If we can change the energy paradigm, the entire equation changes. Anybody play chess? Oil is an unwinnable board. It’s a painful draw at best. We must diversify our sources of energy. The long-term consequences utterly SCREW our children. Talk about character. This is the central challenge of our time.
What are the root causes opposing changes in energy? Holy shit. Power and money. Lots of it. Big money. Powerful interests. People willing to assassinate presidents (or presidential candidates). People willing to screw America for dominance, power and money.
The GOP (which I have left) is on the wrong side of the central issue of our time, protecting establishment O&G interests (and others). McCain was a maverick in 2000 but is a gop-whore in 2008 (lower case to distinguish from old-school GOP). He dances and flip-flops with battery contests one day and gas-tax holidays the next. Talk about pandering.
Obama has been clear and consistent on the central issue of our time, calling for massive investment in energy technology and infrastructure. I support him and expect there will be a large and organized effort that engages the massive R&D infrastructure in this country (an economic competitive advantage over other countries, BTW).
This from the NYT yesterday:
“Citing Need for Assessments, U.S. Freezes Solar Energy Projects” — Faced with a surge in the number of proposed solar power plants, the federal government has placed a moratorium on new solar projects on public land until it studies their environmental impact, which is expected to take about two years.
WTF! This is the Bush Administration, Bureau of Land Management. Suddenly, environmental issues are important to them? They’re selling off our national forests and suddenly they don’t want solar panels in the Mojave? WTF.
9/11 was a wake-up call that the current paradigm is unstainable. Forget climate change which is just scary, from a purely geopolitical and economic perspective, from a peak oil standpoint, the current paradigm is unsustainable. We’re headed towards WWIII. Get off this road, and go a different direction. Invent a different future.
We should be having an ‘Apollo Moon Mission’ type effort in this country to diversify our energy sources — the Manhattan Project of our time. Instead, we’re calling each other names and screaming about gun control and gay marriage rights. Baby Boomers in Divorce Court.
Obama represents a new generation for a lot of us, my generation. On the central issues of our time, he’s got it right. I could care less about gun control or flag pins. I want a rational approach to energy and foreign policy.
