Interest in Sudan revived this year in part because the country is involved with two of the Bush administration's most important constituencies: oil and religion.
In this case, the Bush administration finds itself paying increasing attention to Sudan because it involves two of its most important domestic constituencies: oil interests and religion.
But hardly anyone knows Whitman took this action, imposed over the protests of the oil industry, Bush's core constituency.
This embrace of economic nationalism is partly just a sop to important political constituencies, like big oil and organized labor.
Jack N. Gerard, president of the American Petroleum Institute, said of the president's decision, "This is all about politics and keeping a radical constituency, opposed to any and all oil and gas development, in the president's camp in 2012.
"This is about politics and keeping a radical constituency opposed to any and all oil and gas development in the president's camp in November 2012".
"There may not be a large constituency clamoring for a shift away from oil, but it's a growing one, and even the government is looking at diversifying the economy from oil".
Oliver Letwin, the Tory MP for west Dorset and chair of his party's policy review, claimed £21,073.12 for his constituency home – including £2,653.07 for household heating oil.
The stage was set: Bush would delight his Christian constituency; U.S. businesses would gain access to Sudan's oil; and Sudanese civilians would stop dying.
As is the case with all fear-driven positions, some actually believe the falsehoods; others have manipulative objectives, such as maintaining their vested interest in the oil industry's money, or solidifying their credentials with their voting constituency.
