Contributor

Valeri Vasquez

Latest

Compact View

Big Oil’s Mountain of Cash Article
A sign advertises gasoline prices at a Chevron gas station in Mountain View, California, Friday, January 28, 2011. (AP/Paul Sakuma)

Big Oil’s Mountain of Cash

The most profitable oil companies are fighting to keep tax giveaways that could be used for deficit reduction even though they have billions in cash reserves, write Daniel J. Weiss and Valeri Vasquez.

Daniel J. Weiss, Valeri Vasquez

Bush-Era Job Program Is GOP Leaders’ No. 1 Target Article
The plug to charge the batteries is plugged in to a Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid on the first press day of the Frankfurt Auto Show in 2009. (AP/Thomas Kienzle)

Bush-Era Job Program Is GOP Leaders’ No. 1 Target

Congressional Republicans once again propose slashing funding for a successful job creation program, write Daniel J. Weiss and Valeri Vasquez. The Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing program is creating jobs and will reduce oil use.

Daniel J. Weiss, Valeri Vasquez

Reserve Oil Sale Will Boost Economy Article

Reserve Oil Sale Will Boost Economy

The Obama administration’s decision to release 30 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve will translate into savings at the pump and add to our GDP, write Daniel J. Weiss, Christina DiPasquale, and Valeri Vasquez.

Daniel J. Weiss, Christina DiPasquale, Valeri Vasquez

Mercury Falling Article
Trucks carry out loads of coal at the Pine Creek Coal Company in Spring Glen, Pennsylvania. A new EPA standard aims to limit carbon pollution from new power plants, including coal-fired plants.

Mercury Falling

Many power plants can reduce their mercury and other toxics emissions without significant hardship, write Daniel J. Weiss, Valeri Vasquez, and Stewart Boss.

Daniel J. Weiss, Valeri Vasquez, Stewart Boss

American Electric Power’s Dirty Trick Article
A coal-fired power plant is shown in Thompsons, Texas. American Electric Power announced that it plans to close 21 coal-fired electricity units rather than invest in reducing pollution under forthcoming EPA regulations. (AP)

American Electric Power’s Dirty Trick

American Electric Power’s threat to close coal-fired power plants rather than comply with EPA requirements to reduce air toxics is designed to bring opposition to pollution controls, write Daniel J. Weiss and Valeri Vasquez.

Daniel J. Weiss, Valeri Vasquez

Memorial Day Driving by the Numbers Article
Conductores manejan en la autopista 70 cerca de Denver. Este feriado los conductores gastaran un promedio de $23 más llenando sus tanques de gasolina este año debido a que los especuladores están causando que los precios suban. (AP/David Zalubowski)

Memorial Day Driving by the Numbers

Daniel J. Weiss and Valeri Vasquez examine how much high gas prices and oil speculation are costing Americans as they take to the roads this weekend.

Daniel J. Weiss, Valeri Vasquez

Echoing Big Oil’s Protests Article
CEOs from the Big Five oil companies spent nearly three hours on May 12  defending billions of dollars in annual subsidies  for their companies, which celebrated more than $32 billion  in profits this quarter. But the hearing soon resembled an echo chamber of Big Oil  messaging, with Senate Finance Committee Ranking Republican Orrin Hatch  (R-UT), pictured above, assisting. (AP/Jacquelyn Martin)

Echoing Big Oil’s Protests

Pro-oil senators played copycat with Big Oil CEOs during last week’s hearing on ending subsidies for the companies before voting to protect the handouts, writes Valeri Vasquez.

Valeri Vasquez

Exxon Mobil Dodges the Tax Man Article
Gas prices above five dollars a gallon are seen on a sign at a gas station in Washington. (AP/Susan Walsh)

Exxon Mobil Dodges the Tax Man

Valeri Vasquez explains that ExxonMobil is able to get away with paying a lower effective tax rate than the average American.

Valeri Vasquez

Big Oil Visits the Stock Market With Your Money Article
A Conoco Phillips gas station is seen in Denver. The company devoted $1.6 billion of its $3 billion first-quarter earnings to stock buybacks—more than 50 percent of its profits. (AP/David Zalubowski)

Big Oil Visits the Stock Market With Your Money

The big five oil companies used their megaprofits from the first quarter to repurchase their own stock and enrich themselves, write Daniel J. Weiss and Valeri Vasquez.

Daniel J. Weiss, Valeri Vasquez

The Year of Living Dangerously Report
Scott Burton, left, gives a boat ride to neighbors down a flooded street Wednesday, May 5, 2010, in Nashville, Tennessee. (AP/Mark Humphrey)

The Year of Living Dangerously

2010's extreme weather could be a preview of a not-too-distant future should we fail to reduce carbon dioxide pollution, write Daniel J. Weiss, Valeri Vasquez, and Ben Kaldunski.

Daniel J. Weiss, Valeri Vasquez, Ben Kaldunski

Load More