Bush administration has culpability too

I am writing in response your June 3 editorial titled: “FERC must respond to emergency calls first.” I heartily agree that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has grossly disserved the public in the western states by allowing energy companies to manipulate utility rates. I also agree that the FERC should be compelled to revisit these unfair contracts and consider refunds to the bilked energy consumers. But there is one glaring omission in your analysis: the culpability of the Bush administration.

Western states signed these overpriced contracts after Vice President Cheney trumpeted the energy producers’ exaggerated claims of an “energy crisis.” Mr. Cheney must have known that these claims were, at best, overstated, at worst, outright lies. Yet he dutifully carried out the mission of companies like Enron, demanding that western states reconsider their policies on everything from power plant construction to environmental regulation. He is clearly a party to this sham and should be held accountable for it.

But the blame doesn’t end there. President Bush nominated two people to the FERC whom former Enron CEO Kenneth Lay wanted on the commission, including the chairman, Pat Woods. He essentially gave half of the current commission’s seats to people who were complicit with the very industry that sought to manipulate electricity rates. Enron was the number one contributor to Bush’s gubernatorial and presidential election campaigns. Was this a quid pro quo?

This is a situation begging for a congressional investigation and more media scrutiny. The Bush administration’s claim that the Enron debacle had nothing to do with the president is clearly false. Bush benefited from Enron – Enron benefited from Bush and western ratepayers got stuck with the bill. Did President Bush give us a tax cut just so we could pay that money to Enron and other energy companies? The American people need to know if there was more to this than just dirty business by Enron. We need to know this so we can put pressure on the FERC and the president to fix the mess they made. We also need to know it so we can cast an informed vote in 2004.

Stanwood

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