The Energy Bill of 2005, a great compromise between the House of Representatives and Senate, or simply a statement of intent with no substance? It took a compromise of the House to pass up on proposals of Clean Air rules and the Senate to abandon a requirement that utilities use more renewable fuels to produce electricity and still Public Law 109-190 cannot bring about any real change concerning our nation's energy supply. The United States is in dire need to develop alternative fuel sources and thusly limit its importation, much less dependence, of foreign oil.1 Congress, in passing this bill, has preformed yet another act of "let's pass it and claim we did something."1 First, the authorization of subsidies is far different from the appropriation of such funds meaning the money is not guaranteed to be given to the lobbyist groups. Additionally, the bill excludes the restriction of drilling for oil in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge as well as any restrictions on vehicle emissions.
Now what does this mean for us as citizens? Legislation such as this proves that our government has descended into such a rule by elites that the necessities of an efficient society have become lost amidst the greed of those in power. Is it any wonder that oil companies continue to grow in wealth even though several alternatives to fossil fuels have been developed but not supported thoroughly? Stratificationist thinking supports such a model of government and thusly classifies this bill as perhaps a poster child for the elite theory.
Elite society exists, not as a collection of white, über-powerful individuals, but as the conglomeration of wealthy business owners whose interests have spread into politics and whose gains are marked with supporting legislation. Wealth brings power and power breeds influence. Corporation giants such as Halliburton and others command such influence and power that their deal-making can penetrate any type of loopholes thereby giving...