Hello Bill - thank you for the informative post.

Interesting that Obama's group thought peak oil "could be managed". I suppose one must take one's victories where one can and at least it was encouraging to note that they made the effort to listen attentively to your message.

What I would like to know is at what degree of hurt do they propose to end voluntary austerity and implement their plan to "manage" the peak oil scenario? I also wonder what sort of plan they will endorse. So far - if I can generalize - it seems that the political plan enacted to get through this hurricane-induced shortage is: 1) BAU; 2) decrease environmental safeguards (early release of winter gas); and 3)don't let the market intervene to manage consumption (ie with price rises). I am curious to know when and how their plan might diverge from this one.

I'll admit that I am listening to your election from another country - so likely I am not hearing it all (lol). I haven't heard anything but the most vague plans to address FF scarcity. Maybe it is asking too much of electioneering politicos to expect them to come out with a plan for hard times that a lot of folks don't even believe will arrive. But tellingly, I think their messages - and therefore perhaps their plans - only involve ramping up or shifting the emphasis of current reliance on fossil fuel (drilling and clean coal) and evidence no major awakening regarding the part FF will play in future energy/chemical needs. That is what frightens me. If the plan doesn't have within it's basic framework an understanding that the use of FF will eventually come only at a price (economic/enviromental/physical) that we are unable to pay, then I believe it is flawed and at best only (very) short-term. Should I expect more? I'm not hearing it in our election either.

*sigh

Regards,

Al