The Bush administration's energy policy and its $31 billion bill that's emerged in Congress seem to be a pretty sweet deal for big business, including at least one in Georgia.

Administration policy was crafted largely in secret by Vice President Dick Cheney and energy industry executives shortly after President Bush assumed office in 2001. The White House refused on several occasions to make public documents that involved the energy policy discussions, leaving many people skeptical about who truly might benefit from the recommendations sent to Republican leaders in Congress. Many of the participants, you see, were generous contributors to the Bush-Cheney 2000 election campaign.

The bill, now facing scrutiny, criticism and possibly filibuster in the Senate, makes winners of the president's financial backers and fund-raisers in the energy industry at the expense of public interest. The legislation would provide $23.5 billion in tax breaks to the industry over 10 years and $5.4 billion in subsidies and loan guarantees. ...

Who benefits? According to a Washington Post examination of the energy bill, companies run by 22 executives and their spouses who have been designated as top fund-raisers for Bush's re-election campaign would come out winners to the tune of billions of dollars. The benefits also would extend to companies represented by 15 lobbyists and their wives, who have been dubbed "Rangers" and "Pioneers" by the Bush campaign. ...

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