Sitting Down To Dinner, and Finding Yourself On The Menu

I guess these guys thought they were going to be part of the process, and not processed...from the hardcore greenies at Grist ("A beacon in the smog"):

Three major U.S. companies said Tuesday they were leaving a coalition pushing for action on climate change, dealing a potential fresh blow to landmark legislation to cut carbon emissions.
The companies—oil groups ConocoPhillips and BP America and equipment maker Caterpillar Inc.—said they backed efforts for a green economy but felt that proposed laws were unfair to them.

The firms said they would not renew membership in the U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP), a coalition of business leaders whom President Barack Obama’s Democratic party often cites to bulwark its case on climate change.

The bills “have disadvantaged the transportation sector and its consumers, left domestic refineries unfairly penalized versus international competition, and ignored the critical role that natural gas can play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said Jim Mulva, ConocoPhilips chair and CEO. “We believe greater attention and resources need to be dedicated to reversing these missed opportunities, and our actions today are part of that effort,” he said in a statement.

Who would have thought that even the the big, greedy, selfish oil companies could be as easily duped by Obama's parlor tricks as a common big-city liberal rube? Well, at least these guys were smart enough to jump out of the pot before they got cooked; or perhaps they saw that climate change legislation was going nowhere, and there was no need to sacrifice an ounce of profits on the alter of "global warming". Either way, they made the right decision, and at least they won't be used by the Democrats as proof that climate change exists and even "Big Oil" is willing to bow to it.

Interesting to see who stayed on:

Companies that remain in USCAP include oil giant Shell, conglomerates General Electric and Honeywell, and Detroit’s Big Three automakers—Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors.

Those are not Detroit's Big Three, those are the federal government's Big Three, owned lock, stock and barrel, from the union foreman to the candy machines in the break room. Credibility: Zero. And GE? Who can blame them for being there? A company with a myriad of government contracts (can we say nukes?), they were instrumental in writing and passing legislation that will force all Americans to switch to more expensive, "energy efficient" fluorescent light bulbs in two years. At a huge profit to GE, of course, but I am sure their position on this panel is strictly to for the benefit of the people...right?

Trust the companies that bailed on this economic death panel. Doubt the ones who are staying on; they are either too stupid to read the menu, or they're in it strictly to score their share of the booty from the looting that is about to be unleashed...