While our focus here at DeSmogBlog is to expose the public relations and lobbying antics that hinder effective responses to climate change, we are always on the lookout for other examples of how lobbying and PR impede progress on critical legislative efforts to protect people instead of profits.

The health care reform bill in front of the U.S. Congress provides several noteworthy examples, perhaps none so appalling as that described in a front-page New York Times article this week about the pharmaceutical industry’s efforts to script the floor speeches delivered by members of the House of Representatives.

The article, “In House, Many Spoke With One Voice: Lobbyists’”, describes how lobbyists working on behalf of Genentech, one of the world’s largest biotechnology companies, succeeded in having their ghostwritten talking points repeated, often verbatim, by over 40 lawmakers on the House floor - 22 Republicans and 20 Democrats.

Genentech also succeeded in getting many of its willing spokespeople in Congress to mention the issue of generic drugs, a critical item on the industry’s lobbying agenda in the health care reform debate.  Genentech no doubt hoped to drum up additional support for an amendment put forth by Representative Anna Eshoo (D-CA), in whose district Genentech is located.  Rep. Eshoo’s provision would have granted pharmaceutical companies up to 12 years of monopoly advantage – and perhaps longer – to sell their profitable cancer, diabetes and AIDS drugs without competition from cheaper generic forms.

When economy and environment are pitted against each other (a la Stephen Harper) we are manipulated into thinking that we must sacrifice one in order to achieve success with the other.

The steps urged by the United Nations-sponsored scientific panel to curb carbon emissions signal changes as comprehensive as the journey from gaslight and the horse-and-buggy to light bulbs and automobiles 100 years ago.

Not surprisingly, Bush Administration officials are putting a positive spin on the report, which sees an 11 per cent increase in emissions during the decade ending in 2012. But an assortment of experts on climate trends say the result is unacceptable given rising evidence of risks from unabated global warming.

Agreement is expected this week on a program that could lead to substantial growth in the ethanol industry in Brazil as technology and manufacturing equipment developed there is exported to other countries in the region. The deal has already drawn fire, however, over the threat of expanding Brazilian output at the expense of American corn growers.

Virtually none of the new coal plants in coming years will be built to capture the thousands of tons of carbon dioxide burning coal belches into the atmosphere. A New York Times report says utility officials contend gasification is too expensive and pulverized-coal plants can always be adapted later for emissions. Technical experts are dubious.