`Author:` [[Jane Mayer]] `Availability:` [[Suggestions]] > [!info] > ![[Jane Mayer.image.jpeg]] ## Summary ## Key Takeaways ## Quotes - ## Notes ### **1. [[The 1970s Energy Crisis]]: A Turning Point** The [[Oil]] shocks of **1973 (OPEC embargo)** and **1979 (Iranian Revolution)** exposed the fragility of fossil fuel reliance, triggering: - **Economic turmoil** (stagflation, recessions) - **Policy shifts** (CAFE fuel standards, SPR creation) - **Early [[Ecology|environmental]] awareness** (Earth Day, renewable energy research) Yet, instead of a sustained move toward sustainability, the crisis also **empowered [[Oil]] billionaires**—like the Koch brothers—to fight back. --- ### **2. *Dark Money*: The Backlash Against Regulation** Jane Mayer’s book reveals how fossil fuel magnates and libertarian billionaires **weaponized the [[Energy]] crisis** to: - **Fund climate denial** – Koch-backed think tanks (Heritage Foundation, Cato Institute) pushed junk science to delay action on renewables. - **Dismantle environmental laws** – Lobbying crushed Jimmy Carter’s solar energy push, ensuring oil/gas dominance. - **Reshape [[Politics]]** – The 2010 *Citizens United* ruling (fueled by dark money) let [[Corporations]] flood elections with cash, entrenching pro-oil policies. --- ### **3. The Legacy Today: A World Still Fighting the 1970s Battle** The energy crisis and dark money’s fallout define present struggles: - **Climate Deadlock** – Despite 1970s warnings, U.S. fossil fuel use peaked only in **2019**, thanks to decades of industry obstruction. - **Political Polarization** – Dark money helped turn energy policy into a [[Culture]] war (e.g., attacks on EVs, “Drill Baby Drill” rhetoric). - **Energy Insecurity** – The 2022 Russia-Ukraine oil price spike echoed the 1970s—proving we never fully escaped fossil fuel dependence. --- ### **Conclusion: A Cycle of Crisis and Manipulation** The **1970s energy crisis** should have been a wake-up call, but *Dark Money* shows how corporate interests **hijacked the response**—delaying climate action and deepening inequality. Today’s debates over Green New Deal policies, Big Oil profits, and Supreme Court rulings on regulation all trace back to these pivotal decades. **Key Question:** Will the next energy crisis (climate-driven?) finally break this cycle—or will dark money keep us locked in the past? --- `Concepts:` [[Politics]] `Knowledge Base:` [[Books index]]