“Will Rebecca F. Eliott dare investigate the other side of her favored arguments and dare again, alter her perspective? Will her readers and the New York Times allow her to do so? The times are a changing….”
An article in the New York Times last month on Harold Hamm was in the long tradition of Big Oil, Big Politics, Big Corruption. “The Oilman Who Pushed Trump to Go All In on Fossil Fuels” (December 12, 2025) was authored by Eric Lipton and Rebecca F. Eliott.
Eliott’s bio is titled “I cover energy for The New York Times” and reads in part:
“Many of my stories explore how energy shapes — and is shaped by — politics and economic policy…. I joined The Times in 2024 from The Wall Street Journal [and] … The Houston Chronicle…..”
The biased, superficial article prompted me to write this letter to Eliott. Dated December 14, 2025, I have not heard back.
Hello Rebecca:
I just read with interest your article on Harold Hamm, which is in the tradition of ‘big oil politics.’ I have covered this narrative in many books and articles since the 1970s (see MasterResource and type your search term).
You should consider doing another piece on the intellectual movement behind Chris Wright (et al.), which comes from Alex Epstein, who as the “first philosopher of energy” has sharpened the arguments for the free-market, human-betterment narrative. Also, Robert Bryce. I think these two (and me) will not fit the narrative of Big Oil Politics…. Ditto for the Institute for Energy Research (IER), which I founded out of my house back in 1989 (a ‘think bucket‘).
In your research, you should read about my opposition to Enron’s ‘green’ energy policies (I worked there for 16 years). What is crucial is understanding the principled view of free-market capitalism versus political capitalism (same website).
The classical-liberal intellectual movement has long been in the wilderness with climate issues, which replaced Peak Oil, Peak Gas, and (yes), a flirtation with global cooling (question ‘ExxonKnew’ in this regard).
I hope this is of interest to understand the major changes now underway with U.S. and global energy policy.
Best wishes, – Rob Bradley
P.S. The major global energy issue, in my view, should be privatization of the subsoil (mineral rights), not climate change. Royalties for the masses, not the (corrupt, crony) State.
The saying is that you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink. Will Rebecca Eliott dare investigate the other side of her favored arguments and dare again, alter her perspective? Will her readers and the New York Times allow her to do so? The times are a changing….