Pro-Oil Group Calls Fracking Opponents Stupid
Posted on Jul 24, 2014 4:30pm PDT
A conservative group is trying a new tactic in Colorado's war over
fracking: Call the other side idiots.
That's what a 60-second TV spot launching on cable networks in the
state does, in so many words:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wuKMID3Gq4.
In a caricature of anti-fracking activists, the ad features four actors
in a garage holding a meeting of the "flat-earth discussion group."
With the announcer saying that this represents who is "driving the
conversation about fracking in Colorado," the group is called to
order with the bowtie-wearing (a nod to Rep. Jared Polis?) leader boasting that "last week's meeting on whether the moon
is actually made of cheese was very enlightening." "After I
saw a movie about fracking, I mysteriously started gaining weight,"
says another member of the group, stuffing a fistful of cheese balls into
his mouth.
The group concludes fracking should be banned on the grounds that it causes
weight gain and "makes your sock puppet not want to kiss you anymore,
if you're into that sort of thing," upon complaint from another
group member. "[The fracking issue] may deteriorate very quickly
into name-calling and ad-hominem attacks. And that's what scares the
politicians," said 9NEWS political analyst Floyd Ciruli. "They've
very worried that this is going to deteriorate." While most politicians
seek to stake out a position of moderation, supporting the economic upside
of fracking while advocating for environmental protections to go with
it, the pro and anti-fracking groups are more interested in winning on
a pair of anticipated ballot questions to restrict oil and gas operations.
Left-leaning groups have already attacked conservatives in Colorado, alleging
ties to "big oil" in political ads. This ad comes from the "Environmental
Policy Alliance," which is a project of the Center for Organizational
Research and Education, which advocates against numerous left-leaning
activists on topics ranging from animal rights to obesity to unionized
labor. In a more serious tone, the announcer goes on to claim that the
Environmental Protection Agency considers fracking to be safe, and that
banning the practice would cost jobs in Colorado. It's hard to argue
against the importance of oil and gas operations in the state's economy,
creating high-paying jobs in rural parts of the state as long as there
are wells to be drilled and operated. However, the environmental impact
of fracking is still very much a live issue. "Hearing the oil and
gas interests say they don't know about the serious health implications
of fracking next to homes, schools, and hospitals is like hearing the
piano player at the cathouse saying he doesn't know what's going
on upstairs," said Nick Passanante, campaign director for Safe Clean
Colorado, the campaign pushing for initiatives 88 and 89 to restrict fracking.
In fact, the EPA is currently in the midst of a large-scale study of fracking
with a particularly strong focus on drinking water, noting that "as
the use of hydraulic fracturing has increased, so have concerns about
its potential human health and environmental impacts." The EPA is
also studying the impact of fracking on air pollution, demand on water
supply, and disposal of wastewater. Colorado state regulators have said
that a wastewater disposal well is potentially connected to earthquakes
in Weld County this year.