The Institute for Energy Security, Competitiveness and American Jobs: New Name, Same Bad Ideas

Facing growing public concern about global warming, the US Chamber of Commerce is setting up another yet front group to oppose regulations that will limit greenhouse gases. The Chamber has tentatively named the new group the Institute for Energy Security, Competitiveness and American Jobs. It will be bankrolled by oil companies, electric utilities and automakers, who are expected to pony up about $20 million, according to Jeffrey Birnbaum of the Washington Post. It makes perfect sense, of course. General Motors, Ford, ExxonMobil, and the other corporations that sell products to the public do not want to be labeled as promoters of global warming, but they want to protect their own parochial interests over all else, no matter what the consequences.