despite its benefits as regional tensions continue to increase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Major human rights organizations claim that Israel's activities constitute grave human rights violations and are akin to apartheid. Growing support for the Palestinian cause raises the possibility that the pro-Israel lobby's influence may wane in the absence of significant reforms, such as a ceasefire and the establishment of a Palestinian state. <\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying dynamics: The impact of pro-Israel advocacy on US support for Israel","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-dynamics-the-impact-of-pro-israel-advocacy-on-us-support-for-israel","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:24","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:24","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7233","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7230,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-27 19:40:43","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-27 19:40:43","post_content":"\n

American civil society groups are facing an increasing number of dangers amid attacks on democratic institutions and values. Attacks on the right to free speech and new limitations on protest have increased recently, especially at the state level. Legal and political intimidation measures that have been used to harass and intimidate activists in Hungary<\/a>, India, Turkey, and other regressing democracies are becoming increasingly commonplace for civil society groups and activists. According to former President Trump's campaign remarks on this lobby, government experience, and his supporters' policies, these tendencies could accelerate under a second Trump administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transnational threats to civic freedom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of the election's result, there will probably still be difficulties at the state level. They demand that civil society groups and philanthropic players work together to defend civic liberties in general and the nonprofit sector in the United States<\/a> in particular. Limitations on the freedom of association and advocacy, as well as civil society, have been hallmarks of the global democratic recession that has swept over the globe in the last twenty years. Antidemocratic leaders have been more adept at utilizing intimidation, stigmatizing narratives, harassment, and legal and administrative strategies to undermine their opponents than they have at using physical force to silence dissident voices. However, groups and activists have also gained invaluable knowledge on how to adapt, endure, and retaliate, as have their global friends. US civil society organizations and foundations may learn from their experiences in this lobby as they prepare for both current and upcoming threats. Civil society groups should first conduct comprehensive internal risk assessments to strengthen their defenses against future assaults. The suggestion that US groups' circumstances are similar to those of human rights advocates in Egypt, El Salvador, or other nations with harsh official repression may be met with resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comparative analysis of civic space legislation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

However, a wide range of threats face US activists and civil society organizations, including state surveillance, politically motivated subpoenas and investigations, vilification by public officials, arrests of journalists and protesters, and online and offline abuse, doxxing, and intimidation by extremist actors. To make sure that businesses are not caught off guard, security assessments and risk management strategies may assist reduce some of these risks and provide procedures for addressing others. Many tools have been developed by foundations and organizations that support activists in difficult political environments to assist advocates in developing strategies that are specific to the situation. Examples of these tools include the Front Line Defenders Workbook on Security, Security in a Box, Totem's digital security training, and the Holistic Security Manual created by Tactical Tech. Numerous of these tools provide US firms with useful insights, particularly in the increasingly important field of cybersecurity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategic partnerships for US democracy defense<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Resources and training are also available through recent US-focused efforts like the NGO Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NGO-ISAC). Organizations should, for instance, take into account how employees use and interact on social networking sites and what precautions they might take to manage dangers and prevent doxxing. The financing of security training and protective measures ought to be included in grants from philanthropic foundations as well, as several donors that collaborate with human rights groups worldwide have done recently. Experiences abroad provide even more lessons that are applicable back home. For starters, civil society activists operating in unstable and divisive political<\/a> contexts emphasize that dealing with online abuse and harassment as well as working on challenging issues may lead to stress, fatigue, and burnout even when there are no direct dangers to their safety. So, in addition to providing physical, digital, and legal safety for employees, holistic security policies should also include steps to safeguard their mental health and general well-being. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

US civic space through an international lens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A further realization is the significance of seeing safety from a group perspective rather than an individual one. As part of coalitions and communities rather than as isolated entities, organizations, and advocates face risks and grow resilient. Therefore, collective protection approaches aim to strike a balance between immediate responses to pressing threats and longer-term initiatives to strengthen the sustainability and cohesion of networks, communities, and organizations. Some examples of these initiatives include creating cooperative safety protocols, resolving internal conflicts within organizations, and conducting collective threat analyses. Politicians who espouse antidemocratic and illiberal views frequently target their opponents by intensifying the politicized and selective implementation of current laws and regulations. For example, the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n in Hungary has targeted independent civil society groups with tax audits. <\/p>\n","post_title":"International strategies for US civic space defense","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"international-strategies-for-us-civic-space-defense","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7230","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7224,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_content":"\n

According to the latest report, the fossil fuel industry <\/a>is spending a lot of money on the 2024 UD presidential campaign. Their main objective is on super PACs, aiming at assisting Republicans maintain control of the House and regain the Senate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, Federal Election Commission reports revealed the truth. According to this report, most \u200coil and gas companies, such as Chevron and ConocoPhillips, are spending more than $20 million of money in \u200ctwo key super PACs. One is the  Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) and the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF). They spent this money during the third quarter of 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This huge amount of spending highlights the fossil fuel industry\u2019s determination to impact \u200c political decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their main objective is to shape\u200c politics that support their interests and secure a favorable atmosphere in Congress. This trend raises concern about the money's impact on democracy. It also creates donuts about the true decisions of the political landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fossil fuel industry has spent approximately more than $54.2 million in money on two super PACs during the 2023-2024 election cycle. A lot of money is spent on ads before Election Day to make efforts to win control of Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

The same change is also happening in Western nations such as Ireland and Spain. Both of these countries recognized Palestine as an independent state. The United Nations and the International Criminal Court opposed Israel\u2019s aggressive action. The UN also announced that Israel should end the illegal occupation of Palestinian territory within a year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

China and Russia have become more powerful in the Middle East<\/a> since the conflict in Gaza started on October 7 of last year. They constantly attacked America for its backing of Israel, which has improved Israel's standing. At the UN Security Council, both nations are spearheading attempts to achieve a ceasefire.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To coordinate their efforts, China even assisted in negotiating a deal between Fatah and Hamas. Many Western analysts think that China and Russia back Iran to divert American attention from Ukraine <\/a>and the Indo-Pacific area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An agreement with Saudi Arabia has not resulted from the goodwill generated by the 2020 Abraham Accords, which forged connections between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco. Saudi Arabia will not normalize relations with Israel until a Palestinian state based on the 1967 lines is established, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has stated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States, which had hoped for such an accord in exchange for nuclear technology, has suffered a blow. Israel will eventually need to acknowledge Palestinian rights despite its benefits as regional tensions continue to increase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Major human rights organizations claim that Israel's activities constitute grave human rights violations and are akin to apartheid. Growing support for the Palestinian cause raises the possibility that the pro-Israel lobby's influence may wane in the absence of significant reforms, such as a ceasefire and the establishment of a Palestinian state. <\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying dynamics: The impact of pro-Israel advocacy on US support for Israel","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-dynamics-the-impact-of-pro-israel-advocacy-on-us-support-for-israel","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:24","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:24","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7233","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7230,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-27 19:40:43","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-27 19:40:43","post_content":"\n

American civil society groups are facing an increasing number of dangers amid attacks on democratic institutions and values. Attacks on the right to free speech and new limitations on protest have increased recently, especially at the state level. Legal and political intimidation measures that have been used to harass and intimidate activists in Hungary<\/a>, India, Turkey, and other regressing democracies are becoming increasingly commonplace for civil society groups and activists. According to former President Trump's campaign remarks on this lobby, government experience, and his supporters' policies, these tendencies could accelerate under a second Trump administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transnational threats to civic freedom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of the election's result, there will probably still be difficulties at the state level. They demand that civil society groups and philanthropic players work together to defend civic liberties in general and the nonprofit sector in the United States<\/a> in particular. Limitations on the freedom of association and advocacy, as well as civil society, have been hallmarks of the global democratic recession that has swept over the globe in the last twenty years. Antidemocratic leaders have been more adept at utilizing intimidation, stigmatizing narratives, harassment, and legal and administrative strategies to undermine their opponents than they have at using physical force to silence dissident voices. However, groups and activists have also gained invaluable knowledge on how to adapt, endure, and retaliate, as have their global friends. US civil society organizations and foundations may learn from their experiences in this lobby as they prepare for both current and upcoming threats. Civil society groups should first conduct comprehensive internal risk assessments to strengthen their defenses against future assaults. The suggestion that US groups' circumstances are similar to those of human rights advocates in Egypt, El Salvador, or other nations with harsh official repression may be met with resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comparative analysis of civic space legislation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

However, a wide range of threats face US activists and civil society organizations, including state surveillance, politically motivated subpoenas and investigations, vilification by public officials, arrests of journalists and protesters, and online and offline abuse, doxxing, and intimidation by extremist actors. To make sure that businesses are not caught off guard, security assessments and risk management strategies may assist reduce some of these risks and provide procedures for addressing others. Many tools have been developed by foundations and organizations that support activists in difficult political environments to assist advocates in developing strategies that are specific to the situation. Examples of these tools include the Front Line Defenders Workbook on Security, Security in a Box, Totem's digital security training, and the Holistic Security Manual created by Tactical Tech. Numerous of these tools provide US firms with useful insights, particularly in the increasingly important field of cybersecurity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategic partnerships for US democracy defense<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Resources and training are also available through recent US-focused efforts like the NGO Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NGO-ISAC). Organizations should, for instance, take into account how employees use and interact on social networking sites and what precautions they might take to manage dangers and prevent doxxing. The financing of security training and protective measures ought to be included in grants from philanthropic foundations as well, as several donors that collaborate with human rights groups worldwide have done recently. Experiences abroad provide even more lessons that are applicable back home. For starters, civil society activists operating in unstable and divisive political<\/a> contexts emphasize that dealing with online abuse and harassment as well as working on challenging issues may lead to stress, fatigue, and burnout even when there are no direct dangers to their safety. So, in addition to providing physical, digital, and legal safety for employees, holistic security policies should also include steps to safeguard their mental health and general well-being. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

US civic space through an international lens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A further realization is the significance of seeing safety from a group perspective rather than an individual one. As part of coalitions and communities rather than as isolated entities, organizations, and advocates face risks and grow resilient. Therefore, collective protection approaches aim to strike a balance between immediate responses to pressing threats and longer-term initiatives to strengthen the sustainability and cohesion of networks, communities, and organizations. Some examples of these initiatives include creating cooperative safety protocols, resolving internal conflicts within organizations, and conducting collective threat analyses. Politicians who espouse antidemocratic and illiberal views frequently target their opponents by intensifying the politicized and selective implementation of current laws and regulations. For example, the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n in Hungary has targeted independent civil society groups with tax audits. <\/p>\n","post_title":"International strategies for US civic space defense","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"international-strategies-for-us-civic-space-defense","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7230","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7224,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_content":"\n

According to the latest report, the fossil fuel industry <\/a>is spending a lot of money on the 2024 UD presidential campaign. Their main objective is on super PACs, aiming at assisting Republicans maintain control of the House and regain the Senate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, Federal Election Commission reports revealed the truth. According to this report, most \u200coil and gas companies, such as Chevron and ConocoPhillips, are spending more than $20 million of money in \u200ctwo key super PACs. One is the  Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) and the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF). They spent this money during the third quarter of 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This huge amount of spending highlights the fossil fuel industry\u2019s determination to impact \u200c political decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their main objective is to shape\u200c politics that support their interests and secure a favorable atmosphere in Congress. This trend raises concern about the money's impact on democracy. It also creates donuts about the true decisions of the political landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fossil fuel industry has spent approximately more than $54.2 million in money on two super PACs during the 2023-2024 election cycle. A lot of money is spent on ads before Election Day to make efforts to win control of Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

The coming US election season also impacted the Gaza war. Due to pro-Israel lobby groups, both Trump and Harris stand in favor of Israel. This highlights that lobby groups can shape US politics according to their interests. This lobby helps keep strong support for Israel, even as the country faces serious accusations of war crimes. But with time, \u200cpublic support is changing. Now most Americans support Palestinian rights, which are often ignored. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same change is also happening in Western nations such as Ireland and Spain. Both of these countries recognized Palestine as an independent state. The United Nations and the International Criminal Court opposed Israel\u2019s aggressive action. The UN also announced that Israel should end the illegal occupation of Palestinian territory within a year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

China and Russia have become more powerful in the Middle East<\/a> since the conflict in Gaza started on October 7 of last year. They constantly attacked America for its backing of Israel, which has improved Israel's standing. At the UN Security Council, both nations are spearheading attempts to achieve a ceasefire.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To coordinate their efforts, China even assisted in negotiating a deal between Fatah and Hamas. Many Western analysts think that China and Russia back Iran to divert American attention from Ukraine <\/a>and the Indo-Pacific area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An agreement with Saudi Arabia has not resulted from the goodwill generated by the 2020 Abraham Accords, which forged connections between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco. Saudi Arabia will not normalize relations with Israel until a Palestinian state based on the 1967 lines is established, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has stated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States, which had hoped for such an accord in exchange for nuclear technology, has suffered a blow. Israel will eventually need to acknowledge Palestinian rights despite its benefits as regional tensions continue to increase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Major human rights organizations claim that Israel's activities constitute grave human rights violations and are akin to apartheid. Growing support for the Palestinian cause raises the possibility that the pro-Israel lobby's influence may wane in the absence of significant reforms, such as a ceasefire and the establishment of a Palestinian state. <\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying dynamics: The impact of pro-Israel advocacy on US support for Israel","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-dynamics-the-impact-of-pro-israel-advocacy-on-us-support-for-israel","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:24","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:24","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7233","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7230,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-27 19:40:43","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-27 19:40:43","post_content":"\n

American civil society groups are facing an increasing number of dangers amid attacks on democratic institutions and values. Attacks on the right to free speech and new limitations on protest have increased recently, especially at the state level. Legal and political intimidation measures that have been used to harass and intimidate activists in Hungary<\/a>, India, Turkey, and other regressing democracies are becoming increasingly commonplace for civil society groups and activists. According to former President Trump's campaign remarks on this lobby, government experience, and his supporters' policies, these tendencies could accelerate under a second Trump administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transnational threats to civic freedom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of the election's result, there will probably still be difficulties at the state level. They demand that civil society groups and philanthropic players work together to defend civic liberties in general and the nonprofit sector in the United States<\/a> in particular. Limitations on the freedom of association and advocacy, as well as civil society, have been hallmarks of the global democratic recession that has swept over the globe in the last twenty years. Antidemocratic leaders have been more adept at utilizing intimidation, stigmatizing narratives, harassment, and legal and administrative strategies to undermine their opponents than they have at using physical force to silence dissident voices. However, groups and activists have also gained invaluable knowledge on how to adapt, endure, and retaliate, as have their global friends. US civil society organizations and foundations may learn from their experiences in this lobby as they prepare for both current and upcoming threats. Civil society groups should first conduct comprehensive internal risk assessments to strengthen their defenses against future assaults. The suggestion that US groups' circumstances are similar to those of human rights advocates in Egypt, El Salvador, or other nations with harsh official repression may be met with resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comparative analysis of civic space legislation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

However, a wide range of threats face US activists and civil society organizations, including state surveillance, politically motivated subpoenas and investigations, vilification by public officials, arrests of journalists and protesters, and online and offline abuse, doxxing, and intimidation by extremist actors. To make sure that businesses are not caught off guard, security assessments and risk management strategies may assist reduce some of these risks and provide procedures for addressing others. Many tools have been developed by foundations and organizations that support activists in difficult political environments to assist advocates in developing strategies that are specific to the situation. Examples of these tools include the Front Line Defenders Workbook on Security, Security in a Box, Totem's digital security training, and the Holistic Security Manual created by Tactical Tech. Numerous of these tools provide US firms with useful insights, particularly in the increasingly important field of cybersecurity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategic partnerships for US democracy defense<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Resources and training are also available through recent US-focused efforts like the NGO Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NGO-ISAC). Organizations should, for instance, take into account how employees use and interact on social networking sites and what precautions they might take to manage dangers and prevent doxxing. The financing of security training and protective measures ought to be included in grants from philanthropic foundations as well, as several donors that collaborate with human rights groups worldwide have done recently. Experiences abroad provide even more lessons that are applicable back home. For starters, civil society activists operating in unstable and divisive political<\/a> contexts emphasize that dealing with online abuse and harassment as well as working on challenging issues may lead to stress, fatigue, and burnout even when there are no direct dangers to their safety. So, in addition to providing physical, digital, and legal safety for employees, holistic security policies should also include steps to safeguard their mental health and general well-being. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

US civic space through an international lens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A further realization is the significance of seeing safety from a group perspective rather than an individual one. As part of coalitions and communities rather than as isolated entities, organizations, and advocates face risks and grow resilient. Therefore, collective protection approaches aim to strike a balance between immediate responses to pressing threats and longer-term initiatives to strengthen the sustainability and cohesion of networks, communities, and organizations. Some examples of these initiatives include creating cooperative safety protocols, resolving internal conflicts within organizations, and conducting collective threat analyses. Politicians who espouse antidemocratic and illiberal views frequently target their opponents by intensifying the politicized and selective implementation of current laws and regulations. For example, the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n in Hungary has targeted independent civil society groups with tax audits. <\/p>\n","post_title":"International strategies for US civic space defense","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"international-strategies-for-us-civic-space-defense","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7230","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7224,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_content":"\n

According to the latest report, the fossil fuel industry <\/a>is spending a lot of money on the 2024 UD presidential campaign. Their main objective is on super PACs, aiming at assisting Republicans maintain control of the House and regain the Senate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, Federal Election Commission reports revealed the truth. According to this report, most \u200coil and gas companies, such as Chevron and ConocoPhillips, are spending more than $20 million of money in \u200ctwo key super PACs. One is the  Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) and the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF). They spent this money during the third quarter of 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This huge amount of spending highlights the fossil fuel industry\u2019s determination to impact \u200c political decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their main objective is to shape\u200c politics that support their interests and secure a favorable atmosphere in Congress. This trend raises concern about the money's impact on democracy. It also creates donuts about the true decisions of the political landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fossil fuel industry has spent approximately more than $54.2 million in money on two super PACs during the 2023-2024 election cycle. A lot of money is spent on ads before Election Day to make efforts to win control of Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Additionally, the United States is a great supporter of Israel. He strongly stands in favor of Israel in its every action against Palestine and now in Lebanon. If Israel's actions lead to a war with Iran, the US will likely fight alongside Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The coming US election season also impacted the Gaza war. Due to pro-Israel lobby groups, both Trump and Harris stand in favor of Israel. This highlights that lobby groups can shape US politics according to their interests. This lobby helps keep strong support for Israel, even as the country faces serious accusations of war crimes. But with time, \u200cpublic support is changing. Now most Americans support Palestinian rights, which are often ignored. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same change is also happening in Western nations such as Ireland and Spain. Both of these countries recognized Palestine as an independent state. The United Nations and the International Criminal Court opposed Israel\u2019s aggressive action. The UN also announced that Israel should end the illegal occupation of Palestinian territory within a year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

China and Russia have become more powerful in the Middle East<\/a> since the conflict in Gaza started on October 7 of last year. They constantly attacked America for its backing of Israel, which has improved Israel's standing. At the UN Security Council, both nations are spearheading attempts to achieve a ceasefire.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To coordinate their efforts, China even assisted in negotiating a deal between Fatah and Hamas. Many Western analysts think that China and Russia back Iran to divert American attention from Ukraine <\/a>and the Indo-Pacific area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An agreement with Saudi Arabia has not resulted from the goodwill generated by the 2020 Abraham Accords, which forged connections between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco. Saudi Arabia will not normalize relations with Israel until a Palestinian state based on the 1967 lines is established, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has stated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States, which had hoped for such an accord in exchange for nuclear technology, has suffered a blow. Israel will eventually need to acknowledge Palestinian rights despite its benefits as regional tensions continue to increase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Major human rights organizations claim that Israel's activities constitute grave human rights violations and are akin to apartheid. Growing support for the Palestinian cause raises the possibility that the pro-Israel lobby's influence may wane in the absence of significant reforms, such as a ceasefire and the establishment of a Palestinian state. <\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying dynamics: The impact of pro-Israel advocacy on US support for Israel","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-dynamics-the-impact-of-pro-israel-advocacy-on-us-support-for-israel","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:24","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:24","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7233","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7230,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-27 19:40:43","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-27 19:40:43","post_content":"\n

American civil society groups are facing an increasing number of dangers amid attacks on democratic institutions and values. Attacks on the right to free speech and new limitations on protest have increased recently, especially at the state level. Legal and political intimidation measures that have been used to harass and intimidate activists in Hungary<\/a>, India, Turkey, and other regressing democracies are becoming increasingly commonplace for civil society groups and activists. According to former President Trump's campaign remarks on this lobby, government experience, and his supporters' policies, these tendencies could accelerate under a second Trump administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transnational threats to civic freedom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of the election's result, there will probably still be difficulties at the state level. They demand that civil society groups and philanthropic players work together to defend civic liberties in general and the nonprofit sector in the United States<\/a> in particular. Limitations on the freedom of association and advocacy, as well as civil society, have been hallmarks of the global democratic recession that has swept over the globe in the last twenty years. Antidemocratic leaders have been more adept at utilizing intimidation, stigmatizing narratives, harassment, and legal and administrative strategies to undermine their opponents than they have at using physical force to silence dissident voices. However, groups and activists have also gained invaluable knowledge on how to adapt, endure, and retaliate, as have their global friends. US civil society organizations and foundations may learn from their experiences in this lobby as they prepare for both current and upcoming threats. Civil society groups should first conduct comprehensive internal risk assessments to strengthen their defenses against future assaults. The suggestion that US groups' circumstances are similar to those of human rights advocates in Egypt, El Salvador, or other nations with harsh official repression may be met with resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comparative analysis of civic space legislation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

However, a wide range of threats face US activists and civil society organizations, including state surveillance, politically motivated subpoenas and investigations, vilification by public officials, arrests of journalists and protesters, and online and offline abuse, doxxing, and intimidation by extremist actors. To make sure that businesses are not caught off guard, security assessments and risk management strategies may assist reduce some of these risks and provide procedures for addressing others. Many tools have been developed by foundations and organizations that support activists in difficult political environments to assist advocates in developing strategies that are specific to the situation. Examples of these tools include the Front Line Defenders Workbook on Security, Security in a Box, Totem's digital security training, and the Holistic Security Manual created by Tactical Tech. Numerous of these tools provide US firms with useful insights, particularly in the increasingly important field of cybersecurity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategic partnerships for US democracy defense<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Resources and training are also available through recent US-focused efforts like the NGO Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NGO-ISAC). Organizations should, for instance, take into account how employees use and interact on social networking sites and what precautions they might take to manage dangers and prevent doxxing. The financing of security training and protective measures ought to be included in grants from philanthropic foundations as well, as several donors that collaborate with human rights groups worldwide have done recently. Experiences abroad provide even more lessons that are applicable back home. For starters, civil society activists operating in unstable and divisive political<\/a> contexts emphasize that dealing with online abuse and harassment as well as working on challenging issues may lead to stress, fatigue, and burnout even when there are no direct dangers to their safety. So, in addition to providing physical, digital, and legal safety for employees, holistic security policies should also include steps to safeguard their mental health and general well-being. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

US civic space through an international lens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A further realization is the significance of seeing safety from a group perspective rather than an individual one. As part of coalitions and communities rather than as isolated entities, organizations, and advocates face risks and grow resilient. Therefore, collective protection approaches aim to strike a balance between immediate responses to pressing threats and longer-term initiatives to strengthen the sustainability and cohesion of networks, communities, and organizations. Some examples of these initiatives include creating cooperative safety protocols, resolving internal conflicts within organizations, and conducting collective threat analyses. Politicians who espouse antidemocratic and illiberal views frequently target their opponents by intensifying the politicized and selective implementation of current laws and regulations. For example, the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n in Hungary has targeted independent civil society groups with tax audits. <\/p>\n","post_title":"International strategies for US civic space defense","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"international-strategies-for-us-civic-space-defense","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7230","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7224,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_content":"\n

According to the latest report, the fossil fuel industry <\/a>is spending a lot of money on the 2024 UD presidential campaign. Their main objective is on super PACs, aiming at assisting Republicans maintain control of the House and regain the Senate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, Federal Election Commission reports revealed the truth. According to this report, most \u200coil and gas companies, such as Chevron and ConocoPhillips, are spending more than $20 million of money in \u200ctwo key super PACs. One is the  Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) and the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF). They spent this money during the third quarter of 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This huge amount of spending highlights the fossil fuel industry\u2019s determination to impact \u200c political decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their main objective is to shape\u200c politics that support their interests and secure a favorable atmosphere in Congress. This trend raises concern about the money's impact on democracy. It also creates donuts about the true decisions of the political landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fossil fuel industry has spent approximately more than $54.2 million in money on two super PACs during the 2023-2024 election cycle. A lot of money is spent on ads before Election Day to make efforts to win control of Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

However, Iran is demonstrating patience despite Israel's aggressive actions. The nation did not take any strong action against Israel even after the killing of Haniyeh<\/a> in Tehran. But after the murder of Hassan Nasrallah, Iran targeted Israel. This action by Iran might become the cause of a more severe conflict. International help is needed to stop Israel from taking revenge against Iran. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, the United States is a great supporter of Israel. He strongly stands in favor of Israel in its every action against Palestine and now in Lebanon. If Israel's actions lead to a war with Iran, the US will likely fight alongside Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The coming US election season also impacted the Gaza war. Due to pro-Israel lobby groups, both Trump and Harris stand in favor of Israel. This highlights that lobby groups can shape US politics according to their interests. This lobby helps keep strong support for Israel, even as the country faces serious accusations of war crimes. But with time, \u200cpublic support is changing. Now most Americans support Palestinian rights, which are often ignored. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same change is also happening in Western nations such as Ireland and Spain. Both of these countries recognized Palestine as an independent state. The United Nations and the International Criminal Court opposed Israel\u2019s aggressive action. The UN also announced that Israel should end the illegal occupation of Palestinian territory within a year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

China and Russia have become more powerful in the Middle East<\/a> since the conflict in Gaza started on October 7 of last year. They constantly attacked America for its backing of Israel, which has improved Israel's standing. At the UN Security Council, both nations are spearheading attempts to achieve a ceasefire.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To coordinate their efforts, China even assisted in negotiating a deal between Fatah and Hamas. Many Western analysts think that China and Russia back Iran to divert American attention from Ukraine <\/a>and the Indo-Pacific area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An agreement with Saudi Arabia has not resulted from the goodwill generated by the 2020 Abraham Accords, which forged connections between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco. Saudi Arabia will not normalize relations with Israel until a Palestinian state based on the 1967 lines is established, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has stated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States, which had hoped for such an accord in exchange for nuclear technology, has suffered a blow. Israel will eventually need to acknowledge Palestinian rights despite its benefits as regional tensions continue to increase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Major human rights organizations claim that Israel's activities constitute grave human rights violations and are akin to apartheid. Growing support for the Palestinian cause raises the possibility that the pro-Israel lobby's influence may wane in the absence of significant reforms, such as a ceasefire and the establishment of a Palestinian state. <\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying dynamics: The impact of pro-Israel advocacy on US support for Israel","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-dynamics-the-impact-of-pro-israel-advocacy-on-us-support-for-israel","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:24","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:24","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7233","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7230,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-27 19:40:43","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-27 19:40:43","post_content":"\n

American civil society groups are facing an increasing number of dangers amid attacks on democratic institutions and values. Attacks on the right to free speech and new limitations on protest have increased recently, especially at the state level. Legal and political intimidation measures that have been used to harass and intimidate activists in Hungary<\/a>, India, Turkey, and other regressing democracies are becoming increasingly commonplace for civil society groups and activists. According to former President Trump's campaign remarks on this lobby, government experience, and his supporters' policies, these tendencies could accelerate under a second Trump administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transnational threats to civic freedom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of the election's result, there will probably still be difficulties at the state level. They demand that civil society groups and philanthropic players work together to defend civic liberties in general and the nonprofit sector in the United States<\/a> in particular. Limitations on the freedom of association and advocacy, as well as civil society, have been hallmarks of the global democratic recession that has swept over the globe in the last twenty years. Antidemocratic leaders have been more adept at utilizing intimidation, stigmatizing narratives, harassment, and legal and administrative strategies to undermine their opponents than they have at using physical force to silence dissident voices. However, groups and activists have also gained invaluable knowledge on how to adapt, endure, and retaliate, as have their global friends. US civil society organizations and foundations may learn from their experiences in this lobby as they prepare for both current and upcoming threats. Civil society groups should first conduct comprehensive internal risk assessments to strengthen their defenses against future assaults. The suggestion that US groups' circumstances are similar to those of human rights advocates in Egypt, El Salvador, or other nations with harsh official repression may be met with resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comparative analysis of civic space legislation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

However, a wide range of threats face US activists and civil society organizations, including state surveillance, politically motivated subpoenas and investigations, vilification by public officials, arrests of journalists and protesters, and online and offline abuse, doxxing, and intimidation by extremist actors. To make sure that businesses are not caught off guard, security assessments and risk management strategies may assist reduce some of these risks and provide procedures for addressing others. Many tools have been developed by foundations and organizations that support activists in difficult political environments to assist advocates in developing strategies that are specific to the situation. Examples of these tools include the Front Line Defenders Workbook on Security, Security in a Box, Totem's digital security training, and the Holistic Security Manual created by Tactical Tech. Numerous of these tools provide US firms with useful insights, particularly in the increasingly important field of cybersecurity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategic partnerships for US democracy defense<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Resources and training are also available through recent US-focused efforts like the NGO Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NGO-ISAC). Organizations should, for instance, take into account how employees use and interact on social networking sites and what precautions they might take to manage dangers and prevent doxxing. The financing of security training and protective measures ought to be included in grants from philanthropic foundations as well, as several donors that collaborate with human rights groups worldwide have done recently. Experiences abroad provide even more lessons that are applicable back home. For starters, civil society activists operating in unstable and divisive political<\/a> contexts emphasize that dealing with online abuse and harassment as well as working on challenging issues may lead to stress, fatigue, and burnout even when there are no direct dangers to their safety. So, in addition to providing physical, digital, and legal safety for employees, holistic security policies should also include steps to safeguard their mental health and general well-being. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

US civic space through an international lens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A further realization is the significance of seeing safety from a group perspective rather than an individual one. As part of coalitions and communities rather than as isolated entities, organizations, and advocates face risks and grow resilient. Therefore, collective protection approaches aim to strike a balance between immediate responses to pressing threats and longer-term initiatives to strengthen the sustainability and cohesion of networks, communities, and organizations. Some examples of these initiatives include creating cooperative safety protocols, resolving internal conflicts within organizations, and conducting collective threat analyses. Politicians who espouse antidemocratic and illiberal views frequently target their opponents by intensifying the politicized and selective implementation of current laws and regulations. For example, the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n in Hungary has targeted independent civil society groups with tax audits. <\/p>\n","post_title":"International strategies for US civic space defense","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"international-strategies-for-us-civic-space-defense","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7230","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7224,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_content":"\n

According to the latest report, the fossil fuel industry <\/a>is spending a lot of money on the 2024 UD presidential campaign. Their main objective is on super PACs, aiming at assisting Republicans maintain control of the House and regain the Senate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, Federal Election Commission reports revealed the truth. According to this report, most \u200coil and gas companies, such as Chevron and ConocoPhillips, are spending more than $20 million of money in \u200ctwo key super PACs. One is the  Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) and the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF). They spent this money during the third quarter of 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This huge amount of spending highlights the fossil fuel industry\u2019s determination to impact \u200c political decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their main objective is to shape\u200c politics that support their interests and secure a favorable atmosphere in Congress. This trend raises concern about the money's impact on democracy. It also creates donuts about the true decisions of the political landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fossil fuel industry has spent approximately more than $54.2 million in money on two super PACs during the 2023-2024 election cycle. A lot of money is spent on ads before Election Day to make efforts to win control of Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu <\/a>is making efforts to increase military actions in \u200cthe region. He has a desire to stop resistance against Israel\u2019s control of Palestine. He is not in favor of a two-state solution. Because this solution would create an independent Palestinian state next to Israel. Israel wants to expand the conflict to weaken the strength of Iran and its allies in the Middle East.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Iran is demonstrating patience despite Israel's aggressive actions. The nation did not take any strong action against Israel even after the killing of Haniyeh<\/a> in Tehran. But after the murder of Hassan Nasrallah, Iran targeted Israel. This action by Iran might become the cause of a more severe conflict. International help is needed to stop Israel from taking revenge against Iran. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, the United States is a great supporter of Israel. He strongly stands in favor of Israel in its every action against Palestine and now in Lebanon. If Israel's actions lead to a war with Iran, the US will likely fight alongside Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The coming US election season also impacted the Gaza war. Due to pro-Israel lobby groups, both Trump and Harris stand in favor of Israel. This highlights that lobby groups can shape US politics according to their interests. This lobby helps keep strong support for Israel, even as the country faces serious accusations of war crimes. But with time, \u200cpublic support is changing. Now most Americans support Palestinian rights, which are often ignored. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same change is also happening in Western nations such as Ireland and Spain. Both of these countries recognized Palestine as an independent state. The United Nations and the International Criminal Court opposed Israel\u2019s aggressive action. The UN also announced that Israel should end the illegal occupation of Palestinian territory within a year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

China and Russia have become more powerful in the Middle East<\/a> since the conflict in Gaza started on October 7 of last year. They constantly attacked America for its backing of Israel, which has improved Israel's standing. At the UN Security Council, both nations are spearheading attempts to achieve a ceasefire.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To coordinate their efforts, China even assisted in negotiating a deal between Fatah and Hamas. Many Western analysts think that China and Russia back Iran to divert American attention from Ukraine <\/a>and the Indo-Pacific area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An agreement with Saudi Arabia has not resulted from the goodwill generated by the 2020 Abraham Accords, which forged connections between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco. Saudi Arabia will not normalize relations with Israel until a Palestinian state based on the 1967 lines is established, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has stated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States, which had hoped for such an accord in exchange for nuclear technology, has suffered a blow. Israel will eventually need to acknowledge Palestinian rights despite its benefits as regional tensions continue to increase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Major human rights organizations claim that Israel's activities constitute grave human rights violations and are akin to apartheid. Growing support for the Palestinian cause raises the possibility that the pro-Israel lobby's influence may wane in the absence of significant reforms, such as a ceasefire and the establishment of a Palestinian state. <\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying dynamics: The impact of pro-Israel advocacy on US support for Israel","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-dynamics-the-impact-of-pro-israel-advocacy-on-us-support-for-israel","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:24","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:24","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7233","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7230,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-27 19:40:43","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-27 19:40:43","post_content":"\n

American civil society groups are facing an increasing number of dangers amid attacks on democratic institutions and values. Attacks on the right to free speech and new limitations on protest have increased recently, especially at the state level. Legal and political intimidation measures that have been used to harass and intimidate activists in Hungary<\/a>, India, Turkey, and other regressing democracies are becoming increasingly commonplace for civil society groups and activists. According to former President Trump's campaign remarks on this lobby, government experience, and his supporters' policies, these tendencies could accelerate under a second Trump administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transnational threats to civic freedom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of the election's result, there will probably still be difficulties at the state level. They demand that civil society groups and philanthropic players work together to defend civic liberties in general and the nonprofit sector in the United States<\/a> in particular. Limitations on the freedom of association and advocacy, as well as civil society, have been hallmarks of the global democratic recession that has swept over the globe in the last twenty years. Antidemocratic leaders have been more adept at utilizing intimidation, stigmatizing narratives, harassment, and legal and administrative strategies to undermine their opponents than they have at using physical force to silence dissident voices. However, groups and activists have also gained invaluable knowledge on how to adapt, endure, and retaliate, as have their global friends. US civil society organizations and foundations may learn from their experiences in this lobby as they prepare for both current and upcoming threats. Civil society groups should first conduct comprehensive internal risk assessments to strengthen their defenses against future assaults. The suggestion that US groups' circumstances are similar to those of human rights advocates in Egypt, El Salvador, or other nations with harsh official repression may be met with resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comparative analysis of civic space legislation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

However, a wide range of threats face US activists and civil society organizations, including state surveillance, politically motivated subpoenas and investigations, vilification by public officials, arrests of journalists and protesters, and online and offline abuse, doxxing, and intimidation by extremist actors. To make sure that businesses are not caught off guard, security assessments and risk management strategies may assist reduce some of these risks and provide procedures for addressing others. Many tools have been developed by foundations and organizations that support activists in difficult political environments to assist advocates in developing strategies that are specific to the situation. Examples of these tools include the Front Line Defenders Workbook on Security, Security in a Box, Totem's digital security training, and the Holistic Security Manual created by Tactical Tech. Numerous of these tools provide US firms with useful insights, particularly in the increasingly important field of cybersecurity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategic partnerships for US democracy defense<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Resources and training are also available through recent US-focused efforts like the NGO Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NGO-ISAC). Organizations should, for instance, take into account how employees use and interact on social networking sites and what precautions they might take to manage dangers and prevent doxxing. The financing of security training and protective measures ought to be included in grants from philanthropic foundations as well, as several donors that collaborate with human rights groups worldwide have done recently. Experiences abroad provide even more lessons that are applicable back home. For starters, civil society activists operating in unstable and divisive political<\/a> contexts emphasize that dealing with online abuse and harassment as well as working on challenging issues may lead to stress, fatigue, and burnout even when there are no direct dangers to their safety. So, in addition to providing physical, digital, and legal safety for employees, holistic security policies should also include steps to safeguard their mental health and general well-being. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

US civic space through an international lens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A further realization is the significance of seeing safety from a group perspective rather than an individual one. As part of coalitions and communities rather than as isolated entities, organizations, and advocates face risks and grow resilient. Therefore, collective protection approaches aim to strike a balance between immediate responses to pressing threats and longer-term initiatives to strengthen the sustainability and cohesion of networks, communities, and organizations. Some examples of these initiatives include creating cooperative safety protocols, resolving internal conflicts within organizations, and conducting collective threat analyses. Politicians who espouse antidemocratic and illiberal views frequently target their opponents by intensifying the politicized and selective implementation of current laws and regulations. For example, the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n in Hungary has targeted independent civil society groups with tax audits. <\/p>\n","post_title":"International strategies for US civic space defense","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"international-strategies-for-us-civic-space-defense","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7230","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7224,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_content":"\n

According to the latest report, the fossil fuel industry <\/a>is spending a lot of money on the 2024 UD presidential campaign. Their main objective is on super PACs, aiming at assisting Republicans maintain control of the House and regain the Senate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, Federal Election Commission reports revealed the truth. According to this report, most \u200coil and gas companies, such as Chevron and ConocoPhillips, are spending more than $20 million of money in \u200ctwo key super PACs. One is the  Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) and the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF). They spent this money during the third quarter of 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This huge amount of spending highlights the fossil fuel industry\u2019s determination to impact \u200c political decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their main objective is to shape\u200c politics that support their interests and secure a favorable atmosphere in Congress. This trend raises concern about the money's impact on democracy. It also creates donuts about the true decisions of the political landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fossil fuel industry has spent approximately more than $54.2 million in money on two super PACs during the 2023-2024 election cycle. A lot of money is spent on ads before Election Day to make efforts to win control of Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Additionally, Palestine is continuously facing attacks in Gaza. To support Palestine, Hezbollah fired rockets at northern Israel. To take revenge, Israel took many airstrikes in Lebanon that caused many deaths and injuries, including the Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Despite this loss, Hezbollah still acts like a strong group due to significant support from Iran. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu <\/a>is making efforts to increase military actions in \u200cthe region. He has a desire to stop resistance against Israel\u2019s control of Palestine. He is not in favor of a two-state solution. Because this solution would create an independent Palestinian state next to Israel. Israel wants to expand the conflict to weaken the strength of Iran and its allies in the Middle East.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Iran is demonstrating patience despite Israel's aggressive actions. The nation did not take any strong action against Israel even after the killing of Haniyeh<\/a> in Tehran. But after the murder of Hassan Nasrallah, Iran targeted Israel. This action by Iran might become the cause of a more severe conflict. International help is needed to stop Israel from taking revenge against Iran. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, the United States is a great supporter of Israel. He strongly stands in favor of Israel in its every action against Palestine and now in Lebanon. If Israel's actions lead to a war with Iran, the US will likely fight alongside Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The coming US election season also impacted the Gaza war. Due to pro-Israel lobby groups, both Trump and Harris stand in favor of Israel. This highlights that lobby groups can shape US politics according to their interests. This lobby helps keep strong support for Israel, even as the country faces serious accusations of war crimes. But with time, \u200cpublic support is changing. Now most Americans support Palestinian rights, which are often ignored. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same change is also happening in Western nations such as Ireland and Spain. Both of these countries recognized Palestine as an independent state. The United Nations and the International Criminal Court opposed Israel\u2019s aggressive action. The UN also announced that Israel should end the illegal occupation of Palestinian territory within a year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

China and Russia have become more powerful in the Middle East<\/a> since the conflict in Gaza started on October 7 of last year. They constantly attacked America for its backing of Israel, which has improved Israel's standing. At the UN Security Council, both nations are spearheading attempts to achieve a ceasefire.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To coordinate their efforts, China even assisted in negotiating a deal between Fatah and Hamas. Many Western analysts think that China and Russia back Iran to divert American attention from Ukraine <\/a>and the Indo-Pacific area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An agreement with Saudi Arabia has not resulted from the goodwill generated by the 2020 Abraham Accords, which forged connections between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco. Saudi Arabia will not normalize relations with Israel until a Palestinian state based on the 1967 lines is established, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has stated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States, which had hoped for such an accord in exchange for nuclear technology, has suffered a blow. Israel will eventually need to acknowledge Palestinian rights despite its benefits as regional tensions continue to increase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Major human rights organizations claim that Israel's activities constitute grave human rights violations and are akin to apartheid. Growing support for the Palestinian cause raises the possibility that the pro-Israel lobby's influence may wane in the absence of significant reforms, such as a ceasefire and the establishment of a Palestinian state. <\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying dynamics: The impact of pro-Israel advocacy on US support for Israel","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-dynamics-the-impact-of-pro-israel-advocacy-on-us-support-for-israel","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:24","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:24","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7233","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7230,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-27 19:40:43","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-27 19:40:43","post_content":"\n

American civil society groups are facing an increasing number of dangers amid attacks on democratic institutions and values. Attacks on the right to free speech and new limitations on protest have increased recently, especially at the state level. Legal and political intimidation measures that have been used to harass and intimidate activists in Hungary<\/a>, India, Turkey, and other regressing democracies are becoming increasingly commonplace for civil society groups and activists. According to former President Trump's campaign remarks on this lobby, government experience, and his supporters' policies, these tendencies could accelerate under a second Trump administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transnational threats to civic freedom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of the election's result, there will probably still be difficulties at the state level. They demand that civil society groups and philanthropic players work together to defend civic liberties in general and the nonprofit sector in the United States<\/a> in particular. Limitations on the freedom of association and advocacy, as well as civil society, have been hallmarks of the global democratic recession that has swept over the globe in the last twenty years. Antidemocratic leaders have been more adept at utilizing intimidation, stigmatizing narratives, harassment, and legal and administrative strategies to undermine their opponents than they have at using physical force to silence dissident voices. However, groups and activists have also gained invaluable knowledge on how to adapt, endure, and retaliate, as have their global friends. US civil society organizations and foundations may learn from their experiences in this lobby as they prepare for both current and upcoming threats. Civil society groups should first conduct comprehensive internal risk assessments to strengthen their defenses against future assaults. The suggestion that US groups' circumstances are similar to those of human rights advocates in Egypt, El Salvador, or other nations with harsh official repression may be met with resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comparative analysis of civic space legislation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

However, a wide range of threats face US activists and civil society organizations, including state surveillance, politically motivated subpoenas and investigations, vilification by public officials, arrests of journalists and protesters, and online and offline abuse, doxxing, and intimidation by extremist actors. To make sure that businesses are not caught off guard, security assessments and risk management strategies may assist reduce some of these risks and provide procedures for addressing others. Many tools have been developed by foundations and organizations that support activists in difficult political environments to assist advocates in developing strategies that are specific to the situation. Examples of these tools include the Front Line Defenders Workbook on Security, Security in a Box, Totem's digital security training, and the Holistic Security Manual created by Tactical Tech. Numerous of these tools provide US firms with useful insights, particularly in the increasingly important field of cybersecurity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategic partnerships for US democracy defense<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Resources and training are also available through recent US-focused efforts like the NGO Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NGO-ISAC). Organizations should, for instance, take into account how employees use and interact on social networking sites and what precautions they might take to manage dangers and prevent doxxing. The financing of security training and protective measures ought to be included in grants from philanthropic foundations as well, as several donors that collaborate with human rights groups worldwide have done recently. Experiences abroad provide even more lessons that are applicable back home. For starters, civil society activists operating in unstable and divisive political<\/a> contexts emphasize that dealing with online abuse and harassment as well as working on challenging issues may lead to stress, fatigue, and burnout even when there are no direct dangers to their safety. So, in addition to providing physical, digital, and legal safety for employees, holistic security policies should also include steps to safeguard their mental health and general well-being. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

US civic space through an international lens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A further realization is the significance of seeing safety from a group perspective rather than an individual one. As part of coalitions and communities rather than as isolated entities, organizations, and advocates face risks and grow resilient. Therefore, collective protection approaches aim to strike a balance between immediate responses to pressing threats and longer-term initiatives to strengthen the sustainability and cohesion of networks, communities, and organizations. Some examples of these initiatives include creating cooperative safety protocols, resolving internal conflicts within organizations, and conducting collective threat analyses. Politicians who espouse antidemocratic and illiberal views frequently target their opponents by intensifying the politicized and selective implementation of current laws and regulations. For example, the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n in Hungary has targeted independent civil society groups with tax audits. <\/p>\n","post_title":"International strategies for US civic space defense","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"international-strategies-for-us-civic-space-defense","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7230","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7224,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_content":"\n

According to the latest report, the fossil fuel industry <\/a>is spending a lot of money on the 2024 UD presidential campaign. Their main objective is on super PACs, aiming at assisting Republicans maintain control of the House and regain the Senate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, Federal Election Commission reports revealed the truth. According to this report, most \u200coil and gas companies, such as Chevron and ConocoPhillips, are spending more than $20 million of money in \u200ctwo key super PACs. One is the  Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) and the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF). They spent this money during the third quarter of 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This huge amount of spending highlights the fossil fuel industry\u2019s determination to impact \u200c political decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their main objective is to shape\u200c politics that support their interests and secure a favorable atmosphere in Congress. This trend raises concern about the money's impact on democracy. It also creates donuts about the true decisions of the political landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fossil fuel industry has spent approximately more than $54.2 million in money on two super PACs during the 2023-2024 election cycle. A lot of money is spent on ads before Election Day to make efforts to win control of Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

Hezbollah and Iran both have good partnerships. This nation was formed in the 1980s during the war between Israel and Lebanon. In the 1990s, Hassen Nasrallah became \u200cthe leader of\u00a0Hezbollah, and at that time he also maintained strong ties with Iran. In this partnership, Iran assists Hezbollah in many ways, such as by providing money and weapons. In 2006, he took steps against Israel's invasion of Lebanon<\/a>. This action of Nasrallah made him famous, and he was considered one of the big enemies of Israel.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, Palestine is continuously facing attacks in Gaza. To support Palestine, Hezbollah fired rockets at northern Israel. To take revenge, Israel took many airstrikes in Lebanon that caused many deaths and injuries, including the Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Despite this loss, Hezbollah still acts like a strong group due to significant support from Iran. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu <\/a>is making efforts to increase military actions in \u200cthe region. He has a desire to stop resistance against Israel\u2019s control of Palestine. He is not in favor of a two-state solution. Because this solution would create an independent Palestinian state next to Israel. Israel wants to expand the conflict to weaken the strength of Iran and its allies in the Middle East.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Iran is demonstrating patience despite Israel's aggressive actions. The nation did not take any strong action against Israel even after the killing of Haniyeh<\/a> in Tehran. But after the murder of Hassan Nasrallah, Iran targeted Israel. This action by Iran might become the cause of a more severe conflict. International help is needed to stop Israel from taking revenge against Iran. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, the United States is a great supporter of Israel. He strongly stands in favor of Israel in its every action against Palestine and now in Lebanon. If Israel's actions lead to a war with Iran, the US will likely fight alongside Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The coming US election season also impacted the Gaza war. Due to pro-Israel lobby groups, both Trump and Harris stand in favor of Israel. This highlights that lobby groups can shape US politics according to their interests. This lobby helps keep strong support for Israel, even as the country faces serious accusations of war crimes. But with time, \u200cpublic support is changing. Now most Americans support Palestinian rights, which are often ignored. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same change is also happening in Western nations such as Ireland and Spain. Both of these countries recognized Palestine as an independent state. The United Nations and the International Criminal Court opposed Israel\u2019s aggressive action. The UN also announced that Israel should end the illegal occupation of Palestinian territory within a year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

China and Russia have become more powerful in the Middle East<\/a> since the conflict in Gaza started on October 7 of last year. They constantly attacked America for its backing of Israel, which has improved Israel's standing. At the UN Security Council, both nations are spearheading attempts to achieve a ceasefire.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To coordinate their efforts, China even assisted in negotiating a deal between Fatah and Hamas. Many Western analysts think that China and Russia back Iran to divert American attention from Ukraine <\/a>and the Indo-Pacific area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An agreement with Saudi Arabia has not resulted from the goodwill generated by the 2020 Abraham Accords, which forged connections between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco. Saudi Arabia will not normalize relations with Israel until a Palestinian state based on the 1967 lines is established, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has stated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States, which had hoped for such an accord in exchange for nuclear technology, has suffered a blow. Israel will eventually need to acknowledge Palestinian rights despite its benefits as regional tensions continue to increase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Major human rights organizations claim that Israel's activities constitute grave human rights violations and are akin to apartheid. Growing support for the Palestinian cause raises the possibility that the pro-Israel lobby's influence may wane in the absence of significant reforms, such as a ceasefire and the establishment of a Palestinian state. <\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying dynamics: The impact of pro-Israel advocacy on US support for Israel","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-dynamics-the-impact-of-pro-israel-advocacy-on-us-support-for-israel","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:24","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:24","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7233","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7230,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-27 19:40:43","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-27 19:40:43","post_content":"\n

American civil society groups are facing an increasing number of dangers amid attacks on democratic institutions and values. Attacks on the right to free speech and new limitations on protest have increased recently, especially at the state level. Legal and political intimidation measures that have been used to harass and intimidate activists in Hungary<\/a>, India, Turkey, and other regressing democracies are becoming increasingly commonplace for civil society groups and activists. According to former President Trump's campaign remarks on this lobby, government experience, and his supporters' policies, these tendencies could accelerate under a second Trump administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transnational threats to civic freedom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of the election's result, there will probably still be difficulties at the state level. They demand that civil society groups and philanthropic players work together to defend civic liberties in general and the nonprofit sector in the United States<\/a> in particular. Limitations on the freedom of association and advocacy, as well as civil society, have been hallmarks of the global democratic recession that has swept over the globe in the last twenty years. Antidemocratic leaders have been more adept at utilizing intimidation, stigmatizing narratives, harassment, and legal and administrative strategies to undermine their opponents than they have at using physical force to silence dissident voices. However, groups and activists have also gained invaluable knowledge on how to adapt, endure, and retaliate, as have their global friends. US civil society organizations and foundations may learn from their experiences in this lobby as they prepare for both current and upcoming threats. Civil society groups should first conduct comprehensive internal risk assessments to strengthen their defenses against future assaults. The suggestion that US groups' circumstances are similar to those of human rights advocates in Egypt, El Salvador, or other nations with harsh official repression may be met with resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comparative analysis of civic space legislation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

However, a wide range of threats face US activists and civil society organizations, including state surveillance, politically motivated subpoenas and investigations, vilification by public officials, arrests of journalists and protesters, and online and offline abuse, doxxing, and intimidation by extremist actors. To make sure that businesses are not caught off guard, security assessments and risk management strategies may assist reduce some of these risks and provide procedures for addressing others. Many tools have been developed by foundations and organizations that support activists in difficult political environments to assist advocates in developing strategies that are specific to the situation. Examples of these tools include the Front Line Defenders Workbook on Security, Security in a Box, Totem's digital security training, and the Holistic Security Manual created by Tactical Tech. Numerous of these tools provide US firms with useful insights, particularly in the increasingly important field of cybersecurity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategic partnerships for US democracy defense<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Resources and training are also available through recent US-focused efforts like the NGO Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NGO-ISAC). Organizations should, for instance, take into account how employees use and interact on social networking sites and what precautions they might take to manage dangers and prevent doxxing. The financing of security training and protective measures ought to be included in grants from philanthropic foundations as well, as several donors that collaborate with human rights groups worldwide have done recently. Experiences abroad provide even more lessons that are applicable back home. For starters, civil society activists operating in unstable and divisive political<\/a> contexts emphasize that dealing with online abuse and harassment as well as working on challenging issues may lead to stress, fatigue, and burnout even when there are no direct dangers to their safety. So, in addition to providing physical, digital, and legal safety for employees, holistic security policies should also include steps to safeguard their mental health and general well-being. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

US civic space through an international lens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A further realization is the significance of seeing safety from a group perspective rather than an individual one. As part of coalitions and communities rather than as isolated entities, organizations, and advocates face risks and grow resilient. Therefore, collective protection approaches aim to strike a balance between immediate responses to pressing threats and longer-term initiatives to strengthen the sustainability and cohesion of networks, communities, and organizations. Some examples of these initiatives include creating cooperative safety protocols, resolving internal conflicts within organizations, and conducting collective threat analyses. Politicians who espouse antidemocratic and illiberal views frequently target their opponents by intensifying the politicized and selective implementation of current laws and regulations. For example, the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n in Hungary has targeted independent civil society groups with tax audits. <\/p>\n","post_title":"International strategies for US civic space defense","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"international-strategies-for-us-civic-space-defense","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7230","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7224,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_content":"\n

According to the latest report, the fossil fuel industry <\/a>is spending a lot of money on the 2024 UD presidential campaign. Their main objective is on super PACs, aiming at assisting Republicans maintain control of the House and regain the Senate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, Federal Election Commission reports revealed the truth. According to this report, most \u200coil and gas companies, such as Chevron and ConocoPhillips, are spending more than $20 million of money in \u200ctwo key super PACs. One is the  Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) and the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF). They spent this money during the third quarter of 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This huge amount of spending highlights the fossil fuel industry\u2019s determination to impact \u200c political decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their main objective is to shape\u200c politics that support their interests and secure a favorable atmosphere in Congress. This trend raises concern about the money's impact on democracy. It also creates donuts about the true decisions of the political landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fossil fuel industry has spent approximately more than $54.2 million in money on two super PACs during the 2023-2024 election cycle. A lot of money is spent on ads before Election Day to make efforts to win control of Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

\n

These are \u200cunusual times. Recently, Israel killed the Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah<\/a> in a big airstrike in Beirut. This is one of the great losses for Hezbollah<\/a>, but experts think that after this damage, the group will continue to exist.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hezbollah and Iran both have good partnerships. This nation was formed in the 1980s during the war between Israel and Lebanon. In the 1990s, Hassen Nasrallah became \u200cthe leader of\u00a0Hezbollah, and at that time he also maintained strong ties with Iran. In this partnership, Iran assists Hezbollah in many ways, such as by providing money and weapons. In 2006, he took steps against Israel's invasion of Lebanon<\/a>. This action of Nasrallah made him famous, and he was considered one of the big enemies of Israel.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, Palestine is continuously facing attacks in Gaza. To support Palestine, Hezbollah fired rockets at northern Israel. To take revenge, Israel took many airstrikes in Lebanon that caused many deaths and injuries, including the Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Despite this loss, Hezbollah still acts like a strong group due to significant support from Iran. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu <\/a>is making efforts to increase military actions in \u200cthe region. He has a desire to stop resistance against Israel\u2019s control of Palestine. He is not in favor of a two-state solution. Because this solution would create an independent Palestinian state next to Israel. Israel wants to expand the conflict to weaken the strength of Iran and its allies in the Middle East.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Iran is demonstrating patience despite Israel's aggressive actions. The nation did not take any strong action against Israel even after the killing of Haniyeh<\/a> in Tehran. But after the murder of Hassan Nasrallah, Iran targeted Israel. This action by Iran might become the cause of a more severe conflict. International help is needed to stop Israel from taking revenge against Iran. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, the United States is a great supporter of Israel. He strongly stands in favor of Israel in its every action against Palestine and now in Lebanon. If Israel's actions lead to a war with Iran, the US will likely fight alongside Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The coming US election season also impacted the Gaza war. Due to pro-Israel lobby groups, both Trump and Harris stand in favor of Israel. This highlights that lobby groups can shape US politics according to their interests. This lobby helps keep strong support for Israel, even as the country faces serious accusations of war crimes. But with time, \u200cpublic support is changing. Now most Americans support Palestinian rights, which are often ignored. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same change is also happening in Western nations such as Ireland and Spain. Both of these countries recognized Palestine as an independent state. The United Nations and the International Criminal Court opposed Israel\u2019s aggressive action. The UN also announced that Israel should end the illegal occupation of Palestinian territory within a year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

China and Russia have become more powerful in the Middle East<\/a> since the conflict in Gaza started on October 7 of last year. They constantly attacked America for its backing of Israel, which has improved Israel's standing. At the UN Security Council, both nations are spearheading attempts to achieve a ceasefire.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To coordinate their efforts, China even assisted in negotiating a deal between Fatah and Hamas. Many Western analysts think that China and Russia back Iran to divert American attention from Ukraine <\/a>and the Indo-Pacific area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An agreement with Saudi Arabia has not resulted from the goodwill generated by the 2020 Abraham Accords, which forged connections between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco. Saudi Arabia will not normalize relations with Israel until a Palestinian state based on the 1967 lines is established, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has stated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States, which had hoped for such an accord in exchange for nuclear technology, has suffered a blow. Israel will eventually need to acknowledge Palestinian rights despite its benefits as regional tensions continue to increase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Major human rights organizations claim that Israel's activities constitute grave human rights violations and are akin to apartheid. Growing support for the Palestinian cause raises the possibility that the pro-Israel lobby's influence may wane in the absence of significant reforms, such as a ceasefire and the establishment of a Palestinian state. <\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying dynamics: The impact of pro-Israel advocacy on US support for Israel","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-dynamics-the-impact-of-pro-israel-advocacy-on-us-support-for-israel","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:24","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:24","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7233","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7230,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-27 19:40:43","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-27 19:40:43","post_content":"\n

American civil society groups are facing an increasing number of dangers amid attacks on democratic institutions and values. Attacks on the right to free speech and new limitations on protest have increased recently, especially at the state level. Legal and political intimidation measures that have been used to harass and intimidate activists in Hungary<\/a>, India, Turkey, and other regressing democracies are becoming increasingly commonplace for civil society groups and activists. According to former President Trump's campaign remarks on this lobby, government experience, and his supporters' policies, these tendencies could accelerate under a second Trump administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transnational threats to civic freedom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Regardless of the election's result, there will probably still be difficulties at the state level. They demand that civil society groups and philanthropic players work together to defend civic liberties in general and the nonprofit sector in the United States<\/a> in particular. Limitations on the freedom of association and advocacy, as well as civil society, have been hallmarks of the global democratic recession that has swept over the globe in the last twenty years. Antidemocratic leaders have been more adept at utilizing intimidation, stigmatizing narratives, harassment, and legal and administrative strategies to undermine their opponents than they have at using physical force to silence dissident voices. However, groups and activists have also gained invaluable knowledge on how to adapt, endure, and retaliate, as have their global friends. US civil society organizations and foundations may learn from their experiences in this lobby as they prepare for both current and upcoming threats. Civil society groups should first conduct comprehensive internal risk assessments to strengthen their defenses against future assaults. The suggestion that US groups' circumstances are similar to those of human rights advocates in Egypt, El Salvador, or other nations with harsh official repression may be met with resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comparative analysis of civic space legislation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

However, a wide range of threats face US activists and civil society organizations, including state surveillance, politically motivated subpoenas and investigations, vilification by public officials, arrests of journalists and protesters, and online and offline abuse, doxxing, and intimidation by extremist actors. To make sure that businesses are not caught off guard, security assessments and risk management strategies may assist reduce some of these risks and provide procedures for addressing others. Many tools have been developed by foundations and organizations that support activists in difficult political environments to assist advocates in developing strategies that are specific to the situation. Examples of these tools include the Front Line Defenders Workbook on Security, Security in a Box, Totem's digital security training, and the Holistic Security Manual created by Tactical Tech. Numerous of these tools provide US firms with useful insights, particularly in the increasingly important field of cybersecurity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategic partnerships for US democracy defense<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Resources and training are also available through recent US-focused efforts like the NGO Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NGO-ISAC). Organizations should, for instance, take into account how employees use and interact on social networking sites and what precautions they might take to manage dangers and prevent doxxing. The financing of security training and protective measures ought to be included in grants from philanthropic foundations as well, as several donors that collaborate with human rights groups worldwide have done recently. Experiences abroad provide even more lessons that are applicable back home. For starters, civil society activists operating in unstable and divisive political<\/a> contexts emphasize that dealing with online abuse and harassment as well as working on challenging issues may lead to stress, fatigue, and burnout even when there are no direct dangers to their safety. So, in addition to providing physical, digital, and legal safety for employees, holistic security policies should also include steps to safeguard their mental health and general well-being. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

US civic space through an international lens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A further realization is the significance of seeing safety from a group perspective rather than an individual one. As part of coalitions and communities rather than as isolated entities, organizations, and advocates face risks and grow resilient. Therefore, collective protection approaches aim to strike a balance between immediate responses to pressing threats and longer-term initiatives to strengthen the sustainability and cohesion of networks, communities, and organizations. Some examples of these initiatives include creating cooperative safety protocols, resolving internal conflicts within organizations, and conducting collective threat analyses. Politicians who espouse antidemocratic and illiberal views frequently target their opponents by intensifying the politicized and selective implementation of current laws and regulations. For example, the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n in Hungary has targeted independent civil society groups with tax audits. <\/p>\n","post_title":"International strategies for US civic space defense","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"international-strategies-for-us-civic-space-defense","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7230","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7224,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-22 17:45:21","post_content":"\n

According to the latest report, the fossil fuel industry <\/a>is spending a lot of money on the 2024 UD presidential campaign. Their main objective is on super PACs, aiming at assisting Republicans maintain control of the House and regain the Senate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, Federal Election Commission reports revealed the truth. According to this report, most \u200coil and gas companies, such as Chevron and ConocoPhillips, are spending more than $20 million of money in \u200ctwo key super PACs. One is the  Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) and the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF). They spent this money during the third quarter of 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This huge amount of spending highlights the fossil fuel industry\u2019s determination to impact \u200c political decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their main objective is to shape\u200c politics that support their interests and secure a favorable atmosphere in Congress. This trend raises concern about the money's impact on democracy. It also creates donuts about the true decisions of the political landscape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fossil fuel industry has spent approximately more than $54.2 million in money on two super PACs during the 2023-2024 election cycle. A lot of money is spent on ads before Election Day to make efforts to win control of Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do fossil fuel industries want to change \u200celection results?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This points out how fossil fuel industries want to change \u200cpolitical decisions according to their favoritism. The concern is increasing as the 2024 elections approach. At the start of this year, one of the candidates, Donal Trump<\/a>, asked oil companies to assist in raising $1 billion for his campaign. In exchange, he made promises with oil companies to give relaxations on the climate rules that were set by the current president of the United States, Joe Biden. This scenario raises questions about \u200chow donations from the fossil fuel industry can affect political decisions and the environment. It also suggests a possible conflict between business interests and efforts to protect the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the groups named as watchdog has requested \u200cthe FBI and Departemnt of Jusice to investigate the Donald Trump action. His effort to \u200cinfluence the oil industries may be considered a possible criminal bribery. Congressional Democrats are also looking into what they describe as Trump\u2019s \u201cquid pro quo solicitations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to OpenSecrets, in this election cycle, the oil and gas companies have spent a huge amount of money, $152 million. They also reported that more than 88% of this money was going to Republican candidates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the billionaires and founders of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm, supports Trump's action and raises funds from oil industry donors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the oil sector has donated over $21 million to Trump's campaign and his political action committees (PACs). Additionally, lawyers from big oil companies are already drafting executive orders for Trump to sign if he wins against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris next month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, a small number of affluent people have been the main source of Donald Trump's campaign's noteworthy fundraising surge. These include Kelcy Warren, the chairman of Energy Transfer Partners, and Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Concerns over the role of money in politics are raised by this development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CEO of the anti-corruption<\/a> organization RepresentUs, Joshua Graham Lynn, offered his thoughts on the matter, saying that the most recent filings demonstrate how a few billionaires are spending enormous sums of money to influence election outcomes. He mentioned the 2010 Native Americans United ruling from the Supreme Court, which permitted people and businesses to hand over an unlimited amount of money to political elections. American politics have been significantly impacted by this decision, which has exacerbated polarization and conflict.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lynn faces that the political system is distorted and that a significant contributing factor to the issue is the increasing power of money. He thinks it is crucial to eradicate this financial influence and deal with the corruption that frequently goes along with it in order to bring balance and justice back to elections. Without these adjustments, the political system's honor will keep deteriorating, making significant reforms challenging. <\/p>\n","post_title":"How the fossil fuel industries want to change the 2024 election results","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-the-fossil-fuel-industries-want-to-change-the-2024-election-results","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7224","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7220,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-20 18:47:28","post_content":"\n

As to a recent analysis by InfluenceMap, a think tank that tracks lobbying by the fossil fuel business, groups representing the oil and gas industry have been impeding the worldwide transition towards renewable energy and electric cars since at least 1967 by employing the same strategy. The July 11 research details how, over 50 years, the American Petroleum Institute and two of its European equivalents used the same justifications to undermine, reject, or postpone taking action on climate change, even as our understanding of the role that fossil fuels play in global warming changed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lobbying tactics unchanged<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers at InfluenceMap examined narrative patterns that appeared in more than 50 instances between 1967 and 2023, a period during which the fossil fuel sector opposed legislation aimed at mitigating climate change. They discovered that industry associations consistently advocated for a \"all-of-the-above,\" technology-neutral strategy to combat climate change while downplaying the usefulness and cost of fossil fuel substitutes. Industry associations also used energy security, a concern that has grown in importance since the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, to support their arguments against renewable energy sources. For instance, the American Petroleum Institute said in 1975 that the Clean Air Act would impair \"energy self-sufficiency\" by taking capital away from oil and gas production. A similar case was made by the industry group to delay the switch to electric cars the previous year. The American Petroleum Institute claimed in comments to the EPA in 2023 that the country's increased reliance on vital minerals mined outside of the US for use in electric vehicles would \"negatively impact US energy security\" as a result of the agency's new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decades of delaying action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Representing around 600 oil and gas corporations, the American Petroleum Institute is one of the biggest and most powerful associations for the fossil fuel sector worldwide. Based on a study of lobbying reports by OpenSecrets, it usually spends between $4 million and $9 million on federal lobbying annually. For federal lobbying, the organization spent $1.8 million in the first three months of 2024. July 22 is the next date for filing. Additionally, the American Petroleum Institute began to spend millions on federal elections in 2016; these expenditures primarily benefited Republicans. As of June 21, it has directed $2.5 million for the 2023\u20132024 Senate Leadership Fund and $1 million toward the Congressional Leadership Fund. The goal of the two organizations is to elect Republicans to the House and Senate, respectively. To defend new oil and gas projects, fossil fuel businesses frequently point to customer demand, according to InfluenceMap program manager Tom Holen. This analysis refutes that claim by exposing the industry's complicity in upholding the existing quo and defending fossil fuels' hegemony in the world economy.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old arguments resurface<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Holen, \"this persistent use of false narratives has probably delayed the energy transition for decades and continues to pose a serious threat to the advancement of climate policy.\" The UN Climate Program discovered in 2023 that the world's countries are not on pace to meet the Paris Climate Accords' aim of keeping global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels. Three-quarters of the hundreds of climate experts surveyed by the Guardian this year believe that global temperatures<\/a> will rise by at least 2.5C this century. The lack of progress on climate solutions was attributed by over 60% of respondents to corporate interests. The InfluenceMap analysis also expands on other studies concerning the fossil fuel industry's multi-decade effort to cast doubt on its contribution to climate change. In a joint report published earlier this year, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee and the House Oversight Committee charged the fossil fuel sector with \"climate denial, disinformation, and doublespeak.\" According to the research, the American Petroleum Institute and other trade associations have been used by oil and gas firms to disseminate false information and advocate for measures that are unlikely to pass and with which they do not wish to be linked.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate science ignored<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Los Angeles Times and Inside Climate News reported in 2015 that Exxon knew, as early as 1977, that burning fossil fuels would warm the world, yet the company nonetheless went ahead and launched an attempt to delay the regulation of greenhouse gasses that warm the earth. This finding prompted a three-year congressional probe. According to InfluenceMap's study, several American Petroleum Institute members have deviated from the industry organization on certain climate policy. For instance, BP and Shell currently encourage the electrification of light-duty cars.<\/p>\n","post_title":"How API\u2019s climate lobbying continues to hinder progress","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"how-apis-climate-lobbying-continues-to-hinder-progress-2","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7220","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":7211,"post_author":"7","post_date":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_date_gmt":"2024-10-15 19:01:32","post_content":"\n

The CEO and President of the United States Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Clark, opposed both Trump and Harris for their anti-trade positions. It is the largest business lobbying group in the country. She is particularly worried about the idea of Donald Trump imposing a 60% tariff on goods from China. Clark said that most \u200cAmerican companies depend upon other nation, especially for importing parts and materials.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this purpose, China <\/a>is the leading nation. The proposal to include tariffs on Chinese imports would make the imports much more costly for \u200c manufacturers in the United States. Furthermore, the production costs of the business \u200calso increase, which makes American businesses less compatible. With such a plan, American businesses could never compete in the global market. Clarks is also concerned that these tariffs would result in higher prices for consumers. This kind of trade policy would harm the nation\u2019s economy. It negatively impacts businesses as well as jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do anti-trade policies harm the US economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, if Kamala Harris governs, she is likely to follow \u200cCurrent President Joe Biden<\/a>'s approach and avoid any new trade deals. In 2020, she was one of the ladies who opposed the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA<\/a>). She voted against this deal because it did not address climate change. Now in 2024, she again criticized the deal, which highlights that her position and stance have not shifted. Many people, such as Clark have said that this anti-trade policy is not beneficial for the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It only harms the economy of the country. During an interview, she opposed the views of both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. According to her, both Trump and Harris are not in favour of \u200cnew trade agreements. This stance only harms the American economy and communities. The major concern is that without these deals, the US economy could never grow and the nation would lose many opportunities, especially in industries that rely on international trade. So, avoiding a new trade agreement could weaken America\u2019s global position and negatively impact its domestic economy in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Biden administration<\/a> has changed its strategy of how it handles trade. It now follows a \"worker-centered\" policy. This strategy looks more carefully at past trade deals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These deals allowed the US to sell products to other countries while also letting more products from other countries come into the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people, like Vice President Harris, some Democrats, and labour unions, think these deals could prove harmful for the manufacturers. They may lose their jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major focus of Biden's administration is not the new trade deals. They are not working on new trade deals, like those with the UK and Kenya that began under Trump. This includes making the supply chain stronger and supporting clean energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have also kept the current tariffs in place, so they don\u2019t have to ask Congress to approve any changes. This highlights that Biden's administration paid more attention to securing American jobs rather than expanding trade with other nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, various people opposed the Biden administration's trade plans due to its ineffectiveness. It includes the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Business groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, argue that these initiatives don\u2019t have the same positive impact as earlier agreements that reduced tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, many economic analysts examined Trump's proposal of increasing tariffs: 60% on Chinese imports and 10% on goods from other nations. After thorough research, they warned that these high taxes could push inflation above the Federal Reserve\u2019s target. If this happens, then it will lead to many economic complexities because the central bank might raise \u200cinterest rates. So, both the Biden and Trump trade policies are questioned for their effectiveness and possible negative effects on the economy.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Lobbying landscape: American business is in danger due to trade policies","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"lobbying-landscape-american-business-is-in-danger-due-to-trade-policies","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_modified_gmt":"2025-02-02 08:34:25","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/dctransparency.com\/?p=7211","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":15},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_3"};

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