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Triumph of Gore: Decline of Exxon-Mobil

"Goddamnit... Gore was right all along... son of a gun wasn't even exaggerating."

"It's like the tobacco industry all over again..."

"The corruption is in the open out now. No one is gonna wanna touch those assets except other corrupts."

"I get why a couple politicians would wanna defend them, but I wonder how many are in these guys' pockets..."

2004 was the beginning of the end of Al Gore's first tenure as President and has an overall positive score, with his major accomplishments being getting rid of DADT, capturing Bin Laden and progressing the peace talks with Palestine and Israel by negotiating with Iran. However, many note that despite his modest accomplishments and major ones, he has not made massive moves toward his green policies. Until now. Ever since the Enron Scandal, the Gore administration had been investigating various companies and groups for potential financial troubles or in general, bad practices. One such target was Exxon-Mobil and here, Al Gore would find a jackpot. Evidence that pointed that Exxon-Mobil had known about the climate change threat for years and proceeded to lie to the public about it and spread misinformation through funding organizations of "climate change skepticism". He would use the approach to the tobacco industry and use the RICO act to sue Exxon-Mobil.

The months surrounding it dominating the news as the comparisons were drawn between them and the tobacco industry, with more open calls to check other fossil fuel companies if they were aware of the dangers. Others speculated that while they may not have actual data, they likely piggybacked off of the speculation and still benefitted from the fruad. Gore's speeches on the manner also dominated the arena. The comparisons to the tobacco industry came from him, the accusations of irresponsible drives for wealth (which struck a chord with the American people due to the growing frustrations with corporate corruption) and most of all, the lobbying of the fossil fuel industry to politicians to downplay the threat or protect them.He brought back the importance of the Feingold-McCain Act and how important it further it is to remove the influence of large corporations from politics. He also mentions some of the impact, such as federal subsidies toward fossil fuels, which have been going down modestly, but not enough for Gore and his mroe hardline supporters due to concern from moderates.

Gore called upon eco-friendly politicians and activists from across the political spectrum to assist. The Governator himself became outspoken in agreeing with Gore said while independent politician Bernie Sanders also made note of everything happening and became known as a bit of a strong voice. Exxon-Mobil meanwhile tried to rally its defenses, but in the current politicial climate of skepticism toward big business, the pundits and talk show hosts that simplified the explanation and even Fox News, the voice of conservatives, pointed out the validity of Gore's sttement (in part due to the reinstatement albeit reformed and updated FCC Fairness Policy.)

At the end of the day, in United States v. Exxon-Mobil Corp, the ruling was held in favor of the Gore Administration. Exxon-Mobil was found guilty in engaging numerous acts of fraud to further a conspiracy to deceive the American public about climate change and the potential cause of fossil fuels leading up to climate change. Unsurprisingly, the consequences were pretty dire, and stocks for the company would begin plummeting and shareholders would begin freaking out. This led to another court case against Exxon-Mobil. Many were unsure whether Exxon-Mobil could even be tried given how they were tried over multiple accounts of fruad as well as conspiracy in a similar vain as the tobacco industry was. However, thanks to the Martin Act of New York, they would be able to go after Exxon-Mobil for investment fruad. The Martin Act was a 1921 law meant to protect investors from false statements from corporations, even if the company wasn’t intentionally trying to be deceptive. In this case, they pointed to the very recent case as evidence for their event and that investment fruad was not one of the charges used over in the previous case of the Supreme Court. Ultimately, People of the State of New York v. Exxon Mobil Corp would have the people win and the investors recooperate their losses. The two deals would make fossil fuels a poisoned chalice and other fossil fuels were now worried that their investors would be coming for them.

Exxon-Mobil was now a colossal shell of itself and the entire affair was known as the Exxon-Mobil Scandal. Other petrol companies in the USA and in the world began feeling the fallout and soon, growing calls were made to investigate associated companies. Fossil fuel companies gained a solid stigma that would make them grow more unappealing for Wall Street. Attitudes toward Gore changed drastically; the revelation of conspiracy to downplay climate change for the sake of profits captured media attention and it spun into a wildfire. The Green Party began enjoying even greater amounts of support as the skeptics became believers in the face of this. Outspoken politicians defending Exxon-Mobil, especially Senator McConnell, lost political points and influence overall, with attempts to get some to resign to no avail. This sharp rejection would cost McConnell prestige such as losing leadership within the Republican senate. Green-driven Democrats and Republicans began voting more aggresively as stances of their representatives and senators became more well-known. This gave Gore much more political clout for one of his goals.

A financial plan that would see the end of federal subsidies toward fossil fuels and the inclusion of a carbon tax on large companies, notably the industries associated with the Koch Brothers. The money from the would be fossil fuel subsidies would instead be going toward the development of renewable energy, the development of educational programs in trade schools and job training for the growing renewable energy and fuel sectors and how it was primarily marketed it as, a nice tax cut for the middle and lower classes. He pointed out that state subsidies are of the state matters, but noted on whethe they would be okay with politicians in the pocket of profiteers. Climate change has been more firmly discussed in the public lexicon and Gore's call for the election of represenratives and senators saw growing turnout for voting on primaries. Additionally, new plans were drawn upon to build on the foundation of the McCain-Feingold Act's in campaign finance reform.

The global effect was no less different. Gore's actions and influence served as a wake-up call as Al Gore urged his fellow world leaders to not let themselves be corrupted or bullied by fossil fuel companies. This was especially toward Canada and the oil sands of Alberta, something noted as it was stated that the oil sands would not be profitable if not for subsidies. This reinforced the growing chasms between the USA and Saudi Arabia, with relations breaking between the two as Gore's words promised less oil from Saudi Arabia. Iran meanwhile welcomed this and took the chance to grow closer to the USA and winning some gains for the reformists. Oil heavy nations like Venezuela began also sweating as Gore's actions served to the world that it's oil's twilight years and brought back the fire in for certain groups in Venezuela. Fossil fuel companies found themselves uncomfortably in the spotlight along with other groups, such as the infamous Koch brothers. 2004 was beginning off and already many saw that Gore had defined it with a surprising and bold move.