If Peak Oil is a reality, does it really matter whom we elect?

[Ladyhawk]

According to some, we are royally fucked no matter what. I'd like some input from people who have researched this. I really know very little about this topic, but it scares me shitless.

[Wapsie B]

1. If Peak Oil is a reality

wouldn't it make sense to elect a President who believes in and supports alternative energies and not just cowtow to a cabal of oil barons?

[ElectroPrincess]

2. Hell yes, it matters who we elect. Oil ain't our only issue ; )

[TomClash]

11. Bingo n/t

[Sven77]

3. sure it does

why elect a oil baron who will squeeze every last dollar out of the american people using an old monopoly. hopefully another candidate will have progressive ideas about energy. clinton started the million solar roofs iniciative. maybe kerry will get us on hydrogen.

[Indiana_Dem]

4. I think it does.

You would want to pick the one who would use up our natural resources the least. I found out recently that Kerry has shortened the time he wants us to be indpendent of foreign oil to 10 years now instead of 20. Obviously, he's been listening to somebody.

I don't think he will cure all of our woes concerning peak oil but he's much MUCH better than Bush/Cheney and what they've been doing the last 4 years.

I feel like Kerry could buy us some more time to prepare. B/C will only speed things up and possibly get us into a nuclear war over the world's resources.

That's just my perspective.

[Mojambo]

5. Yeah, the difference between getting the alt-energy policies

started now or after 4 more years of war could be huge.

[Robeson]

7. Agreed

Every year counts at this point. If peak oil has occurred, then we have to start gearing our economy now, for the eventual meltdown. We don't really have time to waiste on this. Its going to effect everything. In fact, whether we have reached peak oil or not, oil is finite. Unless people want to live in a Soylent Green society, we have to prepare for life after abundant oil.

[hiphopnation]

6. Don't assume anything about Peak oil from either side of the spectrum

is my position. There's enough out there that provides compelling evidence in support of and to the contrary of the peak-oil theory. Lots of folks have come up with lots of different theories on just how much oil is left. There is a fringe element who estimate that the crash is coming in five years but, on the other side of that, there aren't many "experts" that predict us having much more than fifty to a hundred years of supply left at the rate we currently consume it. Most of these estimates, however, don't take into account China and India's growing appetite for oil. Here is a very balanced piece from the Christian Science Monitor. An amazing factoid from this article:

The competition for oil resources not fully under contract is expected to get rougher. It could be especially crucial for consumers in North America, who on average use up more than their body weight in crude oil each week.



Of course the sites to visit if you really want to freak out are:

www.peakoil.com
www.peakoil.org
www.peakoil.net
www.hubbertpeak.com <-------- Dr. M. King Hubbert, a geophysicist who did a lot of research on the topic. This is a great site, chock full 'o information.

Also check out www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net but proceed with caution at this site. It is bound to keep you up in fear for nights on end. This is the work of a California lawyer. He's written a detailed book on the topic and it's downright frightening. There's a Nostradamus quality to his stuff. :tinfoilhat:

Good Luck!!

[NEOBuckeye]

9. Matt Savinar's Website...

I've been there myself. Savinar does have a lot of information, and is probably fairly accurate on a great deal of it, but he really should have opted for a more factual, research-and-report-based approach, which would have garnered him a great deal more credibility, rather than using a guerilla-marketing "shock and awe" e-book sales approach, which tends to make his motives suspect. What's the point of seeking any sort of financial gain from the knowledge of imminent doomsday if, well, doomsday is imminent?

I do believe that Peak Oil is, or soon will be upon us, but frightening people to the point of being beyond all hope will only make our situation ever more dire than it need be. The more positive approach is to research all of the facts about fossil fuels and their alternatives, and then take action and organize to bring about a fossil fuel-free future.

I'd advise anyone with more interest in the subject to check out Thom Hartmann's book, The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight. He offers a facts and logic based analysis of Peak Oil, how we arrived at this point, and what we can do to resolve our situation.

[BlueEyedSon]

12. The only experts denying Peak Oil

are the ones who have a vested interest in the existing fossil fuel power structure (i.e. the guys who work for the oil industry) and in suppressing the info for fear of chaos (i.e. Cheney & his energy task force).

What Oil/Gas is not under contract? Probably only SOME of the fields not yet discovered.

Whether it's 2 years or 20, peak oil will be here, and much sooner than we are ready for.

http://doomsdayreport.com/links.html

[Ruby Romaine]

8. Do you want someone who says the end times are near & really doesn't care

since we'll all be dead?
Or someone who has a great record on the environment?
Ladyhawk-
please look at the work the apollo alliance is doing-
http://www.apolloalliance.org/
don't despair-

[onebigbadwulf]

10. Bush supports coal h-power, kerry h20 h-power so yes. (nt)