2007 Yuppie of the Year: Rex Tillerson

On December 19, 2007 President Bush signed into law the first increase in automotive fuel efficiency standards. When Rex Tillerson, the new CEO of Exxon Mobil, got word of this his answer was simple, just raise the price of gas. In one quick swipe the gas guzzling SUVs of the today became *super gas guzzlers*. And the new SUVs that will be manufactured will only be simple gas guzzlers.

Good work for Yuppies on both sides again, Yuppies on the left will use this law as a Democratic boast for better fuel efficiency. Yuppies on the right will use this law as a major boost for the Republican's poor record on the environment. Even president Bush praised the bill as a "major step toward reducing our dependence on oil" but, in fact, the Law will only bring higher prices. Opponents have argued the bill will increase prices on just about anything consumers need, from milk to refrigerators to homes, because of the new efficiency requirements.

To get the bill passed Yuppie Democrats abandoned a plan to rescind tax breaks for oil and gas companies. They also gave up on a plan that require that at least 15 percent of the nation’s energy be produced from wind, solar, geothermal or other renewable sources, as opposed to carbon sources that lead to global warming.

Rex Tillerson becomes the "Yuppie of the Year" because you will see gas prices go even higher in 2008. I am predicting prices moving closer to $4.00 dollars a gallon. Of course, the prices will fall around election time to around $3.70 and old Rex is preparing a bunch of BS and one liners to put this plan into effect. What will it be this year? Will he play the demand card, or maybe the production cost card. His hand is always loaded when it comes to price increases.

Lets look at Rex Tillerson's Campaign contributions provide by NEWSMEAT.COM, A popular campaign donor search engine. Rex has frequently supported the Republican Party. He contributed to The NATIONAL REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE, the REPUBLICAN PARTY OF TEXAS, and his buddy George W. Bush. He Also supported a junior United States Senator from Texas John Cornyn.

In 2005, Cornyn voted against including oil and gas smokestacks in mercury regulations. He voted against factoring global warming into federal project planning, and against banning drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. He voted against reducing oil usage by 40%, rather than by 5%. He also voted against removing oil and gas exploration subsidies. During his tenure in the Senate, Cornyn has been brutal on the League of Conservation Voter's environmental scorecard, a system of ranking politicians according to their voting record on environmental legislation. Cornyn has been described by Jim Jubak of MSN Money as one of "Big Oil's ten favorite members of Congress," as he has received more money from the oil and gas industry than all but six other members of Congress.

Tillerson's other puppet in Congress is senior Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. Hutchison's name has been circulated as a possible Vice-Presidential candidate for Republican Mitt Romney. Her strong record as a conservative, female politician from the Southwest could induce the GOP to add her name to the ticket in an effort to balance any perceived gender gap between the parties, particularly if Hillary Clinton were to get the Democratic nomination for the Presidency in 2008.

In 2006, Hutchison (a strong anti gun supporter) received more campaign contributions from large oil and gas corporations than any other member of Congress. In 2005, Hutchison voted against prohibiting oil leasing in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and has supported legislation promoting drilling in the refuge in 2002 and 2003. In 2005 she also voted against including oil and gas smokestacks in the Environmental Protection Agency's mercury regulations. In 1999, she voted to remove funding for renewable and solar energy, although she has more recently stated she supports the development of alternative energy sources. According to the League of Conservation Voters environmental scorecard, Hutchison received a rating of zero the lowest possible score — in the 104th Congress.

Well you heard it first here: Gas is going to sky rocket to $3.70 a gallon. Kay Bailey Hutchison will be the next Republican VP hopeful and we all can thank "Yuppie of the Year" Rex Tillerson. Tillerson, as all yuppies do, mingles with the yuppies in the other party whenever possible to get money. Recently at Xavier college he shared the stage with SGA President Crystal Moore, UNCF President Michael Lomax, and former U.S. President Bill Clinton, which raised more than $2.6 million to support efforts to help rebuild the historically black colleges and universities along the Gulf Coast impacted by Hurricane Katrina. God knows what will happen to that money like all the rest that has gone that way.

According Fortune 500: "Why Tillerson refuses to run Exxon the way other CEOs are running other giant oil companies is for many people the most baffling question about the world's most profitable corporation. The other super majors are all proclaiming their greenness and investing in bio fuels, wind power and solar power. Exxon isn't. At Exxon it's all petroleum." Petroleum which Exxon can pump for less than $1 a barrel from the MIDDLE EAST.
picture from BBC