Business Pushes For Increased Power Production

The San Francisco Chronicles reports, "Big oil and energy firms are contributing heavily to political parties and pouring millions into expensive ads to boost their interests, hoping to swing support behind President Bush's embattled energy plan, a new study shows." The paper cites a study released by the Washington-based watchdog group Center for Responsive Politics, which shows how business and industry are bankrolling large ad campaigns to influence the political process. For example, the American Taxpayers Alliance spent $2 million last month running ads blaming California's energy woes on Democratic Gov. Gray Davis.