to understand who keeps Bush in power, you gotta understand this ...

[NVMojo]

The mining companies listed on this page were part of a mining coalition that pushed rumors and lies about John Kerry in Nevada and other western "red" states to help Bush stay in power. They were in meetings with the Karl Rove Bush campaign team almost a year in advance. When you read this, you see why they do what they do to keep their buddy in the White House.



Oil, Gas and Mining Lobby Junket
With Bush Administration Officials
At Lavish "Jewel of the Desert" Spa

How The Upper Half Meets


Interior Secretary Gale Norton and other officials in the Bush administration, along with numerous members of Congress, plan to participate in a conference this week at one of the most exclusive luxury resorts in the country. The purpose: speak to and meet with leaders of the very extractive industries that already have all but unfettered access to our public lands.

Read EWG's letter to Dept. of Interior Secretary Gale Norton


The full extent of industry access and control was documented for the first time last year, after the Environmental Working Group (EWG) analyzed 125 million Interior Department land use records and found that over the past 22 years, the federal government has offered or leased 229 million acres for oil and gas drilling — an area greater than the combined size of Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. Over the same period of time, dependence on foreign energy sources increased. We also found that for as little as $0.84 an acre, more than 28,000 companies and individuals have gained control of precious metals and minerals on 5.6 million acres of America's property across 12 continental western states. Foreign-owned companies control 20 percent of those holdings.

more...

http://ewg.org/issues/publiclands/20050106/index.php
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"...at one of the most exclusive luxury resorts in the country... a restful oasis of 39 acres covered with lush gardens, glistening swimming pools..."


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"The four-hands massage] utilizes two therapists simultaneously performing a choreographed massage. The rhythm of four hands brings a state of deep relaxation, allowing the mind to float away."

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"This pricey junket is cosponsored by the Western Business Roundtable (WBR) and BIPAC, a political action committee whose slogan is 'Electing Business to Congress.'"

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"...many of these companies owe their very existence to their access to and control of resources under land owned by the American people..."

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"The WBR's members include Newmont Mining Corp. (347,458 acres), Placer Dome (268,758 acres), and Kinross (98,853 acres)"

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"Members of the WBR who hold oil and gas leases on federal land include Questar (768,804 acres), Shell (61,582 acres), and Western Gas Resources (587,610 acres)"

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"The Interior Department shelved a plan to increase the security bonds that oil and gas companies provide for cleaning up their development..."

The executives who run many of these companies, and the lobbyists who work so hard to sustain their access to Americans' publicly owned land, will gather at a plush resort that claims to be "Known throughout the world as the 'Jewel of the Desert'..."

"...the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa provides a restful oasis of 39 acres covered with lush gardens, glistening swimming pools, and Frank Lloyd Wright-influenced architecture. Set in the heart of Phoenix, the Arizona Biltmore has been a favorite of celebrities and U.S. presidents throughout its colorful history."