Group Should be Red-Faced Over Green Effort

I have the opportunity to work with lobbyists at the Indiana Chamber who strive to produce the best possible business climate for Indiana companies and their employees. While those individuals have the goal of winning on the issues they pursue, success does not come at the expense of ethics. In other words, winning at all costs doesn’t apply; honesty and integrity remain at the top of the priority list.

That brings us to a group (not sure who it is and wouldn’t want to give them exposure by naming them if I did) that wants Congress to pass a clean energy climate plan. The group is airing a television commercial among other outreaches. Free speech is good; what they are saying is bad.

As bombs go off in the background and there are images of wounded and fallen soldiers, the message is that for every $1 increase in oil prices, terrorists receive $1.5 billion to buy weapons to kill our service men and women. No argument here that less dependence on foreign oil is a good thing. But to directly contend that wind turbines and solar panels (images of both are shown in the ad as alternatives to oil) would change the world as we know it is ridiculous. Oil contributes less than one percent of all of our country’s electricity.

The brave and heroic efforts of our country’s soldiers should not be used in this manner. No matter one’s opinion on U.S. military operations around the world, trying to say that more wind and solar power will replace oil — and save lives — is disingenuous, unethical and a few other words we won’t repeat here.