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A few groups and individuals who are responsible for this mess we are in with energy (in no particular order)
1. Congress (Mostly Democrats but some Republicans as well)
2. MSM (Main Stream Media) has done a horrific job of reporting and educating the general public on energy and environmental issues. The stories are almost always from a liberal or even far left perspective. There are just a very few good reporters- John Stossel at ABC comes to mind but they are few.
3. U.S. Educational System- Almost as bad as MSM and each of these groups reinforce each other. Of course the Public Schools are the worst. Many students are exposed to propaganda on energy and environmental issues. Example-the fraud movie “An Inconvenient Truth”.
4. Enviromental Organizations (I've saved the best or worst for last). What constitutes an “Environmentalist” ? I think that it is sheer assertion. If you say you are an environmentalist then defacto you are one. Most of the major environmental organizations: Sierra Club, National Resources Defense Council, Wilderness Society, etc are complete frauds. This is where poor reporting comes in. These organizations were hijacked a long time ago by far left radicals who have an agenda that has nothing to do with real environmentalism. Someone out there needs to write the definitive book on this issue. Most of the general knuckle dragging public is completely ignorant about this.

I can't and won't argue that all of those forces are at play in shaping public opinion and in turn shape Congressional actions. But Congress is the body charged with making law. Congress is supposed to owe its allegiance to the country by representing the will and well being of the people. Congress has the duty and authority to be informed with the most detailed and accurate information available in order to fulfill their Constitutional obligations to the people. They also carry with them, as a natural consequence of their position in our society, the power to influence public opinion through those other institutions and groups.

Let's take the MSM for example since they hold the greatest sway on public opinion. Congress may be prohibited from forcing the media to its will, and rightfully so, but as individuals and in aggregate they can profoundly influence what is published and aired by simply stating what they want to be heard whether the media chooses to slant it or not. The media can only ignore what politicians say to the degree that politicians allow themselves to be silenced or opposing factions facilitate a particular bias.

The President is not the only pol with a bully pulpit. Congressmen can also stir and direct debate by forcefully voicing their views. The MSM will cover controversy whether they agree with a POV or not. That is their bread and butter. A politician just has to have the spine to make waves and the will and intelligence to stand firm and push forward their views. Thankfully their are a few who are doing that now on this issue. Inhofe, Boehner and Gingrich come to mind immediately. The more pols who stand with them the louder the debate will get and the more the MSM will cover it even if they try to undermine their position.

For those reasons I won't give Congress a pass. Knowing what's going on and doing the right thing, in law, is what Congress is charged with. It is their obligation to fight media bias. It is their obligation to cut through public ignorance and apathy. It is their obligation to put the people's interests above the interests of special interest groups. It is their obligation to learn which interests best serve the people, inform the people why they think so and then listen to what the people think about that. They are the ones who make the decisions.