As the 2008 presidential election heads into the final stretch, it is clearer than ever before that American energy policy is at a crossroads. Experts agree that a shift in our energy and consumption is necessary to avert catastrophe brought on by global warming, yet there is strong resistance to a major move away from a coal-fired electricity and oil-based economy to one based on alternative sources of renewable energy. The stakes have never been higher.

The battle is raging, in particular, for public opinion as well as for the eyes, ears, and allegiances of our elected officials. With literally tens of billions of dollars of annual profits at stake – for example, ExxonMobil alone reported $22.6 billion in profits in the first half of 2008 – the coal and oil industries are desperately spending hundreds of millions of dollars to shape and mobilize public and elite opinion.

Facing proposed changes in tax policy, regulation, and public accountability, it’s no wonder the coal and oil industries are spending money so freely. Yet the question remains: exactly how much are they spending?

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