Monday, Jun 23, 2008
The Star.com Political Decoder
Barack Obama, K Street lobbyists and the grab for Mexican oil
The Star's political reporter, Linda Diebel, blogs about the efforts to stop the privatization of the Mexican national oil company, PEMEX, including a visit to Mexico by SGM's Steven Shrybman and Hugo Leal-Neri. As she describes:
"Canadian unions may have found an ally in their fight to stop the endless rush to privatization in the Americas: Barack Obama.
This particular battle involves the significant issue of energy. Over the past week, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union (CEP) sponsored a trip to Mexico by two trade lawyers to lend support to efforts to stop the privatization of the national oil company, PEMEX.
Lawyers Stephen Shrybman and Hugo Neal-Leri, who've done substantial work for both unions, spoke at various events in Mexico City and Villahermosa (in the oil state of Tabasco) and met with opposition party politicians and workers from small independent unions. It was a trip to offer moral support. Rick Arnold, from the advocacy group Common Frontiers (another trip sponsor), calls what happens to PEMEX (Petróleos Mexicanos) "a litmus test" for Latin America. His worst-case scenario would be the entire Americas being controlled by a handful of powerful energy companies."
While Mexico has long been a holdout, it appears that PEMEX might become the victim of a privatization initiative encouraged by President Felipe Calderón. Diebel notes that there is some hope that Barack Obama may stand up to corporate lobbyists if he should become President:
"Now Democratric presidential candidate Obama is looking good. He doesn't oppose NAFTA (apparently not any longer) but it was the clout of corporate lobbyists that gave us the trade deals in the first place. Taking on the K-Street lobbyists could define an Obama presidency. Their business includes the energy industry advocates who push U.S. President George W. Bush to open up national parks to drilling and water down environmental legislation. They currently have their sights set on PEMEX. The lobbying industry could be seen as the fourth pillar of the U.S. political system - and arguably the most powerful. Closing that "revolving door" will be no easy task for Obama - if he attempts it."
