Large oil companies have been playing games with politicians against the public and environment for nearly 60 years now.  Most everyone is familiar with one of these games.  Here's how it works:  The truth is exposed for all to see.  Then it is covered up and mixed up so that no one knows for sure exactly where the truth lies even if they are paying very close attention.  Then 'the truth' is revealed and it is something no one expects - through slight of hand, secrets and tricks,  what is 'true" has entirely disappeared. This is the classic Shell game. 

For these 'games' to work, you must have an audience that is suggestible, trusts the charming trickster, and doesn't know how the trick works.  These games don't work on Representative Katie Porter.  

In the linked video, Porter confronts Shell executive Gretchen Watkins.  Shell truthfully acknowledges how BIG an undertaking it is to address climate change by investing in 'energy solutions' and alternative energy.  However, Rep. Porter illustrates that the resources Shell actually devotes to those solutions reveals their duplicity:  Porter points out that Shell plans to spend $17 - $20B on gas, oil and chemical production,  $3B of which is devoted to marketing.  Shell promised to spend $6B on addressing Climate Change, but in actuality only spent around $3B. Rep. Porter exposes the gross discrepancy between Shell's promise and their follow through.

To the casual viewer, it appears that Ms. Watkins has a reasonable answer - "there needs to be both a demand and a supply of clean energy, which is why we are working closely with our customers...".  However, Rep. Porter is not a casual observer.  She's an expert at identifying duplicity and manipulation.  In the above quote, Watkins suggests that the reason Shell has done so little to fulfill their pledges is because there is little demand from their customers (i.e. you and me).  That is blame shifting, and Rep. Porter cuts Watkins off right there so as not to provide opportunity for the deception  to continue.  She calls out both Shell and ExxonMobil stating, "You're trying to fool people!"

It's important for people to be able to identify the many ways people can be bamboozled by crafty characters (and to have represenatives like Porter) so as to call it out when they see it.

So, what's next after calling out exploitation and deceptive practices?  They must be held accountable.  What the large gas and oil companies have been doing places people, plants, and animals at imminent risk of death by flooding, drought, famine, solar radiation, respiratory difficulties, heat illness, and more!

What's more, they know it, continue to practice it, and obstruct people's ability to stop it.  These are crimes against humanity and it's time to let them know that we will hold them accountable as soon as we possibly can.  Until then, let's place them on notice and resolve to hold large carbon emitters liable for their actions by signing this petition.