<DrumBeat: June 21, 2006The Oil Drum5th International Conference on Oil and Gas Depletion>

157 comments on A Critique of the 2006 EIA International Energy Outlook

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tstreet on June 21, 2006 - 5:36pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Doncha know, Bush said this morning that the idea that the U.S. is a dangerous nation is absurd.  Why, everyone knows we're fighting for Democracy and Freedom.  The word for today is absurd. No further thought required.
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john milton on June 21, 2006 - 6:10pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
But to be clear: Bush is no more the problem with America than Stalin was the problem with Russia. Which is to say that evil is present in all of us to a greater or lesser extent. What is problamatic is when the evil are empowered.

Whoever the Pres. of America is there will be a guy following him around for the entirty of his term with "the football" (The gadget that starts world war 3). Thus only an agent of intense evil can agree without reservation to be the President of the U.S., but more to the point Americans have collectivly embodied evil in their state structure because it contains the football carrier. To the extent that they are not working to dismantle this structure they too are agencies of evil in that they enable it at the least through their inaction.

Many of the things discussed here have echos of this: food vs feed stock for biofuel, environmental impacts such as Global Warming, "Demand distruction" in the global south etc.

We really need to start owning the evil inherent in the ways we consider going on these things if they are worthy things for consideration by human beings, in my opinion.

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tom deplume on June 21, 2006 - 7:18pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
I wonder what the rich mean by freedom. Having never been rich I see freedom differently. A few years back I discovered that I am not free to let the paint fall off my house. Only people obsessed with their own but not my property rights would enforce such a law. I think the rich think of freedom as the freedom from helping to carry the burdens they impose on others. It certainly isn't those described in the US Constitution.
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DelusionaL on June 21, 2006 - 9:27pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
This went from a bad report to a total trashing of america.  While it isn't the best we could have done here lately there is a few things that you could do.  First of all you could leave- yes that is correct! You can leave and find a better country to live in.  The world is full of places to go to, sell everything you own and go...or...Try to fix it or at least prepare for the shortcoming that are present.
Please keep in mind that Bush has very low approval ratings, so while you(we) may not like him I don't think it fair to lump us all into a shitty box.
It would appear also that there are alot of people trying to get into the US.  It would appear that they do not agree with you.  
Bad isn't bad except by comparison, look at the opertunity that doesn't exist elsewhere.    
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GJ on June 21, 2006 - 10:34pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
John Milton said earlier:

Bush is no more the problem with America than Stalin was the problem with Russia

Nonsense.  Bush IS the problem with America.  Polling throughout the free world prior to Bush were very positive; polling after Bush and his illegal invasion of Iraq became overwhemingly negative.  That's a fact.

Delusional said:


It would appear also that there are alot of people trying to get into the US.  It would appear that they do not agree with you.

Everything is known by comparison, Delusional.  Mobility is the norm now.  Talented people from say, Bosnia (oops, a Muslim world), or India or VietNam or S.Africa, or wherever, are looking to upgrade.  Don't take it as a compliment that people are still coming here - many are also going to quality destinations like Australia, Germany, Canada, Ireland, Israel, Hong Kong, Bejing.  Although I don't have a cite at the ready, there is evidence that the US under Bush and Cheney have persuaded many bright scientist around the world to seek opporunities elsewhere.  Gresham's Law says bad money drives good money out of circulation (eg. silver coins are now hoarded).  A corollary suggests bad leaders drive good human capital out of the country.

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DelusionaL on June 21, 2006 - 10:45pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Hmm....perhaps I wasn't clear enough.  Bush's poll rates are low...are we not in total agreement that he isn't liked here and that we americans should not be wraped together with him because he isn't liked? Would he win an election today?  I think not! we are just waiting to get rid of him.
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Rajiv on June 21, 2006 - 11:42pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Delusional,

I don't think Tom meant that as a hit on all Americans, but rather as a general polemic on the policies adopted by the US government (which presumably acts in the name of the American Public,) and the elite that determine those policies. Capitalism is taken to be democratic, while it is one of the most undemocratic means of governance.

You may find "The Strange Language of Capitalism" an interesting read.

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Prodigal Son on June 21, 2006 - 11:21pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Don't Republicans say the scariest words you can hear are, 'We are from the government and we're here to help'?

Caesar always says his legions are there to bring peace and justice. He just doesn't mention that he has to make desert in order to do so.

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