Comments on: The Conflict Between America’s Energy Needs and Climate Change

By: Sam

Sam — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:03:00 +0000

Considering in 2008 the IEA for the first time EVER gave a date for peak oil (2015 non-opec, 2020 opec) I’d say we have no choice but to let it happen.

By: Sam

Sam — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:00:04 +0000

Considering in 2008 the IEA for the first time EVER released a date for peak oil (2015 non-opec, 2020 opec) I think we have no choice but to let it happen.

By: Barry

Barry — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:00:37 +0000

This is what I was just reading:
“In his address to a joint session of Congress, President Barack Obama…asked Congress to send him legislation “that places a market-placed cap on carbon pollution.” The new president has pledged to set annual targets that put the nation on course to an 80 percent reduction (from 1990 levels) in fossil fuel emissions by 2050. ”

The article went on to say:
“A Center for Public Integrity analysis of Senate lobbying disclosure forms shows that more than 770 companies and interest groups hired an estimated 2,340 lobbyists to influence federal policy on climate change in the past year, as the issue gathered momentum and came to a vote on Capitol Hill. That’s an increase of more than 300 percent in the number of lobbyists on climate change in just five years, and means that Washington can now boast more than four climate lobbyists for every member of Congress.”

So between Obama’s modest goals, 2,340 congressional lobbyists, and the fact that it is alrady likely too late to turn this climatic ship around – what’s left to argue about?

By: Doug

Doug — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 16:58:31 +0000

Mr Thoimaides clearly has some strong opinions. Too bad they are not backed up by factual information. There are flaws in almost every statment he is making about the Canadian Oil Sands.
The one that strikes me is that picking on this target seems to be ignoring the much bigger problem closer to home.
Obama calls the US the “Saudi Arabia of coal”. In 2006, Canadian oilsands mining, extraction and upgrading produced 33.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. Coal-fired plants in the U. S. pumped 1.9 billion tonnes of GHGs into the atmosphere.
Focus on the biggest issue and work your way to the lesser ones. Don’t just pick on the easiest target.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 15:26:40 +0000

Well, the Saudi princes have accumulated an obscene credit imbalance with the US (of what used to be) A. Let we Canadians have a crack at it. Maybe then the US will have a reason to attack Canada as we would hold too much credit. Seems we would be the easier target. Then again, we have the ‘prince of [Harper] darkness’ cavorting around Manhattan. Ya, that is where the leader of your country should go. As for the tars sands and climate change, subject at hand, lets just do it for we are doomed anyway. I personally lean toward the microchip. May help solve our communication problems. Maybe if they had not literally destroyed Tesla’s body of work (they didn’t but that is another story) and used it as was intended, we all would not be in this mess. Thank the J.P. Morgans of the world. The 20th century was the glory of the modern era. Let us all once again plunder and rape at even a greater rate. That is where all the fun is. Just ask those that control your mind, body, and soul. They are laughing all the way to their banks, and their history.

By: Ramsefall

Ramsefall — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 03:22:17 +0000

Max and bozh,

you got me laughing more than Andrew’s naive glimmer of hope in something once referred to here on DV as shit for leadership — and then some — brewing in Washington.

Andrew,

I think you presented a well-supported argument against the likelihood of the O-bomb conceivably pursuing anything along the lines of adherence to his environmental campaign jargon, which I was enjoying by the way right up to the very end. Despite the following, I appreciate your contribution:

“The road we must take in order to achieve all three of those goals will take courage, dedication, and sacrifice from all Americans combined with unprecedented leadership from Washington.”

That limb on which you went far out, just fell out from under you, friend. In order to have unprecedented leadership in Washington (makes me laugh just thinking about it, try it, say it out loud, especially if you’re alone), there would first have to be something in Washington which truly represents leadership. I think you’re either forgetting or overlooking the fact that the US political system is no less corrupt than the MIC, bankers and Wall Street quick-talkin’, money flashing pimps and whores with whom they associate.

Surely you’ve reviewed Amerikan REALity 101?

Best to all!

By: Max Shields

Max Shields — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 02:14:56 +0000

Jon,
I’m about ready to shed a tear or two for O. That terrible “beast”. You know O personally? I mean, you know the beast?

I wouldn’t mess with the beast….nooooooowaaaaaaay.

By: Jon

Jon — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 01:31:12 +0000

Stopping the Iraq War and bolstering the Afghanistan war will lower the Department of Defense’s daily oil consumption, not by a whole lot. But by some.

We all want the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to stop but you’re asking a politician to stand up to the very large, and very powerful lobbying wing of America’s Military Industrial Complex.

That’s simply, a beast that I’m afraid Obama won’t mess with, and no one in the future will.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:48:44 +0000

There could be no better investment in America than to invest in America becoming energy independent! We need to utilize everything in out power to reduce our dependence on foreign oil including using our own natural resources.Create cheap clean energy, new badly needed green jobs and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.The high cost of fuel this past year seriously damaged our economy and society. The cost of fuel effects every facet of consumer goods from production to shipping costs. After a brief reprieve gas is inching back up.OPEC will continue to cut production until they achieve their desired 80-100. per barrel.If all gasoline cars, trucks, and SUV’s instead had plug-in electric drive trainsthe amount of electricity needed to replace gasoline is about equal to the estimated wind energy potential of the state of North Dakota.There is a really good new book out by Jeff Wilson called The Manhattan Project of 2009 Energy Independence Now.

By: Dudley Ferguson Archer

Dudley Ferguson Archer — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:23:05 +0000

First of all, anyone who thinks Barack Obama is going to do anything remotely positive about anything is a deranged doofus. Barack Obama is George Bush in blackface. They are wierd cousins, the left and right wing of the same wretched buzzard; together they are the smiling, blood-drenched face Civilization, a rapacious disease that seeks to destroy every living creature on earth. This is the Fourth Reich people! You’ve all been duped. Soon our bloated, dimwitted, children will be making tar sand castles with bar codes tattooed on their foreheads, snacking on genetically modied, radioactive, rice cakes purchased at the Curch of Walmart. Its over. Sleep well, for ye are the doomed children of Babel.

Palin 2012!

By: Max Shields

Max Shields — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 21:35:27 +0000

bozh, from what can be told from your posts, you are handling your psychosis very well.

Have a great day!
Max

By: bozh

bozh — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 20:50:05 +0000

max,
in rating my psychosis in econo-politico-military level with that of any US prez, senator, congress [wo]man and their respective advisers/backers, i’d rate myself at 1C and a prez such as O at 98C.

on the gregariousness/sociability levels, i am sick at about 80C and O at 3C.
i do not know why i am so psychotic but i do have social phobia. thnx

By: Max Shields

Max Shields — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 20:12:58 +0000

Dear writer,

I think you are asking too much here. First, Obama pledged he’d escalate in Afghanistan and extend the “war on terror” into Pakistan.

He has kept his word on that. BUT you must understand, in order to keep that promise he needs as much of the world’s fossil and yea that includes our dearest trading partner Canada to pitch in (no pun intended) to keep the machinery of war going. I mean you expect him to do this with wind mills or sunbeams!!

Back off. One campaign pledge at a time. If we’re all still here by the end of his first term and if the numbers look good, he’ll revisit your concerns.

How’s that? Fair? Reasonable? He thinks so.