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Stewart talked again about the Cheney Iraq Quagmire video tonight, August 22 2007. This video is mainstream.
I agree with you about The Daily Show, but I don't think it got any dumber over the years - I think we got smarter.
For a while it was easy fun to scapegoat Bush & Cheney for all our problems. But if you're peak-fuels aware, and if you look back at the history of America and Europe, Bush & Cheney are nothing new, and the Republicans aren't the only bad guys.
In fact it was President Carter who in 1980 established the doctrine of securing oil imports by military force. He was a Democrat.
The sad truth is that you and I are complicit in these crimes. We are guilty each time we fill up on ridiculously cheap $3.00 gasoline, or enjoy foods that are insanely cheap by historical standards.
"The sad truth is that you and I are complicit in these crimes. We are guilty each time we fill up on ridiculously cheap $3.00 gasoline, or enjoy foods that are insanely cheap by historical standards."
Very, very, VERY true. We are complicit. Not doing our utmost as individuals to cut our individual consumption of fossil fuels make us BAD PEOPLE.
And that's horrible. I want to be a good person. Still, I eat meat. Because it's so nice. I drive an electric scooter, but I'm still an immoral person. And that's horrible.
I think you misunderstood me. I'm not trying to establish that you and I are "bad people," it's not that simple.
We do, however, each play our part causing the problems discussed here at The Oil Drum. We each consume more than the planet can sustainably produce, particularly fossil fuels.
Maybe we're nice guys in person, but our participation in a bad system perpetuates it. We don't need to feel depressed about this fact all the time, but we shouldn't forget it.
Because people forget this fact, they are capable of talking back and forth about whether some Cheney TV clip broadcast everywhere ten years ago, which now plays on YouTube and Jon Stewart, has been "buried by the media" and whether if it "came out" the hypocrisy of the war would finally be exposed, and the bad times in the Middle East might end.
This sort of talk is possible only when people forget their role creating the problem and focus attention on a charismatic "bad guy" like Cheney. It is a kind of entertainment that clouds understanding of what's really going on in the world.
"In fact it was President Carter who in 1980 established the doctrine of securing oil imports by military force. He was a Democrat."
On the whole I agree that the Carter Doctrine was a mistake, but as you note, he was simply being honest about a bi-partisan policy pursued by the US for 60 years.
More importantly, at the same time he laid the groundwork for developing alternatives, and eliminating our dependence on the Middle East. Groundwork which was partially dismantled by Reagan & Bush administrations.
He was also willing to risk "stability" in the ME when he withdrew support for the Shah.
He wasn't perfect, but he was by far the best president we've had in recent history on energy matters.
Quoting SilentPatriot at Crooksandliars:
I agree--it was brilliant. And included the 1994 Cheney video.
Find it on the Comedy Central site by scrolling down the Most Recent Videos column to "America to the Rescue," or find it on Crooksandliars here.
--C
Energy consultant, writer, blogger www.getreallist.com