House GOP Orders Gasland Journalists Arrested (for 2/1/12)

Josh Fox, the maker of the documentary film Gasland, arrived with his crew at Capitol Hill to film a public Congressional hearing on fracking, which is causing extensive groundwater contamination in the extraction of natural gas. Instead, Republican Chairman Andy Harris of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment ordered Capitol Police to arrest Fox and his crew in a shocking disdain for the First Amendment protections of freedom of the press. The filmmakers tried to get permits, which would let them film the hearing. This is standard operating procedure and crews never have had trouble like this before this hearing. There were only two cameras at the hearing, so there has to be a suspicious motive for House Republicans to do this. One can only suspect the millions of dollars that Republicans take from oil and gas companies drives them to suppress public dissent against these wealthy multi-national companies. These companies and their executives often enrich themselves by polluting the environment. When they become wealthy enough, they contribute huge sums of money to the campaigns of individuals like Harris and lie low while he deceives the people in his home district, which is District No. 1 in Maryland. Those people then foolishly vote for him and he pulls off a stunt like this. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/01/house-republicans-order-j_n_1246971.html?ref=green&ir=Green

Obama Picked Off for Touting Fracking, While Americans Don't Want It (for 1/26/12)

President Obama is like a highly-drafted quarterback who throws far too many interceptions. This a solid analogy, with the Super Bowl about to be played. Companies involved in natural gas development have spent millions of dollars on elections, lobbying, and on advertising to sway public opinion in favor of natural gas development. All of which acts like a fierce pass rush on President Obama or anybody else who would sit in the White House. In the State of the Union that he gave on January 24th, Obama mentioned that the U.S. has a century's worth of natural gas on our soil. He said his Administration will advocate safe exploration and utilization of this resource. Obama apparently thinks hydraulic fracturing, often referred to as fracking, can be done safely. But, evidence suggests otherwise. Fracking yields staggering amounts of cancerous wastewater. Fracking has caused numerous small earthquakes in Ohio because of the extensive deep Earth drilling involved with it. Americans have started grassroots movements to oppose fracking. Half of Ulysses' 3,000 registered voters oppose fracking within their city limits in the State of New York. Officials in Otsego County in New York have also expressed concern about the dangers of fracking. This is a solid example of what has happened during Obama's Presidency. Too often, Obama has let his 2008 voters down. Many of them want stronger protections on the environment, more aggressive pursuit of Wall Street Banks that robbed millions of Americans of their homes or jobs, and and end to the Bush Tax Cuts for the Wealthy. Too often his Administration does not deliver enough to solve these problems. http://rt.com/usa/news/fracking-obama-drill-union-707/