Campbell Soup registers as a climate change lobbyist in 2009

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12/28/2009, "Five Climate Lobbyists for Every Member of Congress--from Soup to Nuts," from The Cutting Edge by Marianno Lavelle and M.B. Pell, 12/28/09, adapted from Center for Public Integrity

Even companies that don't use much energy will be forced to bid at auction:

12/28/09: "Take the concerns raised by the world's largest maker of soup, Camden, N.J.-based Campbell Soup Company, one of a slew of grocery producers (including Kellogg Company, Del Monte Foods, and the Alliance of Food Associations) registered to lobby on climate change for the first time in the July-September quarter.

• "It wasn't until we analyzed what was going on in the House (of Representatives) that we thought, 'Oh, gosh, we are being affected by this,'" said Kelly Johnston, Campbell Soup's vice president for public affairs, in an interview.

At issue are the free "allowances," or carbon dioxide pollution permits that the House-passed climate bill would give to manufacturers that use a lot of energy to produce internationally traded products, like steel and aluminum.

• Those energy-intensive industries fighting international competitors successfully lobbied for protection from loss of jobs to China and other cheap-energy countries

• if the United States unilaterally enacted a carbon reduction program that would make coal-burning more expensive here.

But the House bill's approach means manufacturers that don't use as much energy—like Campbell—would have to bid at auction for carbon emissions allowances from the federal government.

• Johnston argues that Campbell should either be exempt from that process or provided some freebies, too. "I think it's clear from our view that we're not being treated as fairly as carbon-intensive industries," Johnston said.

"There needs to be some recognition of the role the food industry plays in our economy.""...

• "Five Climate Lobbyists for Every Member of Congress--from Soup to Nuts," from The Cutting Edge by Marianno Lavelle and M.B. Pell, 12/28/09, adapted from Center for Public Integrity

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"The Science" says, Nature abhors a vacuum. In 20+ years absent American leadership, in walked Maurice Strong, George Soros, and a host of weak, greedy politicians... George Bush was the nail in the coffin. His biggest fault was remaining silent while allowing sick and diseased people from around the world to dominate public consciousness via television and other media....