Why Ted Stevens’ Home Renovations Are More Important Than U.S. Energy Security

So it looks like Senator Ted Stevens has been indicted on seven charges in association with a corruption probe.

Really, you say?

Apparently “Slippery” Ted faces seven counts of false statements involving VECO, an oil services company in Alaska, and some renovations done on the Senator’s home.

Could it be possible that all of the Senator’s pro-oil stances had less to do with energy security and more to do with a personal housing upgrade?

Of course when it comes to energy, Stevens isn’t the only bureaucrat getting paid off.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, over the past 18 years, both Democratic and Republican members of Congress have received more than $190 million in oil-soaked money.

Just in 2008 alone, more than $13 million in oil & gas money has been “contributed” to Congress. It’s certainly been a profitable year for our elected officials, hasn’t it?

Here are the top 20 recipients so far this year…

Recipient

John McCain - $1,010,868

John Cornyn - $480,100

Hillary Clinton - $403,019

Barack Obama - $345,410

James Inhofe - $220,350

Steve Pearce - $204,234

Mitch McConnell - $197,150

Mary Landrieu - $184,850

Pete Domenici - $137,800

Pat Roberts - $130,350

Joe Barton - $127,541

Dan Boren - $127,400

Ron Paul - $115,532

Mike Conway - $113,500

Kay Bailey Hutchison - $103,000

Lamar Alexander - $100,750

Roy Blunt - $98,900

John Barrasso - $97,400

Ted Stevens - $95,600

Elizabeth Dole - $91,577

With this kind of money changing hands, how could anyone expect to take Congress seriously when they talk about energy solutions?

It’s scam. And the whole dog and pony show they put on is nothing more than empty rhetoric to keep voters sedated.

Whether it’s the obligatory interrogation of oil execs, a new mandated corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standard that’s actually less than what was mandated in Japan back in 2002, or the inability to pass a one-year production tax credit extension for alternatives that can help break our addiction to fossil fuels - the lies and deceit never stop. And we don’t expect they ever will.

So Ted Stevens got busted.

Big Deal!

He’s been representing the state of Alaska for 40 years. That’s 40 years of big oil politics, 40 years of unethical behavior, and 40 years of fleecing tax payers.

You really think he’ll be held accountable for all of this?

Not a chance.

And even after he is booted out of office, there will be another “Slippery” Ted waiting to take his place.

So the next time you hear a speech or read a press release about how we should be drilling in Alaska because there’s so much oil up there that it’ll help secure our energy infrastructure and bring gas prices down, ask yourself one simple question - which asshole in Congress is getting work done on his house that week?

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