This so-called energy debate is preposterous. Despite the enormous fight to keep this issue muddy, the truth is glaringly clear.
Certain powerful people are going for the ultimate cash-in before oil goes the way of the dodo. That's it. That's what this is all about.
(I took the image down to save bandwith)
All one has to do is flip on the television and sift through the Pharmaceutical ads (another story for another day, and hopefully another writer) until one gets to the beautifully produced Kerr McGee, Exxon Mobil, etc. commercial. These ads have double atrocity. First, they "lecture" us about conservation, as if it was we peons who had been so reckless. Next, they almost always show some geologist in a remote tundra or un-scaleable mountain range doing pseudo "ph paper" or "beaker with some blue liquid" bullshit to convey some sort of dedication to "supplying the worlds energy needs." I'll tell you this now, they can search all they want and they will find microscopically less than they would find in a safe, air-conditioned laboratory, looking for safe and economical solutions to the great variety of alternatives so many suppressed mavericks have invented and proposed over the past four (count `em, FOUR,) or-so decades.
If you listen to the brief "walking-away" statements of oil executives, it is clear that their companies have absolutely no plans or desire to develop mainstream sources of alternative fuels. They are looking for nothing more than the big cash-in. Absolutely nothing more.
Republicans, such as Bill Frist, who I must say even at the expense of destroying the integrity of this article, is one of the biggest douchebags I have ever had the displeasure of sharing this Earth with, represent a direct reflection of the "cash-in" policies of big oil. Using the same extortionist tactics that they have benefited from, they can only muster plans to bribe Americans so that they will collectively quiet down before November. They are actually cashing-in now. After all, that's what it will take to ensure "the big one" when all is said and done!
The fact is, friends: There is an increasingly finite supply of oil left in the depths of the geologic Earth. A few years back, Tim Appenzeller wrote a powerful piece for National Geographic, which was resoundingly ignored by mainstream politics. In it, he makes the limitations of oil clear. Further, his message is riddled with indications of the dangers of growing accustomed to the decadence associated with the abundance of today's (perhaps yesterday's) cheap oil.
Think of the future of oil as if it were some rare commodity. Were you a broker in this precious commodity, when faced with its ultimate liquidation, you could either use your funds to make a transition into another realm of commodities, or you could make the despicable choice of grinding through the end of the resource, thus "cashing in" until the inevitable nothingness that will result from your greed. Maybe you could buy a nice island somewhere while the rest of the world stews in the crisis your greed has created.
Big oil has definitely chosen to shoot for the big cash in. Rather than spending their enormous research funds in search of a mainstream replacement for petroleum, they use it to buy politicians and buy self-righteous advertising. Rather than exploring the economic, agricultural, and political benefits of cracking the energy code, they spend billions of dollars overturning pebbles at the bottom of the ocean, often finding absolutely nothing. Meanwhile, big oil, the aforementioned douchebag, and all of the other douchebag oil beneficiaries deliberately manipulate the politics and price of oil so that they can capture the maximum capital gains possible before the violent and abrupt end of the worlds #1 economic resource.
Sadly, it is really hard for us "little people" to do anything about it on our own. However, I believe that if we can just get it together, we can make worlds of difference as a gigantic collective. One encouraging opportunity we have can be clearly gleaned from the charts below:
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That's right, friends, voting for Democrats in November will put a huge dent in big oil's control of our government. Further, we might actually get to see the impeachment of the ultimate big oil lackey.
Another thing we can do is to reduce our use of oil. For example, in this age of FTP, PDF, broadband, Fedex, and video conferencing, there is really little need for such a massive commuter population. Take it from me, I am a freelancer; your physical presence is really not required in some office far away from home. Although it takes a little bit to discipline yourself to be productive, you and your company will reap great benefits should you give it a try.
The fact is, friends, your government deliberately seeks to fail you at this point. They are more interested in riding in on that last wave before it crashes. In their absence, I strongly feel that it is up to us to knock big oil off of its greedy-greedy path. Otherwise, enjoy living in Exxonia or maybe even the Cheney Isles.
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