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• Thursday, June 19, 2008 03:35 PM

  A tough position

  GE, or any firm trying to lobby government, is in a tough position. If they have a story to tell, in this case, that wind power tax credits pay for themselves and are, at this time, critical to the ongoing success of the industry, who is going to tell it for them? There is only so much research the large non-profits can fund, and even then there are few guarantees the research will not be influenced somehow.

  GE should at least get points for putting their own name on the report instead of funding some third party to write the report for them (tobacco industry anybody?)

  What I find discouraging is obfuscation has become such an accepted business practice we take for granted that companies and individuals will tell "their side of the story." We are beginning to see everything as "spin" and, in some respects as all equally (in)valid. There is less of an instinct to look at something critically and a greater tendency to attack, or support, the source.

  (This is perhaps most pronounced in political coverage, many news organizations forgetting they can and should look at candidates' positions critically rather than making sure the candidates get equal time: it is OK to show favor to a candidate on an issue when the other is wrong)

  In this case, GE makes a compelling argument, but an argument that is based almost completely on the JEDI model. It is also important to look at other uses of government funds. For example, would that 2.1 cents per kWh be better spent on energy efficiency projects (which, incidentally, happens to be the industry I work in.)

  —Boondoggle Read Boondoggle's other letters
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