Part D

Ahhh, now we see what the reason for all those exorbitant profits were really for -- bad weather.

“Business Mobilizes to Defend Turf; Firms Plot Campaigns to Counter Effects of Democrats' Agenda,” by John D. McKinnon and John J. Fialka, Wall Street Journal. 1/4/07.

The industries that expect to take the biggest hits from the new Democratic Congress are scrambling their marketing, public-relations and advertising forces to shore up their defenses.

Eager to demonstrate a sharp contrast with Republicans who dominated Capitol Hill for 12 years, new Democratic leaders are vowing to raise the federal minimum wage; reduce oil-company subsidies; give the government bargaining authority in purchasing Medicare prescription drugs; shrink student-loan fees; and impose mandatory controls on emissions of carbon dioxide and other so-called greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.