This morning I saw this piece titled “Obama’s Energy Pipe Dreams” from Robert Samuelson on MSNBC, and I felt compelled to comment here. Mr. Samuelson states that the President’s speech was largely self-serving and that his vision for weaning our economy from fossil fuels “was full of misinformation and mythology.”
I don’t know whether or not Mr. Samuelson was alluding to oil pipelines, but I am mindful that “pipe dreams” refers to being under the influence of opium. I think people like Mr. Samuelson are the ones who are not dealing honestly with reality (but he was getting a PoliSci degree from Harvard in 1967 while I was a junior Navy Corpsman so we probably have different realities).
John Stewart had a great piece on our most recent eight Presidents and their commitments to wean our economy from (foreign) oil, and I can understand people having mixed feelings about whether or not it is desirable to quit fooling around and get to it; but seriously, it’s going to happen sooner or later. The numbers just aren’t there for sustained dependence on fossil fuels. The thing that really pisses me off is that people in senior management in the industry must know this, and it’s a lead pipe cinch that they’re planning the future for themselves and their loved ones, but they aren’t being honest and giving the rest of us that opportunity.
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I know that the fossil fuels industry provide the livelihoods for many, many people. I hate that we use that argument, but I recognize that it’s a valid consideration for those people. I should probably feel worse than I do that I quit smoking, and endangered the livelihood of some tobacco farmer somewhere.
The reality – my reality – is that we can’t build a future on fossil fuels. I have frequently said that there are countless reasons to say ‘no’ to any plan or to postpone any action. Can we not agree that at some point we need to find a way to say ‘yes’ and get to work on developing our options? We can plan now or we can react later… or we can say “screw it” and let the kids deal with it.
I think you have, as usual, touched upon something important. We’ve been — pardon my barbarism — screwing around over fossil fuels since my sailor ex-husband was a bubble head. I think it’s past time we do something about it so now is the only time that makes sense. I think a lot of people need to downsize their autos in favor of smaller. less greedy vehicles for starters. And the powers that be need to start looking at better ways to provide transportion and utilities that cut consumption and costs. The technology is there — let’s use it!!!!!
Well said. I agree completely.
I remember the oil embargo of the 1970’s, the OPEC conspiracy and waiting in blocks long lines at the gas station. The price of oil goes up and people get religion about alternative fuels. The petroleum companies then get frightened that their market share will be diverted to a different source so the price of oil comes down and the public gets amnesia. The fact that this resource, that took millions of years to create, is being consumed in decades. I am sure we will turn to alternative sources of energy… when we are pushed kicking a screaming into gas lines, power outages, and runaway inflation. Change through crisis has always been the American Way.